26.12.15
Spinning yarns Meet Lily Warne Wool
INSIDE: Love your leftovers Style: Alexa Chung
WIN:
5
Hot fitness trends for 2016
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+ SIGNED RIVER COTTAGE BOOKS + FABULOUS FROCK GIFT VOUCHER
21/12/2015 13:58:01
Quality and Style
the furnishers
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‘A good pie is one of my favourite things to eat at any time of year’ Chef George Pascoe, p 18
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LOVE YOUR LEFTOVERS With signed copies of Hugh’s latest book to win
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NEW CUSTOMS A stunning cottage makeover in Mousehole
[contents[ Inside this week... 5
SEW PRETTY Silly Old Seadog’s vintage style
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JUST TO SAY... Gillian Molesworth’s notes on thank you letter-writing
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GOSSIP The latest juicy morsels
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HOME SPUN How family memories are woven into the tale of Lily Warne Wool
TASTY TIPS
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MY FAVOURITE PLACES Chef Paul Ainsworth
Make the most of your leftovers
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HARBOUR EDGE A holiday gem beside the sea
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ANNE SWITHINBANK On the houseplant revival
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CULTURE VULTURE Magical family shows to see
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YOUR STARS Cassandra Nye looks at the week ahead
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FREE FROM? Sam Farmer explores what’s in a label
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INGREDIENT OF THE WEEK Tim Maddams is taking stock
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THE BEER GURU Love your local, says Darren Norbury
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PHIL GOODWIN On becoming a master of festive sleight of hand
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DRESS FOR CHILLS We’ve picked a bunch of cosies
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STAY AWHILE A weekend in Zennor 3
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[
[
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FLOCK STARS From Twig Farm to fabulous yarn
[ welcome [ Don’t throw those sprouts away! appy Boxing Day – we hope your December 25 was wonderful in every way. If you’ve woken up wondering how long you’ll be able to endure a surfeit of sprouts and mounds of cold turkey, help’s at hand, as we’ve called on some of our favourite chefs to create tasty recipes with Christmas Day leftovers and other bits they’re confident you’ll already have in the fridge. By the time you read this, Chudleigh mother and son team Paula and Lewis Steer will probably already have fed and watered their Grey-
H
Tweet
of the week
[
@jillysargent @WMNWest Loved the article on Exeter #notjustforchristmas
face Dartmoor sheep, which are at the heart of an award-winning business venture, Lily Warne Wool. Lewis hopes that we’ll all become as interested in home-grown wool as we’ve become in local produce. We hope so, too – especially if it creates a future for this utterly adorable local (and now, rare) breed. Meet them on page 12. We’ve been lucky enough to chat to some incredible Westcountry people this year. We’re already looking forward to what 2016 will bring and to sharing it with you. Have a wonderful Bank Holiday weekend – and here’s to a very Happy New Year.
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We’re already looking forward to what 2016 will bring
TO ADVERTISE: Contact Lynne Potter: 01752 293027 or 07834 568283, lynne.potter@dc-media.co.uk
Catherine Barnes, Acting Editor
COVER IMAGE: Lewis Steer
EDITORIAL: westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk Tel: 01392 442250 Twitter @wmnwest
MEET THE TEAM Becky Sheaves, Editor
Sarah Pitt
Kathryn Clarke-McLeod
Catherine Barnes
Lynne Potter
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Go for a glamorous cold weather look with this vintage-inspired Igloo dress, £105, from Cornish company Silly Old Seadog. Model Holly Harwood looked the part on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway, with glam make-up by Madame Tashy’s Beauty Boutique. She was photographed by Lisa Parkinson of www.kernowdreamphotography.com
If you buy one thing this week... Win
We have a £50 gift voucher to put towards a glamorous dress from sillyoldseadog.com. To be in with a chance, email your details, with Silly Old Seadog as the subject, to westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk by January 9. Normal terms apply. West magazine will not share your details.
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SPARKLE Eichholtz medium chandelier £573.75 reduced from £765 www. sweetpeaandwillow.com
Meadow grasses Helen Round ‘hedgerow’ linen cushion from the Contemporary Craft Festival Shop in Bovey Tracey and www.craftsatboveytracey. co.uk
the
wishlist West’s picks for spending your time and money this week
SEA SCENT Scented candle £17.65 www. duperedesign.com and Dupere Design in Modbury
STREET STYLE STAR
Ally Bonfield
Ally says: “I take style inspiration from, well, everybody and anybody. Right now I really like v-neck jumpers. Zara, Biba and Urban Outfitters are some of my favourite shops.” Long leather jacket: Biba £160 Top: TK Maxx £5 Jeans: Primark £10 Shoes: “I can’t remember where they were from” £40 Bag: Topshop £40
INTERVIEW: HANNAH MATTOCKS
Ally, 62, lives in Sidmouth. Ally’s unique style put us in mind of rock chick Chrissie Hynde and we love her monochromatic colour scheme...
Cashmere merino grey check throw £110 www. rigbyandmac.com
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Wishlist
Hot pink small chalcedony earrings £32 from north Devon-based www. wanderlustlife.co.uk
SO SOFT Heritage cashmere throw in lavender £245 www. withinhome.com
Cashmere Kisses sweater £99.95 www. whitestuff.com
Store we adore
Winifred & Mabel, Wadebridge This shop in Wadebridge promotes the work of local craftspeople, with clocks made from Cornish slate alongside chunky hand-knits, willow baskets, jewellery and shimmering glass seascapes. Look out, too, for handmade brooches and bunting, and hand-painted pottery featuring scenes from Cornish beaches. Winifred & Mabel is at 30 Molesworth Street, Wadebridge, call 01208 985271 or visit www.facebook.com/winifredandmabel
Quirky Teapot lamp by Typisch Tessy £48.50 www.dawanda.com 7
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talking points Gillian Molesworth
Story of my life... A brief note on writing thank yous verybody hates Boxing Day in my family because I make us all write thank-you notes. Well, I say they hate it – like any job, the prospect of it is worse than actually doing it. What’s the old adage? “A job begun is half done?” Once you get going it’s actually rather pleasant. I think it’s important to do how straightforward they are. at least one thing that requires “Dear Grampa: thank you for the self-discipline after the orgy of fishing rod. Freddy.” Now that Christmas Day. One of my forethey’re older, I make them write bears was a Methodist minister a minimum of three sentences. – I’m sure there’s a streak in me To allay the complaints (“I don’t that needs to punish everyone a know what to saaay!”), here is bit for the excess. my patented thank-you note Father Christmas really kindly outline – and feel free to use it at brings the kids thank you notes home. Sentence one should be every year, so no one is allowed to a straightforward and slightly say that they have no stationery. gushy: “Thank you so much for Nipped that one the lovely dolly.” in the bud. Sentence two should There’s a say something definite order of complimentary and thank-you notes. specific about the There’s a definite First and foretoy, and/or describe order of thank most, to the older what you’re going generation. This to do with it. “She you notes, first generation nois really pretty and and foremost tices when your I am going to dress to the older kids do (or don’t) her up today.” Then write. I would you should say generation not go so far as something chatty to say that there about your life or is a competition day you’re having: between cousins, “Today we are but suffice to say when one auntie going to take the dog for a walk says “I got the most charming on Bodmin Moor and then watch thank-you note from little Lizzie,” E.T.” Finally, show an interest then the other one is supposed to in the receiver’s life: “I hope that be able to say, “Me too! Isn’t little you are well and that Dizzy the Henry’s handwriting coming on? cat is feeling better.” I could make out nearly all of Job done. Yours truly/sinit.” If she can’t say this, you soon cerely/love, and stick your name know about it. on there, possibly with a little As the days tick by, you lose drawing of a heart or another momentum, and start forgetting signature doodle such as we used who gave you what. to draw before emoticons. When the kids are younger Who says the art of letter-writ– particularly the boys – I love ing is dead?
E
Gillian Molesworth is a journalist and mum-of-two who grew up in the USA and moved to north Cornwall when she met her husband
TIMELESS
Victoriana New Year’s the time for looking back as well as ahead, so when better to enjoy the timeless elegance of classic Victoriana? Alexa Chung’s the acknowledged style queen of our day and looks every inch the lady in her bib-panelled gown in midnight velvet. Oasis has gone above-the-knee in a lovely interpretation in blue and Very’s diaphanous high-necked blouse certainly looks the part!
Bib-front frock £50 Oasis
steal her
style
OR MAKE IT YOUR OWN
OPTION A Proper OPTION B Prim
Lace sleeve dress £50 Dorothy Perkins
Blouse £27 Very
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26.12.15
Just
GLUED TO THE BOX We can’t wait to see Caroline Quentin among the star-studded cast of new BBC1 series, Dickensian, which begins this evening and she and her family will be watching from home near Tiverton, too! Mum-of-two Caroline, who plays mean workhouse matron
Mrs Bumble, says: “There’s something about the nation gathering around and watching a bit of Christmas TV and knowing that you’ll be there. It’s nice to be part of that, and indeed my children will be forced to watch me whether they want to or not!”
between us Gossip, news, trend setters and more – you heard all the latest juicy stuff here first!
!
LOVELY LINES
SUNNY SIDE UP Baby it’s cold outside, but not for Gavin and Stacey star-turned US chat show host James Corden. He’s now living in LA with wife Julia Carey and their two young children, but described the move as a “massive undertaking”. The hit Late Late Show host told TV’s Ross King: “It’s a credit to my wife really, to move – our daughter was five weeks old and my son was three.” But clearly there’ve been no regrets. James added: “I work really hard in the week and then I feel like on a Saturday morning, it’s like you’ve clicked your fingers and you’re just in the South of France. You feel very lucky to be in a position where that is our life, for a few years, or until they sack me!”
