TASTE&FLAIR OCTOBER 2022 ISSUE No150

Accademia Lagofusion®

State-of-the-art technology and re ned design, perfect from cooking to serving. Accademia Lagofusion® is a range whose exceptional features express all of Lagostina’s Made in Italy tradition.

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WELCOME

“Magazines are all about the here and now, the point of them being to encapsulate the moment – and that is precisely why they have captured my imagination since I was a small child,” Daphne Caruana Galizia had written in the editorial of Taste&Flair’s 100th issue. Capturing the moment is what we set out to do when planning the magazine’s 150th issue. What defines “the moment” has shifted tremendously over the last nearly two decades of Taste&Flair’s lifespan. Trends are here today and gone tomorrow, but the elements that anchor Taste&Flair remain unchanged: colour and beauty, a sense of place, longevity and permanence. That’s as true of food as it is of wine and art, or architecture and interiors. Some of our contributors, readers and advertisers have been here from the beginning, others are just starting out. They’re all part of Taste&Flair’s history and have helped make it what it is. Three people in particular deserve special mention: Daphne for founding the magazine in 2004, and Sean and Ramon who have been there from the start, endlessly patient through long days and nights of multiple edits before each issue goes to print. We’ve come a long way, but some things don’t change. Taste&Flair is here to stay.

If you missed any issue of Taste&Flair and want a copy, we may be able to help so please do get in touch with us by email, Messenger, or on Instagram.

Cori e

Publisher

The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation 56 Melita Street, Valletta VLT1122, Malta

Editorial Board

Paul Caruana Galizia Andrew Caruana Galizia Matthew Caruana Galizia

Executive Editor Corinne Vella

Editorial Assistants Megan Mallia • Amy Mallia

Art Director Ramon Micallef +356 9949 1418 ram@box-design.net

Advertising Manager & Editorial Contributor Sean Ellul +356 7921 0705 sellul@independent.com.mt

Advertising Assistant Christine Mifsud +356 21 345 888 ext 138 cmifsud@independent.com.mt

Production Manager André Camilleri

Production Assistant Conrad Bondin

Prepress

&

Printing Print It

All communication about Taste&Flair magazine should be directed to Corinne Vella at corinne.vella@gmail.com

No part of any issue of Taste&Flair may be reproduced without the written prior agreement of the publisher.

Distributed with The Malta Independent on Sunday*. The Malta Independent on Sunday is published by Standard Publications Ltd - Tel +356 21 345 888

*The surcharge on The Malta Independent on Sunday, or any charge for this magazine is retained by Standard Publications Ltd.

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Last of the Summer Fruitphoto by Corinne Vella. See feature on page 24.

Still life with wine, fruit and oysters, Jan Davidsz de Heem (1606-1684), National Museum, Sweden

BEAU-TEA-FUL!

19th-century American novelist and arbiter of elegant taste, Henry James, once wrote that “there are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.” There’s certainly something alluring about the tradition of afternoon tea - taking time out of a busy day to enjoy catching up with good company over warm brews and delicious treats and tidbits. It’s a ceremony that stems from British royalty and remains a pleasure that deserves to be savoured in style.

So, if you’re looking for a truly fitting setting for your next afternoon tea rendezvous with the girls, why not indulge in a trip to Le Café at Corinthia St George’s Bay? Set in the stunning hotel lobby, your tea experience is backdropped by a gorgeous arched window that looks out onto the sparkling sea and welcomes in streams of golden sunshine. It’s a beautiful spot to unwind for a few hours of peace and bliss.

Naturally, the venue is only half the story when it comes to an unforgettable afternoon tea. Le Café doesn’t disappoint with its exquisite selection of freshly brewed teas and coffees served alongside scrumptious sweet and savoury bites, all prepared to perfection. Each tiered tray stacked with beautifully crafted treats is a joy to behold and begs to be relished morsel by mouth-watering morsel.

The Classic Afternoon Tea option does exactly what it says on the tin, with a generous serving of Corinthia’s first-class service. Help yourself to bottomless coffees and teas over a fine selection of heavenly sandwiches filled with smoked salmon and sour cream, cucumber, caviar and dill, Parma ham, pecorino cheese and rocket leaves, as well as Salame

Napoli, brie cheese and piccalilli. Pastries include fresh English scones with berries and clotted cream. Enhance the experience with a glass of chilled Prosecco, the perfect tipple to toast a special occasion or a well-deserved cheeky mid-afternoon refresher.

