Gourmet Today Issue 33

Today ISSUE NUMBER 33 • MArch 2015

Marsovin - wines that speak the Maltese language Hot cross buns Get ‘em while they’re hot

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What’s hot in the world if food

Editor’s note

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Get a bowlful of goodness with Magic Soup

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An Easter meal with a hint of the east

Today is the first day of daylight savings, which means the first longer evening of the year. With plenty more of these on the way, there is definitely a spring in my step.

Though planning lunches outside is still risky business at this time of year, there are plenty of days where lunching outside is already pleasant. Our homecooks have prepared a spring time feast perfect for those sun shiny days, while Pippa Mattei has made and Easter meal with an Eastern twist.

Our chefs at Gourmet Today TV, use spring time ingredients to prepare some great meals to enjoy at this time of year.

As much as we love to prepare meals at home, dining out is still very much part of our daily lives. Valletta has gone from a ghost town to a hub of activity after dark.

Gourmet Today has painstakingly selected our favourite places to eat in the capital and have had a look at what’s happening at our favourite haunts, whether they are established spots, like Rubino, or new venues, the likes of Harbour Club.

The team at Gourmet Today would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your families a Happy Easter. We hope you enjoy this issue of Gourmet Today and look forward to receiving your comments and suggestions.

18 Spring recipes from the sea 21 Valletta’s greatest 31 Cocktails by The Mixologist

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35 Homecooks make a meal for spring 43 Discover local 55 Selected recipes from Gourmet Today TV 64

Lighter lunches with Goldie

71 Tea and cakes

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31 Published by:

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Bon appétit!

49 Vjal ir-Riħan, San Ġwann SGN 9016 Malta Tel: +356 2138 2741 Fax: +356 2138 1992 www.maltatoday.com.mt

Managing Editor: Saviour Balzan Editor: Rachel Zammit Cutajar gourmet@mediatoday.com.mt

Design: Kevin Grech Photography: Ray Attard Head of sales: Adriana Farrugia Contact for advertising: Bobby Cesareo - 21382741 ext: 118

Cover: Jeremy Cassar from Marsovin Cover photo by Ray Attard Printed at: Print It Printing Services

Food News

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What’s hot in the food world…

Smoochies now producing soups

NO concentrates, added sugars or additives

Fenici, fresh, fruity and truly local

Meridiana Wine Estate’s Fenici White (Vermentino/Viognier/Chardonnay), Fenici Red (Syrah/Merlot) and the recently launched Fenici Rose (Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah) are fast becoming popular among wine lovers. All three Fenici wines are produced using only locally grown grapes, enjoying DOK classification. The freshness, fruitiness and elegance in these wines make them a perfect choice for the warm summer

months. They also truly offer great value for money.

More information about the Fenici collection and the rest of Meridiana’s range of Premium wines can be found on the company’s brand new website www.meridiana.com.mt

Trade Enquiries: S Rausi Trading Ltd. Wine & Spirit Merchants, Stadium Street, Gzira GZR 1301 Tel: 2133 0447 Mob: 7909 3197 Email: info@srausi.com Web: www.srausi.com.mt

Magic Soup is now available on Amazon Smoochies have made a name for themselves providing fruit in a bottle with their vastly popular smoothies. They have now taken their philosophy of using only fresh ingredients – and nothing else – to start creating soups.

Using nothing but fresh veg from local farmers, the Smoochie team promise no additives, creams or flours – a must-try for Smoochie addicts!

So how did all this start? The ladies at Fruit Spa in Zebbug were very well aware of how healthy lots of fruit is for our bodies, however chomping on just an apple or other juicy fruit isn’t completely satisfying and it can be messy and time-consuming.

They therefore came up with a solution. They purchase tons of lovely, high-quality fruit, wash it, cut it up and blend it together to produce a variety of delicious Smoochie smoothies. It’s just fruit in a bottle with no added sugar or preservatives, aimed at making life a little bit easier, providing a delicious, nutrient-rich, portable, restorative stand-in for breakfast or snack.

Magic Soup, a cookbook written by Maltese-born Nicole Pisani and Kate Adams, is now available on www.amazon.co.uk. There is something soothing and revitalising about soups and the authors of Magic Soup have sussed that out. Nicole, who worked for chefs like the great Yotoman Ottolenghi, and Kate Adams, founder of The Flat Tummy Club

offer recipes for over 100 fresh and original soups that are utterly delicious and fabulously nutritious. You can even see how Malta has influenced some of Nicole’s choices with a traditional soppa tal-armla taking its place among other incredible soups such as salmon poached in lemongrass tea, Portuguese lemon chicken and mint with quinoa.

See page 5 for a full interview with Nicole and Kate and check out some recipes from their book.

New spring menu at San Andrea restaurant

Smoochie Totallyfresh Ltd Triq il-Kataniz, Zebbug Tel: 27017127 • 79766624 Email: info@smoochiedrinks.com Web: www.smoochiedrinks.com

NO concentrates, added sugars or additives

Find us on Facebook: Smoochie Addicts

It has now become common practice for San Andrea restaurant to change its à la carte menu every quarter. This provides regulars with a good reason to keep coming back for more each and every time. The spring menu introduced by the restaurant last week is no exception.

Do not miss out on the Park and Ride service which is provided for free to all the San Andrea dining patrons following an initiative taken jointly by the Rabat restaurant community for their customers since last year.

Palazzo Castelleti 62, St Paul Street, Rabat Tel: 21452562/99109911 Web: www.palazzocastelletti.com Find us on Facebook

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What’s on this spring 3 APRIL GOOD FRIDAY PROCESSIONS On Good Friday, late afternoon, some 17 different towns and villages commemorate the Passion of the Christ by an organized and very solemn procession of statues. Each of these statues represents a particular episode in the Passion of the Christ, carried by pallbearers. Between one statue and another (some ten in all) participants are dressed as biblical characters who take part in the procession in a dignified manner.

3 – 5 APRIL AMP LOST & FOUND A brand new festival, hosted by BBC radio DJ Annie Mac, that includes multiple venues featuring parties all day and night. Expect boat parties, beach parties, night time open air raves and plenty of AMP surprises!

19 APRIL STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL Surrounded by the lush green valleys of Imġarr, the parish square offers an idyllic scenario for the Strawberry Festival. Popular Maltese folk groups along with many others will also entertain the many visitors throughout the day. One may try products that include strawberry as their main ingredient. The Festa Frawli, as it is known in Maltese, will be held in the main village square in front of the Imġarr Parish Church Sunday from 9 am onwards.

15 APRIL COMMEMORATION OF THE AWARD OF THE GEORGE CROSS The Malta Tourism Authority will commemorate the honour bestowed upon Malta by the British monarchy for bravery and tenacity during the Second World War inside the very same square the original ceremony was held 73 years ago. The

18 APRIL THE MALTA MECHANISED GROUND FIREWORKS FESTIVAL 13 fireworks factories will be competing with two sets of wheeled pyrotechnic structures in a festival organised

by The Floriana Local Council to be held in St Publius Square. More info: floriana.lc@gov.mt, or tel. 2123 5523.

programme will start at 19:30 with a marching display in the square by the Armed Forces of Malta Band. Following that, a son et lumiere will unfold.

21 April 400TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE WIGNACOURT AQUEDUCT A re-enactment will be organised by HSBC (Malta) in St George’s Square, Valletta, to commemorate the 400th

anniversary of the finalization of the aqueduct project, as devised by Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt. This important project, inaugurated on 21st April of 1615, was of great importance to provide an adequate supply to the ever growing population of the new capital city.

2 MAY MALTA INTERNATIONAL FIREWORKS FESTIVAL The 14th edition of the Malta International Fireworks Festival will take place in Marsaxlokk on 25 April and in the Valletta Grand Harbour on 30 April and Bugibba on 2 May. The festival is orgainsed by The Ministry for Tourism and the MTA.

For those

Classic moments Malta - Attard & Co. Foodstuffs Ltd. Tel: 21 237555 • Gozo - Abraham’s Supplies Co. Ltd. Tel: 21 563231

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A bowlful of goodness As soon as humans could build fires and make watertight pots they made soup. Blissful, warm, and nourishing, soup has the ability to revitalise and to soothe. The very word has connotations of comfort and well-being; it takes us back to basics, to the essence of simple food for both body and soul. In Magic Soup, the ultimate soup cookbook, Maltese-born Nicole Pisani and Kate Adams, author and founder of The Flat Tummy Club, offer over 100 fresh and original soups that are utterly delicious and fabulously nutritious. Nicole talks to Gourmet TODAY about what inspired Magic Soup and how memories of home have shone through in some of their recipes.

How did you become interested in food?

My love of food started from a young age. My family had a restaurant, Snoopy’s, and I remember that when I was 7 or 8 years old I would go and learn from the women in the kitchen how to cook, and especially how to make burgers. I later began more formal training at the Institute of Tourism Studies in Malta.

When did you decide to leave Malta?

I left at 17 to travel and went to London, before later travelling to Sydney, which is where I really fell in love with food and the possibility of being a chef. It was an amazing experience to be there but I came back to Malta to see my mum, friends and the sea. I became the chef in our family restaurant for a number of years before deciding to return to London.

What are you favourite Maltese dishes?

There is a recipe in my new book, Magic Soup, which is one of my best memories of eating in Malta. My

sister Thea and I were often looked after by a wonderful woman called Doris when we came home from school.

I remember Doris would make the most comforting Soppa Tal-Armla, or Widow’s Soup. It was made with any fresh seasonal vegetables that were to hand and topped with local goat’s cheese. The goat’s cheese from Gozo is still the best I have ever tasted anywhere in the world. This soup always makes me happy.

I also love the red prawns you can only get in Malta, and I miss the simplicity of having a perfectly cooked whole fish that was caught the same morning. It reminds me to always make the most of simple, fresh ingredients.

What inspired Magic Soup?

The inspiration for Magic Soup came from my co-author Kate, who had the idea when she travelled to Mauritius. A local told her that women would eat ‘Magic Soup’ after having a baby as it was full of nutrition and also helped them get their slim figure back! She

thought what a great name the idea grew from there.

Kate has a website called Flat Tummy Club and soup really helped her to lose weight healthily. As a chef I love soup because it’s all about creating a whole meal in one bowl. Most people think of soup as being quite boring or something you’d just have as a starter before your main meal. I wanted to create recipes that would make soup the main event. I also think it’s a really good way to encourage cooking from scratch for people who nowadays feel like they just don’t have the time to cook.

We have a chapter for ‘Quick Fixes’ that literally take minutes to prepare; so much tastier than going for a ready meal.

Tell me a little about the Maltese influence in Magic Soup.

I loved creating the recipe for the Marrow Soup in the book, another Maltese tradition. The marrows in the UK are quite a bit larger than in Malta so I roasted them with pesto quinoa as well as making the soup. It’s a feast.

Many of the fish soups are inspired by home, too. There are mussels, prawns and a Feast of Seven Fish. I couldn’t quite work out how to make spaghetti vongole into a soup, but I did manage clams and ravioli in a coconut chilli broth.

What feedback have got from the book so far?

People who have bought the book are giving us some great feedback. Some tell us it has reminded them just how lovely soup can be, for others it has inspired them to cook vegetables and other ingredients in different ways.

The chilled soups have been very popular too, perfect for Malta! I have also discovered that soup is such a great way to cook dishes from all corners of the world.

We have soups from Asia, the Mediterranean, Sweden, Africa and Scotland, to name a few. At the heart of each is a bowl of goodness.

For more information visit their site www.foodforhappiness.co.uk

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Marrow soup with courgette flowers & pesto quinoa For Nicole, this is a pure taste of home: marrows are plentiful in Malta and marrow soup is revered.

Combining the smooth soup with the roasted marrow and pesto quinoa turns this humble vegetable into a treat.

Serves 4

Ingredients • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

2 medium marrows 2 tbsp groundnut oil 1 litre hot vegetable stock 2 tbsp crème fraîche 1 tbsp miso glaze (or mix 1 tsp white miso paste with 1 tsp soft unsalted butter) 100g cooked quinoa 1 tbsp basil pesto 1 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped 1 lime, grated zest only 1 tbsp salted capers, rinsed, drained and chopped 1 tbsp grated Parmesan 1 tsp unsalted butter Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper Pumpkin seeds, to serve Thyme leaves, to serve

For the courgette flowers (optional) • 300ml vegetable oil • 8 courgette flowers • 1 egg, beaten • 1 tbsp cornflour

Method

1. Top and tail the marrows and chop one of them into cubes.

2. Heat the groundnut oil in a large frying pan, add

the cubed marrow and cook gently until golden.

3. Add the hot vegetable stock and simmer for about 10 mins, or until the marrow is soft.

Remove from the heat and process the marrow and stock in a blender until smooth.

4. Stir in the crème fraîche, taste and season with salt.

5. Preheat the oven to 210°C/fan 190°C. 6. Slice the second marrow into 4 thick rings.

7. Scoop out the inner flesh and brush each slice with miso glaze.

8. Put the quinoa, pesto, tarragon, lime zest, capers and Parmesan in a bowl, mix well and season with sea salt and pepper.

9. Place the marrow slices on a baking tray and fill them with the quinoa mixture.

10. Brush with butter and roast for about 20 mins, or until the top of the marrow can easily be pierced with a fork.

11. Remove the marrow slices and place in individual bowls.

12. Pour the hot soup around the marrow.

13. For extra credit, serve with deep-fried courgette flowers.

14. Heat the oil to 160°C. (If you don’t have a thermometer, you can test the oil by carefully dropping in a small cube of bread, which should bubble immediately; if it drops to the bottom, the oil isn’t hot enough.)

15. Dip the courgette flowers in the egg and then the cornflour.

16. Gently lower them into the oil with a slotted spoon and fry for about 5 mins, or until crisp.

17. Carefully remove them from the oil and drain on kitchen paper.

18. Garnish the soup with the flowers, pumpkin seeds and thyme leaves and serve.

Rib-eye pho Vietnamese is such a delicious cuisine, and very healthy too.

This recipe is a bit of luxury, but we all deserve that! When cooking the steak, you need to be confident with the heat when you sear it, and then let it rest properly. That way, you can have melt-in-the-mouth rare beef with no blood. It’s a treat, but a worthy one.

Serves 2

Ingredients • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

200g rib-eye steak Knob unsalted butter 400ml chicken stock 1 star anise pod 1 cinnamon stick 1 lemongrass stalk, bashed About 2cm fresh root ginger, thickly sliced 1 tsp fish sauce 100g baby pak choi, leaves separated 100g tat soi, or other Chinese greens, stalks chopped 1 red chilli 4 spring onions, thinly sliced A handful fresh lime basil leaves (or coriander) A handful of beansprouts Flaky sea salt Lime wedges, to serve

Method

1. To prepare the steak, season it well with salt on both sides.

2. Heat a ridged griddle pan until very hot and sear the steak for approx. 4 mins on each side. (The trick is to see when it begins to sweat; that’s your cue to flip it over.)

3. Once the steak has seared, add a knob of butter to the pan and take it off the heat.

4. Spoon the butter over the steak and allow it to rest while you prepare the rest of the pho.

5. Heat the chicken stock with the star anise, cinnamon, lemongrass and ginger.

6. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook gently for 20 mins or so. Remove the whole spices from the stock and add the fish sauce.

