West February 4, 2017

04.02.17

Eclectic

17

The new decor trend

Hot looks for cold days

Win! ÂŁ80 worth of gardening essentials Interview:

Billy Bragg New sounds from Dorset

GO WILD Meet Cornwall’s award-winning coastal forager

- pg 16

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31/01/2017 13:29:17 13:35:25 24/01/2017

‘We didn’t have mobile phones or the internet, back then,’ I explained.

‘So how did you check Facebook?’

Chris McGuire is feeling his age, p12

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ECLECTIC INTERIORS Give your home a quirky makeover

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YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST! Sh! We have all the gossip...

[contents[ Inside this week...

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THE WISHLIST Our pick of the best treats this week

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JUST BETWEEN US...

Why Emilia Fox is looking for love

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BILLY BRAGG’S NEW PROJECT The Dorset musician explores America

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THE NEW LEATHER LOOKS Clue: not just for jackets

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QUICK AND EASY DINNER Shepherd’s pie without the faffs

COASTAL FORAGING Meet Cornwall’s award-winning foodie

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ECLECTIC INTERIORS Give your home a quirky makeover

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JUST ASK GRACIE Our style guru solves your problems

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THE NEW LEATHER LOOKS Clue: not just for jackets

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BOOST YOUR WELLBEING Great ways to feel your best this week

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YOUR STARS THIS WEEK Cassandra Nye has this week’s horoscope

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SMALL BITES What’s hot in the South West foodie world

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BEER GOES VEGAN...

Darren Norbury on the latest ale trends

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THE OLDEN DAYS Chris McGuire lives in the past

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MODERN MANORS Meet Lucy Kennaway of Escot House

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BOOST YOUR WELLBEING

Feeling good, right now

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EATING OUTDOORS

Coastal foraging in Cornwall

[ welcome [

Interview

A home from home

There is just so much to inspire you...

Nicola Smith talks film sets and life in Penryn with the Poldark actor John macneill beard and wild ith his distinctive is best known hair, John Macneill brooding Jacka for playing the BBC’s Sunday Hoblyn in the Poldark. evening hit show him, the perfect role for It was in many ways it was not in Cornwall: “So not least that he lives we meet. work!” he jokes when far for me to get to part and up for a different “I was originally but they for the audition, I learnt those lines - he kind I’m pleased I got it wanted me as Jacka. the background.” in away of smoulders show is a such a major TV Landing a part on book you he tells me. “They huge commitment, commit of time - I had to I had for a massive amount meant for six months. It to being available but that’s work in that time are to turn down other with acting - opportunities just the way it is

portraits: john

freddy jones

W

in like buses.” wasn’t carried out so Filming on Poldark either, despite appearing chronological order, togethseamlessly stitched at the beautifully shot and the whole series er. “They were shooting sets going meant they had two same time, which a house be filmed going into I continually. I would and then in January in Penwith in September,

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Tweet

eaweed is good to eat - and not just when it is wrapped around a piece of sushi. Rachel Lambert, the Cornish forager, specialises in helping people find treats on the seashore that are truly delicious. And seaweed has been good for Rachel career-wise, too - her new book of coastal foraging recipes has just won a major national food-writing prize. You can try Rachel’s recipes and discover more about her story on page 16 today. And, like I said, it’s not just about sushi. We love her recipe for walnuts and seaweed praline, too - yes really!

Elsewhere, we have a fascinating interview with

S

[

of the week

@NicolaKSmith

The lovely John Macneill in this weekend’s @WMNWest #bringbackjacka #Cornwall #Poldark

[

[

the Dorset musician Billy Bragg. Like many of us, Billy’s had about enough of politics just lately - and for someone who has lived and breathed current affairs all his life, that is really saying something.

Luckily, he had a major musical project to inspire him instead.

He’s been criss-crossing America by railway, picking up a treasure chest of traditional US railroad songs along the way. The result is a fabulous new album. Find out more on page 12. Finally, if spring is stirring in your garden with daffodils making their first appearances - do enter our competition (p5) to win some top-quality gardening tools. Have a great weekend.

We love her recipe for walnuts and seaweed praline - yes really!

[

TO ADVERTISE: Contact Cathy Long: 01752 293017 or 07557 576668, clong@dc-media.co.uk

Becky Sheaves, Editor

EDITORIAL: westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk Tel: 01392 442250 Twitter @wmnwest

COVER IMAGE: John Freddy Jones

MEET THE TEAM Becky Sheaves, Editor

Phil Goodwin

Kathryn Clarke-McLeod

Gillian Molesworth

Cathy Long

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If you do one thing this week...

Spring will soon be upon us, so why not get out into the garden with this fabulous Greenman ergonomic digging fork and spade set (£77.98). Greenman – which is based in Devon – designs tools with an special steam-bent handle to transfer power from hand to tool, making digging easier. The Greenman Garden Tool range is made with sustainable ash handles and rust-resistant polished stainless steel heads. From small hand tools to rakes, forks and edging irons, every tool is built to last and designed by a Devon family who have been in the business, based in Newton Abbot, for 45 years. www.greenmangardentools.com

Win

We have an Ergo digging spade (£38.99) and an Ergo digging fork (£38.99) from Greenman Garden Tools to be won.

To win, simply tell us in which Devon town Greenman is based. Send your answer, together with your name, address, email and phone to: westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk to arrive by February 17. Alternatively, you can post your entry to: West magazine, Queen’s House, Little Queen Street, Exeter EX4 3LJ. Normal terms apply, West will not share your details.

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Bond Street snuggler chair £499 Furniture Village

the

wishlist

BRIGHT Ceri table lamp £89 Furniture Village

West’s top picks for spending your time and money this week

Bower clutch £60 Dune

NATURAL Metal vase £30 House of Fraser

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Wishlist

Ivy floral strap watch £95 Amara

Diamond rug £129 Cuckooland.com

WE WOOD! Layered bead necklace £19 East

SPRING Floral hem trousers £32 Very

SUNNY Pointed heels £59 Topshop

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talking points Gillian Molesworth

Story of my life...

Rediscovering the true taste of home e’ve just tried the new American diner that has opened up in our local town here in Cornwall.

It will be a fun place to hang out, especially for teens who can go there after school or on weekends.

I have many fond memories of hours spent in American diners with my friends, eating ice cream sundaes and daring the boys to If you’re going for sheer ausee who would eat five artificial thenticity, however, most of that sweetener packets, or a teaspoon is English. Americans never eat of Tabasco sauce. baked beans for breakfast, and Ahem. Not that I would conI had never tasted your style of done any of that behaviour now. baked beans Stateside. You would Or indeed want to be on the waitnever see a tomato on an Ameriing staff while it was going on. can breakfast plate, the bacon I’ve been to a few American is always streaky bacon and the joints in the UK and they ususausages are smaller, harder and ally get the vibe right. You know, spicier, like fierce little chipolalots of framed pictures of Ameritas. You would also never see fried can celebs, bread. That oozing wood panelling, calorie bomb (sorry) bumper stickers is all yours, guys.

The ‘West Coast’ and route signs.

So it was quite And anthems on funny that the “West breakfast was egg, the juke box. So Coast” breakfast back bacon, baked was egg, English that’s fun.

I met up with a sausage, back bacon, beans, fried bread few transplanted baked beans, fried and a tomato. It North Americans bread and a tomato. was delicious, but to try the new It was delicious, but joint. Many boxes only like a sixth of it only like a sixth of were ticked: on was American. it was American the menu were Here’s an Ameripancakes, ribs can dish to try at and banana home: what about splits. a breakfast burrito? Ingredients But of course they’re catervary but I enjoy: a bit of rice ing to a UK market so they have and cooked black beans, corianto balance expectations with auder, spicy salsa, strips of streaky thenticity, especially for brunch. bacon and scrambled eggs. Roll One of my favourite meals in it up in a tortilla, sprinkle with the world is a full English breakshredded cheese and heat it up in fast. Literally nothing beats that the microwave. dream combo of eggs and meaty Is that Mexican, you ask? Yes. sausage and bacon, sweet baked Weelll, about as Mexican as my beans and that grilled tomato to West Coast breakfast was Amerioffset the bacon’s saltiness. Add can. The love is there and it tastes some toast and butter (don’t do good - and that’s the most imporfried bread) and I’m in heaven. tant thing.

W

CHECKING

it out

Our Girl TV star Michelle Keegan stood out from the sea of glamorous gowns in a sharply tailored houndstooth suit recently at the ITV Gala at the London Palladium. Michelle’s suit is by up-andcoming British designer Joshua Kane, which she teamed with a fun Spearmint chewing gum clutch by Urania Gazelli. Her ‘The Devonshire’ houndstooth suit retails for £1,400 but you can get a similar look straight off the High Street for a fraction of the cost.

steal her

style OPTION A Two-tone

Houndstooth peplum blazer £59.99 Zara

OR MAKE IT YOUR OWN

OPTION B Smart Houndstooth suit trousers £35.99 Mango

OPTION C Tailored

Check tapered trousers £30 Next

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.