Step up indulgence with the Chocolate Lovers’ Afternoon Tea option. In addition to all the classic servings, enjoy luxurious chocolatey delights, including warm cups of hot chocolate, mini chocolate muffins, chocolate truffles, and even tangy orange peels dipped in melted chocolate. You’ll think you’ve died and gone to chocolate heaven.

Whether you like to keep things traditional or prefer your afternoon tea to come with a special twist, you’re guaranteed an unforgettable Afternoon Tea experience at Le Café. n

Available daily. Guests also enjoy complimentary parking at the Corinthia St George’s Bay car park to ensure the entire experience is hassle-free from start to finish.

Booking ahead is always highly recommended. Make your reservation on +356 2137 4114 or stgeorges@corinthia.com

“For this very special 150th edition of Taste&Flair, we decided to visit the British Isles and give you the recipes for six quite iconic dishes. These are all very different, yet representative of what comes to mind when one mentions British food.”

CULLEN SKINK

“We start this feature in Scotland with a simple but very tasty soup. I tried this at a very beautiful restaurant set by a loch with my good friends, Mariella and John, who live in Glasgow.”

Serves 4 • Preparation & cooking 40 minutes

Recommended wine “You can either go full on traditional Scottish, with a light single malt whisky. Otherwise, my first choice of wine would be a golden-coloured, mature Alsatian Riesling.”

YOU WILL NEED:

300g smoked haddock 250ml milk

25g unsalted butter

1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced 350ml water

Pepper

parsley, finely chopped lemon, to serve

1. Place the haddock and milk into a pot and place on the heat. Bring it to a very gentle boil and cook the fish for 5 minutes. Turn the heat off and leave the pot to cool.

2. Carefully remove the fish from the milk and use a fork to flake it. Keep the milk for later.

3. Melt the butter in a large pot. Add the onion and stir fry for a few minutes to soften it, then add the cubed potatoes. Cook for 1 minute then pour in the water.

4. Bring the pot to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes before adding the reserved milk and flaked fish. Season with pepper and cook for 5 minutes.

5. Add the chopped parsley. Serve at once with lemon wedges for who likes the added acidity.

SHEPHERD’S PIE

YOU WILL NEED:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil • 50g butter • 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 medium carrots, peeled and diced • 2 sticks celery, chopped

1 tablespoon thick tomato paste • 700g lean minced lamb • salt and pepper

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce • 2 tablespoons flour • 500ml chicken stock

2 bay leaves • a few sprigs fresh thyme • 4 floury potatoes (approximately 800g) 50g butter, soft but not melted • 140ml warm milk • grated nutmeg

1. Heat the oil and butter in a pot, then stir fry the onion, carrots and celery for about 5 minutes to soften them until they start to colour. Add the tomato paste and stir fry for a minute or two, then add the meat. Season and stir using a wooden spoon.

2. Cook on medium high heat, stirring very often until the lamb is browned. Add the Worcestershire sauce and flour, and mix them in very well before pouring in the stock.

3. Add the herbs and simmer on gentle heat for 30 minutes until the mixture is thickened and cooked through. Set it aside to cool slightly.

4. Boil the potatoes in salted water until they are tender, then drain them. While they are still hot, add the butter and 140ml of warm milk. Mash them using a potato masher then season them with nutmeg, salt and pepper.

5. Place the lamb mixture into a ceramic baking dish and spoon the mashed potato over the meat. Use a palette knife to smoothen the surface, then run a fork all over to create small ridges. These will help with the browning of the surface. You may also pour some melted butter over the surface before baking.

Preheat the oven to 190°C and bake the pie for 30 minutes until it is golden brown all over. Serve this piping hot.