7. Add the pak choi and simmer for 2 mins in the stock.

8. Slice the steak into thin strips.

9. Divide among the serving bowls, then add the pak choi and tat soi.

10. Ladle over the hot stock and scatter with the chilli, spring onions, lime basil leaves and 11. beansprouts.

12. Serve with lime wedges to squeeze over.

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Soppa tal-armla (Widow’s soup) Nicole always talks of Doris when she describes Widow’s Soup, a traditional recipe from her home in Malta. Doris is a family friend who made Nicole happy with this soup. The name dates back to World Wars I and II, when men were away in battle and food was scarce. It was made with all the vegetables you could grow in your garden and topped with local gbejniet.

Serves 4

Ingredients • • • • • • • • • • • • •

1 tsp unsalted butter 1 onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 potato, cubed 2 carrots, cubed 1 kohlrabi (gidra), cubed 1 small cauliflower, broken into florets 2 celery stalks, sliced 1 tbsp tomato purée 1.2 litres hot chicken or vegetable stock 80g shelled broad beans, cooked 80g peas A handful fresh flat-leaf parsley,

Magic Soup is packed full of delicious recipe ideas for perfect one-bowl meals. Order your copy online now.

• • •

chopped Flaky sea salt Ricotta or fresh gbejniet, to serve Thyme leaves (optional)

Method

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the onion and garlic and cook gently until soft.

2. Add the potato, carrots, kohlrabi, cauliflower and celery and sauté for 2 mins.

3. Combine the tomato purée with a little hot stock and add it to the vegetables.

4. Add enough stock to cover the vegetables, bring to the boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10–15 mins, until vegetables are just cooked.

5. Taste and season with salt if needed.

6. Add the beans and peas and allow to heat through for a couple of minutes before adding the parsley.

7. To serve, place a spoonful of ricotta or fresh gbejniet in each serving bowl, then ladle the hot soup over the top and garnish with some thyme leaves if you like.

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Sinfully, comforting eating at Star Fish Bar dient (except the potatoes for the chips and the salt). The fryers are specialised, increasing temperatures to above those reached by average chip fryers, resulting in perfectly crispy batter while the fish is steamed underneath and remains soft and moist.

Cod, haddock and plaice, fish varieties typically sold at a fish and chip shop in the UK, are caught in the Atlantic and frozen within hours of being caught.

There are even mushy peas, curry sauces and mashed potatoes! The menu also features chicken and sausages, particularly the famous Saveloy sausage.

Star Fish and Chips is also home to a variety of delicious pies and soups. From peppered steak to meat and potatoes, one of these mouth-watering parcels – wrapped in either puff pastry, shortcrust pastry or both – these really are the best pies on the market. Classics like chicken, pea and steak, and oxtail soup are on sale.

Star Fish Bar, The Strand, Gzira, Tel: 2725 1251

photography by Ray attard

Try as we might to eat healthily, comfort food will always have a place in our hearts. And Star Fish Bar gets British comfort right – perfect fish and chips, complete with mushy peas, soups, pies and their saveloy sausage.

Star Fish and Chips opened its doors on The Strand in Gzira last summer to rave reviews by English foodies who claim that “Malta is now complete” for having a fish and chip shop worthy of standards set by the home of fish and chips – the UK. Everything sold is imported directly from England, from the fryers themselves to each and every ingre-

Easter with a hint of the east

Easter signals the beginning of spring and with it comes the spring lamb. Though serving lamb has been a tradition throughout the years in Malta, we usually tend to stick to Mediterranean recipes. For a little bit of something different, I have prepared an alternative meal for Easter this year, using lamb with eastern spices in a tagine, served with couscous and Greek yoghurt.

For starters use local abergines to make a smokey baba ganoush.

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photography by Ray Attard

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Baba ganoush Ingredients

• • • • • • • • •

1 large aubergine ¼ cup tahini, plus more as needed 3 cloves garlic, minced ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, plus more as needed 1 pinch ground cumin Salt, to taste 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley ¼ cup black olives in brine, such as Kalamata

Method

1. Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill or heat a grill pan 2. Preheat oven to 190°C. 3. Prick the aubergine with a fork in several places and place on the grill, and grill turning frequently until the skin blackens and blisters and the flesh just begins to feel soft (10 to 15 minutes).

4. Transfer the aubergine to a baking sheet and bake until very soft, 15 to 20 mins. Remove from oven, let cool slightly and peel off and discard the skin.

5. Place the aubergine flesh in a bowl.

6. Using a fork, mash the aubergine to a paste.

7. Add the tahini, the garlic, the lemon juice and the cumin and mix well.

8. Season with salt then taste and add more tahini and/or lemon juice, if needed.

9. Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl and spread with the back of a spoon to form a shallow well.

10. Drizzle the olive oil over the top and sprinkle with the parsley.

11. Place the olives around the sides.

12. Serve at room temperature with some crispy Maltese ftira or hobza.

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The finest red now on the best greens

We share the same etiquette.

Exclusively imported by Charles Grech & Co. Ltd., Valley Road, B’Kara. Tel: 2144 4400

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Lamb tagine Serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed • 2 onions, peeled and chopped • 2 tsp grated, fresh ginger • 1 tbsp coriander seeds, crushed • 2 tsp ground cinnamon • 2 dried chili • 2 bay leaves • 1 cinnamon stick • Salt and pepper • 1½ kg shoulder, or boneless leg of lamb cut into 4cm cubes • 2 tbsp tomato puree (kunserva) • 1kg ripe tomatoes, or 2x 400g can tomatoes, coarsely chopped • Handful of dried apricots, halved • 1 cup water • 3 tbsp Maltese honey To serve • 3 limes cut into wedges • Large bowl of Greek yoghurt

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C. 2. Heat a large ovenproof casserole on a medium to high heat.

3. Add the olive oil, garlic, onions, ginger, chili and spices and season with the salt and pepper. Stir, then cook, covered, on a low heat for about 10 mins, until the onions are soft.

4. Add the lamb, toss for several minutes, then add the tomato puree, cinnamon stick, chopped tomatoes, water and honey into the saucepan, stir thoroughly.

5. Bring to a simmer and place in the oven for 2½ hours until the lamb is tender. Remove the lid of the saucepan halfway through the cooking time to let the liquid reduce and thicken.

6. If the sauce is still a bit thin, put the saucepan on the hob on a medium heat and without the lid. Stir occasionally and let the liquid reduce until a thick sauce begins to appear.

7. Serve with lime wedges, Greek yoghurt and lemon pomegranate couscous.

Lemon and pomegranate couscous Serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 large pomegranate – cut into half with seeds scooped out • 400g couscous • 3 tbsp olive oil • 1 lemon, juice only • ½ litre chicken stock or water, boiling • Salt and pepper • 4 tbsp fresh mint, coriander or parsley, chopped

Method

1. Place the couscous in a bowl and mix in the olive oil and lemon juice.

2. Pour the boiling stock or water onto the couscous and season with salt and pepper.

3. Allow the couscous to sit in a warm place for 5-10 mins until the liquid has been absorbed.

4. Stir in the chopped herbs and pomegranate seeds.

Easter lamb at

The Meats Indulge yourself this Easter at The Meats with lots of freshly prepared dishes that you’ll only need to pop into the oven!

Try the stuffed lamb legs, lamb saddles or herb-crusted, Frenched rack of lamb. The Meats will also be stocking fresh Scottish lamb as well as fresh local lamb.

Book your lamb in advance to avoid disappointment.

The Meats Triq Santa Marija, Sliema, Malta Tel: 7921 2567 Email: info@themeats.com.mt

www.facebook/TheMeats.mt

March 2015

Hot cross buns Ingredients

• 300ml full fat milk plus 2tbsp more • 50g butter • 500 plain flour • 1 tsp salt • 75g caster sugar • 1 tbsp sunflower oil • 7g sachet fast – action yeast • 1 egg, beaten • 75g sultanas • 50g mixed peel • 1 orange, zest only • 1 apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped • 1 tsp ground cinnamon For the cross • 75g flour, plus extra for dusting • 7 tbsp water For the glaze • 4 tbsp apricot jam

Method

1. Bring the milk to the boil, then remove from the heat and add the butter.

2. Leave to cool until it reaches body temperature.

3. Put the flour, salt, sugar and yeast into a bowl.

4. Make a well in the centre and pour in the warm milk and butter mixture, then add the egg.

5. Using a wooden spoon, mix well, then bring everything together with your

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hands until you have a sticky dough.

6. Tip on to a lightly floured surface and knead by holding the dough with one hand and stretching it with heel of the other hand, then folding it back on itself.

Repeat for 5-10 mins until smooth and elastic.

7. Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl cover with oiled cling film and leave in a warm place for 1½ hours or until doubled in size and a finger pressed into it leaves a dent.

8. With the dough still in the bowl, tip in the sultanas, mixed peel, orange zest, apple and cinnamon.

9. Knead into the dough, making sure everything is well distributed.

10. Leave to rise for 1 hour more, or until doubled in size, again covered by some well-oiled cling film to stop the dough getting a crust.

11. Divide the dough in to 15 even pieces (about 75g per piece – weigh each one to keep the balls even sized).

12. Roll each piece into a smooth ball on a lightly floured surface.

13. Arrange the buns on one or two baking trays lined with lightly greased parchment, leaving enough space for the dough to expand. Cover (but don’t wrap) with more oiled cling film, or a clean tea towel, then set aside to prove for 1 hour more.

14. Heat oven to 220°C. 15. Mix the flour with about 7 tbsp water to

make the paste for the cross – add the water 1 tbsp at a time, so you add just enough for a thick paste.

16. Spoon into a piping bag with a small nozzle. Pipe a line along each row of buns, then repeat in the other direction to create crosses.

17. Bake for 15-20 mins on the middle shelf of the oven, until golden brown.

18. Gently heat the apricot jam to melt, then sieve to get rid of any chunks.

19. While the jam is still warm, brush over the top of the warm buns and leave to cool.

More of Pippa Mattei’s recipes are available in her books Pippa’s Festa and 25 Years In A Maltese Kitchen, which is being translated into Maltese and will be available soon.

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WINES THAT SPEAK THEIR OWN D Maltese wines have become truly representative of the Mediterranean island. RACHEL AGIUS talks to Jeremy Cassar about how Maltese wines have changed over the years, with some local bottles competing on an international scale Maltese wine has come a long way over the years.

French and Italian wines have long dominated the international wine scene and for good reason – they are the heavyweights after all. But an increasingly open market has seen wines from all over the world stand shoulder to shoulder on the cellar shelves, allowing the consumer’s palate a taste of everywhere from Beirut to Brazil.

All the while, on a little Mediterranean island, the local wine has been steadily building a name for itself. Marsovin, one of Malta’s most well known wineries, has a lot to do with that.

To talk me through Marsovin’s history, I sat down with Marsovin’s CEO Jeremy Cassar. A soft-spoken, humble man, he insists that our chat should be about the wines, a legacy he is fiercely proud of.

Marsovin began life in 1919, a family-run enterprise that started off by producing a few bottles, made in an artisanal style. Almost 100 years and four generations later, Marsovin now produces about 60% of all local wines. Six years ago, the company stopped relying on imported grapes, using only local grapes from Maltese farmers and its own estates. This, according to Jeremy, was a huge step.

“When the grapes are grown here, you get a real taste of Malta’s identity,” he says. “It’s in the soil, our climate, everything.”

The average Maltese wine drinker has responded to this focus on local products very well. Jeremy thanks, in part at least, the island’s EU accession – suddenly, Marsovin’s offerings were standing next to products from all over the world and, to the surprise of some new wine enthusiasts, holding its own. Having competition meant that Marsovin could prove itself on an international stage, and having a variety of options meant that people could begin to educate their palate and make informed choices on the prices and quality of wines.

“People need to break out of this way of thinking, assuming that anything made in Malta is inferior to foreign products,” he says. “Maltese wine is not necessarily

the best wine in the world but it is a high quality product none the less.”

The result? The Maltese are becoming prouder of their national products, a trend seen not only in the wine world but also in relation to other local food products. This, according to Jeremy, is an important step forward not just for Marsovin but also for the image of Malta as a whole.

“Unlike other beverages, wine and the consumption of wine is a cultural activity,” he explains. “In this respect, we want to follow Italy’s lead.”

By this he means that drinking wine requires context. A glass of wine is appreciated, savoured. If enjoyed with a meal, it becomes part of a complex mélange of flavours, each carefully chosen by sommelier and chef to create something unique. Wine is not, in essence, just a drink. It is an experience.

And that experience is what tourists want. Marsovin offers wines that speak their own distinct Maltese language, with dialects that echo the island’s heritage and natural resources. And while Marsovin is

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not banking much on an overseas market – “We generally ship small quantities to those who request it,” Jeremy explains – it certainly does its part for Malta’s overall image. Marsovin wines have become an integral part of the experience of Malta.

So what is the next step for Marsovin? It has already set the local quality standards, conforming to both DOK and IGT protocols. Its wines are all made from locally sourced grapes and the flagship Primus, Jeremy’s self-confessed baby, launched in 2009, has become one of their most popular products.

“The first organically grown grapes from our estates will be harvested in August and September,” Jeremy says. This will add yet another seal of recognition to the winery’s already respectable collection. The process however is not without its obstacles. “Because fields are so often close together, making sure there is no crosscontamination is a challenge,” he says.

Still, Marsovin is no stranger to hard work and this is something Jeremy wishes wine lovers would appreciate more. Every bottle of wine takes long hours, hard labour and an undimmed passion for excellence, from the farmer planting and harvesting the grapes all the way up to the bottling and marketing of the final product.

With its 100th anniversary only four years away, Jeremy insists that Marsovin’s fundamental principles remain unchanged. “We put quality over quantity, at various price points,” he explains. With a variety of offerings from one of Malta’s best-loved wineries, for every palate and every budget, Maltese wine lovers sure are spoiled for choice.

photography by Ray attard

N DISTINCT MALTESE LANGUAGE

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Fish dishes for spring time

Spring is in the air and there is no better time to get back into seafood. The taste of the sea brings to mind the beautiful summer nights spent in the company of good friends, crisp white wine and everything fishy. Doris Azzopardi of Azzopardi Fisheries knows her fish and puts together three fantastic recipes that are perfect to enjoy with family and friends on a warm spring afternoon (or any time of the year for that matter!).

Pasta seafood with truffles Ingredients • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

2 tbsp olive oil 300g cherry tomatoes, diced 2 zucchini, diced 6 garlic cloves, diced 1 tsp truffle paste 1 tsp pesto ¼ chicken cube 1kg fresh clams 3 scallops 3 fresh king prawns 1 cup dry white wine 400g linguine Salt and pepper Parsley

Method

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat the olive oil and sauté the garlic until golden.

2. Add the tomatoes and zucchini and cook until softened.

3. Add the truffle paste, pesto and chicken cube and stir.

4. Add the clams and the white wine, stirring occasionally until all clams open.

5. Add the scallops and prawns in the last 2 mins of cooking.

6. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, add the pasta and cook, stirring frequently until al dente.

7. Drain pasta and transfer to the pan with seafood.

8. Garnish with fresh prawns, parsley, salt and pepper.

9. Serve immediately.

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Stuffed calamari alla caprese Ingredients

• 4 medium calamari, cleaned, with mantle separated from the tentacles • 250g fresh ricotta • 2 spring onions, finely chopped • 2 tbsp olive oil • Salt and pepper Tomato sauce • 1 can of whole tomatoes • 2 tbsp olive oil • 2 cloves garlic, crushed • Salt and pepper • 1 tsp sugar • Fresh basil leaves

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Method

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat, add the chopped tentacles and lightly sauté and set aside.

2. In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta, eggs, chopped

8.

parsley, spring onions, sautéed tentacles, salt and pepper.

Use a pastry bag or teaspoon to stuff the cleaned calamari tubes with the mixture, sealing each squid with a toothpick.

Heat some more olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.