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04.02.17

NO FLOWERS TODAY! BUSTED are playing at Plymouth Pavilions next week (February 10) and we think its singing star Matt Willis had better pop into a florist while he is down here.

The Busted star, 33, has admitted he hasn’t bought wife Emma – who presents Celebrity Big Brother flowers in at least five years. In a recent interview, he revealed: “I really can’t remember the last time I sent flowers to Emma. I really can’t remember. Maybe it was a few years – at least five. To be honest, I don’t even know when the last time that I even sent them.

“It’s shocking. I do not send them to her enough. She will be furious with me for saying this.”

Just

The couple, who married in 2008, have three children together.

Perhaps it is just as well that Emma has admitted she finds romance ‘embarrassing’.

She revealed in an interview: “Matt and I have never been romantic – I find it all quite embarrassing myself. When he proposed, it was like, ‘This is really weird!’.” So that’s all right then!

between us Gossip, news, trend setters and more – you heard all the latest juicy stuff here first!

!

MIRANDA TOPS TRUMP

[[ ‘I’d just like her to be happy at some point’

LOOKING FOR LOVE? Emilia Fox is currently starring in Silent Witness, not to mention Delicious (set in Cornwall) and a film called Mum’s List, based in Somerset.

But more than anything, her actor father Edward Fox would like to see Emilia happy in love. It’s fair to say she has had her fair share of romantic woes - a brief engagement to comedian Vic Reeves, marriage to to Mad Men star Jared Harris for three years, after which she dated actor Jeremy

Gilley, with whom she has a daughter, Rose, but they split in 2011. Then she had a four-year on-off relationship with fiery chef Marco Pierre White, who remained married to his wife throughout. “[Emilia] is very pretty, and that’s a wonderful thing, but prettiness doesn’t necessarily equate to being happy,” Edward said recently.

“I’d like Millie to be happy. That’s all I want. I’d just like her to be happy at some point.”

Miranda Hart – who was born in Torquay – thinks a sense of humour is something Donald Trump could do with. In response to his recent meltdown in the face of celebrity mockery, she recently tweeted: “If u can’t laugh at yourself, if u can’t let impressions go, if u are that unsure of who you are, u aren’t ready to be a leader. Of any kind”. Strong words, Miranda!

What do you think?

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Cheers: Jack Nowell is raising money for the RNLI

in pictures Royal: Princess Anne visited the Highbury Trust

Costume drama: This year’s Torpoint pantomime is Dick Whittington

Footie: Jurgen Klopp came to Plymouth to play Argyle 10

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talking points A HISTORY

of the

WEST in

100

objects 30: SAXON CROSS SHAFT Carved from Dartmoor granite, AD 1000

The best way to:

HAVE A ROMANTIC VALENTINE’S DAY Here are some creative ways to tell your spouse, “I love you.”

Weekend romance: Surprise your spouse with a special getaway together.

The Scarlet is a luxury eco hotel, just for grown-ups, on the edge of the Ocean in Mawgan Porth, Cornwall. You can indulge in all kinds of relaxing diversions – including cliff-top hot tubs, a natural reed-bed swimming pool and an Ayurvedic inspired spa. It’s the perfect place for a romantic night or two away from the kids. www.scarlethotel.co.uk.

Early morning treat: Make a special “14 Reasons I Love You” Valentine’s Day breakfast for your sweetheart. On his/ her plate, leave a letter or card listing 14 reasons why you love your spouse.

Movie night: Curl up and enjoy your favourite film together with this Valentine’s Movie Night Bag. A great gift for any movie lover, this tote bag is stuffed full of goodies to recreate a trip to the movies.

There are tortilla chips, gourmet popcorn (and a classic popcorn carton to really make you feel like you’re at the flicks), some American confectionery classics and your very own Pick & Mix containing a range of retro sweet favourites. £25.50 from www. notonthehighstreet.com.

Love potion: Nothing says “I love you” like a full body massage and the Aura Cacia Love Potion is the perfect mix of essential oils for a seriously sensual massage. The blend contains mandarin orange, lemon, cardamom, sandalwood, patchouli, ylang ylang, vetiver, and jasmine absolute. £8.85 from www. iherb.com.

Julien Parsons is the Senior Collections Officer, The Royal Albert Memorial Museum in Exeter. He says: If mute stones could speak, what tales they could tell. Before life as a museum exhibit, this carved block of stone stood as a bollard on the corner of Gandy Street and High Street in Exeter, protecting William Nation’s house from the wheels of careless carriages (it still bears the scars).

Mr Nation had bought it in 1778 during the demolition of the medieval Exe Bridge. At the time, he probably paid little heed to its patterned faces which prove it’s the shaft of a cross – probably the one mentioned in a document of 1316-17 that stood near St Edmund’s church on the bridge, which was built around 1200. But our block is even older than this. The intricate, interlace design dates it to the late Saxon period, around AD 1000.

Before the Norman Conquest, crosses such as this were used as boundary stones, route markers or places to congregate for Christian worship. We don’t know where our carved cross stood first but it’s made from Dartmoor granite, probably originating from near Sweltor.

The heavy block must have been dragged and carted across the moor to a mason’s yard for carving.

And so, we can trace the story back another 280 million years. To a time when Dartmoor was formed by molten rock rising through the Earth’s crust, cooling and solidifying to create granite.

#30

On display in gallery 3, Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter. www.rammuseum.org.uk Competition winner: Congratulations to Sara Cawsey of Lanstephan who wins a £50 Princesshay gift token, thanks to Princesshay Shopping Centre in Exeter, www.princesshay.co.uk

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A NEW TRAIN OF THOUGHT

PORTRAITS: JOHN FREDDY JONES

Billy Bragg, who lives in Dorset, puts politics aside and delves into American history for his latest album. He talks to Andy Welch about taking the slow route and recording on the US railroad with Joe Henry

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Interview

illy Bragg finds himself at a bit of an impasse. Current affairs are finally moving too quickly for the famously political singer-songwriter to keep up. And more importantly, he doesn’t always want to.

Only the night before our interview, the musician famous for his political activism admits to not tuning in to Newsnight, as he normally would, but choosing to watch an episode of Combat Dealers on Quest instead.

“These two geezers bought an anti-tank weapon from the Second World War and fired it at a car. That was somehow more comforting than the news,” he says.

“And it’s not just Trump, it’s Brexit, the Labour party and Jeremy Corbyn, everything.

Every story is trying to settle on a moving platform and it can’t.”

This is something of a revelation considering that Billy, who lives near Chesil Beach in Dorset, has been a political firebrand for his entire career. Being informed has been his raison d’etre. It’s likely this brief disillusion will pass, and he has other things on his mind.

“I’ve got to get the car MOT’d later, and write some emails, everyday stuff.”

The politics have been put to one side for his latest album, with American Grammywinning songwriter Joe Henry. It’s called Shine A Light, and it’s a collection of songs about the American railroad, recorded while the duo were on the Texas Eagle last year, a 2,728-mile train journey between Chicago and Los Angeles via San Antonio.

They recorded on station platforms, in carriages, in hotel rooms, wherever they could set up their custom-built microphone stand, capable of holding four microphones, and their laptop.

They travelled with a couple of engineers and packed light, with just a case and an acoustic guitar each.

B

‘It’s revolutionary - you don’t have to be American to sing American songs’

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Interview

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Each track on the album sounds different, particularly when listening on headphones, which is down to the different locations of the recording.

If something sounds like it was recorded outside, it’s because it was. In the background, there are doors slamming, train whistles, announcements, and luggage being dragged around.

It’s an immersive experience, and quite beautiful.

Of course, this all sounds incredibly nostalgic.

In lesser hands, it could even sound phoney, but this is no love letter to past, and Shine A Light is far from contrived.

“If it was me and Joe in a studio, it would be trite,” says Billy, 59. “Bill and Joe like trains, that would be the album. But it’s the context here.

Context is everything.

“We didn’t want to make a nostalgic record, we wanted to talk about the American railroad now, not what it was like all those years ago. We didn’t want to look back, but join the past and the present together.

“The American railroad is the last part of what [American cultural critic] Greil Marcus called The Old, Weird America. It still functions. Most stuff is new and moves forward.

This is like a fossilised folk memory, but the US still puts more freight on the railway than any other country in the world.”

In the UK, there’s no shared history on the railways. While in the States, outside the major cities, rail is not used for commuting to work or even seen as a viable method of public transport. The fact Bragg and Henry travelled through towns that only saw one passenger train every other day kind of proves that to be true.