Actress Jane Seymour says she needs her wrinkles for her job – so she won’t be getting a facelift any time soon. The former Bond girl, 64, had breast implants a quarter of a century ago and has also had surgery around her eyes. But appearing on Loose Women, the Dr Quinn Medicine Woman star said she had been put off cosmetic surgery by seeing its effects on other people in the film industry. She said: “I started looking around and everyone started looking a bit like chipmunks – and they didn’t look like themselves. I’m an actress and I really believe in coming to work as a blank canvas and then turning myself into the character. So I need my wrinkles, I need my facial expressions to happen. “And I saw a lot of people who did it, famous celebrities who don’t look like themselves any more, and I went, ‘Ooh I’m not sure I’m ready for that’.” 9
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Eye sty: Richard Austin took this picture of Jeannie Morrissey of Pork Heaven, Stoodleigh, Devon, feeding her pigs
in pictures Little star: EmiliaMae Wallis shone at the Pride of Plymouth awards
Snug: Somerset wildlife charity Secret World rescued this tiny fox cub
Joy to the world: Ilfracombe’s Holy Trinity Church choir was in fine voice
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talking points Slim pickings
Stick with it
ONE OF US Famous faces with links to the Westcountry All under 100 calories
1. A cup of blueberries 2. 21 gramme chunk of cheddar 3. A large boiled egg 4. An apple 5. Half a baked potato 6. 13 whole almonds 7. Two kiwi fruit 8. A vodka and soda 9. 25 pistachios 10. Nine olives
Worth it
10 interesting ways with salt
1. Rub a cloth bag full to de-ice frosty windscreens 2. Soak clothes in a solution to remove sweat stains 3. Use it in the wash to set the colour of new towels 4. Kill weeds with a strong solution 5. Use it as a bath soak 6. Scrub off burned milk from pans 7. Remove lipstick from a glass 8. Add to boiling egg water for easier removal of shells 9. Keep salad crisp 10. Put out a fire
Most commonly broken resolutions
1. Lose weight 2. Quit smoking 3. Excerise more 4. Stop drinking 5. Save money 6. Get organised 7. Travel 8. Learn a new language 9. Sort your wardrobe 10. Do a fun run
The happy list
10 things to make you smile this week 1. Boxing Day walk: a gentle amble on moor or beach 2. Le overs: bubble and squeak, yum! 3. Dickensian: Looking forward to this new BBC1 series tonight 4. The sales – bargains to be had 5. Receipts: but it’s still the thought that counts! 6. Just… relaxing 7. Solstice past: Now the days are getting longer! 8. Boxing Day swims. Dare you? Did you? 9. Family and friends – enjoying their company 10. Christmas – only 366 days to go!
This week:
Rick Stein TV foodie Rick Stein, 68, is the founder of the culinary empire in Padstow in north Cornwall Early days: Rick was brought up in Oxfordshire, failed all his A levels and started a hotel management traineeship with the Great Western Hotel at Paddington station. Travel: At the age of 19 he went to Australia and worked in an abattoir, after the suicide of his father, “to take some time out”. He later won a place to study English at New College, Oxford.
his Floyd on Fish show in 1984 as a guest chef. He was then offered his own show, which he presented accompanied by his Jack Russell terrier, Chalky.
DID YOU KNOW?
Rick’s business employs 450 people in Padstow
Success: Rick owns four restaurants in Padstow, a fish and chip shop in Falmouth and a fish and chip shop in Newquay. He has written a number of cookery books and presented many television food and travel programmes. Padstow: After graduating, Rick took a mobile disco to Padstow and ran a nightclub on the quayside. It was closed down, mainly due to complaints about noise, and in 1975 Rick and his wife Jill converted it into a restaurant, The Seafood Restaurant. Fame: Rick first appeared on television alongside Keith Floyd in
Travel: His TV series include Rick Stein’s Spain and Rick Stein’s India. A book has accompanied each series and his book English Seafood Cookery won Food Book of the Year in 1989. Honours: Rick was awarded the OBE in 2003 for services to tourism in Cornwall.
Relationships: Rick and Jill Stein are now divorced, but still run the business together. He now lives part of the year in Australia with his second wife Sarah, where they run a restaurant in the town of Mollymook. Family: Rick has three grown-up sons from his marriage to Jill – Edward, Jack and Charles. Wealth: Rick and Jill’s Padstow food business has been valued at £32 million. 11
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People
A family yarn Mother and son team Paula and Lewis Steer little imagined that three rare-breed sheep and long winter nights spent knitting with gran would lead to an award-winning business. Catherine Barnes met them (and their adorable flock) at home in Devon Pictures: Steve Haywood
e were bringing the sheep up the lane yesterday and a lady stopped and said, aren’t they gorgeous? Is that the Lily Warne flock?” Paula Steer still can’t quite believe that her Greyface Dartmoors have become quite so famous, nor that her great-great-grandmother’s name and legacy is enchanting people, too. Paula, 47 and her oldest son Lewis, 21, have had a whirlwind couple of years since they launched their homespun business, Lily Warne Wool together from Twig Farm near Chudleigh, which the family’s called home for the past seven years. They’ve lived in Devon for generations. Lily Warne makes and sell pretty vintage-style knitted accessories, fluffy sheepskins (tanned
“W
in Buckfastleigh) and balls of wonderfully soft knitting yarn in 16 natural candy hues. They’ve already attracted celebrity fans: Millie Mackintosh browsed their old-fashioned suitcases stuffed with wares at Jamie Oliver’s Big Feastival in the Cotswolds this summer. Kate Moss picked out one of their flower brooches and Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda Holden was also a delighted customer, Paula reveals. TV’s Countryfile and Escape to The Country have come filming and then there have been the awards. Most recently Lily Warne was named Champion of Champions at the Rural Business Awards in October – a national accolade. “It was such a shock, but that’s what our year’s been like,” says the mum-of-two, who still
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feels pretty amazed. Creating a household name label is certainly not what Paula anticipated when she and her late grandmother Kathleen spent cosy winter evenings knitting together. Lily Warne began when Lewis, who divides his time between studying rural land management at the Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester and home, achieved top grades in his GCSEs and chose three sheep as his reward. “We’re quite an entrepreneurial family and thought, we’ll give you something to make something of,” says Paula, whose husband Keith is a wholesale fruit and veg merchant and younger son, Ben, 18 is an apprentice footballer at Plymouth Argyle. “It was an ambition of mine – I’d always wanted sheep and as soon as I saw the Greyfaces, I knew they were the ones,” says Lewis. Indeed it would take a heart of stone not to be completely beguiled by this now rare Westcountry breed. Greyface fleeces once helped power Devon’s economy, but sadly these days it’s often cheaper to burn their beautiful, curly shorn wool. As Lewis and Paula rattle feed buckets, they come bustling up to share – adorably fat-bottomed and with dark splodges on their mouths, just like an elderly aunt’s hastily applied lipstick. “We just love them,” smiles Paula “and when Gran came to visit and saw them, she told us her grandmother, Granny Warne, had kept them and
‘As soon as I saw the Greyfaces, I knew that they were the ones’ spun the wool into yarn. We’d had no idea.” Inspired, Paula and Lewis decided to experiment and had their wool spun and dyed into yarn in Launceston by the Natural Fibre Company. Then she and Kathleen began to make brooches together with the wool. The hours they spent together brought back childhood memories for Kathleen, which she recounted to Paula. Sporting their flower brooches, Paula would pop into gift shops where they caught eyes and led to orders. and they began to sell like mad. Then, devastatingly, Kathleen was diagnosed with terminal cancer. “My sister and I nursed her through it and when she died on Boxing Day 2012, I was completely bereft,” says Paula, who still misses her gran like mad. “Mum was so sad, so to take her mind off things, I saw a ‘table top talent’ competition in Country Living magazine,” says Lewis. “And unbeknown to me, he entered me,” adds Paula. Weeks later, they got a call to tell them they were finalists and that they’d be showcasing their wares at the Country Living Fair at the Business Design Centre in Islington, London. “We didn’t even have a business then,” adds 13
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People
Lewis. “We had to create a brand and packaging in just two weeks. We decided to call the business Lily Warne Wool and named the wools together. Everything is named for a story in the family. “There’s Chagford green for where she grew up, Gidleigh green where Lily kept sheep and Bovey blue where I met Keith…” adds Paula. “The show was so daunting – we were up against people that were so established and all we had was a bag of wool.” But Lily Warne was a hit and the pair got through to the competition’s next round at the Hay-on-Wye Festival. This stage involved Paula making a Dragons’ Den-style business pitch to the judges, a prospect which scared her stiff. “I was still raw from gran’s death and terrified at the prospect of speaking,” she confesses. “So I’d send her out on a walk every day with the iPod to practice” smiles Lewis. “When we got there, there were businesses doing Power Point presentations and mum just had an old brown suitcase full of wool and some flash cards. Dad and I were in the audience and at that point, we began to feel a bit worried.” Laughing at the memory, Paula admits: “As a mum, you’re always making your children just get up there and do it. This time though, it was me who had to get up and do it.” “And at the end,” says Lewis proudly, “she got a standing ovation.” Since then, they’ve not looked back. Other competition prizes helped fund the launch of Lily Warne’s online shop, while other retailers have been falling over themselves to stock the products. They’ve launched a monthly ‘Ewesletter’ for loyal customers, who often email and write,
and their balls of yarn, brooches and accessories are also selling overseas. “People still like the vintage look and with us, they see the process from farming to mill,” adds Paula. “I think people love English products, but it’s the story behind them that people really like.” “Word has just spread,” agrees Lewis. “At one fair,” he smiles, “someone said to me:
your mum’s the next Cath Kidston and I thought, blimey, I hope not – I need help with the sheep!” Caring for their Greyfaces, as well as the small commercial flock that Paula’s always kept since the boys were small, is often a round-the-clock job. When it comes to lambing in February and March (the one time of year when Paula absolutely refuses to eat the meat), the pair will work two-hours-on, two-hours off shifts night and day. Lewis shears the now 80-strong Greyface flock by hand. He’s also roped in his student girlfriend Flora, 20 as Girl Friday and model (she’s our lovely cover star this week). “She’s learned how to shear and can drive the tractor now,” he says cheerfully. He and Paula have an enviably happy, relaxed and intuitive relationship. There are a lot of laughs and not a few sentences finished on the other’s behalf. While Lewis looks after the land
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Great-great-grandmother Lily Warne, above, and, below, Paula with her muchmissed gran, Kathleen
management side of the business leaving Paula free to come up with new designs, with the help of seven freelance knitters to produce them. Both enjoy giving talks to schools, societies and women’s groups about the farm-to-yarn business. Lewis says the‘farm-to-yarn’ tag is stimulating interest in Devon’s traditional connection with wool, just as the ‘farm to fork’ movement has whetted appetites for local produce. “It’s fantastic that we’re changing perceptions,” he adds. The pair also want to inspire others to pursue their own good ideas. “I want to encourage other women,” says Paula. “Sometimes, becoming a 100% mum can
lead you to feel you’ve lost your identity. But anyone can do it. Believe in yourself and it will happen, although you won’t earn anything for the first couple of years!” “It would be so much easier to have a job,” agrees Lewis, who has hopes of having his own farm one day, but rues the fact that opportunities for his generation to acquire land are becoming scarcer. “It’s hugely hard work, but you do it for its own reward.” “I think we’re living the life that everyone wants, but we’re not frightened of hard work,” adds Paula. “We’re doing what we love.” Visit lilywarnewool.co.uk
WIN: Lily Warne is introducing these adorable Lily Loves sheep (wearing smart knitted jackets) to its range for 2016 and we have five, worth £7.95 each, to give away. To enter, email your name, address and phone number headed ‘Lily Warne’ to westmag@ westernmorningnews.co.uk by January 9. Normal terms apply. West magazine won’t share your details.