Add the garlic and sauté until golden.

Add the stuffed squid and sauté for 2-3 mins.

After the squid has cooked for about 3 mins, add the crushed tomatoes and basil leaves to the sauté pan and cook over a low heat for 30 mins.

Remove toothpick from squid and serve whole or sliced, alone or with pasta.

Wild seabass involtini • • • • • • • • •

1 wild seabass (approx. 1kg), filleted 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 local red king prawn, peeled 2 tbsps olive oil 100g fresh salmon trimmings (or fish of your choice) 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped 1 tbsp fresh parsley 1 glass white wine Salt and pepper

Method

1. Place the two fillets of sea bass on a board.

2. On top of one of the fillets place the piece

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

of salmon to the edge and on the other fillet place the peeled raw prawn.

Place a piece of dill on the salmon and a piece of parsley on the prawn, seasoning both fillets with salt and pepper.

Roll the sea bass fillets and seal each fillet with two toothpicks so that the stuffing is secure.

In a pan heat the olive oil and sauté the garlic for 3 mins till it turns golden and place the sea bass rolls in the pan.

Add the white wine, cover the pan and let it simmer for 15 mins.

Serve on a bed of couscous and vegetables.

Azzopardi Fisheries • Sliema Road, Gzira.

Tel: 2131 1145 • Mob: 9947 5519 Website: www.azzopardifisheriesgzira.com • Mosta Road, St Pauls Bay Tel: 21571148 • Valletta, Is-suq tal-Belt Tel: 2750 7707 Find us on Facebook azzopardifisheriesvallettagzira

photography by Ray Attard

Ingredients

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YOUR FOOD IS THEIR PASSION Ftira Café is a growing quality product in Malta. First started six years ago by its owner Marlon Curti, it prides itself on providing customers with excellent quality, fresh ingredients cooked with a passion for food. Marlon has always put the customer experience at the heart of his food, so that they not only have good food but also the sense of care that it was made with.

The focus for the customer base has been businesses, coming from Marlon’s own experience as a sales employee and the difficulty of finding good, well-made and healthy food when needed during the working day. He now provides workers and organisations with an easy and responsive service, delivering food to their doors.

Ftira Café has grown from the first small shop in Gzira and now consists of a mobile kiosk that serves a range of businesses each day, a cafe in Tax-Xbiex where customers are welcomed and can enjoy a relaxing moment in their busy day, in and outside and then more recently has started a service to students at one of Malta’s leading language schools in St. Julian’s.

Ftira cafe provides a range of food from warming homemade soups, sandwiches, wraps and of course ftiras, to salads, pasta, homemade pies and much more.

It caters for individuals as well as for businesses requiring a larger order for meetings, evening events or other occasions.

Once tasted, the food of Ftira Café will become your passion.

Ftira Cafe Ta’Xbiex, Abate Rigord Street Gzira, Manoel De Vilhena Street order@ftira.com 2760 2760 www.ftira.com Find us on Facebook www.facebook.com/FtiraCafe

Dining in the capital Not so long ago Valletta was a bustling capital city that turned into a ghost town after shops closed.

Today it is coming back to life and from a foodie’s perspective this really is the place to be in the evening, whether for a meal or for cocktails Valletta is coming back to life. Home to some of our favourite restaurants, Gourmet TODAY has selected (with a fair amount of arguing) what we consider the very best.

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photography by Ray attard

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March 2015

Sciacca Grill perfects th What’s in a perfect steak? If the meat is of good quality to start with it can’t really be that hard.

RACHEL ZAMMIT CUTAJAR goes to Sciacca Grill to find out the details that separate a good steak from steak perfection.

Sciacca Grill has been open long enough for most foodies to know where to go when looking for a good piece of meat and though I’ve eaten there a few times over the winter, I’ve never reviewed the place before. Eating out with the intention of writing a review is a totally different story. While on an ordinary day I would do my best not to overeat, caution is thrown to the wind on review days; you have to try everything in order to write a fair review, don’t you? Pre-dinner drinks, starters, mains, desserts, coffee, after-dinner drinks – if you’re going to do it, do it properly.

With all these good intentions, and rumbling tummies, we headed down to South Street on a cold and windy night and found a parking spot right outside the door. If you believe in good omens then this had to be one!

A steakhouse could be just that. Good meat with little interference is all that is really neces-

sary for a reasonable place, however what puts Sciacca Grill on a pedestal is the extra mile taken in every aspect of the restaurant.

Pre-dinner drinks are always gin and tonics for me, but few restaurants go as far as stocking a range of premium gins. A Hendricks and tonic with lots of fresh cucumber and we were ready to order.

This is no ordinary ordering system straight off the menu. Our host Johan took

us to the display where different cuts, from different cattle breeds, jostle for our attention. Johan knows what he’s talking about and explains the difference between USDA, Angus and Canadian beef, rib-eyes, sirloins and fillets, on or off the bone and even throws in a recommendation of his own. We settle for a tomahawk to share – a rib-eye cooked on the entire rib bone which imparts that extra bit of flavour, not to mention theatre to your meal.

Weighing in at one kilo of beef to share between two, we decided to go easy on the starters and skip the deliciously tempting sausages of all sorts.

Instead we went for a lighter platter of cheeses and cold cuts. Although platters of this sort are quite popular on the island, these are very often

gourmet today

he humble steakhouse disappointing, with supermarket standard products crammed onto a board to make it look a little better. Not at Sciacca Grill. Again the meats and cheeses are displayed at the back of the restaurant so you know what to expect. Deliciously deep-fried chevre, a selection of incredible pecorinos and soft cuts of speck and bresaola - I salivate just remembering this dish.

The meat was cooked to perfection – rare and

beautifully sliced to show off the pinky goodness with a perfect sear achieved in the Spanish woodfired grill that reaches temperatures of 900°. If

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this is what it takes to make a perfect steak, I’m going to have to see how I can fit one of these babies into my small kitchen!

Though it seemed impossible to manage, we opted to share a dessert and despite the straining waistbands, we managed to get through a warm chocolate fondant with plenty of ice-cream.

Sciacca Grill is a great place to go for dinner when you’re not in hurry. Linger at the table and indulge in a whiskey or two. Their extensive range runs the whole length of the bar and hails from all parts of the world from Scotland to Japan, the up-and-coming Scotch producers. Single malts or blends, you are sure to find something to keep you occupied while you digest the mammoth meal you’ve just had while discussing the logistics of purchasing an industrial oven to be able to cook steaks to perfection at home. Maybe we should just leave it to the experts and head down to Sciacca Grill whenever a carnivorous craving takes hold.

Sciacca Grill South Street, 1103, Valletta Tel: 21237222 Mob: 9940 4487 Email: valletta@sciaccamalta.coms Website: www.sciaccamalta.com Find us on Facebook www.facebook.com/Sciaccagrill

photography by Sean Mallia

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March 2015

Cracking good food No list of Valletta restaurants can be complete without Rubino – a success for more than 100 years.

RACHEL AGIUS puts her trust in the Diaconos for a cracking good meal.

At the Gourmet editorial meetings, when each element of the magazine is laid out, one important topic of discussion is word count. Each feature is assigned a word count that will fit nicely in the space available and play nice with any other content like images.

This month, I was asked to write 500 words about Rubino, a Valletta restaurant with over a hundred years of history and an unparalleled reputation for exceptional food.

It also happens to be one of my favourite restaurants. How hard could it be?

I’m stumped. What can I possibly say about this place that you don’t already know? Rubino has held its

own over the years, cementing itself into the very culture of Valletta as one of those restaurants you can head to for a quiet tête-à-tête or a big group outing and still get the same stellar service and quality. A place where you can close your eyes and point randomly at the menu board and be completely certain you’re going to love what Fate selected for you.

Of course Fate, a concept philosophers and theologians have been debating for centuries, is not the only assistance you’ll get. Flag down any one of the staff here for a charming smile, an intimate knowledge of the food and wine and a few suggestions of their own. Trust them blindly. The Diacono family know exactly what they’re doing.

Still struggling with my review, I turn to our food choices in search of a good starting point. The rosemary risotto is a creamy, delicate dish and something that makes the regulars’ hearts sing whenever it is on the menu. I also tried the fettucine with pork, the bold, beautiful bombshell to the risotto’s demure damsel.

Next up were the stuffed marrows, rotund green vessels pouring out a mix of pork and beef. An age-old recipe and much-loved classic, this dish takes on an otherworldly nature thanks to culinary team Michael and Edward Diacono’s careful ministrations.

I had the pork fillet with honey and thyme, a dish that, according to our host, has been prepared in the Rubino kitchens ever since it opened.

Clearly they’ve perfected the recipe.

The flattened meat offers a savoury

counterpoint to the sweetness of the honey and the thyme, a staple in traditional meat dishes. At Rubino, even the side attractions deserve the limelight and the roast potatoes and vegetables are no longer just accompaniments but a moreish feature all their own.

That’s it, I think. I simply cannot write this review. I may as well hand in my Food Writer’s License and hide myself in shame. The only thought that comforts me is the memory of that coffee pannacotta I had for dessert. Not too overpowering, it allowed the coffee flavours to unfurl themselves in the wobbly gelatinous creation. Along with a heaped bowl of strawberries and cream and some of the airiest, most wonderful helwa tat-tork I’ve ever tasted and what you get is two very full diners and the reaffirmed conviction that this is, in fact, cracking good food.

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d at Rubino

Rubino 53, Old Bakery Street, Valletta.

Tel: 21224656 Email: info@rubinomalta.com Find us on Facebook - Rubino

photography by Ray Attard

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Rampila after Sixty Days with Michelin Chef Accursio

Following a successful Sixty Days with Michelin Chef Accursio Craparo, Rampila continues to delight and tempt diners with a new mouth-watering menu

Sixty Days immensely. We learnt a great deal from each other and we are very pleased to keep some of his dishes on our new menu. We have become great friends and I am certain that he will be back again next winter”.

The new Rampila menu is crammed with the Rampila team’s interpretation of great meat and grills, including a lamb rack marinated with Suya, house made fresh ravioli “a la Maltese” (a surprise and you will have to find out on your own) and, not to be missed, an amazing carved Bistecca Florentina for two, on the bone and served with a summer watercress salad. The menu looks to summer with a choice of lighter salads and pastas and don’t forget the fish dishes. Rampila goes to the market daily and what is bought is what you will find today. It’s little quality details like this that really make the difference in a restaurant.

From Accursio’s creations, you will find the rabbit ragu with ditalini pasta, is light yet bursting with flavour and a delightful surprising creation of one of Malta’s favourite foods. Also the carob crème brulee and the lightly layered chocolate cake are there to tempt.

Rampila is not a large restaurant so booking is defi-

nitely advised. Lunches begin at 12.00 and the restaurant remains open all day if you are a late luncher or you are looking for an early dinner.

Rampila 1, St John’s Cavalier Street, Valletta Tel: 21226625 or 79226625 Web: www.rampila.com Find us on Facebook facebook.com/rampila

photography by Sean Mallia

With a great location and justifiable reputation for offering excellent cuisine and hospitality, Rampila was able to entice leading Michelin Star Chef Accursio Craparo to join the Rampila team as visiting chef for a period of Sixty Days. This culinary fusion of Accursio’s adaptations of traditional regional dishes and the Rampila team’s confident interpretation of classic Maltese and Mediterranean cuisine was an acclaimed success, enjoyed by many during the period.

Now that Accursio has returned to his native Sicily, what does Rampila have in store for us, as spring approaches and the terrace is open for dining? Is the Accursio act going to be a tough one to follow?

“Not at all,” declares Valletta restaurateur Marvic Zarb, owner of both Rampila and D’Office. “Working with Accursio was a unique experience and we all enjoyed the

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Food that’s almost too good to eat. Almost

Overlooking The Grand Harbour, The Harbour Club offers dishes as beautiful as its surroundings. RACHEL AGIUS heads down there to check out this new spot that’s slowly becoming the talk of the town.

You’ve got to hand it to Valletta – the old girl’s really getting her act together. A number of fine eateries have sprung up of late, making the City’s 0.8km2 jampacked with a variety of restaurants to choose from, for all kinds of budgets.

So it was with an equal mix of interest and gentle skepticism that we made our way to The Harbour Club. Just metres away from a roiling ocean on a windy night, it was not exactly at the heart of the ‘action’ (read: Strait Street and its environs) but there was one glorious trade-off instead – parking was a cinch.

On walking in, you’re met with a small, cosy dining area, a warming parquet underfoot and the sandy stone of the surrounding fortress making the world outside seem distant and harmless.

The menu provided was similarly fortifying. Short and sweet (never trust a place with an endless menu – something, either service or quality, has got to give), it nonetheless posed a challenge. A selection of fish, meat and vegetarian dishes were complimented by the day’s specials. An embarrassing amount of time later, we finally made a decision.

My pappardelle, which arrived holding up a generous heap of rich veal ragu, was the right choice. The pasta was al dente and the sauce was not overwhelming – a good thing, since the portion was not exactly tiny. With asparagus shavings neatly piled on top, it was almost too good-looking to eat. Almost.

My companion had the home-cured salmon with a lime gel, a burst of flavour and colour that brought the fish, stellar in its own rights, to another level.

It was fish again for the main course, a beautiful cut of John Dory in a herb crust that drew many a satisfied sound across the table. I had the pan-roasted pork loin, a wonderful mix of colours, from the subtle pink of the meat to the bright red drizzle of caramel-

ized apple. I almost felt guilty cutting in to the tender, juicy, rosy pork. Almost.

My guest’s John Dory, wrapped in herb powder, was as architecturally stunning as our surroundings. Both were carefully crafted – the fish by the chef Laszlo Sragli, the restaurant by architect Chris Briffa – and both delivered on style and substance.

On the Harbour Club’s design, the restored fortress doesn’t miss a beat. The dining room, a warm haven in the winter, sits below the outdoor seating area, with its refreshing sea breeze in the warmer months – this place is an all-weather gem. Below decks is a well stocked bar, a great place to start or end an evening with a few drinks in the similarly gorgeous lower level.

We wrapped up the evening with a white chocolate parfait. I was suspicious when my companion turned down dessert, with the assertion that there simply

was no room for it. I asked for two spoons anyway, which eventually left me out of half a dessert. Good guys finish last, it seems. The parfait, on the other hand, disappeared in record time, along with the accompanying orange segments and crunchy pistachios it was garnished with.

Head down to The Harbour Club for any number of reasons – a quiet nightcap, a sumptuous meal or the early inklings of a rowdy night on the town. Just make sure to leave space for that dessert.

The Harbour Club 4/5Barriera Wharf Valletta Malta Tel : 2122 2332 Mob: 7922 2332 info@theharbourclubmalta.com Find us on Facebook Theharbourclubmalta

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Gourmet food in the heart of Malta Village Gourmet opens its doors in Mosta Like many other Mediterranean cultures, the Maltese have passed on a love for food from generation to generation, creating discerning diners who have an appreciation for slow, home-cooked meals.

In by-gone years shopping for food was quite a different story. Food products sold in the village squares were seasonal and everything was sold by weight.

Village Gourmet opened its doors earlier this month and is bringing back some of the older ways to the heart of Mosta. Their range of foodstuffs include a wide variety of organic, low-fat and gluten-free products, including raw nuts, seeds, gluten-free breads and sauces.

Infused oils on tap So, how does this work, you ask? Simple really. You purchase an empty bottle and then choose from one of the many Mediterranean flavours including lemon, basil, rosemary, garlic, chilli, orange or spicy tomato, among others, and simply fill your bottle. They also stock a great sesame seed oil from India, a great walnut oil from Australia and a selection of vegetable and olive oil blends to use in cooking. The hardest part is selecting the flavour to take home with you, though Village Gourmet will provide you some samples to help you along. Next time around (you can be sure that there will be a next time) you can bring the bottle back for re-filling, making you a more responsible consumer through recycling of packaging.