“These railroad songs are about aspiration and escape, and in the UK they would be sea shanties. If you really want to get away from

‘It’s not just Trump, it’s Brexit, the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn, everything’

the law or heartbreak, historically, it’s been by putting your foot in the water. In the US, you can escape jurisdiction by getting on the train, but in the UK you’d get off the island. But because the US is a modern country, these songs are powerful because they’re within living memory. Even in the 1950s, there were new songs about the railways.”

Songs on the album include Gentle On My Mind, originally written by John Hartford in 1967 and a hit for Glen Campbell the same year.

There’s also Rock Island Line, made famous by Lead Belly and later Lonnie Donegan; Hobo’s Lullaby, made famous by Woody Guthrie; Early Morning Rain by Gordon Lightfoot, and In The Pines, another Lead Belly song, famously reinterpreted by Nirvana on their Unplugged album.

The experience gave Billy even more insight into the people of the US, and he connected to the place in a way one might not on a short holiday.

“I was looking at it all from a different perspective,” he says. “We were seeing places that were important when the railroad was laid down.

Alpine in Texas, for example, where we recorded Hobo’s Lullaby, was only built because there was fresh water for the trains. Now, it’s a college town and no one thinks much about the one passenger train that comes in every other day. But if the trains weren’t there, the town wouldn’t be.

“As we travelled through built-up areas or crossed roads, the train would slow and we’d be able to see into back yards or even through windows, and you get a very different perspective from the one you get on the freeway or flying over the top.”

The project ties in directly to Billy’s next release, a book on the skiffle movement called Roots, Radicals And Rockers: How Skiffle Changed The World, which will be released in the summer. It was his fascination with the song Rock Island Line, specifically Lonnie Donegan’s version, that sparked the railroad album in the first place.

“Lonnie Donegan became a figure of fun because of My Old Man’s A Dustman, but he changed everything. Skiffle was the original DIY music, and gave us the revolutionary idea that you didn’t have to be a musician to make music, and that you didn’t have to be American to sing American songs. They were the two biggest ideas imparted to British youths.”

As for what comes next, Billy thinks there’ll be another album in the pipeline before long and, with Brexit in full swing and Trump in the Oval Office, there’ll be plenty for him to write about.

Leaving politics didn’t last long, then?

“I’ll keep away from politics if it keeps away from me,” he says. “But I have a feeling it’s going to be chasing us all for a while.”

Shine A Light: Field Recordings From The Great American Railroad by Billy Bragg and Joe Henry is out now. www.shinealight-joehenry.billybragg.co.uk 15

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Interview

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going wild Rachel lambert, wild food guide, forager and author, tells Fran McElhone why she loves to eat Cornish seaweed achel Lambert is a little late for our interview and apologises profusely - it’s easy to lose track of time when you’re out in nature on the hunt for wild food. But after all, it is her fundamental love of the outdoors which led her on the journey to becoming a wild food guide and award-winning author.

“If I ever get in a tiz, it’s really good to get out and have a walk in the woods,” she tells me. “Foraging involves you really taking notice of your senses, so it helps you focus on something else, while allowing you to enjoy the simplicity of finding your own food and connecting with your surroundings.”

There is evidence of the foraging life scattered all around her home in Penzance - a cupboard full of dried seaweed and a jar of wild dried fennel seeds on the kitchen table. She doesn’t live entirely on wild food, and it’s not her intention to do so.

“What you can forage complements your other food,” she says. “But it can bring you an awe of nature.

“And it is certainly good for your health,” she continues, noting - just for starters - the high levels of calcium found in many seaweeds. Rachel’s second book, Seaweed Foraging in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, won the fish category of the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2017.

It is quite an accolade, the Oscars of food writing, which has over the years been won by Westcountry celebrity chefs Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Rick Stein. Her first book was on wild food generally and there’s another book in the offing from Rachel, which she’s busy researching this year.

These days, thanks to the burgeoning interest in wild food, seaweed is more associated with its nutritional credentials than childhood memories involving the squelch of slimy green between your toes, or being chased across the beach by an older sibling brandishing the tendrils of alien-looking

pictureS: JOHN FreDDY JONeS

R

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Interview

specimens. And here in the South West, Rachel has made it her mission to champion the benefits of seaweed as a food and help nudge it into the mainstream, like it is in Japan.

“Living in Cornwall, it seems mad not to be eating seaweed when there’s so much of it around,” says Rachel, who has been running foraging courses along the Cornish coastline for a decade, passing on her wisdom to thousands of budding and blossoming foragers.

“I loved writing the books,” she continues. “I would go out on my bike and take photographs and then lay my finds out in my kitchen and experiment with finding a dish that the ingredients worked well in.

“The main things I get asked are, what do you do with seaweed, and doesn’t it all taste the same? That’s why I wrote my second book, really, to answer these two questions!”

The book features 16 seaweeds, all of which can be found around the British coastline. And there are 32 remarkable recipes including seaweed pizza, seaweed ice cream and seaweed bread.

Yes, really. “Seaweed can lend itself to a whole range of different dishes,” Rachel enthuses. “Its components are already used in a wide variety 18

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of products that we use every day, like toothpaste and skin products. But it’s hidden so we don’t really know it’s there.”

Seaweed is vitamin and mineral rich, high in protein and fibre. It has also been found to have anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. In other words, it’s a super-food and here in the Westcountry it’s in abundance.

But for seaweed to enter into the mainstream will take a cultural change, Rachel admits. “Seaweed is getting more attention than ever, but there aren’t that many books out there on collecting it. So this book was my contribution to making it accessible.

“If we look back to how we ate when we were hunter gatherers, we would have eaten a lot more seaweed here in the South West. Bringing that diversity back is beneficial for our health and foraging is part of that.”

Rachel has seen her seaweed foraging courses soar in popularity recently, so she has scheduled more for this year.

Growing up in Birmingham and Bristol, she first moved to Devon to study visual performance and theatre at Dartington College of Arts. She then spent the next chapter of her life working in environmental education and community health in Bristol and London, which sandwiched two years volunteering and backpacking around India, Nepal and Bangladesh.

Since 2010, Rachel has also been a somatic therapist: a holistic therapy based on the relationship between mind and body. “Somatics acknowledges that the body is a natural organism and contains a wisdom and intelligence within it and strives to be healthy,” she explains.

This is serious stuff but complements Rachel’s

Living in Cornwall it seems mad not to eat seaweed there’s so much of it around

work and lifestyle as a forager, which has its roots in the blackberry bushes around Bristol, which she used to pick for fun as a child.

“I’ve always loved the South West,” she continues. “It’s always felt like home. I really wanted to be live by the sea and ended up going over the Tamar, first to St Austell initially. Here in Cornwall, I learnt more and more about foraging until I got to a point where I felt I could offer something to others,” she continues, adding that her career as a professional wild food guide was a “natural continuation” from two decades working in education and nutrition.

“It was a very organic process. And I’ve always wanted to write about it and the time was right two years ago. I’m glad I waited because I’ve learnt so much which I’ve been able to pass on in the books.”

Rachel is shy of making too much of her success as a food writer, modestly saying her reecnt award is a reflection of the interest in the idea of seashore foraging. “This is a small book, from a small corner of the country,” she says. “So it came as a surprise. But it acknowledges the value of seaweed, and the important role foraging can play in that.”

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Interview

Seaweed Praline A salty-sweet treat made with dark sugar

Ingredients:

200 g dark muscavado sugar 10 g /1 tbsp ground dried egg wrack seaweed 2 tbs water 120 g walnuts

Method: 1.

Line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper. Put the sugar, egg wrack and water in a small pan, and stir regularly over a medium heat to dissolve any sugar granules.

2.

Bring the mixture to the boil then simmer, without stirring, for ten minutes. Turn off the heat, quickly stir in the walnuts before pouring the mixture onto the greaseproof paper.

3.

Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before breaking into pieces and serving in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container and enjoy as a treat.

Lobster Bisque with Carrageen Ingredients (serves 4)

2 x 500g lobsters 1 onion, peeled 1–2 garlic cloves, peeled 2 tbsp butter 1 tbsp tomato paste 125ml brandy 8g dried carrageen seaweed (unbleached) Black pepper to taste Double cream to serve

6.

Stir regularly for five minutes, before adding to the lobster water, along with the tomato paste and brandy. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 1½– 2 hours, or until it has a strong lobster taste.

7.

To prepare the carrageen, make sure it is thoroughly dry and crisp. If necessary, you can toast it, by placing in a warm oven, at the lowest temperature, for 30 minutes to ensure all moisture is removed. When dried, grind or blend it to a fine-ish powder.

8.

Back to the bisque: when ready, strain the stock through a fine sieve, checking to make sure no shell has passed through. Put the liquid back in the pan, add the lobster meat in small-flaked pieces, and heat through.