FOR THE PASTE

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 small teaspoon coriander seeds

3 cloves garlic, peeled

1 teaspoon fresh ginger

1 chilli (or as much as you like)

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 teaspoon paprika, sweet or smoked the seeds of 3 cardamon pods vegetable oil

FOR THE CURRY

3 tablespoons vegetable oil • salt

3 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)

3 large onions, peeled and roughly chopped

3 tablespoons Tikka Masala paste

2 sweet red peppers, deseeded and chopped

9 boneless chicken thighs, halved

1 tin tomato pulp (400g)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

150ml coconut milk 150ml yoghurt

1. Make the paste first. Dry roast the cumin and coriander seeds in a small frying pan for a few seconds then transfer them to a food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients, bar the oil, and blitz to a fine powder. Add just enough vegetable oil to create a paste and transfer it to a clean jar till needed.

CHICKEN “TIKKA MASALA”

In the list of national dishes of the UK, “Tikka Masala” always ranks very high, together with fish and chips and roast beef. One British foreign secretary had once stated that Chicken Tikka Masala is proof of the new multicultural society that makes up the population of Great Britain. Most recipes call for chicken breasts. I much prefer boneless thighs.

Serves 6 • Preparation and cooking 90 minutes

Recommended wine “If lightly spicy, a richer-style Rosé would work well. For spicier versions, an off-dry, good quality Gewürztraiminer or Riesling “Spätlese” are classic pairings with spice.”

2. Heat the oil and ghee in a large pot. Add the onions and cook on a medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring very often. Add the “Tikka Masala” paste and sweet peppers. Cook for a few minutes then add the chicken. Season with salt.

3. Stir fry on high heat for about 8 minutes, then add the tomato paste and mix in very well, before pouring in the tinned tomatoes. Fill the tin with water and add this to the pot.

4. Bring the pot to a boil, then lower it to a simmer. Cover the pot and cook for 20 minutes. Add the coconut milk and yoghurt and cook, uncovered, for a further 10 minutes. Serve with rice.

FISH AND CHIPS WITH MUSHY PEAS

I remember some years ago having the most divine fried, battered haddock in Cornwall, at an upmarket restaurant by the sea. Speaking with the chef after, he said the only secret was freshness and the quality of the fish.

Serves 4 • Preparation and cooking 60 minutes

Recommended wine “Fresh and zingy wine like Chablis and Sauvignon Blanc are typical classic pairings, though this is the perfect opportunity for an English sparkling wine which would help cleanse the palate and keep the meal British.”

FOR THE BATTER

250g plain flour 300ml lager 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon pepper

FOR THE PEAS

50g butter

1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped 400g garden peas salt and pepper 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh mint.

FOR THE FISH

4 fresh white fish fillets (approx 200g each, haddock, cod or even lampuki) 100g plain flour, to dust

1. Prepare the batter by mixing all the ingredients together in a large bowl making sure that there are no lumps. The batter should be on the thin side. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it aside.

2. Melt the butter in a pan. Add the chopped onion and let it sweat for a couple of minutes. Add the peas. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 4 minutes.

Use a fork to mash the peas coarsely. Stir in the mint and keep the mixture warm till needed.

3. Heat your deep fat fryer to 180°C. Make sure the oil is clean and has not been used already.

4. Dust the fish in flour then pat it to remove the excess. Dip the fish into the batter and drip away extra batter before lowering the coated fish gently into the fryer.

5. Hold the fish halfway into the oil for a few seconds before releasing it to avoid it sinking to the bottom and sticking to the fryer basket. Fry for approximately 4 minutes till the batter puffs up and turns golden brown. Keep warm in a low oven till you fry the rest.

6. Serve the freshly cooked fish with the mushy peas, some chunky chips, wedges of lemon and sea salt flakes.

WELSH RAREBIT

Serves 4

Preparation & cooking 20 minutes

Recommended wine “A pint of the same Ale used to make this dish would be a perfect pairing, but on those days, I’d prefer a glass of wine. An Australian Grenache or GSM blend (a red wine blended from Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre) would be my first choice.”

1. Warm the ale in a small saucepan and set it aside. Melt the butter in another, larger saucepan. Just as it starts to brown, tip in all the flour. Stir and cook on low heat for 1 minute before pouring the ale in slowly, a bit at a time, while stirring to create a thick sauce.