For wedding favours with a difference choose the smaller bottles of olive oils. Stylish and meaningful, they come with the couple’s personalised name tag.

Freeze-dried herbs Nothing beats fresh herbs but they are not always available. Village Gourmet has the perfect answer – freeze-dried herbs. The flavours are so intense,

because of the way in which they are frozen, just a teaspoon full of these mixed into some Greek yoghurt or cream cheese make the perfect in-a-minute dip for unexpected guests.

Coffee and teas After every delicious meal comes a cup of equally delicious coffee. Again, Village Gourmet offers a variety of coffee beans sold by weight. Whether its fresh beans from Colombia or Peru in South America or from Ethiopia in Africa, they will be freshly ground to

order so that you can enjoy the coffee at its very best.

They also stock an organic and decaffeinated coffee beans. Tea lovers will not feel left out either with a great selection of herbal teas and various loose-leaf blends.

Village Gourmet believes that good quality food products should not break the bank and has found a way to provide great quality at moderate prices to ensure that good food is available to everyone. If you’re looking for a great gift to take to a dinner party, stop

by Village Gourmet where you are bound to find the perfect gift whether it is chocolate, wine or small household goods.

Village Gourmet is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 19:30; Saturday from 8:30 to 20:30 and Sunday from 8:30 to 12:30.

Village Gourmet Rotunda Square, Mosta Tel: 27133689 Find us on Facebook villagegourmetmalta

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Take your pick from the World of Wines

The World of Wines shop at Blue Harbour, Ta’ Xbiex marina, is Malta’s first wine boutique that promises the most prominent world class wine brands that are locally available from a number of dedicated importers. The wines of Palladino, Zonin, Masi, Gaja, Frescobaldi, Luce, Antinori, Banfi, Buondi Santi, Donna Chiara and Donnafugata are just a part of extensive Italian portfolio. Bordeaux and Burgundy Grand Cru are being cascaded down to many rarely known ‘village’ wine appellations. The choice of Champagne is spread over a large selection of greatest names and formats that currently go up to six litres (8 bottles).

Mouton Cadet Ryder Cup - Baron Philippe de Rothschild, Bordeaux - France Official Supplier to The European Tour Mouton Cadet – the world’s leading Bordeaux AOC wine, became a member of the prestigious family of Ryder Cup sponsors, confirming its commitment to golf. Sharing the same values and “etiquette”, Hugues Lechanoine, Managing Director of Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Paul McGinley, Captain of The Ryder Cup European Team, expressed their ambition to create an exclusive Mouton Cadet wine especially dedicated to the event. A combination of outstanding terroir and the passion of the Baron Philippe de Rothschild (1902-1988), Mouton Cadet, an expressive and seductive wine, has embodied quality, prestige and savoir-faire since its creation in 1930.

The Mouton Cadet Sélection Ryder cup will

be a unique wine displaying the prestigious competition’s logo. This limited edition, made in collaboration with Paul McGinley, is already revealed. I am honoured to be working on this limited edition. Mouton Cadet and The Ryder Cup share the same values of tradition, elegance and conviviality,” said Paul McGinley. Hugues Lechanoine said: “It is a significant partnership. In the same way that The Ryder Cup brings together the finest golfers, we select grapes from the finest parcels to create this limited edition. I would especially like to thank Paul McGinley for his personal involvement in making this wine”.

Imported by Charles Grech & Co. Ltd, Valley Road, B’Kara

Charles Grech & Co. Ltd., Valley Road, B’Kara Tel: 2131 5064

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Luxury products and expert guidance At Captain A. Caruana Paceville has what you could call ‘a reputation’. The island’s entertainment hub, at least for those young enough to bounce back easily from hangovers, it has welcomed revelers for generations, much to the chagrin of parents and (on rowdy nights) the police force.

But for those who would like a little something more refined than shots and regret – those who perhaps have left their tearaway teens behind – there is Capt. A. Caruana. Recently opened just at the edge of the party district, this haven of luxury is a welcome, more mature oasis in a sea of youthful exuberance.

It is important to remember that Capt. A. Caruana’s treasures are not all on the shelves. Visitors are welcomed by Svetlin and Tom, men who know all there is to know about the variety of products on offer and who is passionate about helping people find what they want.

And it’s a good thing too. Stepping into the shop, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the seemingly endless selection. Wine, whiskey, port, cognac, clear spirits and liquors jostle for attention in the main area, while cigars sit stoically in a large humidor at the back. Coming in to

buy a bottle of wine suddenly becomes daunting. Luckily, Svetlin and Tom are on hand to find you the perfect match for your meal or the ideal gift.

For the quick fly-by, a stock of wines are kept chilled next to the counter, ready for the last-minute pre-dinner browse. If you have a little more time on your hands, take a while to explore what’s on the shelves. The journey will take you from the vineyards in Bordeaux to the

distilleries of Japan, with pitstops in Mexico, India and the Caribbean.

In all, Capt. A. Caruana is a refuge for the wiser shoppers who know quality when they see it. It is an opportunity to explore the fascinating world of luxury products with expert guidance and many treasures to discover.

Capt A Caruana Saint Augustine Street,St Julians,21380950 http://www.nmarrigo.com/

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James Aquilina is The Mixologist When asked how he would describe himself, James Aquilina uses words like ‘ambitious’ and ‘passionate about his work’. He travels extensively, often attending festivals, educational courses and competitions to keep abreast with what is happening in the international world of cocktails. “My career is very important to me and I always look forward to introducing new aspects to my work,” he said.

James was an artistic child and was always inclined towards creative hobbies and as he grew older and developed a feel for bar work, mixology seemed like an obvious choice.

“My passion for cocktails started 25 years ago, when I was working for an international hotel.

Bar manager Joe Psaila had urged me to attend meetings with the bartenders from all over the world. It was then that I realized my passion and what I wanted to do with my life. I have never looked back since.”

Throughout the years, James has been on a quest to develop as many original cocktails as he can whilst also putting them on the international map. Experimenting is a part and parcel of this procedure and while some experiments fall flat, others have truly shone.

It is impossible to develop anything original without some failed attempts, he said.

The world of cocktails is not all roses and sometimes accidents do happen – broken glasses and spilling of cocktails, however he said that this is an inevitable part of the experience.

James participates in local competitions regularly and competing on an international level has always been of interest to him, where he dreams of holding an international title. He has taken the Best Bartender of the Year Award in Malta on several occasions, and holds the local record for the largest ever cocktail on the islands. “Though I love the competition, what gives me greatest satisfaction is meeting clients who are happy with my services and this is what ultimately drives me.”

See the following pages for some of James’ innovative cocktails that are sure to steal the limelight at your next party.

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photography by Ray attard

James Aquilina, known to many simply as The Mixologist, has a passion for cocktails. He talks to Gourmet TODAY about what started his keen interest in the field and what drives him to strive to innovate in a world heavily competitive world.

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THE MEDICINE BOTTLE

THE CONFESSION Ingredients • • • •

Ingredients

4cl Orange Infused Vodka 2.5cl Pumpkin Puree Infused Syrup 1cl Angostura Orange Bitters 1.5cl Fresh Orange Juice

• • • • •

Method

1. Shake and pour on cracked ice.

2. Garnish with local edible flowers.

4cl Infused Rose Gin 3cl REAL Raspberry Infused Syrup 2cl Tripple Sec Liqueur 2 drops of Angostura Bitters 2cl Rose Water

Method

1. Build up in the bottle.

2. Garnish with baby roses and fennel.

THE SILVER SIPHON Ingredients • • • • •

THE VICTORIAN Ingredients

• 3cl Bols Gold Liqueur • 3cl Real Blue Agave Puree Infused Syrup • 3cl Fresh Lime Juice • Tonic Water

Method

1. Shake the 3 ingredients and top up with tonic water.

2. Garnish with blueberries and dry orange.

4cl White Rum 3cl FINEST CALL Mango Puree 1.5cl Cointreau Fresh Blueberries Soda Water

Method

1. Shake the 4 ingredients and top up with soda water.

2. Garnish with almond flowers, mint leaves and a bamboo stick.

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THE VINTAGE SHAKER

THE FIREPLACE

Ingredients

Ingredients

• 2cl Sambuca • 2cl FINEST CALL Sweet & Sour Mix • 1.5cl FINEST CALL Passion Fruit Puree • 1cl Orange Blossom Water • Ginger Ale

• • • • •

4cl 2cl 2cl 1cl 1cl

White Rum REAL Cream of Coconut FINEST CALL Pina Colada Mix Fresh Pineapple Juice FINEST CALL Strawberry Puree

Method

1. Shake the first 4 ingredients and add the Strawberry Puree at the end.

2. Garnish with dried orange and rosemary.

Method

1. Shake the 4 ingredients and top up with ginger ale.

2. Garnish with Passion Fruit.

THE STRAWBERRY LOVERS Ingredients • • • •

4cl Vanilla Vodka 2cl Vermouth Bianco 4cl REAL Strawberry Infused Syrup Lemonade

Method

1. Shake the 3 ingredients and top up with lemonade.

2. Garnish with Chopped Strawberries and a vanilla stick.

THE MANGO MARTINI Ingredients

• 4cl Infused Chilly Vodka • 1cl Vermouth Dry • 2.5cl REAL Mango Puree Infused Syrup

Method

1. Shake all the ingredients.

2. Garnish with red chilli pepper and sage leaves

James Aquilina - the Mixologist Tel : 9945 7883 Email : cocktailjames72@yahoo.com Website: www.cocktailjames.com Find us on Facebook: James Aquilina Mixologist

Malta - Attard & Co. Foodstuffs Ltd. Tel: 21 237555 facebook.com/attardcofood

HOME COOKS After a particularly cold and wet winter the sunny days have begun and what better way to make the most of them than with long, lingering lunches. Our homecooks have created a great spring time meal with Gaby Holland starting us off with a broad bean puree served with prawns and slices of toasted baguette. For mains Janet Grech prepares monkfish tail in a herby crust served with garlic mayo and Sandra Dimech rounds up the meal with a strawberry and chocolate tart.

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photography by Ray Attard

A True Family Butcher Family is important to us. When we conceived of the idea of Snow White Meat & Poultry Market, it was built on the idea that we want to sell what we would eat. There should be no question of quality when it comes to our food. Only the best for our children and yours.

Snow White has been proudly serving the community since 1977. What started off as a poultry slaughtering and cutting farm has now turned into a family-owned and operated butcher shop offering products that are made fresh and daily, every meat product that is made at our facility is spiced on site. Delivering the freshness our customers deserve.

Our products, including chicken and pork are raised by local suppliers making us proud supporters of local business.

All our beef is slaughtered at about 12 months of age, keeping it tender, to give you the very best meat for your money. That is what Snow White strives for everyday.

Snow White Quality Meat & Poultry Products Zebbiegh Road, Mgarr.

Tel: 21575346 Mob: 99475131 Email: snowhite@maltanet.net Web: www.snowwhite.com.mt

Opening hours: Monday - Friday: 7.30-18.30 Saturday: 7.30-13.00

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Broad beans with prawns Serves 4

Ingredients

• • • • • • • • • • •

4 cups broad beans, skins removed 1 small leek, roughly chopped 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled ½ lemon, juice and zest 1 tsp chilli flakes Small bunch mint, chopped Extra virgin olive oil Salt 20 medium sized prawns, shells removed 4 larger prawns, shell on Fresh herbs (mustard leaves, dill and parsley) Dressing • Good quality extra virgin olive oil • Sea salt

• Paprika • Lemon juice • Toasted baguette to serve

Method

1. Wrap garlic cloves in some tin foil and roast for about 20 mins until cloves feel soft to the touch.

2. Peel the roasted garlic and set aside.

3. Simmer the leeks in a medium size pot of water for around 10 mins and then add the beans to the pot and cook for a further 20 mins until tender.

4. Strain, reserving some of the cooking liquid.

5. Remove some of the beans to use later and using a hand blender, blend the rest of the beans together with the leeks and

roasted garlic and about ½ a cup cooking liquid, lemon juice and olive oil.

6. Using a fork mash the rest of the beans and add to the blended mixture in order to obtain a textured purée.

7. Stir in the zest and some more olive oil, chilli flakes and season to taste.

8. In a frying pan start off by sautéing the larger prawns in their shell for about 3 mins then add the smaller prawns and cook for a further minute or two until just cooked .

9. To serve, spoon some bean purée and top with the smaller prawns, scatter the herbs around and drizzle with some dressing.

10. Garnish with toasted baguette and large prawn.

Suggested wine: 35 South Sauvignon Blanc

A very balanced, elegant and intense with aromas of tropical and citrus fruit. The aromatic potential of the grapes has been guarded during vinification in order to obtain a greater complexity. Brief aging on fine lees results in a very fruity wine with pleasant acidity.

35 South Sauvignon Blanc is distributed by Attard & Co.

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Suggested wine: Louis Jadot Chablis

The continental climate in Burgundy and the marly limestone soils combine to mould the unique character of Chablis wines. The Louis Jadot Chablis is golden yellow in colour. It is a lipid, bright and fresh wine, which taste and bouquet develop relatively quickly.

Louis Jadot Chablis is distributed by Attard & Co.

March 2015

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gourmet today

Monkfish tail in a herb crust Serves 4 - 6

Ingredients

• 2 – 3kg monkfish tail Herb crust • ½ cup ground thyme • Handful breadcrumbs • Salt and pepper • Olive oil • 2-3 egg yolks Garlic mayo • 1 egg yolk • ½ tsp saffron • 7 cloves garlic, minced • 1 cup olive oil • 1 tsp salt

• 1 tbsp lemon juice Mixed veg • 4 fennel bulbs, cleaned and chopped • 1 – 2kg potatoes, peeled • 4 large carrots • 2 bay leaves • Handful thyme

3.

4.

5.

Method

1. Remove the transparent membrane-like skin by peeling it under hot running water. This will prevent the flesh of the fish from becoming leathery, once cooked.

2. Beat egg yolks and dip one side of the

6.

7.

fish entirely with egg and after dip into the breadcrumbs also making sure it’s entirely covered.

Repeat the same procedure on the other side.

Chill in the fridge for 1 hour or 15 mins in the freezer.

To make the garlic mayo, mix the freshly minced garlic with the salt adding the egg yolk and saffron and lemon juice. Beat well on low speed until well combined.

Mix in the olive oil very slowly until well combined. Cover and refrigerate.

Take the fish out and seal in a buttered non-stick pan until for 2 min each

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side.

8. Transfer to a large oven dish leaving some space for the mixed veg.

9. Boil the potatoes until almost done adding the veggies and boiling them for 10 mins.

10. Sieve the potatoes and veggies and set aside. Reserve the water adding the bay leaves, thyme and some olive oil and boil until reduced to roughly 1 cup.

11. Add the veggies and potatoes to the monk fish tail placing them around it.

12. Add the reduced water and roast for ½ hour in a hot oven.

Serve with the garlic mayo.

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The George Cross

awarded to the people of Malta A commemorative ceremony & re-enactment – April 14, 2015 Pjazza San Ġorġ, Valletta.

Relive the numerous dark episodes of Malta during World War II. A spectacle that culminates with a ceremonial re-enactment of the presentation of the George Cross Medal.