9.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot, in warmed bowls with a sprinkling of carrageen (about one teaspoon on each), and a spoonful of cream. The carrageen adds a subtle spin to this dish. Enjoy with crusty bread.

Method: 1.

If using live lobsters freeze them for two hours to kill them painlessly.

2.

Place the uncooked lobsters in a large pan of boiling water (to cover them), and simmer with the lid on for 14 minutes.

3.

Remove the lobsters from the pan (keeping the water), and plunge them into cold water.

When cool, remove the meat from the lobster by breaking the tail, and the claws at the joints, and scooping out the meat.

4.

5.

Discard the dark intestinal tract from the tail meat. Refrigerate the meat until needed.

Smash all the lobster shell into pieces of about 2cm or smaller.

Chop the onion and the garlic; heat the butter in a large saucepan, adding the onion when hot. Lower the heat, and after three minutes add the garlic and the lobster shell.

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Interiors

Happy Homes Don’t despair if your pad’s not perfect.

Leading stylist emily Henson shows Gabrielle Fagan how to embrace your space - decor warts and all et’s face it, our homes, can often leave a lot to be desired. It’s easy to get dispirited about the real life rooms that don’t match our decor dreams.

So what a relief to find that imperfect interiors - the ones most of us live in - can be improved, if not transformed. All it really takes is a shake-up in our attitude.

“Most people I know have a long list of reasons why their home isn’t perfect,” says interiors stylist Emily Henson, author of Life Unstyled: How To Embrace Imperfection and Create a Home You Love.

“There can be all sorts of reasons for that. Perhaps they’re renting and can’t make their own mark. Or there isn’t a lot of cash to spare for decorating, the space is too small or there isn’t enough storage. Actually, few of us feel our home fulfils every need - and let’s be honest, that’s a pretty tall order anyway.”

Instead of whingeing, Emily advises rebelling, by viewing “those spotless, clutter-free interiors” we envy in magazines and blogs as “a bit of a fiction and an unreal fantasy”, and instead revelling in our own style - flaws and all.

“It’s time to celebrate the beauty of imperfect interiors and overhaul your approach, so you see the opportunities rather than the problems. Instead of lamenting the fact you can’t warm yourself by your defunct fireplace, why not fill it with flowers and candles and congratulate yourself on your creativity?” declares Emily, who literally fizzes with energy and positivity.

“It’s all about breaking the rules and finding your own way in the world of interiors. I’ve always liked doing things my own way when it comes to my home, and not concerning myself too much with predictions for next year’s trend, or the right

L

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Interiors

way to hang curtains,” she adds. “Many of the within it. home owners I met while writing this book had If money is tight, wooden crates can be storthe guts to dismiss the traditional way of doing age solutions, given a light sanding and sprayed things. One couple painted only half a wall, to with paint. Choose bright primary colours for expose the patina and beauty of the raw plaster impact and ramp up the colour by painting the above, while another used old museum archive floor - a cheap way to conceal scuffed wood. units for storage. They defied convention, and Emily is also a great believer in upcycling: the result was stand-out spaces.”

“Creativity before consumption - the pleasure Most of us have bugbears such as an unsightof making something new from something old ly tangle of wires under a desk, - gives me huge satisfaction and a fridge plastered with bills and personalises my home, as I have letters from school or a messy genuinely unique pieces.” pile of books by the bed. But Another top tip is that a room ‘Let it evolve, Emily promises that “making with an interesting paint treattake pleasure the most of what you’ve got, a ment can get away with a multilittle re-arrangement, includtude of sins. The eye is distractin it and you ing distracting splashes of ed from the clutter and drawn could suddenly colour, and upcycling existing to whatever inspired colours realise your items will all help your home to you can think up, says Emily. be pleasing and interesting”.

Make a feature of stairs, which home is If you’re in a rented home often tend to be overlooked but perfectly suited where decorating is not alare generally one of the first to you’ lowed, give a lift to a dull wall thing s you see when you enter by suspending a single length a home. “Paint them in a rainof wallpaper with an eye-catchbow of colours and decorate ing design or pattern. Alternawith stickers, from numerals to tively, wallpaper a large piece of plywood and words. Alternatively, spray paint the legs of a lean it up against a wall, perhaps behind a sofa stool or chair, or create an intricate design on a or bed, for an appealing focal point. blank wall,” she suggests.

Emily says that every home - including chil“Also, in reality, a home’s never ‘done’ bedren’s rooms - should have an area to tack up cause our needs and tastes are always changanything and everything which inspires you, ing,” Emily notes. “So let it evolve, take pleasure from photos and postcards, to cuttings from in it and you could suddenly realise your home magazines or fabric swatches. Use a white is perfectly suited to you.” board or cork board, or paint a square on a wall Life Unstyled: How To Embrace Imperfection And to designate an area - simply measure an area, Create A Home You Love by Emily Henson (£19.99, mark the outline in masking tape and then paint Ryland Peters & Small)

[[

FIX THE FLAWS Emily Henson’s top tips for transforming your ‘imperfect’ home...

• Keep a collection of small decorative pots and tins for the clutter which clogs up surfaces - from coins to pens, paper clips to buttons. Once in a while, empty, sort and put them all away. In the meantime, let it go.

• Decoupage is an interesting and cheap alternative to painting for bookshelves.

Choose pages from books or magazines, wrap the shelves in them, stick down with PVA glue and then varnish.

• It’s easy to accumulate “stuff ” which can be displayed on shelves or in glass-fronted cabinets but you don’t have to have everything on display all the time. “I rotate collections as my mood changes and stash the rest in storage bins.”

• Give over one wall to a colourful collection of arty objects and pictures.

Ensure the display is cohesive by grouping them by theme, colour or material.

• Refresh jaded furniture by taking it to a local car body shop, where they can give it a spray in a jiffy. This will cover chips or damage and give an uplift to an old piece that might have been destined for the junk yard.

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GET THE

LOOK

Have fun with your home without breaking the bank...

Paper lantern £1 Tiger Stores

Set of six school milk bottles £9.95 Dotcomgiftshop

Ceramic letter hooks £5.95 each Dotcomgiftshop

Kendall handpainted stool £99 Next

Woven storage box £19.99 TK Maxx

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Ask Gracie...

Want to look your best this week? Our styling expert Gracie Stewart of Exeter can help you fulfil your fashion potential in every possible way. All you have to do is ask...

Peep toe problems “Is it ever OK to wear tights with open-toe

Q shoes?” JN, Taunton

Good news: tights do indeed work well with your favourite open-toed shoes. Just be sure to keep in mind some of these simple styling tricks when putting together your look.

Super soft tights £10 Topshop

1.

Make sure your tights look new. No pilling at the toes or overstretched patches in the heels.

2.

Disguise your toe seam: Pull the tights back far enough so the seam moves under your toes, just before the ball of your foot.

That way you have a smooth surface peeking out.

3.

Choose your shoes wisely: Not just any old slingback can pull off this look. The trick is to look for styles with a sturdy heel or a platform to give your look some weight (think stacked 70s platforms or peep-toe ankle booties). Additionally, try to inject some colour or embellishment into your sandals to pop against those opaque black tights. Oh, and black opaques are the ones to wear.

Pink ruffle block heels £32 Dorothy Perkins

Embroidered block heeled sandals £29.99 New Look

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Beauty sleep This includes smartphones, laptop screens, televisions, and tablets. Set your devices to automatic lighting, so that they’ll dim in the dark. Studies have found that constant exposure to bright lights at night can suppress melatonin levels, which your body relies on to determine the time of day.

3. Learn to associate your bed with sleep - and only sleep. If you can’t fall asleep after 20 minutes, get out of bed. Go to another room and read, then try again. The same goes for waking up in the middle of the night.

You’ll fall asleep faster.

For most of my life I’ve had a hard time falling asleep. My mind seems to light up with random thoughts, worries and stresses as soon as my head hits the pillow. I look exhausted - any suggestions? HS, Salcombe

Q

Sleep is probably one of the most important aspects of your health. It can affect your immune system, metabolism, memory and alertness - not to mention your skin!

Now is the time to evaluate your sleeping habits.

1. Be consistent with your bedtime. Consistency is key for your internal clock and sleep drive. Even if you don’t have any pressing matters to wake up for, create a consistThis Works ent bedtime for yourself pillow spray and only break it on special £16 Boots occasions. This will help you fall asleep faster and sleep deeper at night, so that you wake up feeling rested.

2. Avoid bright white lights before bed.

Deep Sleep white noise machine £39.99 www.homedics.co.uk

Racha leather and fur slippers £112, www. shopjessicabuurman. com

Lined leather mules £45.99 Zara

Gracie’s shopping list

FARMACY Lip Bloom £14 www. cultbeauty.co.uk The ultimate treat for chapped, weatherbeaten lips, FARMACY’s luxurious Lip Bloom nourishes the delicate skin, whilst locking in moisture to prevent any dryness or soreness. It’s available in six delicious flavours from soothing Honey Ginger to invigorating Lavender Mint.