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Love le ov
PHOTO: KI PRICE
Celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Wh on waste on TV this year and enc down on the shocking amount of fo consigned to the bin. Inspired by h new book, Love Your Le overs, kitchen stars from Devon and Corn their own recipes to repurpose y sorts of marvellous
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vely overs
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
nley-Whittingstall waged war and encouraged us all to cut ount of food that ends up being red by him and his wonderful overs, we asked five other and Cornwall to come up with urpose yesterday’s fare in all rvellous ways Food hero Hugh, of Devon’s River Cottage, says he’s horrified at the amount of food and le overs we dispose of and regards scraps – including peelings – as a rich source of ingredients. He says: “More than half the meals I put together incorporate something from a previous meal, or something that’s knocking around or needs eating up, that’s wagging its finger at me saying, ‘If you don’t eat me soon I’ll be on the compost’. You can actually spin a really original and delicious little snack from a mackerel skeleton and a little bit of spice from the cupboard and potato peel soup is an absolute revelation!”
We’ve 5 copies o River Cott f ag e Love You : 1. First make the sauce. Leftovers r to be Put 3tbsp sweet chilli won – see sauce, 2tbsp soy sauce, 1 page 20 grated garlic clove, 1/4tsp
Chinese-style crispy beef
2.
Potato peel soup 1. Heat 20g butter or oil in a medium saucepan over a medium-low heat and add one or two diced onions, a bay leaf and a good pinch of salt. Saute gently, until the onions are soft. 2. Add about 200g potato peelings (about as much as you’d get from preparing a decent-sized tray of roast potatoes) and give everything a very good stir for a minute. 3. Pour in 500ml milk and stock, season well with salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently until the peels are very tender – another 10 minutes or so. 4. Remove from the heat and cool slightly, then puree in a food processor, blender or using a stick blender until very smooth. Return the soup to the pan and reheat gently. Season well with salt and pepper and stir in chopped parsley. 5. Serve, as pictured above, in warmed bowls, topped with fried sage leaves and shards of crisp-grilled bacon, if you like. Finish with a generous grind of pepper.
3.
4.
5. 6.
7.
finely grated ginger and the juice of half an orange into a small pan. Simmer for a couple of minutes until thickened, then set aside. Cut roast (rare, ideally) beef into strips, 3-4mm thick. Heat a 2-3cm depth of oil in a wok or a deep saucepan (the fat will bubble up when you add the beef, so don’t use a shallow pan). Heat the oil to 180C, or until a cube of dry white bread dropped in turns golden in just under a minute. Sift 3tbsp cornflour and 1tsp five-spice powder onto a plate. Toss the beef strips in this, until well coated on all sides. Fry the beef in a couple of batches to avoid crowding the pan. Lower into the hot oil and fry until golden and crisp, which should only take a couple of minutes. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and place on kitchen paper to drain. Let the oil come back up to temperature before adding the second batch of meat to the pan. Mix the orange zest with the flaky sea salt and sprinkle over the beef. Make a salad – a few crisp lettuce leaves, a grated carrot, half a small cucumber (seeds scooped out, then cut into thin batons) and three spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced. Toss in 1tbsp rice wine vinegar. Pile the salad and crispy beef onto individual plates. Trickle on the sauce and add a scattering of sesame seeds. Garnish with coriander if you have some to hand.
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nson h o J a s s i l e M
South West Junior Chef of the Year 20 14
oe c s a P e g r o Ge Chef George Pascoe co-founded the Philleigh Way cookery school at Court Farm on the Roseland Peninsula with brother-in-law James Martin. They inspire cooks by combining traditional Cornish recipes with contemporary ingredients and skills. He says: “Christmas dinner at our farmhouse is a large affair, with upwards of 15 people. I was very much the commis chef on the day as my mum Shirley is head chef, while Granny Spear, Betty, is executive chef. Work begins from 8am onwards. A good pie is one of my favourite things to eat at any time of year. However, they go down especially well on Boxing Day. There are so many leftovers hanging around and whether you had roasted turkey or goose (which we always do), beef or chicken it doesn’t really matter. Leftover gravy makes for a lovely rich sauce and braised red cabbage is great as an accompaniment. With a few staples from the larder you can knock this recipe up in no time – my wife Hannah loves it! www.philleighway.co.uk
Student Melissa Johnson, 16, was crowned Michael Caines’ Junior South West Chef of the Year in 2014. She lives in West Hill near Ottery St Mary and works part- time in the kitchen at the acclaimed Salty Monk in Sidford. She says: “I really enjoyed working on Christmas Day at the Salty Monk. We had a full restaurant with 60 guests, so in the morning I worked in the kitchen with the other chefs and later in the afternoon changed to work front-of-house, serving guests, both of which I love doing. I ate Christmas dinner with my family in the evening after work which was mainly cooked by my amazing, nearly 81-year-old grandma. My leftover recipes are simple yet delicious dishes and can be made from the ingredients in your cupboard or at very little extra cost.”
Little roast meat pies
Braised red cabbage Finely chop a whole red cabbage and roughly chop four eating apples. Sweat two sliced red onions in a little oil for a minute or two in a thick bottom casserole dish. Add the cabbage, apples, 1tsp ground nutmeg, 1tsp cinnamon and 1 star anise, and cook for another minute.
Add 500ml cider (I use Cornish Rattler), 50ml balsamic vinegar and 100g dark brown sugar. Bring to the boil then place in a 150C oven for about two hours or until the cabbage is tender and you’re le with just a little syrupy cooking liquid. Season and serve.
1. First, make your pastry. Work 100g butter into 200g flour with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs, add a pinch of salt and mix with a very little water until it forms a dough. Leave to rest in the fridge whilst making the filling. 2. For the filling, melt 25g butter in a frying pan, and add half a sliced leek (or substitute the le over veg of your choice) and a finely chopped clove of garlic. Saute until so , add 25g flour and cook for two to three minutes. Warm 300ml milk in a separate pan and then add gradually to the veg. The sauce needs to be fairly thick so don’t add all the milk if not required. Add the turkey, 1tsp English mustard and season to taste. 3. Take the pastry out of the fridge and roll it out to pound coin thickness. Cut out four circles with a large cutter and place into buttered muffin tins. Cut out four lids with a smaller cutter. 4. Fill the pie cases with the turkey mixture, brush one side of the lids with beaten egg and place on top of the pies. Pierce the lids, then brush the top with egg and cook at 200C for 15 minutes.
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The Salty Monk’s hosting a three course buffet on New Year’s Day. Book at www.saltymonk.co.uk
mar u K y a j n a S
Sanjay Kumar is the St Austell Brewery’s head chef. He’s also founder of The Cornish School of Sardines, a wonderful mobile project which teaches people of ages and abilities to cook – you can book bespoke classes through its website. He also runs the monthly Food Fun and Friendship cookery club for people with learning disabilities at Chaos Café in Truro, where he lives with wife Shilpa and their 21 month old daughter, Aditi. He says: “This time of year always brings back
fond memories of my Indian convent school upbringing. I’ve spent my life as a cook and have collected a number of dishes that signify Noel (Bara-Din in India) including rich fruit cake from Kolkata, Goan Pork Sorpotel – a stew – and Stargazy pie from Mousehole. Boxing Day’s traditionally a day for cooking a thank-you meal for our retinue of cooks and servers, so the menu has to be pretty easy to put together. Here are my ideas for making something simple out of your Christmas leftovers.” Find out more about Sanjay’s bespoke classes at www.schoolofcornishsardines.co.uk
Bubble & squeak pakoras Whisk a pint of lager with flour and curry powder. Roughly mash up any leftover cooked vegetables and squeeze out excess water. Shape the mixed vegetables into balls, dip them in the spiced beer batter and deep fry in hot oil. Drain well, and eat, them hot, hot, hot with a dollop of ketchup. If you have a spare bun or two on hand, bubble and squeak pakoras make great veggie burgers.
Christmas pudding pancakes with brandy syllabub 1. Combine the rind and juice of an orange, 1tbsp sugar and a tot of brandy. Cover and set aside. 2. Combine 140g flour, 2tbsp caster sugar, 1tsp baking powder and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk an egg, 2tbsp melted butter and 130ml of milk and then gradually add this into the flour mix, beating well. Stir crumbled Christmas pudding into the batter. 3. Whip some double cream and add to the juice, sugar and brandy mix and fold until evenly blended, to complete the syllabub. 4. Cook the pancakes in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat until each side is golden brown. Serve warm with the syllabub.