Date: Tuesday, April 14, 2015 Venue: St George's Square, Valletta Time: 19.30 hrs until 20.30 hrs Seating at 19.15 hrs. Admission FREE. Booking by tel: 2291 5000 Booking by email: info@visitmalta.com

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gourmet today

Chocolate strawberry tart Ingredients Biscuit Base

• 225g plain flour • 2 tsp cocoa powder • 150g unsalted butter, chilled and cubed • 35g caster sugar • 1 tsp vanilla essence Filling • 150g dark chocolate , broken up • 50g butter , diced • 3 eggs • 50g plain flour • 85g caster sugar

• 4 tbsp strawberry jam • 1 punnet strawberries • Icing sugar and crème fraîche to serve

Method

1. Blend the flour, cocoa powder, butter, sugar and vanilla essence in a food processor until the mixture binds together to form a dough.

2. Press around the base and sides of a greased 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin.

3. Bake for about 30 mins at 180°C. 4. Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C fan.

5. Spread the jam on the base of tart.

6. Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan of simmering water.

Whisk the eggs and sugar with an electric whisk until thick and pale, approx 8 – 10 mins.

7. Sieve the flour and cocoa and fold in together with the melted chocolate until completely combined.

8. Pour over the jam covered pastry base and arrange halved strawberries on top.

9. Bake for 25-30 mins until filling has slightly puffed up but still slightly wobbly.

10. Chill for about 3 hours or overnight.

11. Serve with a dusting of icing sugar and crème fraîche.

March 2015

THERE IS TIME FOR TEA, AND THEN THERE IS

Teatime AT PALAZZO PARISIO

At PALAZZO PARISIO in Naxxar, teatime is treated very seriously. Spend an afternoon in Malta’s unique 19th Century Maltese Aristocrat’s Private Residence & Gardens.

In addition, at LA BOUTIQUE AT PALAZZO PARISIO, you can also find a selection of quality teas and fine crockery for sale, to make your tea time at home an equally entertaining experience.

LA Boutique AT PALAZZO PAR ISIO

29, VICTORY SQUARE, NAXXAR - MALTA T: 21412461 EXT.2 • WWW.PALAZZOPARISIO.COM

Discover local

Discover our local heritage through foodstuffs made using traditional methods that have survived the ages.

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March 2015

Get happy at the Hap Music bars seem to be sprouting in different parts of our little island, from Valletta to Bugibba to St Julians and also in Marsascala besides some other towns. This type of entertainment is fast growing and taking off as live music, with a mix of both local and foreign talent, seems to be enjoyed and appreciated by an increasingly selective crowd.

Upon entering Happy Hive music bar one can immediately notice the simple but tastefully decorated and converted townhouse which owners Ben and Eve have transformed. Originally from the US, they have been living in Malta for 10 years in Cospicua, and have set up their new business venture on the island’s southern-most tip, in the village of Marsascala.

Happy Hive gives off an exciting, vibrant and calming atmosphere which this music bar seems to be famous for. It is situated on the promenade, nicely elevated with a little outside terrace where one can also enjoy the picturesque view of the bay.

The different seating arrangements can suit both diners who are visiting to enjoy the blackboard menu selection as well as casual and comfortable cushioned benches along the side walls where one can sit back and enjoy the live jazz band entertainment on the night.

Ben runs the bar and handles the client orders while Eve lends a hand in their large kitchen situated at the back, where their mouth-watering freshly made dishes are prepared. They enjoy using fresh local organic and fair-trade ingredients where possible, including a variety of organic, fair-trade coffees and teas and raw local honey.

Some favourites are the chai and other flavoured teas, cold pressed juices, homemade chai and smoothies.

The tall fridge holds a place of honour in the bar and displays a large selection of craft beers from all around Europe as well as a variety of wines and proseccos.

The blackboard menu changes almost daily and is made up of a great selection of tapas including homemade dips, jacket potatoes, freshly made soups and wraps.

We started off with a split pea soup and a cauliflower and cheese soup. All soups are made fresh and are uniquely flavourful. Instead of having a different main course, my guest and I both opted for a platter of little eats to get a taste of all their tapas, every morsel more tasty than the one before. Some of my favourite bits and bites included the warm brie with walnut and

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ppy Hive Music CafĂŠ

the chilli con carne jacket potato with a melange of vegetables in the quinoa and veggie salad. The Thai peanut chicken wrap was to die for.

To finish off Eve insisted we try their homemade sweet selection and she served a platter with different desserts made up of a warm apple crumble, a raw snickers cake and chocolate brownie topped with cream.

Their live entertainment on the night was a oneman-band singing from his own repertoire with a mix of romantic and jazzy tunes to create the perfect atmosphere for a great night out.

Happy Hive is gaining a reputation for its love of food and flavours combined with a great atmosphere created by friendly bar staff and great music to offer experiences that become memorable.

Happy Hive 52 Mifsud Bonnici Square, Marsaskala, Malta.

Tel: 77 274247 Web: www.happyhivecafe.com/ Find us on Facebook - facebook.com/HappyHiveMalta

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Finding your favourite chef The Definitive(ly) Good Guide to Restaurants Chef of the Month Gourmet Today will be collaborating with The Definitive(ly) Good Guide to Restaurants to bring you The Chef of the Month.

The top 150 restaurants as voted into The Definitive(ly) Good Guide to Restaurants in Malta & Gozo and www.restaurantsmalta.com in last year’s survey are being asked to nominate their chef for the Chef of the Month.

Each month, a number of nominated chefs will be featured on www.restaurantsmalta.com and diners will be asked to vote for who they think is the best chef out of these, based on presentation of the food, variety of ingredients used

and creativity in their use. One chef will be chosen and featured on the website for the month and also in the next edition of Gourmet Today, with their biography and a signature recipe.

This initiative, which is being supported by The Catering Centre, aims to rec-

ognise the chefs who make the restaurant the success that it is.

To be able to vote for your favourite chef and keep updated on how the competition is progressing, sign up by registering on www.restaurantsmalta.com and like restaurantsmalta.com on Facebook.

In collaboration with

March 2015

gourmet today

Enter at your own risk – you might not want to leave New venues are mushrooming all over Marsascala. RACHEL AGIUS finds Bongo Nyah is a particularly difficult one to leave!

There is, at least from an outsider’s perspective, a sense of change in Marsascala. Long gone are the quiet beachtown days, where families would take their kids to cinema because it was cheaper than the one up north (remember Suncity?). Just like everywhere else, it has grown to accommodate new residents and their myriad needs and conveniences. Along with that expansion came the realization - perhaps by those who hadn’t ventured down there in a while - of the pretty seaside town’s potential.

A number of new establishments, of varying degrees of quality, sprang up, easing Marsascala closer to having its own fully-fledged nightlife scene. One such place, opened in recent months is Bongo Nyah.

With a name like that, you could be forgiven for thinking that perhaps this little place may not be for everyone.

The thought of reggae music and dreadlocks do not, after all, appeal to all. But while there was more than just a hint of Buffalo Soldier in the air, don’t let that fool you. This place has a vibe and food that can hold its own against anything the north has to offer.

Bongo Nyah is a mix of music venue, bar, restaurant and lounge, and it seems to juggle all these with ease.

Although there was no live music on the night we visited, they hold music nights every Thursday. If jamming out is not your thing, they also keep a stock of board games to hand for a more relaxed, if competitive, night out.

Whether you’re there for the tunes or for a cutthroat game of Scrabble, don’t even think of missing out on the dining experience. The menu contains an impressive list of loose-leaf teas and coffees as well as a selection of smoothies and non-alcoholic cocktails (the one called ‘0% Vol’ is a zesty, refreshing delight).

For those with a larger appetite, there is plenty to

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choose from, including salads, platters to share and their piece de resistance - the burgers. Whenever I do these reviews, I always try to let my guest choose their dish first then pick something from a completely different area of the menu. After all, what’s a review without a little diversity? This time, dear reader, I failed. And worse, I have no regrets.

As my friend tackled a rabbit burger - all delicate flavours and succulent texture - I sank my teeth into the Angus. Arguably the most run-of-the-mill choice (there were also salmon, chicken, bean and veggie varieties) I was nonetheless very satisfied. One thing the staff here do it ask how you want your beef burger done, something that is woefully overlooked in most other restaurants. So they get extra points for that.

You can also choose to have your burger on a white or wholemeal bun. In an attempt to alleviate my guilt there was a whole lot of cheddar on that burger - I chose the brown bread and found it gave my burger a little something extra. The veritable boatload of wedges that accompanied it were also a plus - you definitely won’t leave here hungry.

Of course, you do risk not wanting to leave at all, a phrase splashed, not inaccurately, on some of Bongo Nyah’s posters. It really does cater to every kind of customer - music fan, drinker, diner, competitive Rummy player. Give this underrated gem a try and I guarantee you’ll be coming back again soon.

Bongo Nyah Triq il-Gardiel Marsascala Tel: 99855057 Find us on Facebook bongonyahmscala

photography by RAY Attard

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Chef profile Jean Paul Cauchi of Tosca in Mellieha talks to Gourmet TODAY about how life in the culinary world started for him. Following his motto of simple, fresh and seasonal will change the way you cook forever.

When did you first become interested in food and cooking?

From an early age I was surrounded with food as my family comes from an agricultural background, growing some of the finest vegetables. This helped me gain a vast knowledge of fresh vegetables and local produce which I treasure to this very day. The love for food was hard coded in me and as a child I always spent free time in my parents’ kitchen conducting various ‘experiments’.

As these started to grow bolder, so did the mess I left behind, resulting in many family arguments! Of course, at the time, I had no cooking knowledge but from a very early age I still tried to replicate food presentations from photos that I saw in the media.

What is the most challenging part of your day-to-day work? And the most rewarding?

The day starts by preparing for the upcoming service – to some, a boring and repetitive task yet necessary and crucial to facing a busy evening.

The challenge is in ensuring that each and every dish that we serve exceeds the customers’ expectations and the reward comes in seeing satisfied customers and receiving positive feedback!

How do you feel the food culture in Malta has changed over your career?

Food culture has evolved drastically in the past few years. The Maltese always loved food but we, as a nation, have learnt what to eat, to choose fresh produce and healthier options. These evolving trends all need to be taken into consideration when choosing raw material as well as when compiling menus.

What is your favourite dish to cook?

There are many favourite dishes but I am most happy cooking fish. Fish is an item that is simple and delicate, yet complex and challenging. The intricate use of fresh herbs, olive oil and seasoning often bring out hidden secrets from this humble food item that is slowly becoming a luxury.

Who are your favourite people to cook for?

Like an artist who exhibits and enjoys seeing connoisseurs appreciating his work, a chef appreciates customers that appreciate his dishes and particularly those who are able to distinguish the perfected effort. As a chef, I

am fuelled by pure passion and aim to provide a genuine culinary experience so my favourite type of person to cook for is anyone who will appreciate it!

What are your 3 must-have ingredients in the kitchen?

Seasoning, fresh, seasonal herbs and extra-virgin olive oil. If used properly, in the right quantities, these three mixed together go a long way in enhancing palate.

Any tips for home cooks on how to improve the dishes they prepare?

Cooking at home starts at the supermarket! For the best experience, go for the fresh products and particularly choose seasonal ones. Same goes for fish and meat – find a fishmonger or butcher that you trust and communicate with him/her. These can frequently give

recommendations and help out if they know what you are shopping for!

When it comes to cooking, do not over complicate things! Keep a good balance – do not overuse a particular seasoning or flavour. Remember that you are not cooking just for yourself and if you are following a recipe try to follow it faithfully, especially until you gain the necessary experience. One final word of advice; remember, on many occasions, simple is always best!

Tosca Gorg Borg Olivier Street, Mellieha Tel: +356 2280 1927 Email: info@ilovetosca.com Find us on Facebook toscapizzapastagrill

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March 2015

Passion and perfectionism

Following 11 years experience in the kitchen, Isaac Saliba is setting up shop with his uncle, Nicky Saliba, at the brand new Salt. He talks to RACHEL AGIUS about his recipe for success Restaurants are delicate things. A successful establishment is a careful balance of chaos and an effortless dining experience, food and feeling, satisfying the most basic of human needs and entertaining an increasingly developed palate. And aside from these concerns is the small matter of starting – and sustaining – a business venture.

That last part however is secondary for Isaac Saliba, the culinary talent in the kitchen at Salt, a new restaurant that he claims will marry a love for good, nourishing food with the flair and style diners appreciate.

You might think, on looking at Isaac, that perhaps he is a little young to be running his own kitchen. At 29, you could be forgiven for wondering if he is ready for such a task. You should also

know however that he already has several years of experience under his belt – he spent 11 years at the Hilton, working under executive chef Joe Vella, and short periods abroad, in different establishments, learning from world-class chefs.

Isaac’s family always enjoyed food and cooking and as a child, Isaac tried his hand at replicating

what he saw on TV cooking shows. His love for cooking only grew when, aged 14, he was introduced to home economics at school.

“That’s when it really started for me,” Isaac explains, reminiscing about summers he spent on work experience in hotel kitchens, on the encouragement of his teacher. Eventually, Isaac would

m at Salt

go on to ITS and begin a career in the fast-paced world of high-class cooking.

Then three years ago, Isaac began making plans.

“Having my own restaurant was always my dream,” he says, as we stand in the sparkling clean kitchen that would, in a few short weeks, be bustling with activity. Finally, one year ago, Isaac and his uncle, a local football star with plenty of business experience, took the plunge.

Salt is the result. Why Salt, I ask? “Salt is in everything in the kitchen.” He says. “It boosts flavour and is one of the five basic tastes in food.”

“Of course too much salt is not good for you; everything in moderation,” he explains, before reaching into a cupboard to bring out a glass bottle of rosy pink granules. “Here we will only be using Himalayan salt, which is beneficial to a healthy lifestyle and contains crucial vitamins and minerals.”

This attention to the nutritional value of food will also be evidenced on the menu. “I want to create a menu that combines Mediterranean cooking with French influences, while keeping in mind our customers’ health,” Isaac says. Ingredients, where possible, will be locally sourced and any additives avoided.

It’s easy to realize that Isaac is simply mad about food. When asked what he enjoys cooking, the answer is simple. “Everything,” he laughs. “I love

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to cook everything. And I love to cook for people who appreciate food.”

On his recipe for success at Salt, Isaac is equally straightforward. “You need passion and perfectionism to make it work,” he explains. “Without a good focus in life, there can be no success.”

SALT Pioneer Road Bugibba Tel: 21 578004 / 99223744 / 99900880 / 99233373 Find us on Facebook SALT - Kitchen & Lounge

photography by RAY Attard

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Spring time on Gourmet TODAY TV Spring is in the air and Gourmet TODAY TV has been building a selection of some of our favourite spring recipes over the weeks. Here we have compiled some of the most popular, from crostini to quiches, ravioli and perfect parfaits, these recipes are sure to put a spring in your step. Catch Gourmet Today TV, on TVM every Friday at 18:40.

Raw artichoke and broad bean crostini Ingredients

ael Diaco n

o

• • •

ich

• • • • •

2 artichokes, cleaned 1 clove garlic, finely chopped ½ lemon, juice only Olive oil Salt and pepper Parsley 10 pods broad beans, peeled 2 spring onions Maltese bread ½ dried gbejna

M

• •

Method

st cipe fir This re Gourmet ed on appear V, aired on Today T 0 January 3 TVM on 15.

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1. Mix the parsley with the garlic, lemon juice and a good quantity of olive oil.

2. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Slice the artichoke hearts and place directly in the marinade.

4. Add the broad beans.

5. Add a little more olive oil.

6. Slice the spring onions and add the mixture 7. Allow to marinate for 15 to 20 mins.

8. Toast some bread in the oven with a little olive oil until they turn slightly golden.

9. Top with raw artichoke and bean mixture 10. Top with gbejna shavings, some more parsley and some more olive oil and serve.