ELEMIS pro-collagen super serum elixir £49 Debenhams Powered by antioxidant African Birch Bark, Red Seaweed and Padina Pavonica, this unique formula works to boost elasticity and deliver a firming effect to leave skin looking smoother and younger.

A powerful cocktail of Hyaluronic Acid and omega-rich Camelina Oil delivers intense moisture to plump and hydrate skin for a smoother, softer texture.

Shoe envy I desperately want Gucci’s Princetown fur-lined backless leather loafers but I can’t afford them! Do you know if any high street brands have done similar versions? DS, Truro

Q

Princetown fur-lined backless leather loafers £715 Gucci

If there’s one shoe we’re obsessing over this season it’s the backless loafer, and this ethically sourced kangaroo fur-lined version (£715) has made a global impression. The fluffy footwear has sent fashion-lovers into a frenzy and now the high street chains are attempting to cash in on the concept, with stores such as Zara creating more affordable imitations that carry a £45.99 price tag. Yes, we all want the real thing but sometimes life is cruel and the expense of what you truly want can’t be justified. Never mind - these high street versions will fill that Gucci gap.

Partner in Crime embroidered jumper £59 www.doubletroublegang.com The Partner in Crime jumper from Double Trouble’s debut collection is cut for a relaxed fit with classic crew neck style and features their signature wording embroidery. A celebration of pop-culture references, movie quotes and girl power anthems, each Double Trouble garment is embroidered by hand in the UK.

Got a style or beauty question? Email Gracie Stewart at westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk with the subject Ask Gracie

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Calvin Klein leather/suede crossbody bag £190

Luxury leather he enduring appeal of leather never really goes away, but it is definitely having a style moment right now. It’s the classic we love all year round but, as spring approaches, try toughening up your sweet florals with leather detailing or start with the basics and invest in a good quality jacket. Don’t be afraid to veer off from the customary biker jacket either, nowadays most styles can be found in leather from the bomber jacket to the trench coat. For everyday wear, we suggest dressing a leather skirt down with a chunky knit. And for the vegans among you, fret not - there are now plenty of faux leather options available.

T

Leather skirt £50 Tu at Sainsbury’s

Brooklyn leather tote £150 Jaeger

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Fashion Leather A-line dress £180 Very

fave!

Leather dress £149 La Redoute

Leather biker jacket £350 Jaeger

Rowe vegan leather skirt £55 Oliver Bonas

Ozzy boot £165 Dune

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Wellbeing

the boost

Life just got better. Our wellness guru Charlotte Dear has handpicked the latest health secrets and expert advice to help you be your best self, every day

Just for the weekend Too busy rushing around during the week to squeeze in a workout or two? Don’t panic!

New research suggests that those of us who cram all of our exercise into one or two sessions at the weekend benefit nearly as much as those who train every day. If you’re a weekend warrior who simply can’t find the time to break a sweat from Monday to Friday, keep it up – your risk of cardiovascular death is 40% lower than if you were to put your feet up altogether.

Sweet enough Are your children eating a healthy, well-balanced diet? Public Health England has launched a campaign to encourage parents in the South West to ‘Be Food Smart’ about their children’s eating habits. Following findings that children in England consume half the daily recommended sugar intake before they get to school each day, Change4Life campaign’s free app scans barcodes of food products to reveal how much sugar, fat and salt they contain. For more information visit www.nhs.uk/change4life

GREAT OUTDOORS Fed up with queuing for cross-trainers and staring at a wall while you run? Falmouthbased Fitness Wild offers tough personal and group training sessions that combine modern principles with natural, outdoor settings.

Together with extensive beach workshops that feature barbells, ropes, Olympic lifts and even tyres, Fitness Wild is also the only qualified BioPrint practitioner in Cornwall, a method of identifying hormone imbalances in order to improve body performance. For more information visit www.fitnesswild.com 30

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Time for a helping hand Need a helping hand to achieve better physical health this year?

Exeter’s Eat Well Now offers health and nutrition advice in Devon and Cornwall, specialising in diet analysis, weight loss, diabetes management and nutrition training programmes. Whether you’re looking for one-off advice or an extended programme to help tackle ongoing concerns, Debra Williams will offer professional evidence based advice to see you on the straight and narrow. www.eatwellnow.co.uk

Eat up Running low on ‘get up and go’? According to top nutritionists, when it comes to keeping energy levels up, there are certain shopping list essentials.

Opt for quinoa pasta and whole grain oats for a slow release of energy and mackerel for a B12 and magnesium boost that will also balance your blood sugar levels. Don’t forget regular swigs of H2O to allow those nutrients reach the right place and if you’re hankering after something sweet, indulge in a bar of raw chocolate.

What’s coming up? Tweet us your wellbeing diary dates

@WMNWest or email westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk 31

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Wellbeing

Help - I’ve lost my spark!

Expert advice from our life coach when you’re feeling down Q

I know spring is around the corner, but I just seem to have lost my enthusiasm for life how do I get my spark back? GH, Bude

Transformational coach Tiffany Macedo-Dine says: It’s true that these last few months of winter can leave us feeling deflated and lacklustre while we wait for spring to arrive in the hope it brings us back our shine.

But why wait? Here are my five simple rules to getting plenty of enthusiasm back into your life, right now:

1. Change the focus It’s easy to fall into the pattern of thinking about the loss of your enthusiasm, but finding it again will only happen with a change of mindset. Rather than focusing on the loss of your mojo, steer your mind forwards and focus on how you can find it again. A good starting point is to remember when and where you last had that spark, because chances are, it’s probably still there. Once you realise that your joie de vie is not lost for good and that it just needs to be rediscovered again, you can start to enjoy the journey of finding it.

2. Create quick wins Future goals are great, but those zesty sparky

feelings are needed NOW! Think of something 4. Bring your inner child out to play you can do fairly easily and quickly that you Kids seem to have all the fun, don’t they? One know will give you joy. Arrange a trip, go and of the best ways to tap into that childlike sense see a show, hit the great outdoors of enjoyment is to bring - whatever it is that makes you out your inner child. We tick, just go for it! Once you start all have one, we just need igniting that fire in your belly, to allow him or her to ‘Feel the strength it will leave you wanting more come out once and a while. that comes with and more, and then that’s a good What’s that one activity that place to make plans for those brings the biggest smile to pushing yourself longer term goals. your face, that makes you to achieve belly laugh until you can’t 3. Dare to be uncomfortable breathe, that makes you something new. It As the saying goes, you’ll never want to whoop with joy for could be just the know until you’ve tried it! So, no apparent reason? That’s motivation you why not shake things up a bit? the thing that will make Comfortable, mundane routines your inner child come out need’ are not going to bring you the to play and if you will just excitement and energy you crave allow yourself to do that, and, though this might feel like you will be sure to have so the time you’d least like to try much fun. something new, this is in fact, exactly the right time to do it! Find that something that 5. Finders, keepers you’ve always wanted to do but never had the Once that spark has been reignited, be sure not guts to try. Maybe it’s a physical challenge, or to lose it. Make a note to yourself with some joining a group or taking part in a performhelpful hints and clues of where to look, should ance - whatever it is, now is the time to face it be temporarily misplaced again. So, no need that challenge head on. Feel the strength to wait until spring, you can get that spark back that comes with pushing yourself to achieve now - it’s there waiting to be ignited! something new. It could be just the motivation Tiffany Macedo-Dine is a transformational coach you need. based in Devon www.tiffanymacedo-dine.co.uk

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Food

SMALL BITES

Our pick of what’s on in the Westcountry food world right now Look out for a new face in the kitchen Thomas Jones has been appointed as the head chef at The Bower Inn, Bridgwater. Tom has previously worked as head chef for the Warner Hotel at Cricket St Thomas and also worked at The Grange in Sherborne, Dorset.

The award-winning Bower Inn, which is a pub, restaurant and hotel, is owned by hsband and wife team Peter Starling and Candida Leaver.

“Our food is a vital part of what we do here and it’s wonderful we’ve found someone like Tom. He is so passionate about what he does, and can take our kitchen team forward” says Peter.

Eat Venetian in Exeter A new Venetian-style restaurant called Polpo is set to open in Exeter early next month. The restaurant takes inspiration from the rustic back-street wine bars of Venice and will feature an array of simple but delicious small plates from the Italian region of Veneto. Polpo will seat up to 65 people inside and 35 outside. It will join new culinary faces on the block such as Turtle Bay, The Stable, Comptoir Libanais and KuPP in the brand-new Queen Street Dining Quarter, part of the redevelopment of Exeter’s Guildhall shopping centre into a foodie destination.