Golden cheese & potato croquettes Use a 50/50 mix of le over potatoes and cheese for these, along with breadcrumbs, 30g flour and 40ml water. Mash the potatoes (make it easy by quickly warming in the microwave), then mix them, add the cheese and season. Form into cylinder or sphere shapes. Make a batter with the flour and water, dip the croquettes into this and then roll them in breadcrumbs. Do this step twice, so the cheese doesn’t leak out in the fryer. Deep-fry for four minutes until golden and serve hot. *TIP: These croquettes can be frozen before frying stage.
Yummy board n cheese achos Chop up a few roast potatoes, some pigs in blankets and some mature cheddar and place in a shallow Tortilla c bowl. Crack three eggs in the bowl, season with chopped hips, topped with salt and pepper and whisk well. Heat oil in a nonle stick pan and fry the mixture, stirring regularly cheese b overs from the until the eggs are cooked and no longer runny. warmed oard and ovenPlace the set omelette on a plate and cut into gooey sh , make a yumm wedges. Enjoy with some crisp salad and a y a glass of wine of tomat ring bowl. A doll and slice o salsa, sour cre op am s of avo to food h cados takes it eaven. Tasty Christmas omelette
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Grant tt o c r e h t e N
ffe i l c i n n u T n Be
Grant Nethercott is the head chef and co-owner of the harbourside Alba restaurant in St Ives. A presence in the town for 13 years, it has just undergone a stylish revamp, with an exciting relaunch planned for the new year. He says: “I spent Christmas Day with my wife Caroline and in-laws at my mother Carol’s, who lives five minutes away from us, in Carbis Bay. My grown up children Jade and Charlie are away this year – Charlie’s currently in Bali on a surfing trip with friends. Spending Christmas Day at mum’s meant no cooking for me this year, although I couldn’t resist giving her the odd tip here and there, as any good commis chef does! I’ve chosen coronation turkey as my Boxing Day leftovers recipe. It’s a real winner as a light main course and takes minutes to prepare. It’s also ideal as a sandwich filling for those unexpected guests.” www.alba-stives.co.uk
Coronation turkey 1. Soak 50g raisins for several hours (or ideally, overnight) in hot water with an Earl Grey teabag. 2. Sweat two thinly sliced onions and four finely sliced garlic cloves in a little oil until they are so , without colour. Add the curry powder and turmeric and a er a few seconds, add a splash of water to take the flavours from the pan. Cook until liquid is gone. Remove from heat and allow to cool. 3. Put 200ml mayonnaise in a bowl, with 1tbsp mango chutney and drain and add the raisins. Add the onion mixture, with 500g shredded roast turkey and 50g chopped fresh coriander. Combine well and season. If you like it hot and spicy, add some fresh chilli at this point. Place in serving bowl and sprinkle with toasted flaked almonds.
WIN: We have five signed copies of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s Love Your Leftovers, worth £20 each. For a chance to win one, email your name, address and phone number headed ‘love your leftovers’ to westmag@ westernmorningnews.co.uk. by January 9. Normal terms apply. West won’t share your details.
Ben Tunnicliffe is executive chef at The Tolcarne Inn in Newlyn and the restaurant Ben Tunnicliffe Sennen Cove. He lives in west Cornwall with his wife Kinga and their sons Ollie and (pictured above with Ben) Xander. He says: “I’ve taken Christmas Day and Boxing Day off to spend with the family. We had a chicken from the Cornish Chicken Company rather than turkey, because there are only four of us and a turkey would be wasteful
– plus Louise [Wilson’s]’s chickens are fantastic! My leftovers recipe is an absolute winner. I love sprouts, and this is something I’ve had on the menu recently as they’re in season. They do get a bad rap, but I’m convinced this is because they are regularly cooked to death! At The Tolcarne I’ve been doing this with different species of fish depending on availability at the market in Newlyn.” benatsennen.com
Roast fillet of hake with sprouts, nuts, smoked bacon and thyme 1. Sweat a finely diced shallot or onion in butter until so , then add a couple of glasses of white wine and reduce away until almost dry, add 140ml stock, and reduce by half, then set aside. 2. Heat a frying pan, add a splash of oil and then fry four fish portions skin-side down (I’d recommend hake, especially as it has Marine Stewardship Council status). Lower the heat and when the skin’s a lovely golden brown, turn the fish over on its flesh and transfer to an oiled tray to a preheated 200C oven for about five minutes to finish cooking. 3. Meanwhile, heat a second frying pan, add a splash of oil and once hot add 300g of quartered le over sprouts. Saute until they’re starting to colour. Add 100g diced smoked bacon and 100g chopped nuts, season the mixture and add a small knob of butter. Once cooked, set this aside while you gently reheat the sauce, adding some lightly chopped thyme leaves. Finally, whisk 25g cold diced butter into the sauce. To serve, sit the fish on some mashed potato, spoon over the sprouts, bacon and nut mixture and finish with some of the sauce.
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real homes
Glamour by the harbour
An old customs house in Mousehole captured the imagination of Deirdre Knox Words by Alexandra Pratt, photographs by Adam Gibbard
walked in the door and thought ‘I have to have this’,” says Deirdre Knox, who has been coming to Cornwall for family holidays with her partner and two daughters for years. The county reminds her of her own early life in County Waterford in Ireland, and the little cottage on the harbour in Mousehole has been a consistent feature in her own children’s lives. Perched directly above the water in this famously picturesque village, the appropriately named Harbour’s Edge was originally an old customs house. Now however, it sits perfectly among the jumble of tiny granite cottages, yet so close to the harbour it feels like I could reach out and touch the brightly painted boats. After enjoying the cottage for 10 years, Deirdre
“I
realised that it was time to offer it a little TLC. This began with some redecoration and new flooring in the kitchen. Yet this only served to highlight the need for new kitchen units, then new flooring upstairs and Deirdre finally ended up installing new heating, new bathrooms and a doing a complete makeover, which has truly breathed new life into the cottage. A lawyer by profession whose main home is in London, Deirdre was not able to be at the cottage frequently. This allowed the project to become somewhat ad-hoc and drag on for a frustrating 20 months. “I would definitely get a project manager in next time,” she admits. Despite this, Deirdre took on the planning, sourcing and design for the project and thoroughly enjoyed the challenge. The use of space was absolutely critical. Space
is always at a premium in traditional Cornish cottages, and Deirdre had very little scope for changes. With some imagination, however, she managed to claw back a few valuable square feet by thinning the half wall between the kitchen and living space, introducing underfloor heating and removing a small WC by the front door. In the master en suite, the awkwardly-shaped space made a standard built-in bath impossible, so Deirdre happily embraced the idea of a freestanding tub, which narrows at the base – chosen in copper for the colour, and to chime with the local traditions of copper working and mining. “It just felt so right,” she says. “And it creates a real wow factor.” Complementing this are the stunning authentic Spanish encaustic tiles, sourced via Mosaic del Sur in London.