2. Stir in the cheese and seasoning. Add the mustard and parsley and cook for a few seconds to combine.

3. Meanwhile, have the bread toasted and place it on a baking sheet, and heat the grill.

A taste of Wales, here - ideal to serve for brunch on a lazy Saturday. This may be upgraded to a “Buck Rarebit” with the addition of a soft poached egg perched on top. YOU WILL NEED 4 thickish slices of bread suitable for toasting 200ml ale butter 40g flour 275g grated mature cheddar salt and pepper 1 teaspoon English mustard 1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley

4. Pour the cheese sauce over the toasted bread and transfer it to the grill. Cook for a minute or two to brown it and serve it immediately.

There are many British desserts and sweets that come to mind, but for me this is one of the oddest ones. Quite heavy and filling, it was made to satisfy the most demanding appetites at a budget, so it quickly became a very common school canteen staple. I like all puddings, really, as long as they’re served with loads of warm custard alongside.

Serves 6 • Preparation and cooking 120 minutes Recommended wine “This pairs wonderfully with a sweet “Auslese” Riesling or Muscat.”

YOU WILL NEED:

225g self-raising flour • ½ teaspoon salt

100g shredded butter • 120ml water

4 tablespoons thick and chunky strawberry jam

1. Mix the flour with the salt and butter in a large bowl. Add enough of the cold water to make a light elastic dough. Knead for a few minutes till smooth and shiny, and roll it out into a rectangle of about 0.5cm thick.

2. Place the jam into a small bowl and stir it well with a spoon to soften it. Spread it all over the pastry, leaving a 1cm edge all around. Turn in the edges of the pastry, then brush it all around with water. Roll it up from the longest side, just like a Swiss roll.

3. Have a large rectangle of baking parchment ready greased with spray oil. Place the roll onto the paper and roll it up, securing the edges well. Next roll up the paperwrapped roly poly in foil, making sure to secure the edges well.

4. Half fill a steamer or fish kettle with water and bring it to the boil. Very gently, lower the wrapped pudding into the water. Cover the pan and let it boil gently for 90 minutes, making sure to top it up with boiling water when needed.

5. When the roly poly’s done, leave it to cool slightly before unwrapping it and serving with hot custard.

JAM ROLY POLY

Custard

This makes approximately 600ml

YOU WILL NEED:

400ml milk

200ml fresh cream

1 vanilla pod, halved and scraped 3 eggs 2 tablespoons sugar

1. Warm the milk and cream together with the seeds from the vanilla pod, and the pod itself too, till boiling point is reached. Then, turn off the heat and leave the mixture to infuse for 5 minutes.

2. Using a hand whisk, whisk the eggs with the sugar in a bowl till they turn pale, then pour the milk and cream mixture over the eggs while whisking all the time.

3. Strain the mixture through a sieve into a clean pot and return it to a low heat. Cook, while stirring all the time, till the custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Remove the pan from the heat immediately the custard is done, or it will curdle.

There’s lots you can do with a basket of onions. Claire Borg turned a fresh bunch into these tempting meals and gorgeous photos.

KNOW YOUR ONIONS

ONIONS

Onions are packed with healthy nutrients and add essential flavour to many dishes. They come into their own when they’re the star of a recipe, rather than being a secondary ingredient.

GOZITAN-STYLE ROASTED ONIONS

This simple, homely dish is really easy to make. With just a few onions and store cupboard ingredients, you could have a light meal ready in minutes.

Serves 6

YOU WILL NEED:

6 large onions

4 cloves of garlic

1 handful of parsley olive oil

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar pepper and salt

1. Heat up your oven to 180°C. Place the whole, unpeeled onions into a baking tin and roast them in the oven until they soften. This will take about 50-60 minutes.

2. Remove the baking tin from the oven and let the onions cool down completely, then peel off the brown outer skins.

3. Finely slice the onions and place them in a large bowl. Grate the garlic into the bowl, then add the finely chopped parsley. Drizzle generously with extra-virgin olive oil, add the vinegar and season. Mix well.

4. Serve with fresh Maltese bread spread with kunserva (tomato paste) or tomatoes, Maltese cheese and olives.

ONION AND BACON QUICHE

This classic dish can be prepared ahead. Serve it warm with a fresh, green salad on the side.