The Oscars of the Oggy Some of North America’s best pasty makers are heading for an exciting crimp-off at the sixth annual World Pasty Championships at the Eden Project on Saturday March 4. Four pasty specialists – two each from the United States and Canada – will be competing to be named the world’s top pasty maker at the annual event, also known as the Oscars of the Oggy. The championships feature pasties from Cornwall as well as from around the world, and visitors are encouraged to come and take part in the entertainment. www.edenproject.com/pasty.

Superb sausages Westaways, the Westcountry’s favourite sausage producer, have commissioned a special edition of food writer Fiona Beckett’s popular book of sausage favourites. From comforting mashes and gravy recipes to pastas, beans and rice, there are 125 sausage-centred dishes to make in the cookbook as well as a range of sauces, salsas and accompaniments. Westaways Sausage and Mash by Fiona Beckett costs £5, call 01626 333101 or visit www. westawaysausages.com to order.

Got some foodie news? Let us know on westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk 33

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Enjoy

Your stars

by Cassandra Nye

Happy birthday to...

Sir Ben Ainslie

This week’s sign:

Born February 5, 1977

Aquarians are intent on making the world a better place - they are philosophers and visionary souls who are sensitive and even vulnerable. They are bsuy people, often members of a lot of organisations or clubs but tend to have just a few very close friends. As a result, they really love those that are there for them.

The Westcountry’s very own sailing legend Sir Ben Ainslie celebrates his 40th birthday tomorrow. The four times Olympic gold medallist learned to sail at Restronguet Creek on the Fal estuary. His Olympic gold medal-winning Laser and Finn dinghies can be seen at the National Maritime Museum in Falmouth. Ben, who lives in Hampshire, is married to former Sky Sports News presenter Georgie Thompson. She and their baby daughter Bellatrix will no doubt be helping him blow out the candles for his big birthday.

AQUARIUS (January 21 - February 19) Although you prefer to get the right reaction by doing your best, this week you will need to use your charm and influence. Extra effort put into a project now means a smoother outcome later. The planets are stirring up your emotions, especially around the time of the Full Moon at the weekend. Losing your temper would be a mistake even though you need to say your piece!

PISCES (February 20 - March 20) Using the right words at the right time sees you tip the scales in your favour. Sort out any situation this week that you know to be tricky as leaving it until later may not help.

Love life going well? Keep it that way by sorting out any finances ahead of a planned holiday or move. Some practical things need to be done to stabilise a situation.

ARIES (March 21 - April 20) This is a week for high spirits and grand ideas. Something which you thought out of the question now seems more than possible. It is a romantic time. Any disagreements are soon resolved and passions are set to flare and keep the flame burning. A short journey wakes up your imagination and perks up your spirits. Who can you share this with? Make it the right person even if you have to wait!

TAURUS (April 21 - May 21) With your mind at its sharpest, making good decisions comes easily. The idea of bringing forward a plan or meeting appeals.

News regarding a lover or partner can be a bit too revealing and could cause a stir midweek. Even so, the passion of reconciliation burns brightly under the Full Moon at the weekend. Staying calm is not always the best thing.

GEMINI (May 22 - June 21) Bringing just the right mixture of experience and reality to a situation this week could mean both travel and exciting decisions. Taking things too much to heart is a mistake as things can change for the better in a

flash. The Full Moon at the weekend focuses on finances, so be warned. Making the right decision before that can bring money matters into line.

Loved ones are supportive.

CANCER (June 22 - July 22) With a lucky and progressive week ahead, you should be buzzing with ideas.

Some are a bit of wishful thinking but there are practical possibilities. From midweek your attention is drawn to money and moody partnerships. When speaking your mind, fish out some of those bright ideas you had earlier! A strong spirit can see you sail through the roughest storm. Just make sure that you are prepared.

LEO (July 23 - August 23) Bringing pleasure to others is what you enjoy but you, yourself, will be the centre of attention this week. Someone wants to show how much they appreciate you. This could cause friction if you are busy elsewhere. If your finances are tied up with your partner it may be necessary to pull out that charm offensive! You cannot please everyone this week but just pleasing yourself has its own problems.

VIRGO (August 24 - September 23) Your popularity is especially high at the moment and this could very easily lead to romance. Keep a clear head when it comes to finances, though! A current partner may have set ideas about what you should do. This may not tally with your own. Be prepared for sparks to fly.

Someone new in your sphere may have to wait for you attention. Passions are firing all around you this week and demand your time and effort.

LIBRA (September 24 - October 23) A few hiccups on the romantic side could cause you to put more effort into your work. This can pay dividends. In a changeable and volatile week, avoiding arguments is better than firing on all cylinders. Aren’t you due a bit of time off ? How about that romantic place you wanted to visit?

SCORPIO (October 24 - November 22) A slow start to the week soon picks up when you spot something interesting that needs your attention. Passions cannot be avoided but may be met head on. Taking a practical approach means that it is hard for anyone to argue against you. Getting that balance between what you want and what someone else wants is tricky.

SAGITTARIUS (November 23 - December 21) If someone isn’t listening to your ideas, maybe a more relaxed and charming approach is necessary? Pushing hard is fine if it will please both parties. It is possible for everyone to be happy about the resolution. Be full-on with your instincts. In the lead up to Valentine’s Day be sure to make the most of your future plans.

CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 20) Important influences come along this week but be true to your own beliefs. You have got something just right, so don’t be told otherwise! Something that has held you back comes to a head. Be brave and honest about what you really need. Life is not always easy but any battles that you fight now are likely to prove their worth in the long term.

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Cook

Quick Shepherd’s Pie

Carol’s top tip The garlic baguettes can be replaced with a heartier bread offering. A cheese, onion and garlic bread topping is a good fatherpleasing option for hungry dads.

Recipe: Carol Bowen Ball, author of Esse’s The Four Seasons Cookbook Carol says: Instead of peeling, boiling and mashing potatoes for the topping, if you are in a rush you could try this speedy shepherd’s pie version instead, using shop-bought garlic bread baguettes. It works really well.

Ingredients:

Method:

Serves 4 500g lamb mince 1 onion, finely chopped 2 carrots, peeled and chopped 1 tsp dried rosemary 2 tbsp onion gravy granules 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 100g frozen peas 2 frozen garlic baguettes 1 tbsp olive oil

1.

Preheat the oven if necessary to 200 C/Fan 180 C/Esse Dial Guide HOT. (Aim for the dial reading to be in the middle of HOT).

2.

In a large pan, fry the lamb mince with the onion, carrots and rosemary for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

3.

Add the gravy granules, Worcestershire sauce, peas and 100 ml boiling water, mixing well. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then transfer to an ovenproof dish.

4.

Slice the garlic bread and arrange over the top of the lamb mixture. Drizzle the bread with the olive oil and bake for 15 minutes until golden. Serve, if liked, with a crisp green salad.

The Rangemoors Hearth & Cook showroom at Marsh Barton, Exeter, supplies the full range of Esse stoves: www.hearthandcook.com 36

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Drink

Happy h ur with drinks expert April Marks

April says: Saint Valentines’ day is around the corner so I have the top gift idea for gin lovers.

Produced in Belgium, this gin is based around Xocoatl, known as the world’s first aphrodisiac.

During the time of Incas and Mayas, a secret recipe was created for kings, queens and gods that brought the gift of long life, intelligence and passion in those fortunate enough to drink it.

The Xocoatl recipe has been revived in the form of X-Gin, a (mostly) secret recipe of 15 herbs and

spices alongside the usual juniper berries. This is an intensely-flavoured gin, there’s a definite richness from cocoa beans which evolves into soft vanilla and a fiery spiciness from the red chillies. It is intriguingly different and in no way could it be labelled as conventional.

This really is a gin with added passion – serve with a neutral flavoured tonic and garnish with cocoa nibs (which come with the gin) and raspberries to put some pizzazz into your love life!

April Marks is co-founder of Regency Wines Ltd Exeter @regencywinesuk

For Valentine’s Day,

how about a bottle of aphrodisiac gin?

Negroni Cocktail The Negroni has to be one of the most romantic gin cocktails - classic, truly Italian, herbaceous and bitter-sweet. It is also really simple to make. You will need; 50ml Quality Gin 25ml Campari 25ml Sweet Vermouth Orange Peel Ice If you have a cocktail shaker, place all the liquid ingredients into the shaker with ice then strain into a chunky tumbler over ice.

If you don’t have a shaker then place all the ingredients straight into the tumbler, stir and garnish with the orange peel.

Now: a winerepellent shirt!

At last it will be possible to wear a white shirt to wine tastings! With crowdfunding support, start-up company Labfresh is about to launch a cotton shirt that claims to have the technology within the fabric to repel bacteria and liquids from entering the product. At 119 Euros per shirt it’s not a throw-away purchase. However, in tests the shirt still looks fresh and shows no sign of wear after 60 washes - adding sustainability to its virtues. www.labfresh.eu

PRODUCT OF THE WEEK X-Gin from Belgium See my main feature for more information on this cocoa-based aphrodisiac gin.