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Interiors
[[ ‘You don’t have to spend a lot of money; mixing and matching looks great – but keep it simple’
Deirdre’s use of colour throughout the cottage has not only given it a real sense of style, but has also enhanced the feeling of space. She believes painting everything white (as the cottage had been previously) is not the only way to make rooms feel larger, and it is true that the palette of soft, neutral shades does create depth and texture, without shrinking the area. Using mostly Farrow & Ball’s traditional shades such as Ammonite, Deirdre aimed for a relaxed and elegant feel. “I wanted to pick up on the coastal colours, rather than make it obvious,” she explains. “I wanted to let the view speak for itself.” The kitchen is a masterclass in this style. Supplied by John Lewis of Hungerford, it is the same as the kitchen in Deirdre’s main home. “I fell completely in love with it,” she says, while admitting she spent considerably more than budgeted. The light and sparkly worktops are quartz, which is non-porous and stain resistant. The simple wood cabinets, which conceal slimline white goods and clever storage, are painted in a light grey, with a striking bright green inside the cupboards. “I love the green, but sometimes people hate it,” laughs Deirdre. Upstairs, the colours continue and the blue in the second bedroom (Borrowed Light, again from Farrow & Ball) was inspired by cushions discovered at the Designers Guild exhibition. Most striking in both bedrooms however, is the creative touch Deirdre added with painted panelling behind the headboards. “I’ve always loved panelling, and I much prefer painted wood. I love the French style.” Yet possibly the most memorable bedroom is the third, technically an annex at the front of the cottage. Accessed only from outside and with its own kitchenette, bathroom and terrace, it is the 23
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Interiors
perfect place for a grandparent or teenager. Its standout feature is the grand bed with a headboard covered in real gold leaf. “I wanted them to feel extra-special, not like the poor relations,” says Deirdre, “so the bed was perfect.” Not that this was always her intention; the bed was an impulse buy during a short trip to Nottingham, and serves as a cautionary tale: “Always shop with your measurements. I intended this bed for the master, but it wouldn’t go up the stairs.” Having worked through everything down to the blinds (made by her mum) and doing some of the painting herself, Deirdre has learned a few other lessons the hard way. “You don’t have to spend a lot of money; mixing and matching looks great. Keep it simple, but big bold statements really help. I also had a lot of clutter, but you don’t need that. It was a revelation when my daughters said no one uses CDs anymore!” After such a long development, Deirdre is now thrilled with the result of her hard work on the cottage. “I love it,” she says, adding: “I have to stop myself from adding things, as I’m a perfectionist and a frustrated designer.” From now on, though, Deirdre will be just doing the thing she loves most at the cottage: sitting above the harbour and listening to the waves. “We love it here, even in winter, and we plan to relocate as soon as we can.” Harbour Edge is available as a holiday let through Boutique Retreats. Call 01872 553491, email enquiries@boutique-retreats.co.uk or visit www.boutiqueretreats.co.uk
STYLE TIP: If the space is tricky to partition,
try a fabulous free-standing bath in your bedroom
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Louis XV gold leaf bedside table with marble top £345 www.islandfurnitureco.com 25
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Gardens
ANNE SWITHINBANK
House keepers Devon’s Anne Swithinbank, panellist on Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time, predicts 2016 could be a renaissance year for the indoor pot plant n the run-up to Christmas, I found myself rushing around garden centres trying to track down tiny plants for a bottle garden photography shoot. This turned out to be fraught with problems, the least of which was the 5cm/2in wide neck of the traditional glass carboy. In the first centre I was a lone woman on a mission, fighting her way against a determined stream of parents and small children swarming towards Father Christmas in his grotto. In another, the trays of tiny tot plants I sought had been sidelined by festive specimens sprayed and decorated to within an inch of their lives. Only a narrow selection of relatively slowgrowing tropical foliage plants are suited to the cosy, moist interior of a true bottle garden. Anything too rampant and they’ll take over and some plants, especially ones with flowers, cause rotting. In the carboy with its deep base and narrow neck, debris is best left to melt down into leaf mould. Bottle gardens are very retro and the last time I strapped a narrow plant cane to a fork and spoon, never mind a cotton reel (for tamping in) was back in the 1970s. They became so popular that wider necked ones were made for easier access. We could ditch Don’t throw the cutlery but they weren’t as your house much fun. All I found was a variegated plant away creeping fig (rather fast-growa erwards – ing) and a miniature moth orchid they are not just (prone to rotting) but used them anyway. Having trickled in some for Christmas, aquarium gravel as a drainage they’re for life layer and some compost including bark (using a paper funnel), I lowered them into holes made
I
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with the spoon. Soon, the festive madness will have ended and I can buy more. When gardening features in the media, it usually has some kind of focus, which for the last few years has been about growing things you can eat. As we approach the New Year, I can’t help wondering where we’re going next, and I’m sensing a move towards appealing to would-be gardeners with small gardens or even no gardens at all. Both of my offspring and some of their friends, all in their twenties, grow houseplants and I’m hoping it is a trend. Foliage and flowers soften a room, bring calmness and help absorb indoor pollutants. This last amazing fact was discovered by scientists at NASA who conducted research into sustainable living in sealed environments. Some of my indoor plants have been with us for many years, with a Swiss cheese plant dating back to at least the sixties having been passed down through the family. My son’s parlour palm has to be 16 now, and we have several venerable cyclamen. The oldest indoor cyclamen I’ve been told of was kept going for 44 years. Older plants
take on great character, so don’t listen to anybody who says throw them away once you’ve enjoyed them because they cost less than a bunch of flowers. House plants are not just for Christmas, they’re for life. On acquiring a new plant, I spend some time thinking about the natural habitat that would have been enjoyed by its wild ancestors. This would often be as an understorey plant or epiphyte (growing on the branches of trees). The next step is to find it a good home. Most like medium light, and north or east facing windows are good. From spring to autumn, beware of hot, bright south or even west facing windows (though these can be good for cacti and pelargoniums) and in winter, keep plants away from radiators and draughts. They enjoy each other’s company and a grouping of plants will create their own little micro-environment. Finally, I hope none of you gave or received cacti dressed up to look like Santa. I saw some forced to wear hats, with pins pushed into their succulent bodies. In my book, that’s cactus abuse!
Question time with Anne West reader queries answered by Anne Swithinbank
Q
We have club root in our soil. Can I still grow healthy brassicas?
You can but will have to work a bit harder than folk without it. This is a fungus-like organism closely related to slime moulds, whose resting bodies can remain in contaminated soil for 20 years or so. It loves to prosper in warm, moist soils like mine in Devon. Plants show symptoms of stunted, wilting purplish foliage above ground and swollen roots with few fine feeding roots below ground. Clear these and the soil from just beneath them and dispose of them away from the garden. Make sure soil is well limed and add copious quantities of well-rotted compost and manure in the autumn. You have to let soil settle before planting, as brassicas like a firm bed. Raise plants in 9-10cm/3.5-4in pots first to give them a good start, then plant out.
Q
My African violet has plenty of large, healthy leaves, but shows no sign of flowers.
Many indoor plants take a rest during winter, just as outdoor ones do. Those sold in bloom have often been manipulated by strict lighting, feeding and temperature regimes in the nursery. However, African violets (saintpaulias) can bloom almost all year round. Yours is probably not getting enough light. For the winter, these low-growing plants whose native home is the Usambara mountains of Tanzania can be stood on bright windowsills but moved to medium light in the spring. Feed them with special African violet fertilizer or one aimed at flowering plants, but at half the usual dilution. Otherwise, you seem to have care nailed by giving them warm temperatures and tepid water (by standing them in it) with no nasty shocks.
This week’s gardening tips Anne’s advice for your garden
• A lot of gardeners will be sloping off to their greenhouses today to escape the endless washing up and clearing up. There is no better place, but have a good excuse, such as sowing prize winning onions for the local flower show. • Coppice hazel. Hazel is an easy, cheap and useful plant to grow. You can copy the squirrels by burying nuts in autumn, or plant cheap hedging
plants. When they’ve reached as high as you want them, cut everything down almost to the ground, harvesting pea and bean poles and firewood as you go. This lets light in so bluebells and foxgloves can flourish and the hazel regrow. • While weeding and clearing borders, take care not to tread on the emerging tips of spring bulbs. Check for them first, then protect with upturned pots.
If the garden is still short of colour, go shopping for brightly berried skimmias, other evergreen shrubs, ferns and sedges. Plant into a frost proof container and place strategically.
Be your own
Send your questions to Anne at westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk
head gardener by replenishing fruit bowls with stored apples. Bring a trug of veg in from the garden, including potatoes, roots, squash and greens. Make up a fresh vase of evergreens and fragrant viburnums or honeysuckles on bare twigs. 27
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Beauty
[
A good self tanning lotion will give you a subtle, natural looking glow
Treat your skin Fake Bake Body Butter for dry skin (£17.99) Great for moisturising dry skin with a gorgeous scent of shea butter, this develops a golden glow in six hours.
Abbie’s
Spritz The Sparkler by The Body Shop (£14) Beautifully packaged, this body dust will complete your party look. Chose from gold or silver.
Smells divine Urban Tan Glamour Gloss (£17.99) I persuaded my mum (who’s a bit suspicious of fake tan) to give this a try and she loved it. Subtle, easy to apply – and it smells lovely, too!
Glitter
Beauty Box
Glitz Rose by Urban Tan (£6.62) Use this shimmer spray to bling your skin or add some razzle-dazzle to your hair (and even your outfit!).
Expert advice from beauty guru Abbie Bray of Newton Abbot Sparkle This week it’s all about achieving glam look ready for New Year. I love fake tanning so I decided to put a clutch of body-bronzers to the test. If you’re worried you’ll end up looking like a leftover satsuma, then don’t be! A good selftanning lotion will give you a subtle, natural looking glow, while you can experiment with the intensity with a gradual build up product. These days they’re easy apply and the results are streak-free. I’ve also discovered a product that you can mix in with your tan that adds a long lasting sparkle to your skin – perfect for parties! If you love a spritz of twinkling fairy dust, there are also some great products that will add a touch of sparkle without the tan, too. So wherever you’re seeing in the New Year, look fabulous – and I’ll see you in 2016!
New Cid Cosmetics i-dazzle shimmering loose powder (£22) A gorgeous loose powder delivering just the right amount of sparkle in a single dusting. It can be applied on your face and your body.
In ore The Body Shop Colour Crush Festive Nail Colours (£5) I love this range’s on-trend metallic options.
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Fashion
The edit Your straight line to style: party glitz
£69 Marks & Spencer
+ £25 Monsoon
+
£85 Dune
£48 www.glamorous.com
+
£149 www.thehouseoffoxy.com
+
£39 www.cadenzza.co.uk
£15 Debenhams
+
+
£34.99 New Look
£49 Monsoon 29
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Jumper £35 Evans
Dress for chill
o ts Av ia to r b o Co & c ti el C £1 75
Lambswool multi-stripe hat £25 Celtic & Co
Heart gloves by Yastikizi Handmade £21 www.dawanda.com 30
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Fashion
Lofty open crew neck £60 Lands’ End
est foot forward. There’s nothing like a bracing walk for blowing away the cobwebs and burning off all that Christmas pudding. You’re aiming for colour in your cheeks, though, not turning blue with cold! Here’s our pick of some of the snuggest winter cosies around, including Lands’ End’s cheery Scandi-style jumper which would be perfect with jeans, especially if your stroll involves a detour to the pub. And chunky knits don’t come cuter than this grey and white number from Evans, left, which would look the part on a snowy walk. Finish your toasty ensemble with Cornish label Celtic & Co’s fleece-lined aviator boots in smart navy. Cosy toes never looked so stylish.
