the quarterly, quality, life & style magazine
Issue No.5 – Spring 2012 ₏4 - where sold
Luxury Starts Here
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life & style
CONTENTS SPRING
A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Spring is a time of newness, a time of change, which we have embraced here at indulge. Like the caterpillar who turns into a butterfly, we have grown out of our 1st year cocoon and look forward to a new year in new, more spacious offices, where we hope to grow further and find and share plenty of reasons, places and things to indulge in, for the pages of the printed magazine and ever evolving website. We have new faces on the team with articles on children, wellbeing and men’s fashion, and a few new supporters who ensure we can continue, not only to be the islands’ only quality quarterly, but more importantly, a content rich read. A huge thank you goes out to the team both front and back stage, for their unswerving and cheery support in this project.
Monique x monique@indulge.com.mt +356 99891722 IndulgeMagazineMalta www.indulge.com.mt
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Suzanne Chambers gives us a taste of Thailand
12
Chris De Micoli shares some prose
13
Jean-Marc injects some colour
20
Ed Explains Bacchanalian indulgence
23
Bodyworks break down food for us
25
Brown’s Kitchen gets reviewed
26
How to throw the perfect lunch at home
28
Meals in heels - effortless entertaining recipes
30
Monique shows molecular cooking isn’t rocket science
33
What a corker! The science behind wine closures
34
Are we overindulging our children?
37
Phil goes fencing
43
Malcolm looks into the future
47
Ben introduces Malta Sail Training Association
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Events calendar - where to indulge@
indulge is brought to you by Compass Rose Marketing & PR, Il-Fanal, 37, High Street, Gharghur. Designed by Porridge Printed by Print It Distributed by Maltapost For advertising enquires, please contact sales@indulge.com.mt To list events, please contact events@indulge.com.mt All information is correct at the time of going to press. The editor does not accept liability for the opinions expressed nor the accuracy of the information.
Amber Knights takes a look at
3 LOCAL ARTISTS’ WORK Alex Attard
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humble man whose enthusiasm for photography is infectious and inspiring. After years of work unrelated to photography, Alex has finally set his mind and soul firmly on the photographic world. Having originally learnt and practiced with traditional film, Alex has chosen to immerse himself into the digital world; he has spent the last five years building upon his knowledge, successfully producing incredible results. Post production techniques have progressed through the years and technology has almost completely replaced the dark room entirely, a challenge that Alex was ready to take on and has since acquired even better skills and knowledge of all things technical within photography. With a family history in photography spanning close to a hundred years, it comes as no surprise that Alex has an innate talent for the art. Years of absence from photography have not hindered his capacity for growth and maturity within the field. Thanks to his son’s interest in buying a camera a few years ago he has recaptured his love for photography and hasn’t looked back since.
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Just viewing Alex’s portfolio of awards from a number of prestigious international photographic organisations is enough to persuade you; in the words of Basil O’Brien, creative director for the “Black and White Spider Awards”, “his work represents black and white photography at its finest.” Alex specialises in black and white architectural photography, which stems from his previous profession as an architectural designer and project manager. Architectural photography takes a skilled photographer to produce a picture that is an accurate representation as well as being aesthetically pleasing, as Alex puts it, he loves to turn something ordinary into something extraordinary, his competence and expertise allow him to do it effortlessly. His use of monochrome photography adds an additional complexity to the overall feel of the image. His architectural images are alluring and his fine art images have an almost ethereal quality to them. His recent exhibition entitled ‘a few seconds of light’ really brought together
the contrasts that Alex looks for in his work. His aim, to create discussion and invite comparisons worked beautifully, with images of classical and modern architecture, simultaneously displayed along side ramshackle boathouses. This allowed the viewer to absorb the human element of different kinds of structure. Very often the core of an architectural design can be taken for granted and ignored however Alex opens our eyes to its beauty in its simplest form. His images are not just about capturing a moment; he employs use of shadows and diagonal lines to create the composition and mood, experimenting with various techniques that allow him to achieve his masterful photographs. The contours and angles seem pronounced through his manipulation of the lense; control of light enables him to capture the essence of the subject and make it seem surreal. They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, however I think that Alex has mastered the act of producing beautiful images that appeal to all and sundry. To explore more of Alex’s work you can visit his website at www.alexattard.com
1. Mama Nature, Wall paint & Spray-paint. Seapuppy’s circa 11 x 7 meter section of a 55 meter lengthed wall in San Gwann. It’s a part of a project by a group he’s involved in called “TROGLODYTE”, lead by local graffiti artist, James “Twitch” Grimaud. This is part of one wall of three to complete in 2012 entitled “Putting Colour into the Streets”. Photo: Julian Delia. / 2. Hello Animal Spirits, Graphite & acrylics. / 3. Supersuckers (USA) gig poster. Graphite, acrylics and digital.
Chris De Souza Jensen, aka SeaPuppy
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unique character, that works under the pseudonyms SeaPuppy and Prosimian. Chris originally trained as a Classical 2d Animator then shortly after made his bread and butter from Storyboarding & various illustrative work. Ultimately his love and passion lies with spray paint, he refers to it as his ‘real life’ Photoshop as it allows his creativity to be infinite. Graffiti art is a genre of artistic expression that has been around for centuries; cave drawings were amongst the first and most basic form. Nowadays pigments have been replaced with spray paints and marker pens, however the basic elements of line, colour and structure remain. The scale of his work is generally large but simultaneously detailed and the explosion of colour has an immediate and lasting impact. There are a myriad of styles within the graffiti movement, Chris describes his as borderline between goofy and the absurd, a kind of surreal fantasy with an element of sarcasm. His images communicate his identity and expression as an artist and in its entirety add punch to an innate object or space. Through this space and movement Chris can generate colours and dimensions that are extraordinary. To most of us spray-can painting seems perplexing; to Chris
it is a fearless challenge that comes with difficulties that he embraces and accepts as progression, which he strives for. He gets lost in his own world and is at one with his work, he relates his mental focus to that of surfing a wave or landing a trick on a skateboard. Chris’ first ‘official’ mural is by far his favourite, it depicts the happenings of the 4 horsemen in 2011 before doomsday, he was self-driven and felt he learned a lot about himself and his values through this piece because he fully immersed himself in it, the success of the mural was very much unexpected but spurred him on. The way an individual engages with a piece of spray-can art is almost always varied, their final judgment reflects their artistic ability and understanding; in spite of this, Chris’ recent participation in ‘putting colour into the streets’ and the epic transformation of a wall in San Gwann has done wonders to provoke thought with the viewer in the right direction to accepting graffiti as a positive art form. Graffiti is very often associated with a sub culture of political expression, Chris would like to incorporate more of his political views in his work and express a common unification of people and their strengths as human beings. He feels
that creativity should be encouraged in all sectors as it leads to critical thinking which he suggests is the ‘healthiest trait for any democratic society’; creative minds allow people to be diverse in their approach to life. Chris tells me that he is preparing himself for an exhibition some time this year. He is secretive about it and merely suggests that it is going to be a kind of cosmic rock and roll theme that will be promoted through video trailers, and teasers to entice you to his show. An exclusive concept to the island, definitely watch this space. You can follow Chris and his work at www.prosimian.net and www.seapuppy.net indulge / Spring 2012 – 5
Jimmy Grima
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multi-talented avant-garde artist, Jimmy Grima’s work is diverse, he will leave no stone unturned within the realm of art. The world is his oyster and there are no boundaries that will prevent his work from progressing. As well as being a talented illustrator, Jimmy is the artistic director of a group named the Rubber Bodies Collective. This is a collaboration of multi disciplinary artists that have joined forces to create an eclectic mix of art and performance. Their productions and artistic visions are based around our cultural heritage. Through extensive research and investigation into society as a whole they produce work that allows us to embrace and fertilise our identities both as a country and as individuals. At age 7, Jimmy was playing the piano followed by the saxophone and eventually at 14 he found himself in theatre, a world that he fit right into. Drama school became his second home and later in life he was enrolled at what he describes as a luna park for artists, the Darlington college of art, where he studied theatre and digital art.
Amber Knights is a creative mother of three who’s chaotic life includes juggling kids, animals, and art with a good sense of humour.
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Jimmy uses his art as a form of escapism, and through this has become a superb story- teller, this is the essence of all of his work and is the main parallel between his line drawings and the collective. Jimmy lives by a quote from Charlie Chaplin, - the secret to a good movie is story, story, story; communicating with the audience, be it a crowd at a performance or just an individual admiring a drawing, is paramount to the success of its understanding and meaning. As Jimmy puts it, the currency in the arts is the audience. He agrees that
archetypal subjects can be interpreted individually however when it comes to theatre production, the concept has to be convincing and evident to get the message across. His pen on paper, or line drawings are created spontaneously, a preconceived idea born from some form of inspiration unfolds into an image as his hand explores its way around the paper; the detail in his work is intense. As one would with a diary, Jimmy uses his illustrations as a form of reflection of his life. Through hard work and determination, and a growing support network Jimmy has in recent years successfully brought many of his dreams to fruition, however the one project that is still at the top of his list is to run his own editorial through the collective. He feels that current institutions are restricted, and would love to manage his work without limitations. The Rubber Bodies Collective have also worked tirelessly, alongside the majority of local cultural institutions, and are slowly starting to reap the benefits. They have two upcoming events, the first, a groundbreaking solo dance-theatre performance in collaboration with European based dancer and choreographer Athanasia Kanelloupoulou, and the second a silent electronic music concert collaboration with Lyon based sound-artist Vincent Villius at Hagar Qim Temples; no doubt both of which will be nothing short of extraordinary. You can contact Jimmy at www.jimmygrima.com or for further information on the collective you can visit www.rubber-bodies.com
Martin Azzopardi lists
THE BEST THEATRE TO ENJOY THIS SPRING
W
ell here we are again, three months have passed and another three thrilling months are ahead of us. I am not only pleased because the weather will change and warmer days are on the horizon but also because we have another season of exciting theatre in Malta to look forward to. There are so many things coming up it is going to be very difficult to decide what to see as now as well as the theatre we must also take advantage of the Live Theatre shows direct from London, New York and more. These can be found at the St James Cinema and the Eden Leisure Cinema. On checking out the calendar of events below please also find Live performances taking place in both places. I have also listed the Toi Toi events taking place at the Manoel Theatre separately; this is also very exciting as it is educating our young to appreciate the arts of music and theatre! Well done Manoel Theatre! All parents should take advantage of these events, as kids should have a good all round knowledge in general education from a young age. As I mentioned before, it is so exciting that we now can see first hand live performances with great artists and shows which, other than going abroad, we would never have had the opportunity to see. Since late 2010, the Eden Cinemas have also been showing Operas and Ballets in its theatres, direct via satellite or pre-recorded from the Royal Opera House in London, the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Broadway New York and other prominent theatres across the globe. After researching the demand for such a product it made sense that the Eden cinemas cater to this new market and better utilise their 17 screens by dedicating one or two shows per month to this alternative content. It has proved to be a great success, with a new demographic of customer visiting their theatres and attendances building up performance after performance. Now one might think that a commercial cinema is not conducive to a mellow, cultural night out, but the chaps at the Eden Cinemas explain that they have created a more exclusive, theatrical experience for their audiences. Patrons enter through the InterContinental Hotel, adjacent to the cinemas – through there one reaches the foyer of Cinema
11, which is dedicated for the show. Wine and nibbles are served at the bar, as opposed to the traditional popcorn and fizzy drinks normally found in the cinema kiosks. On entering the theatre, one can view the interior of the theatre staging the performance and hear the buzz of the audience entering the theatre and mingling as they find their seats – lights are coordinated with those of the actual theatre so that they are dimmed simultaneously. So please include one of these live performances in your Theatre programme as it a wonderful experience. Enjoy the theatre and hope to see you there!!!
On the 23rd, and 31st March 2012 at St James - NT Live presents The Comedy of Errors
On the 1st March 2012, Direct From Broadway the Musical at the Eden Cinemas- Jekyll & Hyde The longest running show in the history of Broadway’s Plymouth Theatre, brings life to the classic epic battle between good and evil and features David Hasselhoff’s Broadway debut. Made famous by its legion of repeat visitors, dubbed “Jekkies”, musical artists as diverse as Liza Minnelli and The Moody Blues have recorded songs from the show. One of the most lavish shows ever produced on Broadway, this is a spectacle that needs to be seen and is available in glorious HD. On the 15th March 2012 to the 18th March 2012 at the Teatru Manoel Il Trovatore “Il Trovatore” by Giuseppe Verdi. Following the success of last year’s production of Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, the opera will once again be conducted by Damiano Binetti with the participation of Kim Kisun and Antonino Interisano alternating as Manrico, Katarina Vovkova and Liana Sass alternating as Eleonora and Svatopluk Sem as the Conte di Luna. Maltese bass Albert Buttigieg will be taking on the role of Ferrando.