Available at Regency Wines for £42.94

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Drink Beer of the week Congratulations to Exe Valley Brewery who took gold in the South West regional champion Beer of Britain competition with Darkest Devon. The 3.9% ABV beer is an easy-drinking mild, usually brewed in the spring, with a smooth body, thanks to six varieties of malt and a slight fruity edge from Progress and Bobek hops.

Darren Norbury

talks beer FIRST CLASS ALE I’ve just discovered Beers by Post online (www.beersbypost.com) and it seems an ideal way to get hold of Westcountry beer and cider if you’re outside the region, or perhaps wanting to send local goodies to friends or relatives around the country or overseas. Well worth a browse – the bottles are varied and great value.

Ageing gracefully Barrel-ageing? Bit passé, possibly. Wild yeast specialists Wild Beer Co, in the hills of Somerset, have got their hands on some foudres, made from the same material as barrels but much larger. Ideal for maturing their characterful sour brews.

And they look mighty impressive, too.

o many people I drink with, a pint of UK population now identifying as either vegan or beer can’t be great unless it’s crysvegetarian, it’s important our beers are labelled tal clear. I mean it may be golden, or clearly to help these customers when shopping or amber, or light straw in colour, but buying at the bar.” it needs to be, as we say at the bar, A few miles away in Ponsanooth, near Falpolished. Shining and inviting. mouth, Dynamite Valley Brewing Co has gone The obvious exception used to be wheat beer completely vegan and vegetarian friendly. Owner which – most of the time – has a natural haze.

Dom Lilly tells me that he had been searching for I say most of the time. I have a while for a good vegan-friendcome across one or two clear ly fining method and came hefeweizens, but then you get across a product called Brousel the proper flavour by rousing P Special (other vegan finings Why would the yeast in the bottle. are available). Compared to you question Many brewers use isinglass isinglass, he says, “it’s cheaper, to clear yeast from the beer and it lasts longer and we use less”. the vegetarian leave it bright (called fining).

Which obviously prompts the credentials of A form of collagen, this is the question: why aren’t all brewdried fish bladder of a sturgeon. ers using it? a drink made On a list of 101 uses of a sturWell, changing long-esessentially from geon’s bladder, beer clearing tablished brewing traditions malt and hops rates highly, but many brewers is rather like turning an oil have concluded that, in the 21st tanker around. But on this octwo plants? century, it’s worth exploring casion the growing number of other options. vegetarians and vegans is likely And this is exactly what two to drive the process of changeoof my local brewers have done. ver. And I am aware, at this Skinner’s, in Truro, has been working for a while point, that many may not even have been aware to get certification for most of its beers from of isinglass finings because, well, why would you the Vegan Society. The two regular beers which question the veggie credentials of a drink made don’t meet the criteria are Hops ‘n’ Honey, for the essentially from malt and hops – two plants? obvious reason, and Penny Come Quick, which The market will eventually drive the change, is a milk stout and includes lactose in its recipe. though, and I predict that it won’t be too long Skinner’s managing director, Mike Pritchard, before most beers are vegan friendly because, says: “We know, from talking to our stockists well, if you want to maximise your sales, why and customers, that there is a growing consumer wouldn’t you want some of the vegan pound? interest in vegan and vegetarian options in the Darren Norbury is editor of beertoday.co.uk food and drink industry. With 12 per cent of the @beertoday

T

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Chilli chocolate fondant Recipe: David Jenkins of Rock Salt brasserie, Plymouth David says: ‘I like to make this using chilli chocolate from the South Devon Chilli Farm’

Ingredients:

Method:

64g caster sugar 2 large eggs 70g egg yolk 125g unsalted butter, plus a little extra for greasing 125g South Devon Chilli Farm Madagascar 70% dark chilli chocolate 36g plain flour 2 tsp cocoa powder

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2.

Melt the chocolate and butter together in a microwave, or over a bain marie. Once melted, leave to cool for 10 minutes.

3.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, yolks and sugar together until thick, pale and doubled in size. Fold in the sifted flour, then

the cooled, melted butter and chocolate.

Make sure the mixture is thoroughly combined to a loose batter.

4.

Divide the mixture between the pudding moulds and chill for at least 20 minutes.

5.

Cook in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the tops have formed a crust and the fondant is starting to come away from the sides of the mould. Leave to rest for at least two minutes before turning out.

6.

Delicious served with passion fruit syrup, sorbet, crème fraîche sorbet or Thai basil and toasted coconut.

This recipe comes from the new A Taste of the West Country cookbook, now available on Amazon (We Make Magazines, £17.99)

1

Taste of

16 18:20

02/09/20

9

UK £17.9

Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6.

Brush four individual pudding moulds with melted butter, refrigerate until set, then brush again with melted butter. Add a half a teaspoon of cocoa powder to each mould, swirling it around so the powder completely coats all sides of the mould. Tip out any excess.

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31/01/2017 12:57:56

culture vulture Our pick of the most interesting and exciting things to see and do right now in the South West The Year of the Rooster From 1pm on Saturday February 11 you’ll be able watch traditional dragon and lion dancers drum their way through Exeter’s city centre as they celebrate the start of the Year of the Rooster. The procession will pass through Cathedral Green, across Bedford Square, along the High Street and Gandy Street to the Royal Albert Memorial Museum on Queen Street. From 3pm there will also be a Chinese market, food, martial arts demos and activities suitable for all ages inside the Forum at the University of Exeter.

Ruby is here to help Ruby Wax is coming to Cornwall this month, with a mindfulness message that can really help when life all gets too much . On Thursday February 9, the comedian and actor will take to the stage at the Hall For Cornwall in Truro. Her new best-selling book, A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled, is the basis for the discussion. Outrageously witty, smart and accessible, Ruby aims to show ordinary people how (and why) to change for good.

With mindfulness advice for relationships, for parents, for children and for teenagers, this should be a fun - and very useful - evening. Tickets £21 £24. www.hallforcornwall.co.uk.

Green fingers This half-term, be inspired to get into gardening with free seed planting from Sunday February 12 to Thursday February 19 at Trengwainton Garden in west Cornwall. Pop along to the orchard and pot up some seeds, make your own personalised label, then take them home and watch them grow. This event is free, but normal admission charges apply for the venue. www.nationaltrust.org.uk

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Next week

NEXT WEEK IN WEST...

Valentine’s It’s romance time! We pick the beautiful lingerie that you (and he) will simply adore this February 14.

True love Real life stories of happily ever after from around the Westcountry

Homes Interiors that look gorgeous and don’t cost the earth

Work it out Smart ways to feel your best, now!

You’ll find West magazine in Saturday’s issue of The Western Morning News 41

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All weekends should be like this...

Relaxing by the sea, complete with hot tub, pool and Prince Charles' chef? Sounds good to us!

By Chris McGuire kept coming back to Agatha.

Although I’m sure, if I’d ever met her, she would have been “Dame Agatha” to me. Either way, I found myself thinking of the great mystery writer as I took this trip. It was so like a plot from one of her books.

“You’ll be met at the station,” was my only instruction.

Suitably cryptic. As foretold, I was greeted by a smiling guide who ushered me onto a luxury charabanc (if that’s not an oxymoron) populated with four perfect strangers. So far, so Christie.

After a brief journey of well-rehearsed small talk, we came to a halt. Stepping from the coach onto an ocean of gleaming gravel, I surveyed what was to be our overnight dwelling: The Beach House. Such a pleasing, quintessentially English façade. The type of place where Miss

I

Marple would have lived, if she’d won the lottery.

It had been a short journey, but it seemed we’d travelled back in time to an age of opulence, which pleased me greatly. The paintwork on the quirky windows and doors was as fresh as the sea air. A well-oiled, front door swung open and our gregarious host swept onto the driveway.

“You’re here, you’re here. So glad you could make it.”

As I took in The Beach House, beautifully finished in the Arts and Crafts style, I had to conclude that so was I. Inside, the building was immaculate: the decoration, the furniture, the juxtaposition of the magazines placed on an occasional table. It was all set out by someone with Hercule Poirot’s eye for detail. The Beach House was clearly run by someone for whom "almost" was a dirty word.

I could easily visualise Christie’s bright young

things weekending here, escaping the hustle and bustle of the metropolis.

As I fruitlessly attempted to unravel the connection between our eclectic bunch and the host, we were informed canapes would be served at 7.45pm – our time, until then, was our own. So, my co-guests and I mounted the many staircases that peppered the building to find our own particular nooks in this cranny-filled establishment.