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Quiche Rita Ingredients

an Gravina Se

Pastry • 250g plain flour • 150 g butter, cut into small pieces and slightly softened • 1 tsp fine salt • Pinch of caster sugar • 1 egg • 1 tbsp cold Benna milk Filling • 140g salted fatty guanciale • 1 egg • 3 egg yolks • 150ml whipping cream • 150ml double cream • Pinch nutmeg • Salt and pepper • 140g Benna gbejna (1.5 cheeselets)

Method

1. To make the pastry, heap the flour on a work surface and make a well.

2. Put in the butter, salt, sugar and egg.

3. Using your fingertips, mix and cream these ingredients together. Little by little, draw in the flour, working the dough delicately until it has a grainy texture.

4. Add the milk and incorporate gently with your fingertips until the dough begins to hold together.

5. Using the palm of your hand, work the dough by pushing it away from you 4 or 5 times until it is smooth.

6. Roll it into a ball, wrap in the cling film and refrigerate until ready to use.

7. Pre-heat the oven to 190°C. 8. Roll out the pastry to a 2mm thickness, using a plate as a guide cut out a circle big enough to fit the tin. Line the tin with the pastry and chill for approx. 20 mins.

9. Prick the pastry case bases. Bake the cases blind, with some beans on parchment paper .

10. Lower the oven setting to 170°C. Remove the beans and paper and return the pastry cases to the oven for 5 mins.

Leave in the tins and set aside while you prepare the filling.

11. Cook the guanciale in boiling water for about 20 mins, then drain and cut into lardon and leave to cool.

12. Put the whole egg and yolks in a bowl, mix in the cream with a whisk and season with the nutmeg and salt and pepper.

13. Place the lardons and grated cheese in the pastry case, then fill to the brim with egg mixture.

14. Bake in the oven for 15 mins.

15. Rest on wire wrack and serve with a green salad.

This recipe firs t appeared on G ourmet Today TV, aired on TVM on 6 Mar ch, 2015.

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Ravioli stuffed with gbejniet in saffron butter and borage flowers Ingredients

M

ich ael Diaco

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Pasta • 300g flour • 3 eggs • 1 tsp salt • 1 tbsp olive oil Filling • 6 fresh gbejniet • Handful borage leaves • Handful borage flowers • Salt and pepper Sauce • 1 tbsp butter • Olive oil • 1 clove garlic • Salt and pepper • A few strands saffron

Method

1. To make the pasta place the flour directly onto the surface and make a well in the centre.

2. Add the eggs, olive oil and salt and beat the mixture slowly encorporating the flour from the sides.

3. Knead the dough until smooth.

4. Wrap in cling film and place in the fridge for 30 mins.

5. To make the filling place the borage leaves in a pan with some butter and olive oil and allow to wilt and allow to cool.

6. Mix in the fresh gbejniet and grate the dried gbejniet into the mixture.

7. Add a handful of borage flowers and season with salt and pepper.

8. Add the chopped parsley and set aside until ready to use.

9. Roll out the dough, using a pasta machine if you have one.

10. Place teaspoons of filling approx. 1 inch apart.

11. Moisten the sides with water and fold the pasta over the filling and press down to seal.

12. Cut into individual ravioli and place on a floured tray until ready to cook. (You can freeze the ravioli at this stage.)

13. To make the sauce, melt the butter in a pan and add the garlic, saffron, salt and pepper.

14. When ready to serve place the ravioli in boiling water and cook for a couple of minutes until the ravioli come to the top of the boiling water.

15. Place in the pan with the sauce and toss.

16. Serve with a handful of borage flowers.

st cipe fir This re Gourmet ed on appear V, aired on Today T March, 6 TVM on 5.

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Coffee parfait Makes approx. 700ml ice-cream • • • •

75g sugar 4 egg yolks 450ml double cream 2 tbsp instant coffee

Method

Matt ei

Ingredients

ppa Pi

t e r This ared on appe t Today,

me Gour n TVM on o 5. aired rch, 201 a 13 M s March pe fir ci2015

1. Put the sugar and 4 tbsp water in a small saucepan.

2. Place it on the heat and stir constantly until the sugar has dissolved.

3. Bring to the boil and boil until you have a light syrup at 110°C (approx. 4-5 mins).

4. In a mixing bowl whisk the egg yolks, and whisking continuously pour on the slightly cooled syrup.

5. Whisk until it has amalgamated, then leave until it is cold.

6. Dissolve the coffee in a tablespoon of water; stir it and the cream into the mixture.

7. Your mixture is now ready for churning in an ice-cream machine. If you don’t have this machine, you can put the ice-cream mixture into a low container and put into freezer for a few hours, take out and mash with a fork, do this several times till you have the right consistency.

Perfect pair: Finish with Amaro Vulcano Imported by Vivian Corporation www.viviancorp.com

Follow us on

/jameson.malta For more inFo

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March 2015

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Strawberries – A first taste of spring

By Gaby Holland You know spring has arrived when all vegetable and fruit vendors start displaying boxes upon boxes of these luscious, vibrant, juicy fruits. Although strawberries can be bought the year round, they really taste best and sweetest from around the end of

March to end of May. Fresh strawberries must be one of the most popular, refreshing and healthy treats on the planet.

Wild strawberries have been popular since ancient Roman times and were used for a wide variety of medicinal purposes such as alleviating inflammation, fever, kidney stones, bad breath, gout and more.

Chocolate and yoghurt coated strawberries Ingredients • • •

2 punnets strawberries 1 tub of plain or vanilla-flavoured yoghurt 250g chocolate, 70% cocoa solids

Method

1. Wash and pat dry the strawberries 2. Taking half the strawberries, holding them from their stems, dip in plain or vanilla flavoured yoghurt.

3. Place on a grease-proof paper lined tray and freeze for about 10 mins and repeat the dipping to obtain a thicker layer of yoghurt. You may want to repeat this process a couple of more times.

4. Melt plain chocolate in a bain marie (in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water).

5. Hold each of the remaining strawberries by the stem and carefully dip 2/3 of the strawberry into chocolate. Again you might want to repeat the process of achieve a thicker layer of chocolate.

6. Place on a sheet of non-stick baking paper or foil and refrigerate until just set.

7. Remove frozen yoghurt strawberries 10 mins before serving.

Spring salad with strawberry dressing Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 fennel bulb, sliced thinly • 2 -3 radishes, sliced thinly • 100g Gorgonzola, Stilton or goat’s cheese • Fennel fronds, to garnish • Poppy seeds Dressing • ½ cup strawberries • 3 tbsp olive oil • 1 tbsp cider vinegar • A squeeze of lemon juice • A pinch of salt • 1 tsp honey (if the strawberries are too tart)

Method

1. Using a hand blender whizz all the ingredients for the dressing together to obtain a dense mixture. This may be stored in an airtight jar for few days.

2. Arrange the salad ingredients on a plate and drizzle with strawberry dressing.

Tip: This dressing also works well with grilled salmon.

Today there are over 600 varieties of strawberries. They are so delicious it’s hard to think of them as a super healthy fruit, but these sweet, slightly tart berries rank among the top 10 fruits (and vegetables) in antioxidant capacity and are believed to help reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers. They are low in calories and high in vitamins C, B6, K, fibre, folic acid, potassium and amino acids.

Strawberries are rich in the essential nutrients, Vitamin C, potassium, folic acid and fibre. One cup of fresh strawberries contains 160% of your daily needs for vitamin C, for only 50 calories. As strawberries are very perishable, they should only be purchased a few days prior to use. Choose berries that are firm, plump, free of mould, and which have a shiny, deep red colour and attached green caps. Since strawberries, once picked, do not ripen further, avoid those that are dull in colour or have green or yellow patches since they are likely to be sour and of inferior quality. Fully ripe berries will not only have the peak flavour and texture, but will have more nutrients.

Eaten raw or added to a fruit salad is the perfect way to eat strawberries but for variety you could add them to fruit punch, cheese and fruit platters, sorbets, ice creams, tarts, cakes, sauces, crepes, waffles or served over breakfast cereal. Cooked, they may be added to stewed fruits or made into jam.

Fun Facts • The strawberry belongs to the genus Fragraria in the rose family, along with apples and plums. The name of the scientific classification was derived from the Old Latin word for fragrant. The modern Italian word for strawberry is still “Fragola” • Strawberries are the only fruit that wear their seeds on the outside • Eight strawberries will provide 140% of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin C for kids • Strawberries are a member of the rose family • On average, there are 200 seeds in a strawberry • Strawberry juice combined with honey will reduce inflammation or sunburn. Rub the mixture thoroughly into the skin before rinsing off with warm water and lemon juice

Tastes so

fresh and light, makes the

perfect dipper!

Gluten Free, Wheat Free & Dairy Free

Also available: Sliced White Bread Sliced Brown Bread Blueberry Muffins Short Crust Pastry Puff Pastry

Tel: 2143 1309 | Email: info@goodearth.com.mt www.goodearth.com.mt

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Genius gluten-free recipes Avoiding gluten is all well and good until you want something comforting. Unfortunately there is nothing quite as comforting as bread, pies and pastries. Using Genius gluten-products allows you create the dishes you crave without the pesky gluten, so whether you are allergic to gluten or just trying to stay a little healthier, check out some of these great recipes that make perfect snacks or light suppers.

Cinnamon raisin swirls Flaky pastry, hints of cinnamon and juicy raisins will make our gluten-free Cinnamon Raisin Swirls irresistible.

Makes 12 Danish pastries

Ingredients • • • • • •

1 block Genius Gluten Free Puff Pastry 60g softened butter 30g Traidcraft golden caster sugar 1 tsp Good Earth ground cinnamon or mixed spice 60g Good Earth Californian Raisins 1 egg

Method

1. Roll the pastry out evenly to approx.

20cm by 30cm rectangle.

2. Pre heat oven to 180°C. 3. Mix together the butter, sugar and spice. Spread this mix thinly over the pastry rectangle. Sprinkle the raisins evenly over this.

4. Roll the pastry tightly starting from one of the short ends.

5. Cut carefully in slices about 1cm thick.

You will have to discard the end slices as these will not be properly filled with raisins and sugar.

6. Place your slices on a non-stick baking sheet, brush with egg wash and bake in the oven for 1520 mins until golden brown.

7. Cool on a wire rack.

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Classic Quiche Lorraine A deliciously simple recipe for a classic quiche - perfect for a party buffet lunch or served with a jacket potato for a light meal.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients • • • • • • • • • •

1 x 24cm blind baked pastry case made with Genius GlutenFree Shortcrust Pastry 1 tbsp Pantaleo Extra virgin olive oil 6 lean rashers of good quality smoked streaky bacon, sliced thinly 1 medium onion, finely chopped 4 large eggs, beaten 300ml crème fraiche 110g Gruyere cheese, grated Generous grating of nutmeg Large pinch of salt and 4 grinds of black pepper 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

4.

5.

6.

7.

nutmeg and seasoning together with a fork. Stir in the grated cheese, bacon and onion.

Pour the mixture into the baked pastry case, sprinkle over the thyme leaves and bake in the oven for 35-40 mins until the filling is just set in the middle and light golden brown on top.

Leave to set for 10 mins in the tin before turning the quiche out onto a plate.

Serve hot or cold with new potatoes and a crisp, dressed green salad.

15-20 mins until golden brown.

Cool on a wire rack.

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. 2. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the sliced bacon until pale golden brown.

3. Beat the eggs, crème fraiche,

Coronation Chicken and Fresh Coriander Salad Sandwich A great sandwich to make with the leftover chicken after a Sunday roast.

Serves 2

Ingredients • • •

Good Earth Distributors Ltd. Hard Rocks Industrial Park Burmarrad Road, Naxxar, NXR 6345 Malta Tel: 21 431309 • Fax: 21 421873 e: info@goodearth.com.mt You can also find us on facebook

140g cooked chicken, sliced into bite size pieces 1 handful of baby salad leaves 4 slices of brown or white Genius Gluten Free Bread

Curried mayonnaise • 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed • ½ tsp Good Earth Madras curry powder • ½ tbsp Sunita lemon juice • 1 tsp Tracklements mango chutney • 1 tbsp coriander, roughly chopped • Salt and pepper • 2 heaped tbsp Really Not Dairy mayonnaise

Method

1. Stir all the curried mayonnaise ingredients together and mix in the chicken.

2. Divide the mixture evenly and spread over two slices of bread.

3. Top the mixture with salad leaves, and the remaining slices of bread.

4. Slice the sandwiches on the diagonal and serve. golden brown.

7. Cool on a wire rack.

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Easy lunches for spring

Now that spring is in air, eating lighter becomes more important to many.

The warmer weather makes us crave less fatty, comforting food and the threat of the exposed muffin top in the summer steers us further away.

Cristina Dacoutros and Sergio Ruz Sanchez of Goldie’s Café in Gzira believe in healthy eating throughout the year, and while they do not shy away from a little bit of cream, or a little bit of frying every now and then, eating freshly prepared food, even with a some small sins will not only make you look trimmer but also feel better without losing out on the most scrumptious flavours. Check out some of their ideas for healthy spring lunches.

Salmon cakes with coriander pesto Ingredients • • • • • • •

500g smoked salmon, chopped 1 small onion, finely grated 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped Black pepper, to taste 2 large eggs, well beaten 1-1½ cups fine dry breadcrumbs

Coriander pesto • Olive oil to shallow fry • Bunch coriander • 180ml olive oil

Method 1. Mix in chopped salmon, grated onion, parsley, garlic and pepper.

2. Mix beaten eggs with salmon.

3. Add enough breadcrumbs (approx. ½ to ¾ cup) to make thick enough to shape into patties.

4. Roll patties in breadcrumbs.

5. Heat the oil in a heavy based saucepan over low heat.

6. When the oil is hot, gently add the patties and fry on one side for a couple of mins until golden.

7. Turn over and fry on the other side. Drain and place onto kitchen towel to absorb excess oil.

8. To make the pesto, blend coriander and oil into a paste.

9. Serve the hot salmon cakes with coriander pesto.

Easy savoury carrot and zucchini muffins Ingredients • • • • • • •

2 eggs 3 carrot, grated 2 zucchini, grated 1 cup whole wheat flour 2 tsp brown sugar 3 tsp curry powder Pinch of salt

Method 1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 2. In a large bowl mix in beaten egg, then stir in carrots and zucchini, flour, sugar and curry, add salt according to taste.

3. Spoon batter to a sprayed, paper-lined muffin tin and bake 18-20 mins or until toothpick comes out clean.

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Roasted cauliflower, asparagus and quinoa salad Ingredients

• 250g mixed red and white quinoa (cooked according to packet instructions) • 100g toasted pine nuts • 8 asparagus, chopped into 1cm pieces • 10 sun dried tomatoes, chopped • 5 medium mushrooms, chopped (pan fry them with 1 crushed garlic till tender) • ½ cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets • 1 tsp kosher salt • 2 tbsp olive oil • Bunch fresh basil, finely chopped • Handful feta cheese (optional)

Method 1. Heat oven at 180°C. 2. Toss the cauliflower in olive oil on a baking sheet and sprinkle with the salt.

3. Roast until golden and tender (approx. 20 mins) 4. Pan-fry the chopped mushrooms in olive oil and garlic until tender.