B
Cardigan £75 Betty Barclay
Valentina faux fur trim parka £115 Missy Empire
Ear muffs £15 Edie & Iris at Debenhams
Knitted stag heated handwarmer £9.99 uk.aromahome.com
Pom pom sweater £59.95 White Stuff Glenmuir boot socks £7.99 for two pairs www.sockshop.co.uk
Calvin Klein grey stud ankle socks £15 House of Fraser
Rockery houndstooth trousers £55 White Stuff
Cable pom pom beanie £14 BHS 31
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Trend
HOW TO WEAR IT:
MAIN PHOTO HAIR: CHARLOTTE AT SAKS, EXETER MAKE-UP: CLARINS, DEBENHAMS (BOTH PRINCESSHAY) PHOTOGRAPHY: STEVE HAYWOOD STILL-LIFE PHOTOGRAPHS: PR SHOTS. SHOOT ASSISTED BY: ELLIE JONES
A er dark Kathryn Clarke-Mcleod says ring in the new year in elegant style s ladies just love to be mysterious and exotic, and there is no better time to indulge that side of ourselves than on New Year’s Eve. Lucky for us, a lot of designers drew inspiration from the East for their AW15 collections, and the result is a veritable treasure trove of gorgeous ideas. The Oriental trend is manifesting in a multitude of ways, but some of the standouts from the kaleidoscope of options are opulent fabrics like velvet, heavily embroidered pieces and even quilted obi belts. There is definitely a case to be made for ‘more is more’ here, but the key is knowing when to stop to ensure you don’t end up looking like a character from Aladdin. Some offerings have done all the hard work for you. The picks from Monsoon opposite are a great example. Both frocks start with exquisite patterns and build on them with lace, sheer kimono sleeves and even beautiful jewelled embellishment. Both would look amazing with a black faux fur jacket. Those who would prefer a nod rather than a wave to the aesthetic might prefer a subtler approach. This is a fantastic opportunity to rejuvenate your LBD supply. Look for origami-esque panelling and intricate beading that sweeps and swirls on waistlines and bodices. Eye-catching and always elegant. I can’t get enough of velvet. I think it can be traced back to being sat in a fabric shop as a child, moving my hand back and forth over a swathe of the stuff, transfixed as it deepened The Oriental and darkened. Hypnotic. trend is Kim Kardashian and Angelina manifesting Jolie don’t shy away from a spot of the plush stuff either. Both have in a multitude used it to garner red carpet style of ways, with acclaim, and there are definitely worse muses out there. opulent fabrics. Imagine my delight in findIt’s heady stuff ing this fashion forward fabric in Reiss, a label synonymous with great tailoring and superior qual-
U
Midnight blue velvet dress, Reiss, Princesshay, £170 Box clutch, Reiss, Princesshay, £95 Shoes, Reiss, Princesshay, £170
ity. Sometimes when I’m on the lookout for a fun piece, I’m resigned to the fact that it may not be the best made one, SO this was a moment of sheer triumph. This midnight blue incarnation is east meets elegance. The high neck balances the short hemline and the long sleeves mean I am snug as a bug, even when sipping champers on a rooftop bar. The crushed gleam that velvet emits
means no jewellery was needed. This cheeky sharp-edged box clutch was a great foil to the strokeable softness of the dress while the heels got more than one second look from my fellow guests. With an outfit like this, your New Year’s party is off to a seriously good start. The only way it could be better? Three wishes. I know what I’m asking for, do you? Just be sure to save one for finding this frock in your size. All fashion in these pictures is from Princesshay Shopping Centre, Exeter, www.princesshay.co.uk
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culture vulture Our unmissable guide to what’s on in the Westcountry by arts expert Sarah Pitt Whisking up a show
PHOTO: matt austin
Magic has a Christmassy flavour in Eloise and the Curse of the Golden Whisk, the family show currently running at the intimate Bike Shed Theatre, off Exeter’s Fore Street. This delightful play is inspired by a bit of the city’s history – with a dollop of artistic licence. The year is 1944, and in the depths of a dusty larder in the bombed ruins of an Exeter restaurant, Eloise finds a beautiful golden whisk, which sends her off on a fantastical adventure as she seeks to free herself from its curse. For paged seven and upwards, there are two shows a day until January 9. Tickets £12 (£8 concessions), www.bikeshed theatre.co.uk or 01392 434169.
A Christmas Carol
Quirky fun At the Phoenix arts centre, also in Exeter, there is still time to catch The King With Donkey’s Ears, by the imaginative Quirk Theatre company, who have built up a strong following in 13 years of collaboration with the venue. Catch their wonderfully creative live show on Bank Holiday Monday, December 28 at 2pm and 4.30pm, and Sunday, January 3 at 4.30pm.
As you would expect from Quirk, the show is packed with clever craziness to keep adults entertained while ignit-
ing young imaginations. Never a dull moment. Tickets are £7-£8 for children, £11-£10 for adults, see exeterphoenix.org.uk.
And if you can’t resist a classic, A Christmas Carol is at Exeter’s Northcott Theatre until January 3. The production, a collaboration with theatre company Creative Cow, stars John Dunlop, above, as Tiny Tim and Derek Frood, who appeared in TV’s Poldark, as Ebenezer Scrooge. From age seven. Tickets £28-£14, www.exeternorthcott.co.uk or 01392 726363.
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Enjoy
Your stars by Cassandra Nye
Happy birthday to...
This week’s sign:
Sienna Miller
Don’t shoulder all the hard work, Capricorn! It’s often something you can’t help but do, but if you can’t let others take the strain on your birthday of all days, when can you? When it comes to friends and family there are no limits to time and money spent, as far as you’re concerned. Now’s the time for all that TLC to be reciprocated – and you deserve it!
born December 28, 1981 New York-born actress Sienna grew up in London and found fame in the movie remake Alfie, co-starring Jude Law, with whom she went on to have a two-year relationship ending in 2011. Sienna is not the only famous name in her family: her stepmother is interior designer and former Dragons’ Den investor Kelly Hoppen. Her film roles this year include High Rise, co-starring Tom Hiddleston and Jeremy Irons. In October, she was criticised for not wearing a poppy on a pre-recorded episode of their Graham Norton Show. Sienna has a threeyear-old son Marlowe with actor Tom Sturridge, who she split up with earlier this year.
CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 20) Giving back what someone has given in the past can be satisfying. Did someone help you when you really needed it? A younger relative may not be as chirpy as they should be. Will you be the one to cheer them up? Overall there are many changes as this New Year begins. Improving close relationships should be seen as a great investment.
AQUARIUS (January 21 - February 19) Letting someone get closer to you makes you realise their potential place in your life. Is this something that you want to develop? Turning over a new leaf for the New Year is just what you need. Do you spend enough time doing what you really enjoy? Treating yourself well benefits those close to you in the long run.
PISCES (February 20 - March 20) It is best to live in the moment as you find it hard to relax when thinking too far ahead. Life is better if you make the effort to work closely with others in the New Year. Making money matters to you right now because of the things that you want to give to someone close. Is there any great rush, though? One thing at a time would seem the best way forward.
ARIES (March 21 - April 20) Bumping into an old friend brings memories flooding back. Make an effort to enjoy yourself at a meeting midweek. A social lull after the holiday could see you twiddling your thumbs. Is it time to start decorating? With plenty of energy and a spurt in ambitions, it is time to spring into the New Year!
TAURUS (April 21 - May 21) Finding an old address book or list containing the details of someone you have lost touch with brings memories back. You wonder what they are doing now.
Should you write? How about a New Year card to break the ice? Getting to grips with resolutions is hard, as you feel so many have fallen flat in the past.
GEMINI (May 22 - June 21) One area of your life seems to have been dominating everything else: make a New Year’s resolution to move on. Subtle changes in your appearance will be noticed by your nearest and dearest. Only listen to positive comments. After all, you can’t please everyone!
CANCER (June 22 - July 22) A few lethargic days sap your enthusiasm. Accept invitations, though, for the sake of your friends and children. When out looking for bargains, be ready for romance to pop up. Being in the right place at the right time has much to recommend it!
LEO (July 23 - August 23) Being chatty to everyone chases away those post holiday blues which you often suffer from. A silly suggestion about what you should do in the new year will raise a smile. You feel a bit flat at the weekend, though. Would this be a good time to have a massage or take a long walk?
VIRGO (August 24 - September 23) Losing touch with someone is hard to
take but sometimes cannot be avoided. Lucky, then, that this is the time for looking forwards rather than backwards! Why not make a New Year’s resolution to spend more time with a family member? A mixed bag of a week sees you sometimes amused and sometimes startled.
LIBRA (September 24 - October 23) Has romance crossed your path and did you step aside? You will know when the time is right to go ahead, so don’t fret. New Year resolutions give a firm shape to the weeks ahead. Aim for that healthy New Year that you promised yourself. Wishful thinking will not get you where you need to be. Your only enemy at the moment is lethargy or laziness!
SCORPIO (October 24 - November 22) Taking to something new can lead to sparkling romantic waters. Remember sometimes it is best to go with the flow and just enjoy it. Try not to dismiss light-hearted and enjoyable activities as frivolous. Make a start on changing one thing about your appearance each week. Should it be your hair first?
SAGITTARIUS (November 23 - December 21) The end of this year means, for you, the beginning of something big. You are at the heart of things, which is very satisfying, and you can also enhance the lives of others. Learning something new? All that you have to do is play along with all of the good things happening to you! 35
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Wellbeing
the boost Life just got better. We’ve handpicked the latest wellness trends, best-body secrets and expert advice to help you be your best self, everyday
SEXUAL HEALING Could it cure a headache? According to researchers at Wilkes-Barre University in Pennsylvania, couples who have sex once or twice a week have 30% greater levels of the antibody immunoglobulin A, which helps combat colds, than those who get intimate less often. But interestingly, those who had sex three times or more had lower levels of the cold-fighting antibody than those who abstained completely. So maybe there can be too much of a good thing!
Rehydrate You may be craving fizzy cola and a gallon of coffee come New Year’s Day, but caffeine and sugar are a quick-fix that could actually lead to you feeling worse later on, and even more dehydrated. Vitamin-loaded orange juice will help wake you up and replace some of those lost nutrients following a heavy night – and the natural fruit sugars are a far healthier energy boost than soft drinks. And of course, you can’t beat water. It’s wise to alternate alcoholic drinks with a glass of H2O to avoid a morning-after-the-night-before. The Natural Hydration Council recommends drinking plenty of water throughout your hangover day, but not more than 750ml per hour.
DIVE IN! Swimming’s great all-round exercise and whether you’re planning to take part in an indoor swimathon, one of the many outdoor challenges taking place this year, or just want to motivate yourself, this waterproof Poolmate2 watch (£70) will be your virtual coach. It counts laps, strokes, distance, speed and calories burned in the pool and also has an open water mode. Ready to take the plunge?