On the 16th March 2012 to the 18th March 2012 at St James – 9 Parts Desire After the success of Jean-Paul Sartre’s No Exit in 2011, Troupe 18:45 is teaming up with St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity to present 9 Parts of Desire, by Heather Raffo . The play is directed by Toni Attard who recently had directed The Bacchae at MITP, seeing Shirley Blake, Estelle Grech and Marta Vella intimately sharing nine characters. 9 Parts of Desire was well-received and acclaimed by critics and reviewers in New York, winning the 2005 Blackburn Prize Special commendation, the Marian Seldes-Garson Kanin Fellowship, as well as the 2005 Lucille Lortel Award for best solo show. It is currently being translated for international productions in France, Brazil and Turkey. The production in Malta is largely in English, with four of the nine characters presented in Maltese. Heather Raffo’s 9 Parts of Desire is a portrait of the extraordinary lives of a cross-section of nine ordinary Iraqi women: a sexy painter, a radical Communist, a doctor, an exile, a mother, a young girl, wives and lovers. Delving into the many conflicting aspects of what it means to be a woman in the age-old war zone that is Iraq, this poetic work is an unusually timely meditation on the ancient, the modern and the feminine. The characters have been described as vivid and subdued, sophisticated and naïve, seductive and standoffish. indulge / Spring 2012 – 7
But they blend together to form a powerful collective portrait of resilience and endurance. 9 Parts of Desire is also about the need for feminine strength as a necessary part of any culture’s endurance. Raffo felt it was important to create a safe environment to experience both horror and humor, but ultimately to see the play as a celebration of life. Troupe 18:45 is also partnering with human rights NGO aditus foundation to use the project to commemorate International Women’s Day. Together with the play, a series of female portraits will be exhibited, portraying various forms of violations suffered by women living in Malta. The performance is supported by the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector and the Embassy of the United States in Malta.
On the 17th to the 25th March 2012 at MITP – R & J Forever
The World’s Favourite Love Story Mashed Up in Musical Form Romeo and Juliet are arguably the ultimate couple – the two youngsters who gave their all for true love and paid the ultimate sacrifice. In the last 500 years since Shakespeare wrote the famous play about the star cross’d lovers, ‘Romeo and Juliet’ has been produced countless thousands of times and adapted in many wonderful ways. Masquerade’s latest offering shows an updated interpretation of the classic piece in the form of an innovative mash-up musical in a modern-day setting. R&J Forever shows how the story would have been told had it been written nowadays. Set in a modern-day Verona, we see Romeo, a local troublemaker, fall in love with Juliet – a young celebrity that lives among all the other pretentious rich people on Capulet Hill. Filled with pop culture references and tongue-in-cheek nods to the original text, this musical version of the forbidden love between a teenage dirt-bag and an uptown girl consists of a mashed-up song list that is made up of a great variety of modern and classic songs. Audiences will be treated to such unlikely combinations as Adele and the Eurthymics, Billy Idol and Pink, Eminem and the Beatles, and many other musical treats all sung with gusto by the energetic cast of dynamic youngsters.
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R & J Forever features a company of 29 upcoming Maltese actors and actresses who bring an energetic edge to the show which promises to have audiences hooked into the story from the offset! Written by Malcolm Galea (‘Porn – the Musical’) and directed by Wesley Ellul (‘Spring Awakening’) with musical arrangements and coaching by Roger Tirazona (‘Simply Webber’), R&J Forever promises a delectable theatrical treat that is not to be missed. On the 22nd March 2012, Live via satellite from Royal Opera House a ballet at the Eden Cinemas – Romeo & Juliet The famous story of rivalry between the Montagues and Capulets is as famous in ballet as it is in literature, with the tragic love story of Romeo and Juliet capturing the hearts of many around the globe. Kenneth MacMillan’s ballet in three acts has been one of the Royal Ballet’s signature works since its première in 1965. Internationally famous, and performed over 400 times by the Royal Ballet, this is most certainly a performance NOT TO BE MISSED! On the 23rd 24th 25th 30th 31st March 2012 and 1st April 2012 at the St James - Kjaroskur Kjaroskur is the award-winning play by Simone Spiteri (two-time winner of the Francis Ebejer Prize for Playwrighting). It deals with the relationship between two brothers, Alex and Greg who, after a long time apart, spend a week holidaying in Gozo with their respective wives. At first all seems fine, but trouble, pain and sadness are bubbling away just beneath the surface. It is a very intense and interesting play which asks: “ When everyone is at fault, who do you blame?” Kjaroskur stars Simone Spiteri, Peter Galea, Coryse Borg and Stefan Farrugia and it is directed by Chris Gatt
On the 29th March, 5th April 2012 , 15th April 2012 and 5th of May 2012 at St James - NT Live presents - She Stoops to Conquer Hardcastle, a man of substance, looks forward to acquainting his daughter with his old pal’s son with a view to marriage.
But thanks to playboy Lumpkin, he’s mistaken by his prospective son-in-law Marlow for an innkeeper, his daughter for the local barmaid. The good news is, while Marlow can barely speak to a woman of quality he’s a charmer with those of a different stamp. And so, as Hardcastle’s indignation intensifies, Miss Hardcastle’s appreciation for her misguided suitor soars. Misdemeanours multiply, love blossoms, mayhem ensues On the 1st April 2012 Matinee at St James - NT Live presents – Ernani Angela Meade takes center stage in Verdi’s thrilling early gem. Salvatore Licitra is her mismatched lover, and allstar Verdians Dmitri Hvorostovsky and Ferruccio Furlanetto round out the cast.
On the 4th, 5th, 7th, 9th, 10th and 11th of April 2011 at St James Music RoomAll you need to know about Malta’s History – in just one hour! As far as histories go, the Maltese Islands are blessed with a pretty impressive one. Indeed Malta’s past is so full of cavemen, Romans, saints, barbarians, pirates, and exciting battles that it reads like a series of adventure novels. However, as many school children will point out, there’s quite a lot of stuff to remember and sometimes it can be difficult to keep track of who everyone was and what came after what. Wouldn’t it be great if there was some quick, easy and fun way to learn Malta’s history? That’s exactly the aim behind The Complete History of Malta (More or Less) – an exciting new play that goes through 7000 years of history at breakneck speed leaving the audience breathless and crying with laughter. The play was originally written for last year’s Żigużajg Kids & Youth Arts Festival by Malcolm Galea who has also written such plays as the Manoel Theatre pantomimes Jack and the Beanstalk and Aladdin. Starring in the play are Malcolm Galea himself as well as the promising young actor Joseph Zammit (Princess and the Pea, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, When you hear my voice). The play’s combination of education and madcap fun was a hit at the festival and was highly enjoyed by school
children, as well as adults who wanted to learn more about Malta’s rich history in an effortlessly fun way.
On the 17th April 2012, Live via satellite from Royal Opera House an opera at the Eden Cinemas - Rigoletto
Written by Joseph Kesselring this hilarious comedy is directed by Josette Ciappara.
On the 5th April 2012, Direct From Broadway the Musical at the Eden Cinemas- Putting It together
Rigolettio is an opera by Guiseppe Verdi, performed in three acts and sung in Italian. An exploration of love, emotional betrayal, and revenge, Rigoletto is a story with larger-thanlife characters based on Victor Hugo’s controversial play, Le Roi s’amuse. Conductor, John Eliot Gardiner, stands behind the execution of accompanying music which, according to Royal Opera House has “immense theatrical punch and instant memorability.” Rigoletto boasts some of pieces which are among the best know set-pieces in ALL OPERA. A true MUST SEE for any fan of opera and theatre.
The cast also features Kate de Cesare, Colin Willis, Joe De Pasquale , Renato Dimech ,Chris Hudson, Steve Hili, Barry Calvert, Michael Mangion , Shawn James and Martin Azzopardi.
Stephen Sondheim’s humorous, poignant and sophisticated musical “review” of his classic Broadway shows, including numbers from Anyone can Whistle, Follies and Sweeney Todd. Produced by Cameron Mackintosh, this tells the story of five guests attending a Manhattan cocktail party and the relationships and emotions which tie them all together. On the 13th April to the 15th April 2012, 20th to the 22nd April 2012 and 27th to the 29th April 2012 at St James Becky Shaw Masquerade will close off its theatre season with Becky Shaw, a wickedly funny comedy which enjoyed critical acclaim and massive success in its OffBroadway run in 2009 and most recently at the Almeida Theatre in London. Written by Gina Gionfriddo, Becky Shaw is about a blind date gone bad. The play centres on what happens when newlyweds Suzanna and Andrew set up Suzanna’s lifelong best friend, the sharp-tongued money manager Max, with Andrew’s romantically-challenged, seemingly fragile co-worker, Becky. From the moment that Becky arrives overdressed for her blind date with straight-talking Max Garrett, it is clear the evening is unlikely go to plan. In the immediate fallout, Becky becomes an object of devotion for her boss Andrew, who appears to have a fetish for vulnerable women. In turn Andrew’s wife Suzanna turns to her step-brother Max for comfort, and their mutual desire begins to resurface. Becky Shaw is a comedy of romantic errors that keeps audiences at the edge of their seats guessing what will happen next. Anthony Bezzina, Masquerade’s artistic director, will direct a stellar cast consisting of Isabel Warrington, Malcolm Galea, Laura Best, Toni Attard and Sue Scantlebury. Masquerade Group is supported by TRAVELEX FINANCIAL SERVICES and PORTOMASO. On the 15th April 2012 Matinee at St James - NT Live presents – Manon Anna Netrebko’s dazzling portrayal of the tragic heroine in Laurent Pelly’s new production travels to the Met from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Piotr Beczala and Paulo Szot also star, with the Met’s Principal Guest Conductor Fabio Luisi on the podium
On the 4th May 2012, Direct From Broadway the Musical at the Eden Cinemas- Memphis One of Broadway’s current best selling musicals, and the 2010 Tony Best Musical award winner, Memphis is an original story about the cultural revolution that erupted when the vision of a young white DJ met the voice of an electrifying black swinger and changed music forever. Bursting off the stage with explosive dancing, irresistible songs and a thrilling tale of fame & forbidden love - this is a journey filled with laughter, emotion and rock and roll. Captured Live from Broadway’s renowned Shubert Theatre the Tony award winning scored was written by David Bryan, a founding member of Bon Jovi. Well there it is. A veritable feast of entertainment for you as we move into the Spring. Please enjoy it! Martin Azzopardi is an actor, fitness instructor and masseur. When not treading the boards or the (tread) mill, he treads water on his boat and loves the sea.
On the 20th April to the 22nd April 2012 and the 27th to the 29th April 2012 at the Teatru Manoel – Arsenic and Old Lace Hailed as one of the greatest screwball comedies ever made; MADC proudly present Arsenic and Old Lace. The West End hit ran for 1,337 performances after it opened. This fast-paced, madcap, slightly sinister comedy should delight anyone who loves to laugh! The plot is complicated, but it all starts from Mortimer’s (Edward Mercieca) frightful realization that his two sweet elderly aunts (Polly March and Marylu Coppini) have developed a very bad habit. It appears they have been poisoning lonely old men. But they mean well; they consider doing it a charity. They then leave it to their bugle blowing nephew Teddy (Colin Fitz), who thinks he’s Teddy Roosevelt to take them to the Panama Canal (the cellar) and bury them.
Important web addresses to check the starting times, booking online and other important information. indulge@ www.indulge.com.mt/events Teatru Manoel www.teatrumanoel.com.mt St James Cavalier www.sjcav.org/ MADC www.madc.biz Eden Cinemas www.edencinemas.com.mt Masquerade www. masquerademalta.com All information is correct at the time it went to print, for updated information, please check the relevant web. To list events in this magazine or in our interactive indulge@ calendar, please email events@indulge.com.mt
indulge / Spring 2012 – 9
Suzanne Chambers visits
TANTALISING THAILAND L
ast time I had a four week holiday, I was still at school! So filled with anticipation and excitement, I set off for a new adventure. From the moment we arrive in Bangkok we start to sample the local food and of course, the beer. The plan is to see as much as we can from North to South Thailand in just 3-4 weeks, we made no bookings. What’s an adventure if you don’t try all modes of transport? So sleeper train it is to Chiang Mai. My travel companion and I board the 19:30 train and settle into our bunks for the 14 hour journey with one hairy incident while on the train is self induced – I hung off the side of the carriage to get an amazing picture of the train as it bends around the forest. Chiang Mai is a town well worth exploring. There are temples are plenty and although we walked probably as far west as you can before you lose sight of its inhabitants, this was so that we could see the Wat Suan Dok temple. I’d highly recommend hiring a bicycle. The next day we’re off on our two day jungle trek and our guide is called Rambo, not convinced that’s his birth
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name. After only an hour’s drive you’re at the edge of the forest and we’re introduced to the elephants that are going to show us part of it. As a reward to them, we feed them bananas and they certainly show they have a healthy appetite. After that bit of fun, the real jungle venture begins. On foot we make our way through the forest, across rivers on felled trees or makeshift bamboo bridges, and climb very steep hills and over anything that’s in our path. Some hours later we arrive at Karen village, where we stay for the evening with one of the families in the village. This experience is certainly not for the faint hearted or even those that cannot make do without the cleanliness of a 5 star hotel, but it just adds magic to the whole trip. The following day there’s more trekking and we learn how to balance on a bamboo raft while riding a hasty river. We’re instructed from time to time to either sit on the raft or stay low when approaching small rapids, and we learned well, as we made it unscathed. We only stayed in Chiang Mai for four days (a bit too short) and my top tip would be to make sure you’re there for the Sunday Market.
Somebody should’ve told us that we’d need a compass to get around it! It is immense... but a lot of fun. Next stop is Ayutthaya. There doesn’t appear to be much going on here, but then you realise how badly they were affected by the floods. It’s evident everywhere you go. Some homes have painted away the tide marks, but others have not yet managed. These same signs are also visible on the temples and the floods seem to have caused the sinking of some of the bricks from which the temples are made, in some areas. The most impressive temples are Wat Phra Si Sanphet and Wat Chaiwathanaram. It’s only a short stay there before we make tracks to Kanchanaburi, home of the infamous bridge over the River Kwai. This was built in WWII as part of the railway line between Thanbuyuzayat in Burma to Nong Pladuk, in Thailand. More information is learnt by visiting the War Cemetery and the ThailandBurma Railway Centre close by. We hire bicycles in order to ride up to the actual bridge and it’s an awesome sight. When we walk across the bridge itself, it’s quite a sombre moment, but glad to see that the line is still used today.
