MY KIND OF BBQ

Words: Daniel Nowland, Photos: Charlotte Griffiths

Fingers crossed that as we move into June and July, we can start enjoying eating outdoors with friends because we want to, not because the government says it’s our only choice! I am sure many of us will be dusting off our BBQs and enjoying gardens to the full this year. As a child, the smell of charcoal being lit brought on a warm fuzzy excitement for the onslaught of burgers, sausages and processed cheese slices. In a way, that excitement still exists today, but my taste in food has changed. Whilst burgers and sausages will always be brilliant and easy BBQ go to’s, I love finding other meals that work well on the BBQ and it turns out the options are limitless. I want to share with you a “party piece” recipe that never fails to impress and is far easier than it looks - homemade BBQ flatbreads. For me a BBQ is not complete without them now, and they normally end up being the star of the show.

The recipe is so simple, it uses yogurt in place of water and yeast, and it requires no kneading or proving - what’s not to love!? To feed four people, you will need: 500g Self raising flour 500g Plain natural yogurt (full fat works best) 1 tbsp Olive oil 1 tsp Sea salt ½ tsp Bicarbonate of soda (1 tsp dried oregano and ½ tsp smoked chilli flakes optional) Mix all of the above together in a large mixing bowl, and add a little more flour towards the end if the mixture is too wet to handle. The dough should be wet and sticky,

but with a floury coating on the outside. Leave the dough aside for 10 min or so to rest, or until you're ready to cook. When you’re ready, cut the dough into chunks, give a little extra dusting of flour, pat down into roughly 2cm thick pieces and place directly on the hot grill. Don’t be tempted to prod and turn them too soon, wait a minute or two until they are charred and come away easily. Repeat on the other side and serve. They should take just 2 - 3 minutes each side and be nicely charred and slightly puffed up. I served them here with lamb chops which I marinated in a fabulous locally made Pomegranate and Cardamom rub by Cut To The Smoke (available from The Southsea Deli). Finished with pickled red onion, fresh parsley, harissa yogurt and a shower of pomegranate seeds, it was an easy and satisfying BBQ meal, but not as you know it.

BEHIND THE SCENES

Even a global pandemic cannot halt the celebration of love!

With weddings back on the scene, it feels like the perfect time to share an insight into our coastal wedding collaboration with innovative London-based photographer, Ester Keate.

With bold colours, sustainability and celestial themed jewellery on the rise we wanted to push the boundaries of traditional wedding imagery and instead combine our coastal location with interior glamour and contrasting textures. Showing our exquisite nature-influenced, ethically handmade jewellery can be out of this world. We found the beautiful French model, Malaika, and with the talented make-up artist, Alex Reader, we managed to get together on an especially cold and windy day in March to shoot our Amora collection From earthy, natural rose cut diamonds, to the celestial spheres of sparkling diamonds and ethically sourced, hand-picked gemstones, our Amora rings are inspired by the elements on earth and in the heavens.

Therefore, to really capture the enchanting quality of each ring, we chose outdoor shots, natural local backdrops and clothing that strengthened the feel of each look and style. Despite the ease of simply booking a studio, we wanted to make use of our magnificent coastal environment. Which, given the seasonal weather, meant bringing hot water bottles, blankets and lots of hot coffee! But wow, was it worth it! After freezing on the beach at the Hotwalls, we ran for The Queens Hotel pillared foyer for an exotic backdrop, and then on to Hideout Coffee for use of their secret, glamorous retro-pink basement. Joining forces with our designer friend David Western Couture the vivid colours and bespoke nature of the dresses complimented our handmade jewellery perfectly! Visit our NEW website’s full blog at Charlottecornelius.co.uk

The Omega Art School for adults started in late 2019 and quickly became extremely popular, but had to close in March 2020 due to the COVID restrictions. The School is now offering limited places on its new autumn programme from September to December 2021. Suitable for complete beginners to people with more experience. Choose from a morning, or afternoon class on Thursdays, or a Monday evening class. All materials supplied, affordable fees and small classes. Taught by highly experienced artists and tutors, teaching a wide range of classes from drawing, painting, collage and printmaking. Plus short lectures, work sheets and even home assignments, in short, everything you would expect from a traditional art school. Tutors include: Kevin Dean, Jacqui Mair, Sadie Tierney and Chris Wood. Can't wait until September? Join our One Day workshops on Saturdays in June and July. Cost per workshop £64 inc materials and refreshments ONE DAY WORKSHOP DATES: 26 June An Introduction to Drawing part 1 10 July An introduction to Drawing part 2 17 July A beginners guide to watercolour 24 July A beginners guide to acrylic 31 July Painting on location acrylic or watercolour Please email omegaprintmakers@gmail.com for a detailed programme and booking details for both the autumn programme and the one day workshops.

Please register your interest with: omegaprintmakers@gmail.com to receive further details Omega Centre 2 Omega Street Southsea PO5 4LP

Jane Prescott Headmistress, Portsmouth High School GDST

The school summer holidays are soon to be upon us, and children who have spent a significant proportion of the past year unable to participate in their usual activities have a wonderful opportunity, whatever their age, to be proactive about using their time wisely. Older teenagers might like to participate in work experience, paid or unpaid, to gain valuable insight into a career which interests them. Serving in a café or seaside stall not only earns them some money, but they learn so many other life skills in the process. Equally, volunteering may also give rise to job opportunities, or give something to add to a CV or application to college or university. There is much to be gained that is worthwhile. For younger children there are many holiday clubs and activities, and not all of them are costly. There is the National Citizenship Service, which is weeks of fundraising and endeavour aimed at 15-17 year olds. There are drama clubs and themed weeks at places such as activity centres, sports clubs, theatres, and schools which are open to all. There are many competitions run through the summer from creative writing to design projects which will keep children entertained, active and learning. Much has been written about the learning lost through the pandemic, and few if any want children cooped up in a classroom this summer catching up. They can make up for lost time by just being kept busy — for example, trips to the library will bring a renewed interest in reading, and perhaps even a desire to research local events, history and geography. This is a wonderful opportunity to leave the formal curriculum and bring an intellectual curiosity to learning.

Southsea

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