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Easy as pie? Is there no end to her talent? Model, baker, mechanic (yes, really!), fostering champion and, of course, TV chef Lorraine Pascale is aiming to help us all eat more healthily by recreating our favourite comfort dishes with healthier ingredients. Her latest book, Eating Well Made Easy (HarperCollins, £20) includes a gorgeous lemony chicken wholewheat pasta with kale and cashew pesto. Sounds complicated? She reassures us: “I wanted to include recipes that are easy to follow. Most of the ingredients listed you can get from Tesco, Sainsbury’s – local shops. That’s what I was aiming for.”
CHOP, CHOP New year, new you? Hairstylist Asgar Saboo, who’s tamed the tresses of stars including Cindy Crawford and Eva Longoria, recommends going for the chop if you want to begin the new year on a fresh footing. A sleek and sophisticated bob will show the world you mean business, he says – pointing out that’s the way Victoria Beckham did it when she transitioned from footballer’s wife to power-player on the fashion scene. Asgar says: “If you’re about to turn the corner and launch a whole new direction in your life then dare to go for the chop. It will also show off your style credentials and is easier to manage than longer locks.”
What’s coming up? Tweet us your wellbeing diary dates
Drink aware Will you be taking part in Dry January come 2016? New research suggests it could transform your health. Tests on men and women who took part in the month-long alcohol abstinence campaign last year,found their liver function, blood pressure and cholesterol levels were better, and they were at lower risk of developing diabetes and liver disease. The research, from University College London (UCL), also found some participants lost as much as 6lbs, and reported improvements in concentration and sleeping. If you’re a believer in everything in moderation, rather than total abstinence, you can download a free app from Drinkaware to monitor your alcohol intake in units. Find it at the App Store, Google Play, or www.drinkaware.co.uk.
@WMNWest or email westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk 37
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Wellbeing
What’s in a label? Why ‘free from’ is not all it’s cracked up to be I’ve noticed a lot of skincare products these days are labelled ‘paraben free’. I’m ashamed to say I don’t actually know what parabens are, but now I’m seeing ‘free from’ alternatives, it sounds like I should avoid them. Is this the case?
Q
Dad of two Sam Farmer, from Tiverton, is behind his own range of unisex products developed for teenage skin. He says: This is a great question and one that I asked myself before taking a cosmetic science qualification. It is a complex area of chemistry but a fantastic example of how consumer misinformation has been spread by the non-scientific community. Firstly, parabens can be found in nature, they are in blueberries and are part of various natural processes within plants. Parabens are used in a variety of products from personal care to foods and have been around since the 1930s, making them some of the most scientifically researched ingredients with a proven record of safety and efficacy. They perform the function of a preservative within cosmetic products
by prohibiting the growth of microorganisms it spoiling and keep it germ-free. Within the which may lead to spoiling. industry, the move away from parabens due to Parabens are a group of closely related chemimisinformation has led to all sorts of questions cals; esters of para-hydroxybenzoic acid, which and issues about the chemicals used to replace is where they get their name. them. From a skin kindness point It makes no sense to talk about of view, they have very low what is not in a product or what irritation potential. It is also it’s ‘free from’ – the list could be It makes no sense extremely important that endless. to talk about what products used by people with Indeed, advertising and marketconditions such as eczema are ing has now reached a point a product is ‘free free of bacterial contaminants, where ‘paraben free’ claims from’ – the list because infection with pseuare now made on products that could be endless. domonas (the collective name would never have contained for a wide range of unpleasthem in the first place, such as Countries like ant and potentially harmful oils and deodorants. France do not bacteria) would be devastating Countries like France do not for the skin. allow this type of claim as it’s allow this claim Short-chain paraben esters are misleading and it will soon be amongst the safest cosmetic banned across Europe. ingredients and are used to Personally, I think we’d be preserve cosmetic products ranging from sun better informed if brands talked to us about the cream to children’s liquid paracetamol. In fact, ingredients they do include in their products, if a leave-on product, such as a moisturiser, does rather than things that the advertising people not contain parabens I’d want to know what tell us they don’t. exactly they use as an alternative to prevent www.samfarmer.co
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From ‘mindful exercise’ to achieving fast results with gadgets that track our progress, Abi Jackson reports on the hottest fitness trends for 2016
Quick results
Fitness regim es promising fast results will be increasingly popular. High-intensity interval trai ning [HIIT] is inco rporated acro ss many workout clas ses and discip lines and includes shor t super high -intensity bursts inters persed with short recovery peri ods.
Chasing Zen ‘Mindful’ fitness is growing in popularity. At classes like yoga, Pilates and Tai Chi, calm, focus and deep breathing play central roles. Celebrity trainer Matt Roberts, whose clients include David Cameron, says: “Yoga has become a perennial player in the trend lists and it’s a massive range of different styles, means it is staying [among] the top.”
Stress-busting
Get set, goals
We’re becoming increasingly aware that managing stress and keeping our minds healthy is as important as eating our allimportant five-a-day or quitting smoking. James Trevorrow, product innovation manager at Virgin Active, says: “Over the last year, we’ve seen an increasingly conscious approach to exercise. Linking way we exercise and the positive effect it has on our mind, we’ll utilise this in 2016 to help us find a balance in our busy day-to-day lives.”
A challenge Our goalposts are forever being stretched as well – these days most of us probably knowing somebody training for their first 10k or marathon. Explorer Levison Wood says: “Adventure is catching on. In 2016, we think more people are going to be trying new things, whether that’s taking on a challenge like a Tough Mudder, learning to ski, or something life-changing like walking the Nile.”
MEASURING UP Gadgets and apps make it easy to monitor your fitness progress. Says Matt Roberts: “There are devices to wear on your wrist, chest and head to track your body, others built into tennis rackets, and bicycles that track all sorts of sports data, as well as multiple sensors built into your phone. There are also great apps that are delivering the information back in a clear, acceptable and simple enough way to make it interesting and useful.” 39
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Eat
Ingredient of the Week
Stock with Tim Maddams good stock, and the ability to make and replace it with just enough fresh cold water one, is the sign of a good kitchen. to cover all the bones (the more liquid you start Perhaps as a result of both adults with, the less concentrated the flavour will be). in most households working, Bring slowly to the boil over a low heat, adding we have ditched the stock pot in freshly chopped onion, celery, a few cloves of favour of the cube. While I am garlic, a few peppercorns, a bay an occasional crumbler when leaf, a pinch of salt and a peeled necessity dictates, a fresh whole carrot. As the stock reaches A good stock homemade stock is always first boiling point, reduce it to a slow choice. simmer and skim off any scummy will add richness A good stock will use up foam that rises to the top. Add a and complexity peelings and bones, add spring of thyme or rosemary if to your cookery richness and complexity to you wish to do so at this point. your cookery and also inspire Your stock will need to cook for and inspire you you to experiment and get around an hour to develop a good to get creative creative with the tasty liquors. flavour, then taste to decide if it If you have a slow cooker, you needs a little more, before turning with the tasty may well even be able to leave off the heat. Finally, strain the liquors it entirely to itself to cook while liquid and it’s ready – although you go out for the day. you can reduce it further at this To make a simple white point to increase its potency and chicken stock, bring raw bones quickly to the viscosity. To make a dark stock, roast the bones boil in a pan of fresh water. Simmer for a minute with the vegetables first and add a teaspoon of or two to blanch them, then discard the water tomato puree.
A
[[
Taking stock Use your delicious fresh chicken (or turkey!) stock to make a delicious simple soup. Throw some pearl barley and chopped leek and carrot into the pot with your strained stock and add a little garlic. Once the barley softens, add some chopped parsley and serve. Or try poaching an egg in a small amount of the stock. Season with soy sauce and add noodles and chopped spring onion. You’ll find with a half decent stock at your disposal, the world is your oyster. @TimGreenSauce
Tim Maddams is a Devon chef and author of Game: River Cottage Handbook no. 15 (Bloomsbury £14.99) 40
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Drink
ON THE WISH LIST There are 11 days of Christmas le so still time to get stuck into our fantastic Westcountry festive brews. I have a particular so spot for Skinner’s Jingle Knocker and Bays’ Jingle Ale. At the time of writing, I’m still looking forward to trying this year’s Sharp’s Nadelik, and St Austell newly-released Jolly Holly.
Beer of the week Belgian beer Gordon Xmas actually celebrates Scottish ancestry and is a Scotch ale, albeit a strong and very complex one (8.8% ABV). My work in a bottled beer shop has heightened my appreciation of Belgian beers and this is classic, dark born with roast malt, figgy fruit and nutty notes, ideal for the festive season.
Darren Norbury
talks beer t is the morning after the day staff, which the stores invariably have, can point before. Well done for making it you to a plethora of new beers and offer suggesto the newsagent’s. I appreciate tions of beers to try. that you may be sitting with a box Many local breweries have great shops, sellof Alka Seltzer close at hand, perhaps with a ing not only their own beers but guest beers from slightly fuzzy head, but my job interesting UK brewers located here is to talk about beer and further afield, too. that’s what I am going to do. Take a brewery tour. If you The year is coming to a close can, get to look around, say, a I’m not and I’m already anticipating small five-barrel brewery in a suggesting you new beer adventures ahead. modern unit. Then compare that forsake your Here, then, are my top sugexperience to a tour around a gestions for 2016. historic brewery like St Austell (I local, but try I’m not suggesting you forhighly recommend the latter, esthat other pub sake your local – Lord, knows, pecially for the view from the top in the village, or I wouldn’t do it to mine – but of its Victorian tower). try that other pub in the vil Try lager. Not the ‘brewed down the road, lage, or along the road in town. under licence’ fizzy yellow stuff too You might meet beers which with a continental name, but a become new friends. proper German or Czech one, or If your favourite beer is a an authentically brewed British national brand, see if there’s a craft lagers. similar locally-brewed option. You might find Try a beer style you’ve never had before, that something just as good – or maybe even better! takes you out of your comfort zone, perhaps a Look out for beer festivals, even if they’re just Lambic or a Berliner weisse. small pub-based events. They’re a great way to Email darren.norbury@gmail.com and tell me try a wide variety of different beers and styles about your favourite Westcountry brews and I’ll in small measures. If you can get to a big event, try to mention them here. Happy New Year! like CAMRA’s Great British Beer Festival in OlDarren Norbury is editor of beertoday.co.uk ympia, do so – it’s a great experience. Look for a local bottled beer shop: helpful @beertoday
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Give ’em a try!