Have a taste of Thailand On our travels we’d sampled an array of local dishes, and decided that it was time to make them for ourselves, taking a cookery class at Apple’s Retreat and what a treat. Noi, our chef, takes us to the local food market at the other end of town. I spot some pink eggs and Noi tells us that these are used for male potency. She very kindly purchases items for us to try and you can already tell how passionate she is about what she does. It’s contagious and when we get back, I’m ready to prove myself. We’re asked to chose four dishes for our menu to cook and we collectively go for Tuna Salad (but Noi prefers to use mackerel), Tom Yam Soup, Thai Green Curry and Pad Thai. Noi begins by showing us how to do each dish step by step and then we try. I’m even more pleased with my efforts when we tuck into the dishes.
The long journey down to Koh Samui is well worth the time and effort. The beaches along Chawenga are spectacular: soft white sand and aqua marine coloured sea. Idyllic. And we soon settle into a slower pace of holiday. Yes, sure, it’s more touristy and prices reflect that, but there’s plenty of room for everyone and certainly a huge selection of bars and restaurants to chose from depending on your taste and mood. The surprise of the evening is, as strolling down the beach, seeing people setting off their paper lanterns into the night’s sky. Simply beautiful. If you’re not already staying in Bo Phut, visiting “Walking Street” on a Friday night is a must. Bo Phut exudes a better class of bars and restaurant than Chawenga, but as it’s dark, so I cannot comment on their beaches. Time to try out another island and we head for Koh Tao. A smaller island and more geared towards the divers, it still has all the beauty of Koh Samui, but less crowded. There’s a real find in a place called In Touch. The decking stretches out hovering
over the beach and it’s a great place to relax whether you’re passing time during the day, watching the sunset or dining out in the evening. The night is topped off by watching people skipping with a rope that is on fire, attempting fire limbo and the releasing of more paper lanterns at midnight. After a few more days of relaxation, it’s time to head back to Bangkok for last minute sightseeing and shopping. We head straight for the Grand Palace, then the Reclining Buddha (Wat Phra Chetuphon), which is a sight to behold. The bottom of the Buddha feet are as big as the side of a house! We jump into a tuk tuk and ask the driver, called Somshy, to give us a tour and in just 3 hours we explore Wat Desanukaram (Lucky Buddha), the Wat Benchamabophit (Marble Temple) and finally the Wat Saket (Golden Mount).....bit of a climb, but worth the effort. For our last minute shopping we go to Siam Square where we find a plethora of imitation goods and bargain electronics.
Kang Keaw Wan Gai (Green curry with chicken)
Ç 150-250g chicken breast cut into small cubes or slices Ç 1 tblsp vegetable oil Ç 1-2 tblsp green curry paste Ç 250ml coconut milk Ç 2-3 Thai eggplants (small), cut into quarters Ç 2 kaffir lime leaves torn in half Ç 1 string of long bean Ç 1-2 tblsps fish sauce Ç ½ - 1 tsp palm sugar Ç bamboo shoots, carrot, baby corn and sweetpeas, sliced
Ç 10 sweet basil leaves Ç 1 long red chilli Ç ½ cup water Ç pinch of salt
Heat the oil in a wok over a low heat. Add green curry paste and stir fry for a minute or so. Pour in half of the coconut milk and boil until you see bubbles of oil begin to crack on the surface of the milk. Add chicken, kaffir lime leaves and eggplant and cook for a further minute. Put in the palm sugar, salt, vegetables and rest of the coconut milk. Add fish sauce and ½ cup of water and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat, simmer for 3 -5 minutes or until chicken is tender. Add sweet basil leaves on top and serve immediately. Serve with jasmine rice on the side.
One day I will return, and for longer. indulge / Spring 2012 – 11
Chris De Micoli shares some of his
Poetry In love and In death
At Last
Illusions, Silver whispers of tuneless tales, Songs of sin. As good continuously fails. And You cheatingly win.
Slowly softly My muscles ease. My mind goes blank And all around me fades away. I close my eyes As music floods my soul. Lifting my spirits Warming my insides Bubbling my skin. A longing for silky sheets. I am home.
Prayers, Pleading drained last-drop hope. Screaming in soundless silence, When the world won’t let one cope, Save for self-mutilating violence. Denial, Hummings of lies, of secrets untold, With a poker face and gripping solid ground. Bad cards obviously meaning one must fold, Selling out on a love we all once found. Mourning, Along golden gates still with sullen grieves, With his bow-string torn and still quite blind. One abandons what an atheist believes, Forgetting fairy tales and leaving them behind. Death, So ill it becomes the man who lost. With ludicrous love, a fake fable at its best. In a sea of solitude we are all ravished and tossed, As the teacher fails his self-constructed test. For we are all romantically dying, just like all the rest
Cleanse my day, Wash away my sweaty stress. Uncontrollable mess, Long - no success. Down the drain, Soothing aches and pain, Cool cleanliness and couldn’t care, Bare this weariness and wash my hair. Now to sleep, Cuddle and wry. As I cover up and sigh, I know tomorrow I’ll be dry. Water my worries Drown my dreary dismay Bathe my body And secretly pray For tomorrow, for a better day.
Our Jungle How spectacular is this, our concrete creation? What dazzling colours the lights do flicker. What mechanical animals run wild through our forest? Ending this age of green ever quicker. The tall and shady buildings are a sight to behold, These, our towering trees, so powerful and bold. The potent sweet stench of our exhaust and fumes, The wonder of the product and seeing how it blooms. Wild technologies that we have trained and tamed, Killing our instinct, making our brains inflamed. The journey of man, and his dominance over all, How fitting that our achievements, make us seem so tall. This magnificent splendour of science and its future, Might be our hubris and not an ingenious suture. This habitat we have built will lead to headaches and groans, World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones. Except there will be no sticks with which to fight, So keep an eye out for the brake light.
JEAN-MARC BIANCHI SAYS INJECT SOME
COLOUR C
ome on, let’s face it, what would our lives be like without colour? Dull, to say the least.
Colour is present all around us in everything we see; be it a mobile phone, a sweater, a car, a sunset, a bathroom accessory, and even a Doctor’s waiting room. Pleasure in colour is spontaneous and like music, provokes many moods, so it is crucial to always bear this in mind when tackling your Interior Design colour scheme. There are NO hard and fast rules about choosing colours. Create your own sense of harmony and ‘personalise’ your own colour spectrum. No doubt, we all have a favourite colour, so build around this choice and create contrasts or blends. Remember though, select colours that will lift your spirits. Everyday expressions such as ‘feeling blue’, ‘seeing red’, ‘green with envy’, etc are all very apt in influencing your choice of colour, and therefore your emotion.
Yet, as with all aspects of aesthetics, individual reactions to colour vary greatly.
WHERE TO BEGIN Start off by considering the colour of all the elements in the room, and not just the flat surfaces (floors / walls / ceilings). It may well be that the room is already occupied by various items of furniture, accessories and soft furnishings that you are not always ready to part with, and consequently will have to incorporate them into the scheme. Alternatively, if you are in a position to be starting from scratch, then all the better, as you will have a clean ‘palette’ to start with. When applying colour to the largest surface (wall or ceiling) keep in mind that it will always appear darker and stronger than you might imagine, after having seen a tiny colour sample on a chart or fabric swatch. This is very much the case of paint colours or wallpapers.I would recommend that you
obtain a small sample pot of the paint colour desired, and as an alternative to actually applying it directly to the wall, pick up a piece of scrap plasterboard and paint that and move it around the room, seeing it in different lights (natural / artificial) and times of day. Take the time and take a close look and see what’s in ‘fashion’, literally. Look at clothes in window displays, sofas in furniture stores, shoes, etc. These are all tell tales as to what’s in vogue, and could help you set the scene.
OBSERVE AND ESTABLISH WHERE COLOUR IS MOST PROMINENT In a kitchen, where is the dominant colour? Is it the cabinet works, the work surface or the appliances? Today, we are spoilt for choice in all these elements, and so careful planning has to go into the selection of these, as well as the larger surfaces, namely the walls, floor and ceilings. I would also recommend to stay clear of strong colours on the walls in rooms
COLOURED FRIDGES FROM SMEG Looking to add some style and class to your kitchen? Then drop the temperature and keep your food cool with a Smeg Fridge. Smeg are one of the world’s leading kitchen appliance manufacturers, producing designs that aren’t just functional but iconic. You might normally consider your fridge as white goods, but with Smeg it can be pretty much any colour, ranging from orange to blue and everything in between; the choice is down to you. Whether your tastes are modern, classic or retro Smeg have something to suit both you and your kitchen, and you can be confident with a brand like this of the best build quality and reliability. Give your food a new home and your kitchen some style with a Smeg Fridge. Smeg fridges replicate the glamour of the 1950’s in appliances that have become cult objects, their colour and retro lines making them distinctive style icons. The smooth lines and striking designs of the Smeg FAB collection inject colour and unbeatable style into kitchens. See the whole range of Smeg appliances at the Forestals showroom in Mriehel. For more information visit www.forestals.com indulge / Spring 2012 – 13
that are used very frequently. Opt for paler tones, creams, light greys, ivories as base colours. However hallways and staircases are often neglected in terms of applying colour schemes, and yet they are important as they make a first impression on entering a home, and these areas serve to link and tie in the rest of the accommodation that form a home.
As might be the case, in a kitchen, pattern and textures used can be the basis of a colour scheme, and the wall colour could really just be a ‘back ground’ neutral colour. This is not a problem, as no doubt, it would be the selected kitchen that takes centre stage.
Take a look at a colour wheel Ç The primary colours are yellow, blue and red. Ç The secondary colours are made from equal parts of any two primaries: Ç Green from yellow and blue. Ç Violet from blue and red. Ç And orange from red and yellow. Ç As a ‘rule’, the complement of a colour is the opposite colour on the wheel. Ç Compliments are best used together to create a contrast. Ç When mixed together, they tend to neutralise and grey one another. All the remaining colours shown on the wheel (those between the primary and secondary) are called tertiary and are made by mixing the colours adjacent to them on the wheel.
Jean-Marc Bianchi pursued his interior design studies in Rome and has gained 30 years experience creating unique designs for businesses and homes across Malta and offers a vast range of knowledge and solutions to meet clients tastes and needs.
A simple method of understanding the wheel, is by establishing the colours that give a sense of warmth and those that are offer a sense of coolness. The warm hues are the reds / orange / yellows, whilst the cool hues are the greens / blue / violet. So one can safely safe that the yellow-green and red-violet find themselves at dividing points and seem to balance warmth and coolness. Red is widely used in eating places, and where food is presented as it has been proved that this increases appetite. Green, on the other hand, nature personified, tends to offer a greater sense of tranquillity, and yellow a sense of cheerfulness, and so on. Though these colours can be introduced with accessories and not necessarily the walls and floors. So, remember, Monday ‘blues’ can really put you in the wrong mood, and having ‘sunshine’ on a rainy day can really swing it! Enjoy a colourful life.
14 –indulge / Spring 2012
Painting to sell
HOW TO STAGE YOUR HOME WITH COLOUR Home Staging is the art of preparing a home for sale and the way you live in your home and the way you sell it are two different things. Whilst we all love a bit of colour in homes, it is important to remember that not everyone reacts to colours in the same way. Decorating to sell your home is all about depersonalisation in order to make it appeal to the maximum number of potential buyers. Ideally, your home gets a fresh lick of paint BEFORE going on the market, this will give your property a fresh, clean and wellmaintained appearance. Go for neutral, calming colours that show off the size of your rooms and make the most of any natural light that your home enjoys. Whilst white can seem the obvious choice, you may also include soft shades of creams and beige. If re-painting your whole home is simply not an option, I would strongly advise toning down any feature walls in bold colours. Keep in mind that this is no longer your home but a product for sale and you really want to get as many people interested in your product as possible. Inject colour around your home with soft furnishings and ornaments. A new throw and cushions on the sofa, quilt on the bed etc. all can be used to warm up your home, as too much white can give a clinical and cold effect. It is a known fact that a potential buyer will make up their mind as to whether or not they like a property within 3 seconds of first seeing it. Fiona Caruana Carabez is an Accredited Staging Professional and can be contacted on fiona@conceptscarabez.com
indulge / Spring 2012 – 15
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Spring is in the air The MaxMara SS12 collection explores new horizons.
P
ure and linear cuts, athletic and minimal, tailored and crafted. Shapes take on an inventive, futuristic look: three-quarter sleeve duster coats with contrasting leather piping, blouson blazers, tunic dresses paired with knee-length trousers, jumpsuits in ribbed jersey. Interesting material inlay effects: techno-cotton and jersey, leather and lurex, doublé fabrics and organza, metal details and micro-studs. Shades inspired by the colours of the desert: a full range of beige nuances, from the palest shade with golden highlights throughout to a darker tea, as well as mint green and total black SASKIA DE BRAUW FRONTS THE MAXMARA SS12 CAMPAIGN The campaign features a smooth and slick de Brauw in straight-cut silhouettes with leather jackets, jumpsuits, sheath midi dresses, slouchy bags and pencil skirts in shades of dusty rose, tan, camel and a jolt of turquoise. Plus points for bringing forward the 60s mod trend that popped all over the runways last year and updating it for the modern working woman. Look out for the oversized collars and nipped waistlines in this campaign shot by Mario Sorrenti.