My room was both elegant and fresh – like the set of a fabric conditioner commercial. It managed the tricky balancing act of being rustic and contemporary at the same time. I was pleased to see there was no television, a detail that would surely have pleased Agatha. A refreshingly cool breeze flowed from a pair of windows perfectly placed to frame the idyllic coastal scene beyond.

Everything was just so. Poirot’s little grey cells

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PICTURE: MATT MINSHULL

Stay

'I can think of nowhere more perfect for group get-aways by the sea'

would have found no distraction here.

As I looked out towards the swimming pool and sea vista below me, I had to wonder if we would all make it to dinner. So often in Christie’s stories, the sounding of the dinner gong marked the moment a death was discovered. But who among this group of strangers had eaten their last? Who bore a grudge? It was impossible to say. A splash announced that one of our group had entered the outdoor swimming pool - a brave move in such mysterious circumstances. I’d left my Speedos at home. When 7.45pm came, I made a mental head-count, ticking off each member of our party as they arrived.

A short time later, all were (disappointingly) present and correct in the stylish dining room – large enough to comfortably seat 20 people. It was then that our host revealed why he’d gathered us together. The truth was far less macabre than my over-active imagination had allowed.

His name was Geoff Bowen, co-owner of The Beach House in Exmouth. Rather than arriving for an appointment with death, we were here to be shown the joys of this spectacular residence.

The mysterious strangers were, it turned out, journalists. This was a twist that even Dame Agatha wouldn’t have dreamed up. It wasn’t long before I was tucking into our five course meal with gusto, safe in the knowledge I was no longer under threat.

To be clear, The Beach House isn’t a hotel. It’s a top end holiday home that sleeps twenty – there are ten exceptional double rooms. The height of elegance, I can think of nowhere more perfect for group get-aways than this enchanting residence, complete with barbecue area, gardens, hot tub, swimming pool and mesmerising views. Rather than solving murders (or being murdered), guests can busy themselves with water sports on the nearby sands – the property is co-owned by world champion kite-surfer Steph Bridge of Edge Watersports. A chef can also be brought in if residents so desire. A great idea - ours had recently left the service of Prince Charles.

The next morning, as I woke to the sound of seagulls and distant lapping water, it occurred to me that, much like the characters in Agatha’s books, there are a lot of people who’d kill to spend a few days at The Beach House.

I certainly would. www.thebeachhouseexmouth.co.uk 43

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My Secret Westcountry Lucy Kennaway Lucky Kennaway, 50, is married to Michael (known as Mish) Kennaway. The couple have turned Escot House and gardens in east Devon into a thriving events venue and play garden. They have two children Olivia, 23, and Jessica, 21.

My favourite: Walk : Starting in the grounds of Escot, I love to follow the River Tale along to the River Otter. Then on towards Tipton St John and a stop off at The Golden Lion for lunch. It’s a relaxing walk and a familiar one, as I spent a lot of time near (and sometimes in) the River Otter as a child. If you’re lucky you can see kingfishers, otters or the now-famous beavers.

Place to eat: I like The Holt in Honiton – it always has an interesting menu, with home smoked ingredients. You can enjoy a pint of Otter Ale or they have an appealing wine list, too.

Festival: Beautiful Days is held in the grounds of Escot House and so I’ve been going since it started in 2003. It’s a family-friendly festival and we always have a houseful of nieces and nephews when the festival’s on.

There’s a mix of generations and you find yourself listening to bands you wouldn’t necessarily hear otherwise. The choice of food is really good, too. It’s great fun.

Beach: Beer beach is always a lure - walk along the cliffs then go down to the beach and its pretty array of fishing boats. Then I like to wander up to the High Street to find somewhere to eat – a fresh crab sandwich is the order of the day.

Escot House in east Devon

View: I love our view from Escot House, especially over the lake. I adore watching the seasons change, particularly a Liquidambar

Food at The Holt, Honiton

tree in the park, which is a late changing tree, so when all the other trees are bare it is still turning from green to golds and reds. I also love looking out over the lawn when we have a wedding on, seeing the guests milling about and having a great time.

Icon: I have a soft spot for the writer, Michael Morpurgo, especially his Farms for City Children charity. I visited one of the farms and listened to Michael read from his book War Horse – it was very moving. He has a passion for the Westcountry and nature, and is doing a great job getting children out of the city and into the countryside.

Shop: Joshua’s near Ottery St Mary is a treasure trove of knick-knacks, cards and local produce. I’ve just ordered four Quickes cheddars (made in Devon) there to make a cheese wedding cake. Always happy to stop for a coffee there too, when I have time.

Drink: I’m a big fan of

Otter Brewery, especially Otter Ale. For wines, you can’t go far wrong calling on Christopher Piper Wines in Ottery St Mary. Chris is a great source of information on matching the best wines with food.

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People

The Beautiful Days festival at Escot House

Joshua’s Country Store, Ottery St Mary

Scallops

Real ale from Otter Brewery

Food: Locally caught seafood is an absolute

Escape: I managed to escape to Brixham with

favourite – in particular scallops. I get mine from the fishmonger in Ottery St Mary.

Mish for a night recently and it was lovely to rediscover the town and its traditional harbour.

It’s easy to walk around, with indie shops and good food. We treated ourselves to a cream tea and cocktails! I love watching the fishing boats in the harbour.

Special treat: My personal pamper treat is a reflexology session with Sonya Gallantree, who practises out of Honiton.

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My life

Chris MCguire

The olden days Chris Mcguire is feeling his age, all of a sudden

“

hat was it like?”

So, this week of all weeks, the eager desire to This statement ended my daylearn about the past from a friend’s child seemed dream with a jolt. I zone out a lot at the cherry on a slightly past its sell-by-date cake. the moment. It’s probably because, I was suddenly the repository of information on as a parent, I’m tired and increasa far-away land, called The Past, having actually ingly good at ignoring the inceslived there. sant noise that all children seem “We didn’t have mobile contractually bound to make. phones, or the internet,” ‘We didn’t have “What’s that?”

I explained, in tones mobile phones “What was it like? ‘The Past’?” my parents reserved or the internet, My friend’s son waited eagerly for tales of dragons, while his father assumed an “I ghosts and goblins. back then,’ I can’t wait to hear how you deal “How did you explained. with this” expression. This week, I check Facebook?”

‘So how did learned time is passing at a steady was the earnest march. Things I thought were reply. you check mere moments ago are now consid“We didn’t have Facebook?’ ered historical events. It’s true: the Facebook.” past is a foreign country, they did “Wow!” do things differently there.

I rememThe last few days seem to have been designed to ber having a similar convermake me extra aware of the passage of time. It’s sation with my granddad. I like ageing has crept up behind me and shouted loved hearing about the “Boo!” – causing me to mutter something about mythical land of “Olden kids these days.

Days”. But, like CamelThere’s my hair for a start. Famously unot or Middle Earth, I combed, it’s losing the battle against the grey. I couldn’t allow myself had thought this made me look a little bit George to think it had actuClooney, but an honest appraisal made me realise ally existed. It was I’m now the “Before” man in those leaflets that too unbelievable – a drop from the back of magazines. strange place where Then there’s the baby. My partner and I were people lived in black both 37 when Sam arrived. As such we keep and white and spent being referred to as geriatric parents. If anything their time not inventing is going to make you feel past it, that will. This stuff yet. week, when the health visitor talked about napI had to wonder what pies, I was unsure if she meant for my son, or me. this conversation would Add to this I’ve started to sound like my dad. be like with my own son, a I even cough like him. Some say you spend the decade, or so, from now. first decades of adult life worrying you’ll turn “I remember when you into your father, then the next decades worrying were born. Granddad drove you you won’t. I keep catching glimpses of him in the home from the hospital.” mirror (Note: I’m talking about seeing elements “Was the driving robot offline?” of him in myself here. He’s not stalking me). will, surely, be his reply.

W

[[

“We sent postcards of you,” I’ll enthuse. “To all our friends.”

“What’s a postcard? What’s a pen?”

You get the idea. We live in such changing times. I can feel my computer becoming obsolete even as I type. I hope my friend’s son enjoyed my description of times gone by. There was only one part he couldn’t get his head around: the idea that, his dad had once actually had hair. For some reason, my friend didn’t grin so much about that.

Chris Mcguire is a writer and new dad. he wrote this piece in The Past, which is where you read it. @Mcguireski

NEXT WEEK: Phil Goodwin on love, life and parenthood in the South West 46

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Meet the highly experienced experts, Martin Docking and Simon Martin

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I was the woman who kept in the background, hiding myself away from people. I was the one who talked to others with one hand across my lower face, I always felt embarrassed eating out so would make excuses and not go. I became introverted with very little confidence in myself.

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The Same Day Teeth team have put sunshine into my everyday life. I was always afraid of the dentist because of a few horrendous treatments in my earlier days. This was so different. They are not only completely professional, but gentle, kind and most importantly honest, explaining each treatment before the event.

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