#tryanuary is back. This is the Twitter-led campaign to get people to try something new in their local pub during January, rather than seeing the industry suffer through a month of abstinence. Even if you go for a local low-alcohol mild or session IPA, do get out and support these community amenities in the Westcountry this New Year.
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Enjoy A WEEKEND IN...
Zennor
Tinners Arms
his tiny village dotted with beautiful old stone buildings is in a stunningly wild and panoramic clifftop location in the far west of Cornwall. There’s lots to explore: it’s a great place for walking and is steeped in history. The tiny Bronze Age stone-walled fields here are the oldest in Britain – proof of just how long that people have been living and working here.
too. A Winter Escape stay (excluding school holidays) costs from £140 per night Sunday to Thursdays and includes dinner, bed and breakfast for two people sharing. On a budget? Zennor Chapel Guest House in the centre of the village has bright, spacious double rooms for £80 a night.The pretty converted former Methodist chapel also boasts a café and gift shop (www. zennorchapelguesthouse.com).
Stay: The Gurnard’s Head, just to the west of the village, is a traditional pub that has been given a stylish foodie makeover in recent years. It’s laidback and cosy inside, with a relaxed restaurant serving great food and rooms to stay. An ideal starting (or finishing) point for breathtaking clifftop walks, it’s dog friendly,
Drink: The Tinners Arms was built in 1271 to accommodate the masons who constructed the village church. The ancient pub has open log fires, stone floors and low ceilings. It serves real Cornish ales and great food made from locally sourced ingredients. Enjoy live music and poetry here every Thursday, performed by
T
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Chysauster ancient village
The Gurnard’s Head
Mermaid chair
Wayside Museum
local musicians and bards. Author DH Lawrence and his wife stayed here during the First World War and later rented a house nearby.
See: St Senara’s Church in Zennor Churchtown was established 1400 years ago and rebuilt in the 12th century. One of the pews in the Grade 1 listed church is embellished with carvings of fish and the legendary Mermaid of Zennor, who is said to have been drawn to there, entranced by the wonderful voice of a chorister, who later disappeared without trace! The mermaid is depicted on the 600-year old chair admiring her lovely self in a mirror. Visit: The Wayside Museum was founded in the 1930s and celebrates many aspects of traditional
west Cornwall life. You can see a cottage complete with a traditional Cornish kitchen, as well as an outdoor exhibition of domestic and mining tools, including waterwheels, corn grinding wheels and tools found locally dating back to 3000 BC. A mill building contains a collection of early agricultural implements and there is even a blacksmith’s forge.
Explore: The Iron Age village of Chysauster is well worth a visit. Here you will find the remains of eight stone dwllings, known as courtyard houses, clearly recognisable as one of the earliest village streets in England. The people who lived here, nearly 2,000 years ago, were farmers and would have grown crops in the surrounding fields as well as keeping pigs and goats.
The Gurnard’s Head 43
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Padstow Christmas Festival
My Secret Westcountry
My favourite... Walk: Every walk and view in the area is beautiful, but Mother Ivey’s Bay is really spectacular at any time of year. Beach: Tregirls Beach, Padstow is just gorgeous; white sand on a simply stunning beach that goes on for miles when the tide is out.
Paul Ainsworth Chef Paul Ainsworth is behind Michelin-starred Padstow restaurant At No.6, Rojano’s in the Square and boutique hotel Padstow Townhouse. He lives near Wadebridge with his wife Emma and their border terrier Flossie.
Festival: Padstow Christmas Festival. It gets bigger and better every year and there was an amazing line up of chefs, stalls and fun for all the family this year. The atmosphere is so special, it’s something Emma and I always look forward to and this year was no exception. Activity: Football with the lads, what else? The team at Paul Ainsworth at No. 6 love to let off steam with a Sunday kickabout, and I also love to watch Padstow FC when I get the chance!
Food: Philip Warren’s Rib Eye Beef. Incredible. Tipple: Sharp’s Cornish Pilsner – crisp, light and refreshing.
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People
The Cornish Arms
Paul loves the pasties here
Cardinham Woods
Rojano’s in the Square
Pub: The Cornish Arms, Tavistock; John and Emma Hooker run this lovely pub serving delicious unpretentious food with fantastic beer and wine.
independent, family-run store specialising in outdoor and country wear.
bridge. Lots of friendly banter and a warm welcome every time.
Treat: A fresh pasty from The Chough in Padstow; Elaine and Rob Eade’s quaint harbourside shop has locals and visitors alike captivated with their mouthwatering pasties – I certainly can’t resist!
Way to relax: Fly fishing and shooting.
‘Secret’ place: Cardinham Woods. Just
Restaurant: Hewitt’s Bar and Kitchen, Wade-
beautiful.
Weekend away: Whitehouse at Chillington near Kingsbridge. A beautiful Georgian building, which is just a stroll from the beach.
Shop: Countrywise Wadebridge. It’s a lovely Fly fishing
When I’m not here, I miss… The team at Paul Ainsworth at No. 6, Rojano’s and our new venture Padstow Townhouse. Emma and I have got some amazing people working for us.
See www.number6inpadstow.co.uk and padstowtownhouse.co.uk 45
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My life man and boy
[
Sleight of hand
[
Phil Goodwin does his best to outsmart James, five have never tried to convince my son that Father Christmas exists. As I have mentioned before in this column, he thinks God is a ‘myth’ so the idea of trying to persuade him into believing in the man from Lapland seems doomed to failure. Of course, much as he doubts jolly old Santa is real, he is more than happy to suspend his disbelief if it leads to more presents. When asked to choose between two pricey toys, he tends to settle for the cheaper one, then let Santa take care of the other. Perhaps he assumes Santa can keep his costs down, undercutting all the big boys. After all, he owns his own factory in the snowy wilderness – staffed by minimum wage elves no doubt – and there can’t be much of a burden in keeping a set of reindeer in hay and mince pies. We know from the likes of Amazon that there are always clever ways to circumvent hefty bills from the Treasury: maybe the kids’ letters go to Luxembourg and he just registers the warehouse up there in the Arctic Circle. Anyway, however he organises the system, he delivers – and duly did. If you ask young James this morning about Old Nick, he’ll swear blind the old man was up and down our chimney two nights ago, the snow barely melted on the Lego Jurassic World T-Rex set by the time he found it under the tree. Of course, what he doesn’t know is that his other, bigger, gift, the Indominus Rex set (the big white scary monster from the film Jurassic World for the uninitiated), was bought by me. And, I might add, purchased under his very nose. Let me explain. A couple of weeks before Christmas there was a mini panic in the Exeter
I
[
[
main picture: Steve Haywood
He never said a word about what I was carrying, so engrossed was he in his annual
Toymaster shop when the guy told me the £99.99 set was out-of-stock. Yes, I know, I could have ordered it months ago online, but I was trying to buy local and was just holding out hope it would be there. When the guy in the shop said the words ‘global shortage’ I had to hold onto the shelf, as the room started swimming a bit. I couldn’t face the lad without this toy; he has been banging on about it for six months. So, I dashed home and checked on the Lego site. Sure enough, it was out of stock and due for delivery on January 26. I hunted further on the wilderness that is the internet. No sign of the beast. Then, finally, I found one, just one, for collection only at Argos in Exeter’s Guildhall. Unfortunately, I was looking after James on my own at the time, but there was no time to lose. I reserved it over the phone and walked down with him, giving him some blarney about buying a hairdryer – ‘something boring for mummy’. He wasn’t too keen but we duly went. At the till I handed over the bin bag I had stashed in my pocket, asking the woman to ‘keep it quiet’. Then, glistening like my fairy godmother’s wand on a stand in the shop, he spotted a shiny Jurassic World annual, half price at £4. I surprised him a bit by immediately agreeing he could have it and he sat down merrily flicking through the pages. I collected the massive box, clearly peeking out of the end of the bag, and marched him back home. He never said a word about what I was carrying, so engrossed was he in the annual. All the way. I strolled into the house, chucked it in the cupboard under the stairs and that was that. No Santa, no magic, just a festive sleigh-t of hand.
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We have sourced some very talented professionals to host our series of courses and workshops at Charlotte Mews. We’ve created a place that is a little different, a space with a touch of glamour, where women can get together to be inspired to develop their lifestyles and take on new challenges.
WORKSHOPS FOR YOU TO ENJOY
We all need to take time out from our normal routine to think about creating a new chapter in our lives. We need to plan our year ahead and challenge ourselves to learn something different. We have a wide range of courses and workshops to give you the kick start in a new direction. We look forward to welcoming you!
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Email charlottemews@icloud.com Tel 01392 909930
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CHARLOTTE MEWS STUDIOS 4&5 CHARLOTTE MEWS, PAVILION PLACE, EXETER, DEVON EX2 4HA
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Call 01392 909930 or visit www.charlottemews.com To receive 25% DISCOUNT when ordering quote promotional code WEST
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A hidden treasure on your doorstep 20 minutes from Plymouth, family run, stately 17th century B&B, beautifully restored and set within 2000 acres of stunning gardens and grounds
What we do… • Exclusive Hire • Weddings • 5* Bed & Breakfast • Outdoor Theatres Corporate Events • Afternoon Teas & Lunches • Garden Open Days Please contact the Castle Office on
www.pentillie.co.uk
Pentillie Castle & Estate, St Mellion, Saltash, Cornwall, PL12 6QD Ads_Dec26.indd 1 pentillie_castle_WIP.indd 1
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