18 –indulge / Spring 2012
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ED EXPLAINS A BRIEF HISTORY OF BACCHANALIAN INDULGENCE
W
hen the editor of this magazine first revealed the name she was proposing for it, a name that has stuck and that I must say I really consider apt, I recalled a session during which my colleagues and I tried to define indulgence. It was a purely academic exercise as far as I can recollect because nothing really came out of it. We went around in circles for a while until we agreed that every individual has his or her own definition of indulgence. To some, indulgence involved company of some sort. Others mentioned solitude. There were those who mentioned the usual suspects like chocolate, sex and good food. Then it struck me. Our olfactory is almost always associated with indulgence. At which point one asks whether it has always been this way. The quickest answer is ‘yes’. We know that the Greeks and the Romans ate and drank themselves silly. We also know that kings and queens of times gone by
20 –indulge / Spring 2012
feasted upon entire animals that were roasted inside their own castles. Back before Christianity was even a sparkle in the first Pope’s eyes, the feast that we celebrate as Christmas was a time of almost forced celebration. The freezing Northern hemisphere prayed to whatever deities they believed in that they would survive another winter. And the more generous members of the nobility gave a gift of ham or sausage or even pieces of fresh meat to the poorer peasants. Until today we retain the tradition of giving gifts at this time of year. Somehow we rolled Santa Claus, a ‘pagan’ tradition and a Coca Cola advert into one neat package. I’m still grateful whenever I’m given a meat-based gift. So one surmises that, apart from serving a vital function, food has always been a source of indulgence. Hunting for the earliest time that this was codified into a formal text inevitably leads to the De Re Coquinaria from the 1st century AD and attributed (probably
wrongly) to Apicius, the Roman lover of food and indulgence. According to John Edwards who translated the impressive body that was to be the first cookbook, the recipes include delights such as tripe with fennel and fried testicles with peas. Perhaps more enduring, even finding his way into popular culture, is Trimalchio, a character in The Satyricon by Petronius. The Roman novel from somewhere around the same time as Apicius’s magnum opus (give or take a century – I’m not going for pinpoint precision here), contains a detailed chapter about Trimalchio and the Cena Trimalchionis, or the Banquet of Trimalchio. If we think we’ve heard about the most outrageously sybaritic flights of fancy, it is because we have never bothered to read all about Trimalchio’s banquet. It is a tribute to bacchanalian excess sprinkled with just enough decadent arcana to cause a flutter in
I will provide you with the items required for throwing your own cena. If you’re easily disturbed by the notion of eating certain animals (or parts thereof), please skip the list. You’ve been warned.
Gustatio
Secundae Mensae
(first course or antipasto)
( Description?_
Olives (safe so far)
Boned, fattened chickens (once again, plan ahead)
Grilled sausages (nice and easy)
Pastries stuffed with raisins and nuts (close enough to dessert)
Damsons and pomegranate seeds (plums will do) Figpeckers in spiced egg-yolk (very likely illegal – you’re on your own here) Muslum (honeyed wine – the rest of the alcohol is up to you)
Cena (the main meal in three phases) Chick peas, raw beef, kidneys (no cooking method suggested) figs and myrtle (bitter but perhaps they made jam) A sterile sow’s womb (you can’t say the man wasn’t imaginative) Tarts and honey cakes (yes, with the second part of the main course)
the heart of every epicurean and a horrified shriek to part from the lips of the squeamish. The meal is described in a level of detail that takes our definition of dining as a complete experience to a level that we have, quite rightly, forgotten about. Never mind a staggering thirty dishes, mostly unobtainable today without bending some laws and upsetting some activists. What is really helpful is the sequence of rituals and antics to be observed by the host and his (never her) guests. Let’s say you’re tempted by the very decadence of the notion and decide to treat a few guests of your own to a night of indulgence. And let’s just say you have the means and the contacts to procure what it takes to host this most transcendental of experiences. You’re most likely asking yourself where to actually start. I think a menu would be a good idea because that will have you shopping (and hunting) for days. In the meantime you can start honing your hand-washing and foot-bathing skills.
Fruits, cakes, goose eggs (Not half bad)
Dormice sprinkled with honey and poppy seeds (dormice are nocturnal so prepare to hunt at night)
Scorpion fish (these have to be in season – let’s hope all seasonal produce overlaps) Eyefish (No idea what this is. Perhaps the eyes of a giant fish) Sow bellies (the first hint of frugality) Roast fattened fowls (Plan months ahead – today’s market is all for lean fowl) Hare (Rabbit will probably do) Lobster, goose, red mullet – two of each, served with bread (I’d be happy with this course) Roast whole wild boar stuffed with dates, stuffed with live thrushes (Try blaming Petronius in court, see if he cares) Piglets made of cakes (I guess he means pork pie) Boiled whole pig stuffed with sausage and black pudding (Does anyone still make cauldrons that large?)
Quinces dressed up as birds and fish (don’t ask) Oysters and scallops (Don’t worry, the fishy taste will be gone in a moment) Snails (See?) So now that you’ve procured all these and set about cooking them you have probably decided on who you’re inviting. Remember that nine (including yourself) was considered an ideal number by the Romans and these should be chosen wisely. They should, ideally, be able to perform in some way or another. Reciting poetry, singing a song, acting out a brief sketch or dancing will keep the ceremony within the boundaries of its original spirit. Karaoke on your Xbox might be stretching things somewhat. Greet your guests with a song, a gift, and peaceful music in the background. Ask them to leave their shoes at the door because you’ll be washing their feet. Have them introduce themselves and then anoint themselves with something fitting such as patchouli or sandalwood. Serve course upon course as per the menu, taking care to wash hands/feet between every course. Oh, and don’t forget the vomitoria. And there you have a very brief outline of what our ancestors knew to be indulgence. The Romans had, when this sort of behaviour brought their economy to its knees, introduced their own austerity measures back in 182BC. It is worth noting that the empire collapsed upon itself just four centuries later so maybe there is a lesson to be learned. indulge / Spring 2012 – 21
$ERXW WKH EDJHOV« According to Folklore, bagels were invented in 17th century Austria as a tribute to the wartime victories of king Jan of Poland, and were modeled after the stirrup of his saddle. They were bread for the masses, and became popular in Germany and Poland, and introduced to other parts of the world largely by Jewish immigrants; hence bagels are thought of today as Jewish bread. Today there are two very different types of bagels: One we could call the chewy water bagel, and the other is a soft steamed version. There is no question however that the authentic bagel is the thick-crusted, dense, boiled version (called water bagel because it is poached in a kettle of boiling alkalised water). At The Donut Factory, our water bagel recipe is a mix of traditional methods and modern innovations inspired by the development and understanding of true artisan bread techniques. One element that makes our bagels absolutely unique is the use of wild
yeast collected from mango trees. This pre-fermentation allows the KL]LSVWTLU[ VM Z\I[SL ÅH]VYZ M\Y[OLY enhanced by an overnight proving. An excellent authentic bagel is only the start of the journey though. One of the beauties of this bread is its versatility. It is delicious on its own, toasted with a bit of butter; or you can pair it with some Norwegian smoked salmon and JYLHT JOLLZL VY HU` ÄSSPUN `V\ JHYL [V dream about! Think grilled vegetables and pesto, or salami and provolone … your imagination is the limiting factor! At The Donut Factory, we have even developed a mini bagel pizza: before baking the bagel, we cover it with tomatoes, some excellent chorizo and Emmental cheese, and a little onion and garlic relish. Our friend Lexie simply calls it: “droooool”. We also do a sweet bagel, with cinnamon and raisins added into the dough; warmed up with cream cheese and blueberries or sweet pears, it becomes an irresistible treat. So come discover this very special and utterly delicious bread at The Donut Factory, where it is being baked fresh every single day of the week.
We deliver to your office or home! Minimum order value €25. And we make fabulous donut birthday cakes too! Mosta Road, SPB 3111 San Pawl il-Bahar, Malta | Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday - 8:30 AM till 8 PM - Orders on 27884444 | www.thedonutfactory.com
BRYN OF BODYWORKS
EDUCATES US ABOUT FOOD
S
o you want to lose some weight or perhaps you just want to lead a healthier life, but how to go about it can often be daunting. By understanding the state of your current health and weight you can start to monitor yourself and set your goals accordingly. What it doesn’t mean is that you have to transform yourself in to a lentil munching fitness fascist. Contrary to what is often depicted by government agencies and the media alike attaining or leading a healthy lifestyle is not as hard as one might think. The problems essential lie in the models that are presented for healthy living. These essentially are centred around the ‘fact’ that in order to live a healthy lifestyle one should be careful or reduce portion sizes of meals, increase consumption of grains, cereals and fibre as well as vegetables and fruit, and substitute high-fat dairy products and meats with low-fat alternatives. With regard to exercise, it is recommended that people of all ages should undertake 30–60 min of physical activity of moderate intensity (such as brisk walking) on most, if not all, days of the week. While this all sounds logical enough and quite
persuasive most find it hard to achieve or sustain and if they fail, it is often put down to a lack of will power or discipline. But do these theories stand up in the face of science and are there other ways in which one might achieve a healthy lifestyle? One fundamental problem with reducing caloric intake is that the metabolism tends to stall and muscle tissue is reduced causing our metabolic system to become sluggish. But that’s not all: experiments show that when people eat less, they tend to spontaneously move less to. Another stumbling block associated with the application of the calorie and the wholegrain approach is that it can lead us towards a diet high in carbohydrates as we seek to reduce the amount of fat in our diet. The issue here is that carbohydrate is the chief stimulator of insulin secretion, and it is this hormone that, through several known biochemical mechanisms, drives the deposition of fat in our fat cells, so while on the face of it this approach makes sense it can drive us to becoming fatter as a result. And it gets worse: carbohydrate tends not to be as satisfying to the appetite as, say, protein, and can disrupt blood sugar levels in a way that stimulates hunger, particularly for sugar-charged foods such as chocolate and biscuits. For reasons that have nothing to do with gluttony or lack of self-control, eating a low-fat,
calorie-restricted diet dooms most of us to feeling that we will never be able to sustain a healthy eating approach to life. We are also led to believe that fats and particular saturated fats are bad for our health, but to begin with, there is no convincing evidence at all that saturated fat is harmful to health (really, there isn’t). Fat found in meat gets special mentioning when it comes to health yet half the fat in meats such as beef and lamb is monounsaturated in nature which evidence points to having benefits for the cardiovascular system. To lead a healthy lifestyle from a nutritional standpoint is, in essence, to eat a diet, which lowers insulin levels and at the same time sates our appetite appropriately. Studies show that when individuals eat right, they automatically eat less, but without hunger. The research shows spontaneous reductions in intake in the order of several hundred calories a day. The fact is in order to live a healthy life it is not about eating less, it’s about eating right and science shows us the way to do this. And exercise is important, for suppleness, strength and reducing the dreaded measurements. Bodyworks Ltd, Triq Wied il Ghomor Spinola Bay, St Julians, STJ2043 T. +356 2138 4957, M. +356 9980 4082 www.bodyworks.com.mt www.facebook.com/bodyworksmalta
indulge / Spring 2012 – 23
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Monique Chambers
LUNCHES IN STYLE T
here aren’t many restaurants that I go that I love the décor of, but Browns Kitchen on the Valletta Waterfront has made me want to change my dining room chairs, my cutlery and in fact, I wouldn’t mind borrowing their chef. There are three Browns to choose from, all having their own personality and offering a different dining experience and night (day) out. They have made the most of their location, with the backdrop of the Three Cites for the outside area, which has ample heating for chillier days, and throughout, have kept everything very simple and chic. The huge indoor area has a classic chequerboard flooring with dark furniture and hessian mats, flanked with light glassware. The menu is a good mix of European bistro dishes with a modern Middle Eastern twist. An amuse bouche of chicken liver parfait arrived which was perfectly square, smooth on all edges, as soft as I imagine a cumulus humilis would be and served with a date puree. I wished to buy it in tubes to brush my teeth with it was so delicious. I had actually wanted to order this as my starter but had been tempted by (at least) one other dish, so I was more than pleased that my mind had been read! I’d opted for the gorgonzola and walnut soufflé which I spent the whole, generous dish muttering to my friend “how did he do this?” The nuts were suspended as if with an invisible wire, yet the cheese element was light and fluffy, how didn’t they sink or float? That’s one for a quiz night for sure.
My friend had the pork cheeks on a bed of lentil and tomato cassoulet which managed to get the attention of my power nose above the gorgonzola soufflé. It was rich and thick and ‘yummy’ I believe….. I had the roasted venison which – need I gush about how succulent and butter-knife soft it was? How un-gamey and still flavourful it was? Or how it was enough for two? The lamb tagine, which my companion ordered, was served in its pot; was a symphony of colour and spices. The ‘tagine’ itself is the conical lidded pot, steams and therefore captures the flavours of cinnamon, ginger, chilli, bay leaf, coriander, turmeric, cumin and perhaps a pinch of ras el hanout. We had a bottle of the St Helena, a Chilean pinot noir reserve. It was sticky toffee appley and another bottle and a sofa would have finished off the afternoon perfectly. But this is my job you know, and I had to get back to the office and write up the experience and share it with you. But not before we were cajoled into having dessert (this genuinely happened). We were ready to order coffee – I believe it dissolves food after a meal – when the dessert menu was flashed before our eyes and I spotted sticky toffee pudding, and crème brulee and chocolate fondant with my eagle eyes. Noticing we couldn’t decide, the maître d’ brought a platter with one of each on. They would have taken a lot of coffee to dissolve, but we did try them all. Tel. 21225343
indulge / Spring 2012 – 25
TIPS TO HOSTING THE PERFECT LUNCH
P
lanning a lunch at home shouldn’t be stressful. Follow these tips to being the host(ess) with the most(ess).