5. In a bowl mix the quinoa, vegetables, herbs and nuts 6. Add crumbled feta cheese if using and serve.

Wok wrap with Maltese gbejna • 1 zucchini, thinly sliced, lengthwise • Red pepper, thinly sliced, lengthwise • Yellow pepper, thinly sliced, lengthwise • Lettuce • 1 green apple, chopped into small thin cubes • 1 Maltese peppered gbejna, sliced • 4 tortilla wraps • 3 tbsp light soy sauce • 2 tbsp sesame oil

Method 1. In a pan, heat the oil and add peppers and zucchini.

2. Stir-fry until tender, then add soy sauce and cook for an other 2 mins or till sauce has cooked through.

3. Lay out wraps, top with some lettuce, place equal amount of cooked vegetables, apple and cheese.

4. Fold the wraps and serve.

Goldie’s Café 118, Testaferrata Street, Gzira Tel: 21320931/ 79497444 Email: info@goldie’s.com.mt Web: www.goldies.com.mt

photography by ANDREW BRIFFA

Ingredients

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gourmet today

The health shop with a difference Sattva is a shop with a feeling of tranquillity that is reflected in the range of products available. It is also our pleasure to help our clients experience the joy of a relaxed environment and a serene state of mind while visiting us and through promoting a sentient diet; a diet based on subtle energies released by the food into our bodies and following the slogan that “ we are what we eat”.

“Pure foods” – a range of artisan foods, manufactured with care and love; subtle and free from artificial additives, GMOs, animal products and other modern day food “enhancers”.

All products at Sattva are chosen with sensitivity and in line with natural health care and environmental consideration.

90% of the products available at Sattva are certified organic. Organic produce is the result of organic farming which features cultural and biological practices, while promoting ecological balance and biodiversity. Organic produce is therefore free from synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers. A range of natural and organic body care products are also available; as well as a selection of ecological detergents.

“We live what we preach” – all partners at Sattva are practitioners of yoga and meditation, following a sentient diet and an alternative lifestyle. Our physical and mental health is a priority and our years of alternative living are what we deliver to clients together with their shopping bag.

“Food For All” – at Sattva one can find foods suitable

for numerous conditions. Amongst others one can find products which are gluten free, wheat free, sugar free, yeast free, nut free, soy free, egg free, lactose free, alternative wheat, high protein, vegan, natural sweeteners, and raw food products. “Food For All” is also the organic range of artisan products, of which Sattva is the exclusive importer and distributor.

Sattva Pure Foods YUE, Labour av., Naxxar, NXR 9027, Malta.

Tel: 2148 5888 Mob: 999 12709 (Jane) • 9917 9527 (Anna) Email: info@sattvahealthshop.com Web: www.sattvahealthshop.com Find us on Facebook facebook.com/sattvahealthshop

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gourmet today

Kitchen trends GYPSUM, BULKHEADS AND FLAT CEILINGS Gypsum works within a kitchen space may enhance aesthetics and functionality in different ways. With the addition of flat ceilings, bulkheads and false walls, a kitchen may be sculpted to attain more of a custom feel and look.

FLAT CEILINGS Sean Cassar Within a flat ceiling, one Managing Director Design Hub Malta may use the opportunity to house a concealed air-conditioning unit to control temperature in a kitchen. In this way wall space would not need to be allocated for a wall-mounted a/c which may therefore help increase cabinetry space and layout, which is vital for a kitchen.

When seeking to use an overhead island extractor hood, a flat ceiling is imperative to hide ducting, wiring and ceiling supports. Flat ceilings provide an opportunity to position island overhead extractor wherever needed on plan and also conceal the run of extraction ducting directed to the external shaft.

When considering lighting within gypsum ceilings, your options become close to endless. One may position fittings within a kitchen design wherever suits the use for that particular lighting.

All wiring of fittings are concealed between the gypsum flat ceiling and structural ceiling aiding in a clean organized functional finished surface.

LIGHT FITTINGS When deciding on buying light fittings for your kitchen flat ceiling or bulkheads, there are three options to be considered - surface mounted, fitting including trim and trim less fittings. Surface fittings may be wired and attached to the flat ceiling directly. Fittings including trim need an accurate cut out in the gypsum to be installed within. Trim less light fittings are delivered in two parts, a frame for the construction phase and the fitting itself for final installation. The steel frame is separately positioned and constructed as part of the ceiling structure before any wiring takes place. At this point contractors may take gypsum false ceiling to its final stages of plaster and paint where

D

FOR US, EVERY PROJECT IS IMPORTANT ... no matter what size.

WIDE RANGE OF MODULAR & ACOUSTIC SOFFITS • GYPSUM CEILINGS, BULKHEADS & PARTITIONS • SPECIALIZED SOUND & FIRE PROOFING • RAISED FLOORINGS • DEMOUNTABLE WALLS • TOILET CUBICLES • PARQUET FLOORING • LIGHT FITTINGS • COVES AND CORNICES • TURNKEY PROJECTS • IMPORT, SUPPLY & INSTALLATION OF SOFFITS & GYPSUM BOARDS

Xuereb Installations Ltd. TAL-HLAS ROAD, QORMI QRM 10 (behind KIA Showroom) • Tel: 21495799, 21495972, 21495792, 21495836 Fax: 21495834 • Mob: 9949 2278 • E-mail: xil@xuerebinstall.com • www.xuerebinstall.com

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after fittings may be wired up and commissioned.

BULKHEADS Bulkheads within a kitchen may be needed to either house a concealed air-conditioning unit due to limited ‘floor to ceiling’ heights or may also be dropped down to help fit a kitchen cabinetry within the space.

FALSE WALLS Gypsum false walls could aid in achieving a consistent structural elements within a space. Walls and partitions assist in sculpting the kitchen cabi-

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netry in a number of layouts and designs. As a result, after masonry and gypsum walls are all plaster and painted as one surface, the custom designed interior architecture is achieved.

Within gypsum walls, ceilings and bulkheads ambient lighting is also an option. Since a gypsum structure may be formed and manipulated in many ways, one may create different ambient lighting effects dependent on the area and final effect proposed to be achieved.

‘Xuereb Installations Ltd’ is a well-established company in Malta who, besides selling the gypsum boards to other contractors, also offer the instal-

lation and finishing of a gypsum package whilst following designer instructions and briefs to the millimetre.

Design Hub Malta Pezul Lodge Wardia Hill, Wardia.

Tel: 9944 1703 Email: info@designhub.com.mt Web: www.designhubmalta.com.mt You can also find us on facebook: designhubmalta

N EW BLU “QUALITY MEANS DOING IT RIGHT WHEN NO ONE IS LOOKING” – HENRY FORD WE’VE BEEN QUIET FOR THE LAST FIVE MONTHS WHILE WORKING ON VARIOUS RENOVATIONS AT RADISSON BLU RESORT, ST JULIAN’S. WE ARE COMMITTED TO DELIVERING A QUALITY EXPERIENCE NO MATTER YOUR REASON FOR VISITING! DISCOVER THE NEW BLU FOR YOURSELF AFTER 30TH MARCH 2014

NE W YOU

Radisson Blu Resort, St Julians

www.radissonblu.com/stjuliansresort-malta info.stjulians@radissonblu.com +356 2137 4894

TEA AND CAKES IN THE GARDEN Spring has sprung and now that the days are getting lighter there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the longer days.

Tea in the garden is your best bet. A delicious cuppa and a slice of devilish cake make for the perfect afternoon.

Whether you’re baking your own or buying them from somewhere else Gourmet TODAY has the answer for you

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Discover our range...

Try our unique Asian and African green teas blended with a zesty lemon flavour and enjoy the refreshing flavour. So now you can get all the benefit of green tea but without the bitter taste.

Tetley Green Tea is also available in Pure, Decaf, Honey and Blueberry Flavours.

Collect wrappers and exchange for gifts or money vouchers at: CD Gift Scheme Centre, Vincenti Buildings, 15/2 Strait Street, Valletta.

Tel: 2123 6629. Trade Enquiries Tel: 2146 0375

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Tea Paradise is a place born from the passion for good tea and its exquisite taste. Though having just recently opened its doors, Tea Paradise is steadily gaining a reputation among the Maltese.

Tea Paradise is introducing new blends of tea, never before seen on the island.

Based on the northern Indian Darjeeling tea, Tea Paradise offers a huge range of blended teas with a range of refreshing flavours. From spring time

tea parties, try a pina colada flavoured tea, served cold with all the flavours of coconut that make this cocktail so popular. Or maybe try some typical Indian spices blended in the tea – vanilla beans, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves among others, or try a Marsala Chai Tea. Whether you are looking for a something exotic or something more traditional, Tea Paradise has something for you.

Health benefits of black tea Help manage - or even prevents - diabetes Black tea contains powerful polysaccharides, which are carbohydrates that work to slow blood sugar absorption - a potential benefit to those battling with diabetes. Drinking black tea may protect you from developing diabetes in the first place!

Current research has discovered that countries that drink the most black tea (like Ireland and Britain) have the lowest occurrence of type 2 diabetes.

Protects your heart health Benefits of drinking black tea include decreasing your risk of cardiovascular disease (such as heart attack and stroke). As little as three cups of black tea per day can decrease the chance of cardiovascular death by as much as 11%.

Stress relief There is no problem too large or too small that cannot be fixed with a cuppa. Not only does it help slow you down after a long day, studies show that the amino acid L-theanine found in black tea can help you relax and concentrate better. Black tea has also been shown to reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol when consumed in moderate amounts on a regular basis.

Boosts the immune system Black tea contains alkylamine antigens that help boost our immune response. In addition it also contains tannins that have the ability to fight viruses and hence keep us protected from influenza, stomach flu and other such commonly found viruses in our everyday lives.

Peach and Mango Black Tea

Tea Paradise Web: www.tea-paradise.com Email: info@tea-paradise.com Mob: 79836113

Carribean Delight

Mojito Delight

Find us on Facebook TeaParadiseShop

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Granny’s desserts at the newly refurbished Radisson Blu Resort St. Julian’s It’s been a cold winter at Radisson Blu Resort St Julian’s as they have been closed for maintenance work and refurbishment, but that winter has come to an end with the five star hotel opening its doors tomorrow. Though they have been closed to guests, the staff have been working not just on a facelift for the hotel itself but also to the menus on offer. Head pastry chef Robert Spiteri has been working on a delicious sweet menu inspired by fresh and seasonal homey dishes.

When you think of five-star hotel desserts you

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imagine artistic designs made with sugar and chocolate that should be classified as works of art not food.

This time around Robert is going for classical dishes everyone knows and loves, dishes that you remember your grandmother making, using only the freshest, local ingredients to bring you the very best that Malta has to offer.

Make sure you head down to Le Bistro at the Radisson Blu Resort St Julian’s and check the new menu!

Apple and rhubarb crumble Serves 4

Ingredients

Filling • 3 Granny Smith apples • 1 small bunch (approx.

70g) rhubarb • 1/3 cup water • Knob butter • 3 tbsp demerara sugar • ½ tsp ground cinnamon • ½ tsp ground cloves • ½ tsp vanilla paste Crumble • 60g ground almonds • 60g flour • 60g demerara sugar • 30g butter Custard • 250ml fresh milk • 50g sugar • 1 tbsp cornflour • 1 tsp vanilla paste • ½ cinnamon stick

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. 2. To make the filling, place the apples and the rhubarb

into the water with sugar, butter, ground cinnamon, cloves and vanilla and simmer until softened (approx. 8 – 10 mins).

3. To make the crumble, mix the almonds, flour and sugar together and then rub in the butter until you combined and the mixture looks like large crumbs.

4. Spoon the fruit mixture into oven-proof individual dishes and top with crumble.

5. Bake for 20 mins until golden.

6. To make the custard, heat the milk with the sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and cornflour, whisking constantly.

7. Cook until the mixture has thickened and has almost come to the boil.

8. Remove the cinnamon stick and serve with hot apple and rhubarb crumble dusted with icing sugar.

photography by Ray attard

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Maltese trifle Serves 6

Ingredients

• Sponge cake • Orange maramalade • 400ml raspberry jelly Custard • 1 tin milk • 2 tins water • 200g sugar • 50 g cornflour • 4 egg yolks • 1 cinnamon stick • 1 rind of lemon • 35 g vanilla paste Cream • 200ml cream • 1 tbsp sugar Garnish • Dessicated coconut • Chocolate shavings

Method

1. Spread the marmalade on one half of the sponge and sandwich it with the other half.

2. Cut into bite-sized cubes and place at the bottom of each jar (use an individual bowl or even a glass if you

do not have a jar).

3. Cover the pieces of sponge with jelly mixture before the jelly has set.

Fill so that the sponge is completely covered.

4. To make the custard, heat the milk with the sugar, cinnamon and lemon zest and bring to the boil.

5. In the meantime, mix the corn flour with the egg yolks and vanilla.

6. When the milk is starts to boil add the egg mixture whisking all the time until the custard has thickened.

7. Allow to cool before adding to the jar, filling with a little more raspberry jelly half way up the jar.

8. Fill with more custard and finish with raspberry jelly.

9. To make the cream, whip the sugar with the cream and add to the top.

10. Finish with dessicated coconut and dark chocolate shavings.

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Strawberry fest Serves 6

Ingredients

Strawberry chiffon cake • 120g flour • 120g sugar • ¼ tsp salt • 60ml oil • 4 egg yolks • 6 egg whites • ¼ tsp cream of tartar • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 117ml strawberry puree Strawberry cream • 250ml strawberry puree • 300g sugar • 5 eggs • 9 egg yolks • 300g unsalted butter • 10g gelatine leaves Short cake crumble • 260g plain flour • 2 tsbp sugar • 2 tsp baking powder • ¼ tsp baking soda • ¼ tsp salt • 1 egg • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 350g cream

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. 2. Combine the oil and egg yolks, sugar, vanilla extract and strawberry puree and whisk until you have a smooth batter.

3. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and whisk until combined.

4. Whip the egg whites with cream of tartar until frothy. Add two extra tablespoons of sugar and continue mixing until medium peaks form.

5. Fold in to the cake mixture.

6. Pour into a cake tin and bake for 35 mins until done.

7. Allow to cool and cut into bite-sized pieces. Place at the bottom of a jar, bowl or glass.

8. To make the strawberry cream, heat the sugar with the strawberry puree and cook until the sugar has dissolved.

9. Add the eggs and cook on very low heat.

10. Add the butter and the gelatine and heat until the butter has cooled and the cream has thickened.

11. When cool pour on top of the pieces of strawberry chiffon cake.

12. To make the shortcake crumble, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt.

13. Add the cream until combined.

14. Bake in an ungreased tin in a 180°C oven for 18 to 20 mins until golden.

15. Allow to cool and crumble over the top of the dessert.

Radisson Blu Resort St. Julian’s Tel: 2137 4894 Email: info.stjulians@radissonblu.com Web: www.radissonblu.com/stjuliansresort-malta Find us on Facebook

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Cooking is an art be sure to find an artist Perfection is everything in cake decorating and perfection can only come from raw passion. The Art of Cooking, set up in 2009, has been gaining a reputation with anyone who knows sugars from salts.

Marthese Camilleri has a genuine love for cooking, baking and decorating and this shines through in the excellent quality of everything that comes out of her kitchen whether you’re looking at it

from a flavour perspective or an aesthetic one.

At The Art of Cooking, you can expect the highest quality home-baked goods, from biscuits to cookies, pies, tarts, teatime treats, cakes, cupcakes and pastries.

Her cake-decorating kitchen creates beautiful hand-decorated cakes that are custom-made and suitable for any occasion.

The Art of Cooking Rigu Street, Birkirkara Tel: 99469253 Email: marthese64@hotmail.com Find us on Facebook facebook.com/pages/The-Art-of-Cooking-byMarthese/789806584447758

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Cake Matters

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For Stefania Micallef, baking cakes is all about passion, and this comes through in the incredible designs she comes up with for every occasion. She talks to Gourmet TODAY about what got her started and how perfectionism brought her to where she is today.