Make a list of the people you want to invite – and decide if you want them to bring a guest. Not everyone has to know everyone; everyone you like must surely have something in common? Pick a date that doesn’t clash with anything major, and give your guests at least a week’s notice. Being invited at short notice may give your guest reason to believe they are a ‘filler’. If you are the recipient of the invite, give plenty of notice if you cannot attend or if you have any allergies/serious dietary requirements. If you are having the lunch outside, consider having a blanket on the back of each chair (or at least a pile close by) in case the sun is shy, or indeed, in case you are still at table at tea-time. The same goes for beating sun, have umbrellas or an awning at the ready to shade your guests. Fly spray / mosquito spray is also good to have to hand.
Are you planning the lunch for a specific occasion? Is there a theme? Taking time to decorate the table, scatter crystals, flowers, etc., and write up a menu and place names in an innovative way, is appreciated. To avoid any dilemma in seating arrangements, start off with place settings. Use traditional place cards or substitute with cocktail umbrellas or painted eggs, shells or an item that fits with your theme. Make sure plates, cutlery and glasses are clean and smear free. Have extras ready just in case… Make sure wines are chilled and decanted, water jugs are full and nibbles are placed where your guests will be standing/seated before making their way to the table. If guests bring food gifts or wines, share these on the day if appropriate, acknowledging the person’s generosity. If you have help for the occasion, make sure they are properly briefed with timings, ingredients and the location of the bathrooms. Spend time talking to all your guests; changing places between courses can be a good way to keep the conversation flowing. Have some bakes and sandwiches ready for tea. Look at www.indulge.com.mt/foodanddrink for inspiration.
26 –indulge / Spring 2012
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Fresh beef and mango spring rolls
A LOVELY LADIES LUNCH
reparation time 1 hour / cooking time 10 minutes / makes 8
n a magical trip to Vietnam, I ate this surprising combination. The Vietnamese are the masters of fresh delicate food that utilises healthy ingredients. Fruit and meat in fresh pring rolls was not a pairing I had tasted before, but the sweet mango complemented he rich beef. Pineapple and sliced cooked pork was another pairing that I tasted and it was equally good.
Heat a non-stick frying pan over high heat, Throw away any wrappers that rip and start ive oil spray spray with oil and season the beef with sea salt again with a fresh one. It may take a few trie 50 g (9 oz) piece of beef fillet, and freshly ground black pepper. Sear the meat to get the knack so don’t get discouraged. If trimmed of all fat for 2–3 minutes each side. Allow to rest for the wrapper is too soft, it will fall apart, and round rice paper wrappers hrowing a lunch party 10 minutes. Thinly slice and set aside. it’s too hard, it will not stick together. Practis (15 cm/6 inches in diameter), and need inspiration make the dipping sauce, mix soaking a few so you can get a feel for the ri plus extra to have as spares for a meal that isMeanwhile, still all the ingredients together and pour into consistency. mango, cut into 1 cm (½ yummy inch) but not detrimental to your waistline? Not to be of small bowls. a couple When ready to serve, cut each spring roll thick pieces mistaken for a mundane diet Place a large tea towel on a work surface. in half diagonally with a very sharp knife. red Asian shallots, thinly sliced book, Skinny Meals in Heels Fill a wide shallow bowl with warm water. Serve with the dipping sauce. small handful mint leaves is a stylish guide to home Soak a rice paper wrapper in the water for small handful basil leaves cooking in the real world, preparation time 20 minutes / cooking time 10 minutes / serves 4 about 30 seconds. When soft and pliable, place coriander (cilantro) sprigs, where mid-week meals with to be the wrapper on the tea towel and wipe off the about 7.5 cm (3 inches) friends long and family need quick, healthy, satisfying and excess water with another towel. Place a small bunch chives PREP AHEAD full of flavour - and still makesmint, a great coldand packed lunch for work, as the ingredients stand up well to the pilegive of beef, mango,This shallot, basil you time to look as fabulous dressing long time.Fold Chicken breast can be used in place of the turkey, just pulse coriander at the bottom of for theawrapper. ipping sauce as your food. it inup thetightly food processor untilJust minced. the sides in, then roll to enclose. Spring rolls can be made 12 hours tablespoons lime juice
T
Rice noodle salad with turkey, carrot and lime-chilli dressing
These are just three of our
before you finish rolling it up all the way, place tablespoons fish sauce favourite recipes by Jennifer 100 g (3½ oz) dried thin rice noodles a chive in the spring roll and finish rolling up. tablespoons water Joyce to try for the perfect 1 thumb-sized red chilli, seeds removed Place, seam side down, oninto another tea towel. thumb-sized red chilli, halved, light lunch. and cut thin slices Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling. seeds removed and thinly sliced 2 carrots, shredded 1 small red onion, thinly sliced garlic clove, finely chopped into half moons 1 handful coriander (cilantro) leaves, roughly chopped 1 handful mint leaves, roughly chopped cooking oil spray 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) minced (ground) turkey
ahead. Store on a tray lined with baking
Pour boiling water over the noodles and allow paper,rinse cover withcold more baking paper, to sit for 5 minutes. Drain, under then plastic wrap. This keeps them water and place in a large bowl, along with from the chilli, carrot, onion anddrying herbs.out. Refrigerate until To make the lime-chilli readydressing, to serve.mix all the ingredients together. Heat a non-stick frying pan or wok over high heat until extremely hot. Lightly coat with oil and cook the minced turkey until it is nicely browned, then break into chunks. Add to the noodle mixture, pour over the dressing and mix well.
Lime-chilli dressing 2 tablespoons fish sauce 2 tablespoons soft brown sugar juice of 4 small limes 1 garlic clove, crushed
Skinny
Starters
Recipes taken from Skinny Meals in Heels by Jennifer Joyce (£14.99), published by Murdoch Books.
Meals in Heels
PREP AHEAD
THE SKINNY
The entire salad can be prepared 1 day ahead, covered and refrigerated.
Minced turkey is much lower in fat than pork, which is normally used in a salad such as this. With virtuous meat and a tasty oil-free dressing, this makes a spectacular lean lunch.
Salads for Dinner or On The Side
28 –indulge / Spring 2012
67
Fresh beef & mango spring rolls
olive oil spray
The Vietnamese are the masters of fresh delicate food that utilises healthy ingredients. Fruit and meat in fresh spring rolls was not a pairing I had tasted before, but the sweet mango complemented the rich beef. Pineapple and sliced cooked pork was another pairing that I tasted and it was equally good.
8 round rice paper wrappers
250 g (9 oz) piece of beef fillet, trimmed of all fat (15 cm/6 inches in diameter), plus extra to have as spares 1 mango, cut into 1 cm (½ inch) thick pieces 2 red Asian shallots, thinly sliced 1 small handful mint leaves
t es
1 small handful basil leaves 8 coriander (cilantro) sprigs,
d if se ight
about 7.5 cm (3 inches) long 1 bunch chives
Lemon angel food cake
Dipping sauce
preparation time 15 minutes / cooking time 30 minutes / serves 8
2 tablespoons fish sauce
4 tablespoons lime juice 2 tablespoons water 1 thumb-sized red chilli, halved,
THE SKINNY
seeds removed and thinly sliced
It’s unfathomable to think there is a cake out there that isn’t fattening. Angel food, a very popular American cake, is similar to the classic sponge but doesn’t have any egg yolks. The whipped eggwhite makes it light as a cloud and it is delicious with fresh berries or even a little drizzle of icing sugar mixed with water. For a skinny trifle, layer leftover chunks of cake with berry coulis and Greek yoghurt.
Fresh Vietnamese spring rolls don’t contain any oil and can be360 filled withfl oz) all eggwhite sorts of(from about ml (12¼ eggs), at room temperature ingredients from rice10noodles to chicken 1½ a teaspoons cream of tartar or prawns. They are tasty guilt-free treat. 250 g (9 oz) caster (superfine) sugar 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 125 g (4½ oz) cake (superfine) flour or ‘00’ flour berry or passionfruit coulis or low-fat Greek yoghurt and fresh fruit, to serve
Starters
35
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4). Place the eggwhite in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium speed until frothy, then add the cream of tartar. Increase the speed to high and, when the whites start getting fluffy, slowly spoon in the sugar until all of it is incorporated and stiff glossy peaks form. Fold in the zest and vanilla. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Using a large metal spoon, sift one-third of the flour over the mixture and fold through. Be gentle but quick so the whites don’t deflate. Add the remaining flour in two more batches, then pour into an ungreased 25 cm (10 inch) round angel food cake tin (tube cake tin or non-fluted Bundt cake tin). Run a knife through the batter to make sure there aren’t big air pockets. Bake on the centre oven rack for 30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and turn the pan upside down on the counter. This is important otherwise the cake will deflate. Allow to cool completely, about 2 hours. Run a knife around the side and base to remove the cake from the tin. Serve with your choice of accompaniments.
PREP AHEAD
THE SKINNY
The cake will keep covered for a couple of days.
With the exception of the sugar, this is a pretty healthy sweet. If you’re craving a slice of cake, this is completely guilt-free.
Skinny Puds
Heat a non-stick frying pan over high heat, spray with oil and season the beef with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sear the meat for 2–3 minutes each side. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Thinly slice and set aside. Meanwhile, make the dipping sauce, mix all the ingredients together and pour into a couple of small bowls. Place a large tea towel on a work surface. Fill a wide shallow bowl with warm water. Soak a rice paper wrapper in the water for about 30 seconds. When soft and pliable, place the wrapper on the tea towel and wipe off the excess water with another towel. Place a small pile of beef, mango, shallot, mint, basil and coriander at the bottom of the wrapper. Fold the sides in, then roll up tightly to enclose. Just before you finish rolling it up all the way, place a chive in the spring roll and finish rolling up. Place, seam side down, on another tea towel. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling. Throw away any wrappers that rip and start again with a fresh one. It may take a few tries to get the knack so don’t get discouraged. If the wrapper is too soft, it will fall apart, and if it’s too hard, it will not stick together. Practise soaking a few so you can get a feel for the right consistency. When ready to serve, cut each spring roll in half diagonally with a very sharp knife. Serve with the dipping sauce.
185
indulge / Spring 2012 – 29
MONIQUE MAKES MOLECULAR GASTRONOMY
I
have always been impressed by the foams, beads, spheres and caviars that are presented in smart restaurants, and although you need some sachets and few different kitchen tools, it’s not rocket science. Admittedly, it’s extra work, but the end result is worth it. The sachets contain ingredients of biological origin and not chemical – most of the tools can be found in specialist kitchen shops and some like dehumidifiers, siphons and meshes will have to be ordered if, like me, you become obsessed! Recipes have to be followed to the letter – substituting ingredients can be disastrous, alcohol and acid levels are critical and plan to use your creations as soon as they are made. Nothing here should take longer than 20 minutes – if you have all your ingredients and tools ready.
30 –indulge / Spring 2012
Floral and Scented Caviar beads Mix 300ml water with 2 sachets of sodium algenate and pour into a pan on a low heat. Stirring, bring this to a boil, then pour into another container and set aside for 10 minutes. Add 80ml of this syrup to 50ml of flavour or colour and mix well. We used orange for our caviar and violet for our spheres but you can use mint or rose syrup for example. Prepare another vessel with 1 litre of water and 1 sachet of calcium lactate. Mix well. Pipette beads of the coloured solution to the calcium lactate bath and stir the water gently with a slotted spoon to smooth off any edges from the ‘caviar’, or pour mixture into sphere mould tray and sink in a calcium lactate bath. Remove the beads and rinse in a vat of water before serving. These are beautiful scattered on dessert, salads, with potatoes, in cocktails and over cheeses.
Yoghurt ravioli Mix one sachet of sodium alginate with 475ml of water and leave to stand for 15 minutes. In another vessel, add 80ml milk and a half teaspoon of calcium lactate and mix well. Add 125ml of natural yoghurt. Using your tablespoon measure, spoon the mixture into the bath and leave for 3 minutes to set. Rinse in a water bath and drain and serve with Greek salad, to cool a curry or on a bowl of berries.
Stunning spheres These are made in much the same manner as the caviar. Prepare a vessel with 60ml water and a half teaspoon of calcium lactate until dissolved, and then add 80ml of lemon juice and mix well. Pour this mixture into a spherical silicon mould tray and freeze.
Beetroot foam Blitz 500ml of beetroot juice with 2.5g of soy lecithin. Scoop the foam and serve as an ornamental dressing on a slice of beetroot, grilled vegetable or salads.
Prepare a sodium alginate bath using a hand blender to ensure the mixture is blended and gently, put the individual spheres into the bath and stir the fluid with a slotted spoon to smooth the edges. Leave in the bath for about 3 minutes. Remove the spheres from the mixture and place in a water bath before adding to dishes with your desired liquid food colouring and water. Drain and serve. Great for a palette cleanse between courses, in salads and to add to drinks instead of a wedge of lemon.
Coconut Almond Fondant Put 250ml of coconut milk and 1 sachet of agar agar into a pan and bring to the boil, stirring continuously. Add a drop of coconut essence. Pour into a liquidiser and beat on full speed for a minute. Pour the mixture to half fill silicon cupcake or bar moulds and leave to rest for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare 300ml of water and 2 sachets of sodium alginate and use a hand blender to mix well. Add this to a pan and bring to the boil while stirring. Pour into another bowl and stand for 10 minutes. Mix 60ml of this syrup with 60ml of amaretto and mix well. Spoon into a bath of 1l water with 1 sachet of calcium lactate mixed in, before rinsing in a water bath and serving on top of the set coconut mixture. Scatter ground pistachios for added wow factor.
A word of warning – don’t pour the solutions down the sink, they have a tendency to block drains. Pour in a bag and dispose of with your normal refuse. Molecular cookery sets are available from us – please email sales@indulge.com.mt for more details. Or of course, you can just visit Assaggi, Tarragon or The Villa to see the pro versions of foods similar to these or visit the master of molecular, Heston Blumenthal at The Fat Duck in Bray, UK.
indulge / Spring 2012 – 31
A
B
WINE CELLAR AN EXQUISITE SELECTION OF FINE WINES FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD www.thewembleystore.com
A
REPUBLIC STREET, VALLETTA
B
THE EXPERT’S GUIDE TO
CLOSING WINE
C
ork, plastic, glass, screw top... there are many types of plugs to close a bottle of wine! The main function of the cap is to seal the bottles’ content and to preserve the quality of its contents, allowing no deterioration whatsoever. There are different types of wine corks available. Type selection depends on the type of wine being sealed and the expectant length of time before the wine is consumed. Other factors include bottling speed, still or sparking wines, sweet or dry wines, red or white wines, bottle size and type.
Cork from Quercus suber has been used to seal wine bottles since the 17th century because of its unique physical properties; long-lasting flexibility, hydrophobicity, and gas impermeability. Indeed this hard working material has guarded and stored many prestigious wines; a cork of good quality costs almost as much as the glass bottle. Natural cork is the only sealing material that allows wine to “live” and mature in the bottle over extended time. Natural wine corks vary in grade, are selected and are “punched” from the selected corkwood, carefully inspected for flaws, washed, sterilised, and printed or fire branded. “Cork taint” is one of the most unpleasant sensorial defects of wine and one of the biggest problems in winemaking and cork stopper production today. Chloroanisoles are the main compounds responsible for this defect, which is usually associated with a musty, mouldy aroma and taste. The occurrence of so-called “cork taint” is a serious problem that affects a small proportion of wines, from 0.5% to more than 2% of European bottled wines, or from 1%–5.5% of Australian wines. Estimated global losses range up to U.S. $10 billion, and, over the past 20 years, the incidence of mouldy and musty off-flavors in wines sealed with cork stoppers has increased significantly. From 1991, Marks & Spencer introduced wines in bottles closed with synthetic plugs, because of the
unacceptably high tainting. The caps, made of a synthetic polymer-based product, can be mixed with plasticisers to improve flexibility, lubricants to facilitate extrusion or the detachment from the moulds, the dyes or pigments to make them similar to natural cork or, following the latest trends, to differentiate them totally attributing bright colors. Sophisticated sterilisation and sanitation procedures during manufacturing as well as appropriate surface coatings ensure all stoppers are contaminant free. These procedures range from SO2 gassing to ozone treatment and gamma irradiation. Final packing in hermetically sealed heavyduty poly bags further ensures sterilised corks remain sterile during transport. Ice wine natural corks are the highest quality corks specifically sized and treated to fit narrow neck ice wine bottles and to withstand high sugar content. Double disc corks or Twin top corks are a combination of agglomerated cork (the main body of the stopper) and natural cork (the ends of the agglomerated body are laminated with natural cork discs). The discs are available in several different qualities. The benefit of these highly technical stoppers is consistency of density, quality, function and price. In Colmated corks the pores are filled and sealed with a mixture of fine cork grains and FDA approved resins. Due to the economical cost of these stoppers, pore filled wine corks are ideal for volume wines. Agglomerate wine corks are manufactured from clean natural cork grain. The grain is milled using the “waste” by-product from natural wine cork production. These corks are economically priced and easy to use. Synthetic wine corks are the only choice for some wineries as they have the benefit of being available in many different colours, which permits more flexible packaging designs and brand recognition.
However, the disappearance of cork stoppers in favour of synthetic varieties, is not always popular and it seems a coexistence of both types is required and, generally speaking, the quality of the cap should be related to the quality and cost of the wine. It is felt that synthetic corks should be used for certain wines, especially whites and young reds, which do not require ageing in the bottle.
TIPS ON REMOVING A CORK Opening a bottle of wine is a fairly simple task, but one must avoid making some common mistakes to avoid damaging the cork and wine in particular. Double lever corkscrew are the best tools for the job. Cut immediately below the ring which is located on the neck of the bottle to avoid any residual dust falling into the glass/decanter. The corkscrew turns, not the bottle. It is important not to puncture the capcork at the bottom to avoid finding chips in the wine. Antonio Scacco is a food science researcher with a PhD in Food science, specialising in Viticulture and Enology, and Master in Sensory analysis of food. Daniela Barbera is involved in wine and spirits research and is a Master in Enology and experienced in Sensory Analysis of food.
indulge / Spring 2012 – 33
ARE WE OVERINDULGING OUR CHILDREN?
asks Sarah Kennard
I
often wonder if other mothers feel the way I do about parenting; confused, simultaneously bewildered and bewitched and pretty much flummoxed and floored at every turn. The eye popping amount of advice out there often overwhelms and confuses me. My latest internal rant, one which recurs every so often, is when does encouraging children’s dreams and desires cross the line and become ‘the development of a spoilt brat’. Will I permanently damage my child’s confidence if I don’t indulge him at every milestone? Should thundering applause and gifts galore follow the great achievement of a healthy meal eaten or a dry nappy? Where is the limit and what’s the damage? The reality is that indulging the little people doesn’t necessarily have to mean giving them free rein in a toy shop or smiling preciously at a blood curding tantrum. Over time I’ve come to realise that the easiest and most rewarding way to indulge my son is to give him my time and sole attention. He deserves it after all and so do I. In between school, errands and fanatically strict bedtimes we probably get to spend three to four hours in each other’s company in a day and more often than not my attention is elsewhere, as is his. But he is still at an age where he thinks I’m great company and fun to be around. And I know that that’s not going to last much longer so while his notion of fun differs to mine I am learning to go with his flow and try and get swept up in the moment. I find that indulging him becomes a pleasure when I take the time to actually listen to what he would like to do or what really makes him happy. At best his ideas or whims make me laugh and at worst there’s a mess to be cleaned up. Our latest ‘thing ‘is
34 –indulge / Spring 2012
to put on wellies and old trackpants and walk down to the beach near our house and jump into as many puddles as possible getting wet in the process. Admittedly getting wet in this weather isn’t my idea of fun but the pure joy on his face and the laughter we share are so worth it. On the rare occasion that I bake a cake, I let go of my uptight and hypocritical attitude towards his intake of sugar and watch as the mixing bowl engulfs him down to his shoulders and slowly spins 360 degrees around his head. That self-taught technique ensures he doesn’t miss an inch of the chocolaty cake goo. Maybe it was instinct maybe it was the fact that he was aware this was not a daily occurrence so he had to learn fast how to maximise on it. I’m going with option two. And then there are the larger scale indulgences, more like rewards and treats. While I stop short of buying into every toy fad out there, I try and encourage his imagination and sense of his own world. So at the moment we repeatedly shiver our timbers and attempt to teach a stuffed life size parrot how to say “pieces of eight” as my son goes through life as a pirate. This phase ensures that I wear a pirate’s hat and moustache and only walk on furniture when in the living room – the floor is infested with crocodiles. This Jack Sparrow phase has also
meant the purchase of swords, hooks, gold doubloons and various other paraphernalia that is an ABSOLUTE must for this game. Travelling and exposing children to other cultures is both an indulgence and a well deserved treat and little people deserve them as much - from boarding the plane to all the wonders that travel reveals to all of us, going away with our son and accepting that this is his holiday too means that my husband and I get to do stuff we wouldn’t normally do on holiday like going to bed early and sitting down to dinner at 7.00pm. But It also means that we get to enjoy a quiet beach or experience the sights and sounds of a city just waking up. I am finally learning that the line between over indulgence and giving children the instruments to think and see for themselves is fine indeed and I undoubtedly cross it repeatedly as I find my way in this new role of mothering. My only hope is over time these ‘indulgences’ show him that the world is so much bigger than our little corner and that there is tremendous value in being indulgent if it means he can find awareness in knowledge, courage to persue his passions, and above all experience the joy of trying something new. And while he hopefully learns to absorb all that, I rediscover the freedom of being a kid through him.
Children find technology intuitive and fun and this game, designed by JustSomeCoding, is an iPhone app aimed at age 2 years and upwards, teaches shape names in a fun way. www.justsomecoding.com
DO COMMANASIC lair
Neil Sinc
DAD HOW TO
B TRAINING
BE A
THE BASICS ǖ Survive the first 24 hours ǖ Prepare and plan to prevent poor parental performance ǖ Maintain morale ǖ Feed, clothe, transport and entertain your troops
FROM BIRTH TO 3 YEARS Foreword by
ARER
D OR C N ELITE DA
Dr Jan Mager-Jones MB ChB
Commando Dad Commando Dad is an indispensable training manual for new recruits to fatherhood. Written by ex-Royal Engineer Commando and dad of three, Neil Sinclair, this manual will teach men, in nononsense terms, all the basic skills they need to survive – and thrive – as new dads. Commando Dad’s stripped down, straightforward style is based on the Army Basic Training Manual and is small enough to be carried around in a dad’s pocket for use ‘in the field’. It is very much based on what you need to do, not what you feel. As Neil puts it: “At 0-silly-hundred-hours, with a screaming baby trooper in your arms, 700 pages of someone telling you about their emotions isn’t the answer.”
The
n°1 reference
book for parents in Malta
Chapters include: New Recruits: Surviving the first 24 hours Sleep and other Nocturnal Missions Call the Medic: Basic first aid and unit maintenance On Manoeuvres: Transporting the Troops Entertaining the troops
Commando Dad also features military terminology throughout, for example ‘flash to bang time’ (the time it takes dads to react to a situation), ‘squared away’ (everything organised and in the right place), ‘compassion fatigue’ (when tiredness makes you feel you have no compassion left. Dig deep). Commando Dad is also supported by a fully interactive website including forums and ‘how to’ videos about to hold, feed, burp, change and bath baby troopers. www.commandodad.com
5th
Commando Dad is published on May 8, 2012, and you can buy it on amazon.co.uk
edition 2011/2012
www.maltaBabyandKids.com
5
TH
2011/2012
EDITION
FROM PREGNANCY TO TEENAGERS PREGNANCY & BIRTH, HEALTH, CHILDCARE, SCHOOLS, DAYS OUT, ACTIVITIES, SPORTS, PARTIES, SHOPPING, TRAVEL & GENERAL ADVICE
TH
Bay Street offers a chance to visit Disneyland Resort Paris! The grand prize, in tandem with KDM Travel, includes flights, 3 nights B&B accommodation and Disney Theme Park passes for the entire stay for a family of four!! All you have to do is visit the Magical Globe at Bay Street, between now and 15th April, 2012. Childrens’ favourite characters will be in the Magical Globe every Friday, Saturday and Sunday and school holidays taking photographs with all visitors. And as an extra special treat, Bay Street are offering each entrance to the Magical Globe with two extra prints, and a fourth print free. Visitors also recieve a free Happy Meal from McDonald’s or a kids’ pack from Nestle. For more information telephone 2138 0600 or go to the BayStreet Facebook page www.facebook.com/baystreetmalta.
BAYSTREET IS OPEN 10AM - 10PM EVERY DAY!
E ES
SENTIAL REFE
REN
“Direttorju bis-servizzi kollha li għandhom x’jaqsmu mat-trobbija tat-tfal fil-gżejjer Maltin!”
BO
OK
FO
R PARENTS
malta
Baby ids &K directory
CE
VOUCHERS INSIDE
Buy it from www.maltababyandkids.com and have access to all the information online and be entitled to receive our free newsletter packed with exciting events and competitions each month. www.maltaBabyandKids.com
indulge / Spring 2012 – 35
When a bean, pulse, seed or grain is sprouted it literally comes to life meaning that the nutritional content increases considerably and so does the amount of enzymes, which helps for an easier digestion. Some ingredients used at Angka:
Turmeric
Wheatgrass
Spirulina
Seaweed
Coconut oil
Red quinoa
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NOT JUST GOOD FOOD, BUT GOOD FOR YOU FOOD
F
ood critics are tasked with sniffing and tasting good places to eat, and educating their followers on where to and where not to go. Good food, in this instance – is not only tasty, but nutritious for the body and soul. The Angka Rejuvenation Centre is a hub for health restoration and personal development with holistic health treatments, yoga, meditation and dance, workshops, natural beauty care, educational as well as cultural events, and charity activities and a café, which has one of the most interesting menus on the islands. The chef and his team are dedicated to bringing their customers the healthiest food possible stating “We don’t serve customers anything that is bad for their health”. Fresh juices and smoothies are served with the option of adding superfoods (such as spirulina and wheatgrass), they don’t serve fizzy drinks or alcohol and the food is all vegetarian and wholesome, with an emphasis put on wholegrains and living-foods. White flour and white sugar are never used in any recipes. They see the difference between meat-free food; which tends to be based on empty carbs with little or no nutritional value such as regular bread and pasta, and proper vegetarian food; which is full of nutrients - eg. wholegrains and fresh vegetables including sprouts. At Angka, the menu includes a lot of ‘living’food, offering sprouts from a number of seeds and beans with almost every meal.