“Baking has always been my passion. I vividly remember as a young girl decorating mum’s ‘figolli’ in royal icing. I started baking and decorating cakes for family and friends as a hobby but soon fell in love with all aspects of baking and cake design. In more recent years I became more engaged in this hobby, enrolling in various advanced cake decorating courses, which enriched my knowledge on the materials used and techniques helping me to develop further my own skills.

“Nowadays everything inspires me to create new designs and feel more adventurous with every new cake project. I love experimenting with decorations, techniques and colours, ensuring a good dose of fun is never missing from the recipe. I personally find cake decorating a form of relaxation therapy and take great pride to ensure that the quality is always at the forefront of my customer’s expectations.

“I am so pleased to be doing something in my life that I am so passionate about and I will definitely continue to develop my talent of which I am so proud and thankful.”

Cake Matters Mob: 99230410 Email: stefania.micallef@gmail.com Find us on Facebook Cake Matters

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Pure teas from around the world There is no beverage more versatile than a cup of tea.

Brewed all over the world, tea preparation and drinking has adapted to different cultures. Be it pure green tea in a Japan; spiced black tea served with condensed milk and honey in certain areas in India and Nepal; salted and buttered in Tibet; scented with jasmine flowers or smoked in China. These are but a handful of ways in which tea is prepared.

Simon Bajada of Tea and Blends Malta, previously known as Tea at Alexanders, was introduced to the world of loose leaf tea by the Ondejčíková family at the Tea House of Good People in Slovakia in 2012 and now import a range of tea pure leaves including green Sencha, the black Yunnan needles, the white Pai Mu Tan and the fermented Pu erh among many other tea blends.

Legend has it that the first tea was brewed quite by accident when some workmen of the Emperor Chen Nung were boiling water to purify it and some leaves from a nearby Camellia sinensis plant fell into the cauldron and steeped into the water. By the Qin Dynasty (3rd century BC) drinking tea became widely popular and spread to Korea and Japan and was eventually traded with the west in the 19th century.

Though there are hundreds of different teas out there, they all come from the same place – the tea bush Camellia sinesis, and the five different types of pure tea are the result of how the leaves are processed.

Green tea refers to tea leaves that have undergone minimal oxidation during manufacturing.

Tea of Eternity is a high quality blend of Chinese green tea enriched with ginseng, which stimulates stamina and boosts energy levels, cleaning the body of toxins and slowing down the ageing process.

Yellow and white tea involves a little more oxidation during the manufacturing process. White tea is the healthiest tea and its extracts are being used in health care products. Jewel of the Orient is a refreshing blend of green and white tea leaves together

with rose petals, jasmine, marigold and cornflower. It is good for the liver and supports the immune system.

Oolong tea is next in the spectrum and is produced through the unique process of withering under strong sunlight. Tea of Formosana, which comes from Taiwan, is

blended with peaches to create a very smooth tea, with a sweet aftertaste.

Black tea is fully oxidized tea. Buddha Tea is an exotic blend of three different black tea leaves brought from Sri Lanka, South India and China. Mixed with petals of marigold, coconut and pineapple, this was inspired by a blend often offered to the Buddha. Chai Tea, gaining popularity in the west, is a blend of spiced black tea, mixed with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and fennel.

Pu erh is black tea that has been aged and has been crowned as the king of fat loss, with celebrities such as Victoria Beckham singing its praises. Its aiding in the digesting of fatty acids and reduction in cholesterol levels makes it a great fat loss product that is completely natural.

Aside from the soothing effects of a hot cuppa, tea has been shown to provide a whole array of health benefits from cancer prevention, to normalising blood pressure and boosting the immune system, so go on, make yourself a brew.

Tea and Blends Malta 128, Triq Tal-Mensija, San Gwann Email: simonsteas@gmail.com Mob: 79093288 Find us on Facebook Tea and Blends Malta

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Spreading the magic through cake There is nothing quite like the look on a child’s face when they see their elaborate birthday cake for the first time. Ann Marie, of Ann Marie’s Bakes, talks to Gourmet TODAY about what got her started.

Ann Marie’s favourite childhood memories all involve baking in the kitchen, painting, sewing or doing something creative. From a young age, at a time when commodities like sugar paste and cutters were unheard of, she enjoyed designing and creating novelty cakes for her family and friends. Her children grew up with some very elaborate cakes including teddy bears sitting upright, a football pitch, a train with carriages and many more.

As her children grew older, she was able to invest more time in learning, attending courses and experimenting. She travelled overseas for several courses, and by the time her children were getting engaged, she had mastered enough stills to make their engagement and wedding cakes herself. She

now enjoys creating beautiful masterpieces for her grandchildren, who are constantly challenging her skills with their requests. “It is wonderful to see their tiny faces light up when they see their magical cakes,” she said.

Ann Marie is constantly aspiring to improve and does not consider herself to be an expert by any means. She attends numerous courses both locally and overseas and on the few occasions she gets some free time, she can be found in her kitchen practising or experimenting with something new.

Anne Marie’s Bakes Mob: 99494417 Email : annmariegm@gmail.com Find us on Facebook www.facebook.com/pages/Ann-Maries-Bakes

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Learn the art of cake decorating With Artistic Cakes Malta

Everyone fancies themselves a cake decorator these days. Though basic cake decorating is really quite easy, learning basic techniques from the pros will really give your cake that little bit of an edge.

Artistic Cakes Malta have introduced a new series of cake decorating classes taught by Mary Ann Zahra, who obtained Masterclass Certificates from Squires Kitchen UK. Their new curriculum features a number of demonstration classes and hands-on classes specifically designed for those that would like to start decorating cakes, and also for those who are advanced cake decorators. These classes are designed in such a way that each student can immediately apply the techniques learnt on their individual projects.

Artistic Cakes Malta offer a number of interesting courses including Starting Your Own Cake Business from Home, Royal Icing flowers on the Nail, The Art of Culinary Airbrushing, Stenciling Techniques and Hand-painting Techniques on Cakes. These courses are taught at their professional kitchen studio. Other courses that have launched this year are Flower Arrangements on Cakes and Advanced Sugar Flower Making. The basic courses, Sugarcraft Flowers and Other Cake Decorations, Christmas Cake Decorations and Royal Icing Techniques, will always remain scheduled in their curriculum as these are very popular with students who look forward to having a go at this artistic craft.

Courses run from October till June

every year.

Artistic Cakes Malta dreams of putting the art of cake decorating on the map, making people aware that this is an edible artistry with lots of great skills, artistic workmanship and artistic abilities. Artistic Cakes Malta aim to teach their students to become professional cake decorating artists, giving them opportunities to enhance their techniques and making them feel confident using their skills. Our aim is that in the future we

would see more elaborated cakes and eventually masterpieces from Maltese cake artists.

Artisitc Cakes Malta 105, Eden Flats, L-Izbark tat-Torok Street, Qajjenza, Birzebbugia BBG1234 Mob: 99855121 www.artisticakesmalta.com Find us on Facebook Artistic Cakes Malta

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Your one-stop-shop for cake decorating supplies Calfam Services, better known to people in the trade as Sugar Craft, has been steadily building a name for themselves in the world of cake decorating over the last four years.

What started off as a sideline has today become their main business and they are now the largest supplier of cake decorating supplies on the island.

Stocking products from a number of international producers such as Wilton, PME, Squires, FMM,

SugarFlair and others, they are able to cater for both the professional baker as well as the occasional baker.

Aside from the cutters, piping bags, moulds, pans

and other equipment, Calfam Services also stock consumables commonly used in baking such as sugar paste, marzipan, ground almonds, flour, dairy products and many more.

One service that has been gaining popularity on the island is their printing service. Images can be printed onto rice paper or directly onto sugar paste so that you can make your own intensely personalized cake for any occasion, be it cartoon characters for children’s parties or more adult themed for bachelor and hen parties.

As more and more people are starting to decorate their own cakes, Calfam Services is offering a number of cake decorating courses suitable for every level of baker.

Calfam is open Monday to Friday from 8:00am to 6:00pm and Saturdays from 8:00am to 1:00pm.

Calfam Services Limited

99 Mons Arturo Bonnici Str CALFAM SERVICES LIMITED Swatar Email: ccalleja@calfammalta.com Tel: 21337741 / 99804431

99, MONS ARTURO BONNICI STR., SWATAR MSD 2253 TEL:- 21337741/ 99804431

EMAIL:- info@calfammalta.com

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Gourmet Today’s picks Chocolate Baking with Icam

Relax with a camomile cuppa Reputed to have relaxing properties, camomile is considered by aromatherapists to be calming and soothing. Made with pure camomile flowers, Tetley Camomile Infusion has a beautifully delicate colour and flavour for the perfect relaxing cuppa!

Quintano Foods. Tel: 2381 4556, Email: info@quintanofoods.com

Benefits of sheep’s milk

Icam Cioco Pasticeria is your ideal baking buddy. It is available as a cooking chocolate in Dark, Milk and White Chocolate, Dark and Sugared Cocoa Powder and Dark Chocolate Chips. It’s suitable both for home baking as well as for catering. (Catering packs also available).

Trade Enquiries contact Goodies Ltd. No.4/5, Triq il-Mastrudaxxa, Qormi Tel: 21497800 / 79497800 e-mail on sales@goodies.com.mt

Galbusera Healthy Snacks Galbusera have a vast range of snacks from biscuits and wafers to crackers. Galbusera use high quality ingredients and have sophisticated recipes for a balanced diet. Riso su Riso Crackers contain 30% less fat that similar products on the market, while Buoni Cosi range varies from Senza Lieviti Crackers that contain no yeast and contain 35% less sugar and the biscuits and wafers that contain no added sugars. The Zero Grano range is suitable for celiac and those other people that are on a gluten-free diet.

Trade Enquiries contact Goodies Ltd. No.4/5, Triq il-Mastrudaxxa, Qormi Tel: 21497800 / 79497800 e-mail on sales@goodies.com.mt

MEVGAL sheep’s milk yogurt is smooth, rich and creamy.

Sheep’s yogurt has the following advantages: • 48% more protein than cow’s milk • Twice the calcium compared to cow’s milk • Higher in vitamins A, B (B1, niacin; B2, riboflavin; B5, folic acid; and B12), C, D and E, it has higher levels of biotin, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and zinc, and less sodium.

• Sheep produce thicker milk—it contains almost twice as many solids as cow’s milk— so there is no need to add stabilizers to the yogurt • Sheep are not given growth hormones so MEVGAL Sheep’s yoghurt is rBGH-free Find MEVGAL yogurts in all leading retail outlets

Quintano Foods. Tel: 2381 4556, Email: info@quintanofoods.com

Olympus Feta Cheese Olympus Products Olympus Feta Cheese is valuable components, produced from pasteurwithout the discomfort ized cow’s milk. The caused by lactose intolerbreakdown of lactose ance. gives a slightly Attard & Co. sweet taste, but Canter Business Centre, has no effects on Patri Felicjan Bilocca the energy value Street, Marsa MRS 1521, Malta. of the product.

Tel: 2123 7555 Thus, Freelact Fax: 2122 0186 combines great Email: info@attardco.com taste with all

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Olympus Feta cubetti Olympus Feta Cheese For over three generations, OLYMPUS has developed and refined a process of producing cheeses that elevate those simple dairy and efficient to add to your products to unequalled favourite salad or pasta heights of superiority. dish!

OLYMPUS presents these cheese products distinguished by their Attard & Co. delicate taste thereby Canter Business Centre, Patri Felicjan Bilocca providing a unique Street, and unforgettable Marsa MRS 1521, Malta. culinary experience. Tel: 2123 7555 Feta cubetti are Fax: 2122 0186 conveniently cut up, Email: info@attardco.com making it even easier

Charles Grech & Co

Easter Sunday Carvery Buffet at Ta’ Marija!

Make your Easter celebration an unforgettable occasion with a gathering filled with liveliness in an elegant setting. To celebrate their 50th anniversary Ta’ Marija will be holding an Easter Sunday Carvery with slow-roasted, minted lamb, crusted pork belly and honey baked gammon as well as a trolley-full of homemade desserts for just €32.50.

Mandolin and guitar players will

lighten the mood.

And don’t forget their all-inclusive Carvery Buffet at just €25 on Saturday evenings and Sunday lunches, complete with unlimited wine, water and coffee. Popular singer Corazon joins in every Saturday night, captivating the audience with her mesmerizing voice and passionate songs, whilst on Wednesdays and Fridays are

for Folklore Dinner Shows with six dancers in traditional eighteenth century costumes.

Ta’ Maria Restaurant For bookings call on 21 434444 Constitution Street, Mosta Email: info@tamarija.com Web: www.tamarija.com

Get to know the Caravaggio range Marsovin’s Caravaggio range is a selection of D.O.K. MALTA wines dedicated to the master himself. Caravaggio, a revolutionary in art, was accused of imitating nature at the expense of ideal beauty. This range consists of eight different wines, a Shiraz, a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Merlot, a Chardonnay, a Moscato, a Chenin Blanc, a Cabernet Franc and a Pinot Bianco all of which bear one of the masterpieces on the front label of this truly great artist.

The Caravaggio range is available in all leading supermarkets and restaurants around the Maltese Islands.

FINCA FLICHMAN wines are exclusively imported by Charles Grech & Co. Ltd, Valley Road, Birkikara T: 2144 - 4400

Marsovin Ltd, The Winery, Wills Street, Marsa, PLA 2234, Malta Tel: (356) 2182 4918 Fax: (356) 2180 9501 info@marsovinwinery.com

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Events

Salt, a brand new restaurant in Bugibba, opened its doors on 18 March, 2015

Bobby Cesareo and Bernadette Fenech Close

The Saliba family – Daniel, Stephan, Nicky, Carol, Monique and Nicole

Chef Isaac Saliba, Sean Cassar and Nicky Saliba

Owners Isaac Saliba and Nicky Salib

Bobby Cesareo, Isaac Saliba, Sean Cassar, Nicky Saliba and Carole Saliba

Gourmet Today recipe index Starters Baba ganoush....................................................................10 Pasta seafood with truffles.............................................18 Broad beans with prawns...............................................37 Monkfish tail in a herb crust.........................................39 Raw artichoke and bean crostini.................................55 Spring salad with strawberry........................................60 Salmon cakes.....................................................................64 Carrot zucchini muffins.................................................64

Sweets Hot cross buns................................................................15 Chocolate strawberry tart ...........................................40 Coffee parfait...................................................................59 Chocolate covered strawberries................................60 Cinnamon swirls............................................................62 Apple and rhubarb crumble........................................73 Maltese trifle....................................................................74 Strawberry fest................................................................75

Mains Marrow soup with courgette flowers.........................6 Rib-eye pho........................................................................6 Soppa tal-armla.................................................................7 Lamb tagine.....................................................................13 Stuffed calamari all caprese.........................................19 Seabass involtini.............................................................19 Quiche Rita......................................................................56 Ravioli with gbejniet and borage...............................58 Quiche Lorraine.............................................................63 Coronation chicken sandwiches................................63 Cauliflower and quinoa salad.....................................65 Wok wrap with gbejna..................................................65

Accompaniments Lemon cous cous............................................................13 Cocktails The Confession...............................................................32 The Victorian...................................................................32 The Medicine Bottle......................................................32 The Silver Siphon...........................................................32 The Fireplace....................................................................33 The Vintage Shaker........................................................33 The Strawberry Lovers.................................................33 The Mango Martini.......................................................33

Rotunda Square, Mosta MST 9014