Some typical Angka dishes: Sweet Potato Stew with spiced amaranth. Vegetable pie with spelt pastry. Seaweed salads Veggie Burgers Quinoa and veg stir fry You must try Angka’s famous Raw Chocolate Balls packed with SIX superfoods (cacao, coconut oil, honey, spirulina, wheatgrass, maca) and also with ground almond and ground flax (full of omega 3 & 6 very important for the vegetarian diet) They are delicious!
Mark Morales (head chef) says “Vegetarian food doesn’t have to be boring or tasteless. At Angka Cafe our dishes prove that vegetarian food can be just as tasty, filling and exciting. We are doing this because becoming vegetarian is such a small and easy change that we believe affects everything about your life.” The menu varies according to what’s fresh that day, I have tried a number of dishes; the seaweed salad, which had a fresh taste, raw sweet potato pie that had been spiced with cinnamon and was delicious, rye pizza, various baguettes and a flour-free orange soufflé which was as moist and fluffy as an ‘unhealthy’ one! Angka is open Monday to Friday 09:00-19:00 and Saturday and Sundays between 09:00-22:00. There is a constant menu of events to attend, which are sometimes outside of these house. Bar menu available on Mondays with a full menu all other times. Angka Rejuvination Centre, Aldo Moro Street, Marsa (opposite Marsa Sports Club). Tel. 79969438
PHIL GIBBS EXPLAINS
FENCING What’s the difference between duelling and modern fencing?
Phil Gibbs is a qualified rugby referee, cricket umpire, and weight-training instructor. He plays for Malta Marauders Veterans rugby team.
Duelling, which reached its height of popularity in the 16th century, was tactically and psychologically different from fencing in one crucial respect – in the former, your life was under threat! A duellist lived or died by his sword – he relied on just one good touch to survive, whereas the sports fencer takes many risks that would be unthinkable in a duel, as a fencer’s life is never in danger. A fencer technically has 15 ‘lives’, and since the quality of the hit is immaterial to survival, fencers will often prefer an easy ‘wounding’ hit over a more difficult ‘fatal’ one.
Where and when did fencing start, and who popularised it? The earliest evidence of fencing as a sport dates back to an Egyptian carving from about 1200BC, which depicts a fencing bout with masks, protective weapon tips and judges. Modern fencing developed from duelling without armour using rapiers, rather than jousting and tournament combat with
armour. Although the rapier was developed in the 15th century from the military cutting edge sword, it became a popular weapon with civilians, who used it for self-defence and duelling. Although it did have a cutting edge, the thrust was the primary attacking stroke, unlike in the use of the English broadsword. The 15th century heralded the beginnings of modern fencing. Initially, there were two distinct schools, Spanish and Italian. Spain had the first true fencers, and the first manual of fencing – the Treatise on Arms – was written by the Spaniard Diego de Valera. The Spanish school was geometrically based, much more complex and theorised, and required much more practice than the more pragmatic Italian school. The Italians began by fencing with the sword in the right hand and either a dagger or small shield in the left, used for parrying blows. It was the Italian school that developed linear fencing and the lunge. Rapier fencing quickly spread from Italy and Spain to Northern Europe, and by the 18th century the rapier had
developed into a smaller, lighter weapon known as the small sword. Its edges were sharp, but only to prevent opponents from holding it, and the thrust was the only method of attack. This weapon became popular in France, where its lighter weight allowed the French masters to develop a stylised defensively – based method of fighting. They were the first to classify and define fencing parries and attacks, which became the basis for modernday fencing. During the 17th century, the French developed a practice sword fitted with a leather safety tip known as le fleuret, which was identical to the modern foil. It was also at around this time that the ‘right of way’ rule was developed. This changed the sport into a series of alternating attack and defence, rather than both opponents attacking at the same time, making it more unlikely that the duellists impaled each other. The other crucial development by the French occurred in 1780, when they invented the face mask. In the mid 19th century, duelling became less of a contest to kill your opponent, and switched to disablement rather than indulge / Spring 2012 – 37
death, primarily because victors could be charged with manslaughter. In response to this, the epée was developed, and duels fought with this variant of the small sword often ended with disabling injuries to the arms or legs.
the helmet is also electrically wired. Unlike foil, off-target hits do not register on the scoring machine, thus there is no halt in the action.
In line with the thrusting swords, sabres evolved from the heavy cavalry weapons to a lighter, less fatal duelling form in Italy and Germany. However, it was the Hungarians who dominated this form of fencing for most of the 20th century.
The epée is a heavier thrusting weapon, with a stiffer, thicker blade than the foil. As with the foil, all hits must be made with the tip of the blade. However, the entire body, head to toe, is a valid target, similar to a real dual. Because of this, epée fencers do not wear a lamé. The spring-loaded button on the tip of the epée requires more force to register a hit. Touches hit with the side of the blade do not stop the action. Unlike foil and sabre, epée does not use the right of way rule, and simultaneous hits can be made by both fencers. If the score is tied at the last point and a double touch occurs, nobody earns the point
The first modern Olympic games in 1896 featured foil and sabre fencing for men. Women’s foil was introduced in 1924, but it was not until 1996 that women’s epée followed suit.
How many types of modern fencing are there, and what are the differences? Modern fencing is divided into three types, according to weapon:-
Foil The foil was developed from the light court sword used by the nobles when training for duels. It is about 35 inches long, and has a flexible, rectangular blade. The valid target area is the torso from shoulders to groin in the front, the back down to the waist, but excluding the arms. Touches are scored only when the tip hits the target area. Off – target touches stop the action and score nothing. Only a single hit can be scored by either fencer at one time. Because of the speed of the action, an electrical scoring system is used to detect hits. The foil has a spring-loaded button on its point, which registers a hit only when depressed. Foil fencers wear an electrically wired vest called a lamé – a hit on this causes a coloured light to show on the scoring machine. Hits off target on other areas of the body not covered by the lamé are shown by a white light, which temporarily stops the action. If both fencers score a hit at the same time, the referee uses the right of way rule to decide the point. In foil, the shoulder of the non-sword arm must not be put in front of the sword arm.
Sabre A sabre is a light, cutting and thrusting weapon that is the modern version of the cavalry sword. Hits can be scored with both the tip and sides of the blade, and the scoring area is the entire body above the waist, excluding the hands. The lower body is not a target in order to simulate a cavalry rider on horseback.. Sabre fencers wear a lamé and, because the head is a valid target,
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Epée
Physical contact is allowed in epée, as long as it is not excessive.
Who officiates the bouts? There is one referee in charge of the contest, who award hits, penalizes faults, and stops and starts the bout according to the rules. With electronic scoring, the referee can be the only official, but in major competitions, there are two assistant judges. If electronic scoring is not used, there are four judges, two on each side of the piste. Other officials include timekeepers, scorers and electrical equipment supervisors. The fencing strip, where bouts take place, is known as the piste. It is 14 metres long and 1.5-2 metres wide. At each end, there is a 2 metre extension for bouts with sabres and epées. If fencers step off the side of the piste, they are penalised by having their end shortened by 1 metre until the next touch.
How long does a bout last? In elimination bouts, a fencer must score 15 touches. The maximum time allowed is 9 minutes, divided into three 3-minute periods, with a 1-minute break between periods. In team matches, a bout lasts 4 minutes, regardless of touches scored. The timekeeper starts the clock on the referee’s order of ‘Fence’, and stops it on the order ‘Halt’ To start the bout, the referee calls ‘en garde’ and the two fencers stand faceto-face at their respective ‘en garde’ lines, until the referee calls ‘fence’. The bout is halted if a hit is signalled, a fencer is disarmed or leaves the piste,
a foul is committed or dangerous play occurs. If a valid hit is registered, the fencers return to their en garde lines. If the hit does not register a score, the bout continues from the spot where the referee halted it.
What is ‘right of way’, parry and riposte? A fencer obtains ‘right of way’ by threatening the other fencer with the blade. It ends when the attack misses, falls short, is broken off, or is deflected away from the target area by a parry. After parrying, a defender can attack straight away without waiting for the opponent to recover. This counterattack is known as a riposte and counts as a new attack - hence a new ‘right of way’ is established.
What basic equipment do I need? Apart from a weapon, fencers need a well-fitting mask with an attached bib, a white jacket tightly fastened at the rear, fencing breeches to protect the legs, a glove covering the sleeve of the weapon arm, breast protectors for women, and underarm protectors (plastrons)
Can I try fencing in Malta? The En Garde fencing club has been in existence for 15 years, and the instructors are qualified Fencing Masters from the FIA. It has a flourishing junior section, with over 30 members aged 6-15 years (members under the age of 10 use a plastic foil). The club meets twice a week, on Thursdays at Chiswick School from 6-7.30pm, and on Saturdays at St Martins College from 11-1230. Membership costs 250 euros per 3-term year, or 100 euros per 3-month term. Those wishing to try the sport for the first time receive the first four sessions free. New members can borrow all the equipment they need from the club, until they are sure they want to continue, in which case they can purchase their own equipment. Please contact Daniel Sammut at dansamm.gmail.com, mob 99407388, for more information. Daniel also teaches at a medieval re-enactment club in Malta called ‘Show of Arms’.
MENSWEAR
WHAT TO EXPECT THIS SPRING LOCAL SCENE Global contemporary label BOSS Hugo Boss have recently opened a monobrand store right in the heart of Malta’s entertainment & luxury district, St Julians. Totally dedicated to menswear, we are pretty sure that the more discerning Maltese gents are more than glad to have such a store totally dedicated to their needs. They offer a fine selection of slim suits along with the latest fashion garments, shoes and accessories.
SLIM LOOK
PALE PASTELS
Spring clean your wardrobe and build a more slim looking collection of suits. Regular suits are out, all men - from small to XL - are opting for this look! Whether it’s a blazer or a suit, a slim garment would make all the difference as it would snug right around your body shape with no excess material or structure and present a slimmer you.
This Spring the colour palette is all about pastels. The choice of colours is not a mere fashion comment but rather a reflection of what people are expecting from clothing. Many individuals (men in particular) are increasingly opting for a more understated look. This combination of colours allows individual expression without the exuberance typically associated with brighter shades or prints. Therefore, this Spring expect a choice of pale pastels in stores and the occasional brighter piece in a coral red or canary yellow to jazz up your mood.
SAFARI PANTS For the more adventurous gent: shortish pants with extra wide thigh’s and possibly, pleats and turn up bottoms. Traditionally such pants appealed to the bigger man but this time round trends are actually suggesting such for slim men! A nice pair of suede ankle boots or shoes would match the look perfectly but be sure to get your pants tailored to the right ‘short’ length to complement such footwear.
On the move dry cleaning Malta’s number one laundry & dry cleaning company, Portughes Dry Cleaning, offer their customers access to a multitude of services, day and night, just by using their new Smartphone app designed by JustSomeCoding.com. Features include information on their outlet and agents’ opening times, a quick call function, a simple booking function and an interactive collection schedule. This allows customers to manage all of their dry cleaning needs from the palm of their hand. The app’s design is clean and simple and makes it easier than ever for customers to use and enjoy the Portughes Dry Cleaning services. www.justsomecoding.com
DENIM SHIRT WITH DETAILS Fashion houses have been re-inventing the classic denim shirt for years on end. This season expect shirts with extra detail on the front side: intricate embroideries (Canali), combined with silky prints (D&G) or understated detailing (BOSS Hugo Boss).
What we thought of
THE HONDA ACCORD
John’s take on it When you drive a German luxury brand as I do and you step into a Honda, you expect it to be reliable but not particularly stylish or fun to drive. Stepping into the Honda Accord was what it took to change my perception. The first thing I noticed was the gadgets. There appeared to be more knobs and buttons than the latest Airbus and this car had everything you could want. Listing them in order of my preference: built-in Bluetooth® phone system, auxiliary port to plug in my iPhone to allow me to listen to my podcasts and music, and parking assistance. A screen with a rear view camera made reversing very easy although I never heard the bleeps for the forward movement. The screen also functioned as the GPS and radio display when the car was not in reverse. The Accord had a slightly harder suspension system than I expected but a very comfortable and totally adjustable seating position. Actually, stylish and fun to drive. John de Giorgio has been a gadgetman as long as he remembers with a long-standing interest in how things work. He has run a software company for the last 27 years, keeping him close to technology
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Monique’s view I’m thinking of changing my car. I’ve had her 10 years and although she’s pretty, she can be difficult to park in the tiny streets in our village. I went to test drive a Honda Accord with a grown up, as I have been known to buy a car purely on its colour, indeed a house, merely on the light fitting in the entrance hall. It was slate grey - classic and goes with any outfit - opening the door, I noticed a little light which would illuminate the ground you were to stand on. What a great idea! I got in and noticed lots of storage for the bits and pieces including a dedicated place for sunglasses. The steering wheel looks really sporty and has controls for the Bluetooth and built in stereo, and just to the right were controls for the wing mirrors; they even flip in to get through streets in Attard unscathed! There was a camera too which, in the absence if parking sensors, would help me enormously and heated seats, which would have been a dream this Winter. It did take me a bit of getting used to to drive, my platforms probably weren’t the best choice of footwear but the drive itself was comfortable.
John de Giorgio looks closely at
GADGETS FOR THE CAR When you think of gadgets for a car the most obvious ones are GPSs and audio systems but I believe that the SmartPhone will increasingly make both of these redundant. Being an iPhone and iPad user I never travel with a separate GPS any longer and in the car I listen to my iPhone just as much as my car audio system. I access
tens of thousands of radio stations, all my music and my podcasts through the iPhone and I believe that cars will soon start being shipped with tablets or holders for tablets. So what do I think are the most useful gadgets for a car nowadays?
USB Cigarette Lighter Adapter – although we are increasingly seeing cars with built-in USB connectors to allow us to charge our devices, until then get yourself a USB adapter that plus straight into the cigarette lighter socket. Usually costing less than €10 this will provide power on the move. Make sure however you get one with a power rating large enough for an iPad not just for a Smartphone.
Wind-Up Torch – cars are generally speaking, so reliable nowadays that we rarely break down so when we do, invariably those batteries in your torch in the boot will have run flat. A wind-up LED torch will always be there for you.
Video Entertainment – keeping the kids quiet in the back of the car during traffic usually means video. While we are increasingly seeing cars with DVD players and monitors in the rear of the head rests or flipping down from the roof, these can also be retro fitted. Look out for models that take DVDs, USB sticks and SD cards.
Portable Tyre Inflator – slow puncture, flat spare tyre or just prefer checking at home? A portable type inflator is a very useful gadget to keep in the boot of the car and is very cost effective.
Collapsible Crate – want to keep your boot tidy and stop its contents rolling about? Get yourself a collapsible crate which, when you need to pile in the luggage, can collapse flat.
indulge / Spring 2012 – 41
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CONCEPT CARS
BACK TO THE FUTURE? E
very major motor show worth its salt has a good dose of concept cars. It does not get any better or bigger than the Detroit Motor Show where Malcolm J Naudi discovers European, Japanese and American carmakers vying for the crowds’ attention. Concept cars have a very important role to play in the carmaking industry. Although it has become much cheaper to come up with a new vehicle design and test it to real world specifications to a large degree on a computer, motor shows play a vital role in capturing visitors’ reactions. They can make or break a new model’s future line-up. This year’s North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), held in Detroit, is no exception and I have decided to hone in on half a dozen manufacturers whose concepts that will make it on the road sooner than you would think, given shortening production lead times. Let me start with a European concept of a model that is already available. The Audi Q3 Vail concept has been groomed specifically for winter sports. It combines striking, harder-edged styling including flared arches, running boards and winter sports-specific roof rails, with a suitably brawny 2.5-litre TFSI petrol engine linked to a seven-speed S tronic transmission. Maximum power output is 314 bhp, with 400 Nm of torque (pulling power). It accelerates to 100 km/h in 5.5 seconds and has a top speed of 262 km/h. Inside there is a sporty black, grey and red colour scheme. An innovative leather/fabric material is used for the upholstery – thin strips of leather just a few tenths of a millimetre wide, are interwoven with yarn.
Malcolm J Naudi has been writing about the car business for over 25 years and is a pioneer of motoring journalism in Malta.
There were two Japanese sports concepts, the Lexus (Toyota’s premium brand) LF-LC Hybrid Sports Coupé and the Honda NSX. The Lexus is a 2+2 that hints at a possible future design direction, including a sculpted, spindle grille and new rear architecture. Curves blend smoothly into dynamic angles, creating an engaging interplay of lines, shadows and corners. The LF-LC’s interior contrasts the cool ambience of advanced technology with soft textures and organic shapes. The design is driver-focused and neatly brings together form and function in a coherent whole. Badged as an Acura in the US, the new NSX supercar, which is expected to go on sale in the next three years, will be developed by Honda R&D Americas and manufactured in Ohio but is developed for true sports driving enthusiasts throughout the world. Making use of lightweight materials and a mid-mounted V-6 engine, the NSX Concept employs several new technologies, including an innovative new Sport Hybrid SH-AWD® (Super Handling All Wheel Drive™) hybrid system. While most supercars opt for brute force delivered from a large engine, the NSX Concept champions the true racing philosophy of an extremely favourable power-to-weight ratio. Utilising a unique 2 Electric Motor Drive Unit with a bilateral torque adjustable control system, the new hybrid all-wheel-drive system can instantly generate negative or positive torque to the front wheels during cornering, which Honda anticipates will deliver handling performance unmatched by previous AWD systems. indulge / Spring 2012 – 43
The innovative e-NV200 Concept is further evidence of another Japanese carmaker, Nissan’s leadership position in the zero-emission automotive industry. Based on the popular Nissan NV200 multi-usage vehicle, the Nissan e-NV200 Concept previews a near-future production version of a full electric vehicle designed to provide businesses or families with flexible, roomy interior space, while achieving a dramatic CO2 footprint reduction. The Nissan e-NV200 Concept’s EV-style identity starts with its front ‘face’. The exterior is highlighted by the interaction of the strong main character lines and its broad body surfaces. Inside, the Nissan e-NV200 Concept interior depicts a clean, modern Nissan EV identity through use of the EV meters, blue coloured accents and bright interior colour palette, while also retaining the NV200’s strong functional feeling. The Nissan e-NV200 Concept shares its major drivetrain components with the innovative Nissan LEAF. Silent, zero emission power is supplied by a lithium-ion battery composed of 48 compact modules and a high-response 80 kW AC synchronous motor that generates 280 Nm of torque. Unlike a conventional internal combustion engine, the motor delivers 100% of its torque from start with immediate response bringing excellent acceleration and smooth, comfortable driving feel. Chevrolet, a General Motors brand, introduced two concept coupés: Code 130R, a four-seater with a simple upright profile, and Tru 140S, an ‘affordable exotic’ sporty four-seater with front-wheel-drive. Painted in an all-new red metallic paint with matte anodised gold wheels, Code 130R features heritage performanceinspired styling and rear-wheel drive. With an aggressive front fascia, Chevrolet fender flares, straight body side and Chevy crossflag emblem, Code 130R makes a link to Chevrolet’s performance heritage. Code 130R’s designers conceived the turbocharged engine to be tuned to work in tandem with eAssist technology. By shutting off the engine at stops, recapturing braking energy and smoothing torque during acceleration, this concept takes automotive electrification to the next level and balances turbocharged performance with fuel economy. Tru 140S is a three-door hatchback designed to be an attractive, yet affordable sports car. Shown in an all-new matte white with Chevy performance chrome wheels featuring crossflag emblems, Tru 140S is designed to look confident, exotic, expensive and fast. Tru 140S is based on the same platform as the Chevrolet Cruze and the groundbreaking Chevrolet Volt electric vehicle with extended range. Tru 140S designers want to demonstrate technologies typically found in more expensive cars, including direct injection and a starter-based stop-start technology, balancing internal combustion and electrification to deliver high value and improved fuel economy. Finally, the latest Beetle might be ‘more power, less flower’, but that doesn’t mean that it’s anything other than environmentally conscientious, and that’s especially the case with the E-Bugster concept, which is powered purely by electricity. The two-seat E-Bugster is powered by an 85 kWh electric motor that can propel it from 0 to 100 km/h in 10.9 seconds, and yet offer a range of at least 177 km from the 28.3 kWh lithium-ion batteries and a fast-charging function allows complete recharging in just 35 minutes.
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328i
6,4l/100 km 180 kw (245 hp)
Ben Stuart lets us know
HOW TO SET SAIL AND SET TEENAGERS FREE
S
o here we are Spring 2012! I do find that in 2012 things are being done differently and whether related or not, individuals seem to be doing things differently as well. How does all this relate to yachting and more specifically to yachting in Malta? A friend of mine has just traveled to the southern hemisphere to partake in some high adventure sailing. The interesting thing for me is that he does so at a time in life when, at least in this society, we generally are happy to leave the adventuring up to our children. So while his children depart home and their parents to expand their wings and explore the wider world, there he is waving good bye in his papocci and knitted sweater only to do a quick change as soon as they are out of sight and nip out of the back door for the adventure of a lifetime rounding Cape
horn on a 50 footer with a bunch of guys he has never met, facing 10 metre seas, and visiting the land Darwin made his name on. Locally, it has to be admitted, the weather has impeded outdoor activities and whilst it is true that the sea is an invigorating 13 degrees (yes I have kept up the intention to swim every week of the year), at this time of year, and more so than in previous years, it is great to see windsurfers and, increasingly, kitesurfers taking to the waters around our island. It is a perfect time for diving as well, subject to the correct equipment and due care. Adventure is what the sea presents us with, for any age. Adventure is behind the intention to set up an association aimed at providing our youths with the opportunity to sail onboard a tall ship. This article is a prime opportunity to publicly announce the official launch
of the Malta Sail Training Association (MSTA). MSTA will provide Maltese youths from all walks of life, aged between 16 to 24, the opportunity to experience the adventure of life at sea through programs ranging from two days to two weeks or longer. The MSTA came into being in August 2011 and during the intervening months has been setting itself up formally, and presenting itself to the various authorities and institutions that exist in Malta. The response has been tremendous and MSTA are to host their first sailing experience in Mid April; a two day trip on a brigantine ship starting from Grand Harbour Marina up round Gozo, overnighting at anchor and returning the following day, whereby the parents will have the opportunity to be shown around the vessel. indulge / Spring 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 47
15 places are available for youths interested in experiencing the joys of sailing such a vessel, teamwork, meeting new people and learning about navigation, the sea and living on the sea. MSTA volunteers will be implementing an onboard program which will start with an alongside show of the ship and a preliminary explanation of what is required for the stay onboard culminating with a talk on safety at sea and a practical drill. After splitting the new crew members into their separate ‘watches’ we shall set sail up the coast. Each watch shall be responsible for a particular aspect of the ship and shall, as per tradition, rotate their responsibilities at the change of each ‘shift’ thereby giving everyone a chance to enjoy the whole experience. The concept of ‘watches’ governs life onboard a ship. It is a system whereby the 24 hours of the day are split into separate periods and has been in use on boats since time immemorial. Whilst
48 –indulge / Spring 2012
the format varies somewhat from nation to nation, the traditional British system of watches split the day into seven watches: 5 watches of four hours each and two “dog” watches of two hours. The whole of the ships’ crew are split into two or three sections whose functions and responsibilities change during each period. This structure enabled the community to exist in harmony and survive successfully in their voyages throughout the oceans and seas of the world. It enabled work and rest to be conducted in parallel so that the ship as a whole was able to function effectively 24 hours a day every day. So year-round there is a chance to explore your adventurous side and enjoy Malta, Cape Horn or anywhere, from a very different perspective: the sea. The cool, crystal clear days Spring really do offer the opportunity to
indulge in new experiences that can refresh the soul. Malta is uniquely able to offer that. Its value is priceless. Get your kids to put away their mobile phones, get off facebook, and get involved. The MSTA would like to hear from anyone who is interested in booking, helping out or if you wish to know more. There is no cost. Please call on 79200849 or join us on facebook; Malta Sail Training Association
Ben Stuart, General Manager at Grand Harbour Marina, talks to us about the pleasures and practicalities of yachting in Malta.
S & D Yachts Ltd Tel: (+356) 2133 1515, 2133 9908 Mobile: (+356) 9947 7753 Email: info@sdyachts.com
LOOK OUT FOR Baystreet has launched their NEW loyalty card – the b Rewarded Privilege Card. This entitles holders to Special discounts and offers, along with invitations to baystreet VIP events. It’s free to apply from www. baystreet.com.mt/loyaltycard or from the baystreet reception on level 0 On the 21st March 2012 at the Teatru Manoel - The Carlo Rizzo Trio plays in a night of ethnic music. Three virtuoso, performers and composers, namely Carlo Rizzo (percussions and voice), Michel Mandel (clarinets and taragot) and Norbert Pignol (accordion), play original pieces by Carlo Rizzo (the internationally reputed Tambourine virtuoso) in music influenced by ethnic jazz with an international flavour. On the 24th March 2012 at the Teatru Manoel - 150th Anniversary Concert of the Peace Band Club of Naxxar; a cantata entitled L-Ghanja tal-Paci with lyrics by Fr Richard Borg and music by Karl Fiorini. The band will be directed by Lino Pirotta.
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Saxophonist Philip Attard and pianist Christine Zerafa have teamed up to form the ‘Batera Duo’, with their first public performance being on the 29th April 2012 at St James Cavalier Music Room, where they will be performing a diverse programme of repertoire from the 20th and 21st century, including works by Darius Milhaud, Roberto Molinelli, Ástor Piazzolla, Pedro Iturralde and Joseph Vella. www.sjcav.org
On the 25th May 2012 at the Teatru Manoel - MPO Concert Series at Teatru Manoel 4 The Malta Philharmonic Orchestra concludes its four-concert series in style with an allBritish programme featuring soprano Gillian Zammit singing Britten’s Les Illuminations under the direction of Michael Laus. Leader Marcelline Agius will perform the solo in Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending and the evening concludes with Elgar’s magnificent Enigma Variations.
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solution for those who want to support local charities, causes and voluntary organisations without compromising on a quality service. SimplyMobile gives great causes the opportunity to raise funds from mobile subscribers who sign up with their organisation, where €1 in every top up of €10 will be donated to their mission. To start using SimplyMobile please contact your favourite Cause and ask them to sign up. It’s free for registered organisations to join. Alternatively choose one of our member organisations, Inspire, YMCA, Birdlife and others and ask them for a Starter Pack. You can also visit www.simplymobile.com.mt or call 96960100 for more information.
indulge@ is our interactive events calendar, allowing readers to subscribe and invite friends, book tickets and have details in their electronic diary in a couple of clicks! Send your event info to events@indulge.com.mt
Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem, Commandery of Gozo Reg Charity No.0435 Grand Charity Spring Ball at the Grand Hotel, Mgarr, Gozo 2nd June 2012. Tickets €60 include reception and five course dinner, Grand Prize Draw, music and dancing. Tel: 21550933 email: chrissiescott@onvol.net
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