Serves 6

FOR THE DOUGH

400g plain flour 100g semolina 200g cold salted butter

1 teaspoon salt cold sparkling water, as needed

FOR THE QUICHE FILLING

250g cooked and finely diced bacon 150g grated Parmesan cheese

3 large onions, finely diced and cooked in butter until soft 8 eggs

4 tablespoons Greek yoghurt black pepper

1. First, make the dough. Mix the salt, semolina and flour. Dice the butter into the flour mix and rub it in until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

2. Slowly add just enough water to bring the dough together. Pat it into a ball, cover it with cling film and keep it in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight.

3. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the yoghurt and whisk it until blended with the eggs. Add the remaining ingredients and mix everything together well.

4. Roll out the dough and place it on a piece of baking paper. Lift the dough into an oven-proof dish. (I used a round, 10” diameter, raised edge, enamel dish.) Trim the excess dough from around the edges, then pour in the egg mixture.

5. Place the dish in a cold oven, then switch it to the fan setting at165°C. Bake the quiche for 35 minutes, then turn the heat up to 170°C degrees and bake it until it turns golden on top and underneath.

SICILIAN STYLE RABBIT

A departure from the traditional rabbit-in-wine, this recipe is a moreish blend of sweet and savoury flavours.

Serves 4

YOU WILL NEED

1 rabbit, cut into pieces 3 large onions, very finely diced 6 cloves of garlic 500ml white wine 4 bay leaves 1 teaspoon oregano 4 anchovy fillets in oil olive oil butter

1 handful raisins 100g pine nuts 2 tablespoon vinegar 2 tablespoon sugar salt and pepper

1. Heat up a large, heavybased pot. Add a tablespoon of butter, the anchovies and some olive oil and then add the bay leaves and butter.

2. Brown the rabbit in the pan. Add the halved cloves of garlic and a glass of wine. Cook until the wine is reduced.

3. Remove the rabbit from the pot and set it aside. Heat up some more olive oil and toast the pine nuts for a few seconds, being careful not to burn them. Then, add the onions and cook them until they soften. Add the oregano and raisins, followed by the remaining white wine.

4. Bring the pan to a simmer and add the cooked rabbit. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Cover the pan and let it simmer for an hour.

5. Add the sugar and vinegar, mix them in, then reduce the sauce to the consistency desired.

PISSALADIÈRE

French onion and anchovy tart

Warmly crisp and fresh out of the oven, this savoury tart will have you reaching out for more.

Serves 4

YOU WILL NEED:

6 large onions, very finely sliced vegetable oil

1 teaspoon fresh thyme butter white wine

400g ready-made rough puff pastry 28-30 anchovy fillets 18-22 pitted black olives

1. In a wide pan, warm up some vegetable oil and cook the onions over high heat. It is important not to overcrowd then as you want the onions to become brown, not boil and steam over each other. Take care to avoid burning them. Stirring and adding some wine will help.

2. Once the onions start to turn brown and soft, add the thyme, a tablespoon of butter and a glass of white wine. Cook the mixture low and slow for about 15 minutes, then turn off the heat and let it cool.

3. Roll out the pastry and place it on a sheet of baking paper, then lift it onto a flat baking tray. Spoon the onions over the pastry, leaving a 4cm border all around without, and spread out the filling evenly. Next, place the anchovy fillets over the onions, making a criss-cross pattern and placing an olive in each “window” between the anchovies.

4. Flip the pastry edges inwards all around. Bake the tart in a hot oven set to 200°C for 2530 minutes. Serve warm.

ONION FLATBREAD

These go well with curries or slow-cooked stews, perfect for autumnal weather. The flatbreads freeze well, too, so you could batch cook them and store them until needed.

Makes 6

YOU WILL NEED:

500g bread flour

11g yeast (1 sachet)

50g melted butter

150g plain yoghurt

125g lukewarm milk

2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 large onion finely sliced and cooked until soft

1. Mix all the ingredients into a dough, either by hand or using a mixer with a hook attachment. Knead the dough for 10 minutes. Cover the mixing bowl with a damp cloth, and let the dough rest until it doubles in size.

2. Knock back the dough and divide it into 6-8 evenlysized pieces. Shape the dough into balls, cover them with a damp cloth and let them rest for 10-15 minutes.

3. Heat up a skillet or a large non-stick pan. On a clean floured surface, roll open each dough ball, into an oval or round, until it is 0.5cm thick.

4. Cook each flat piece of dough in the dry skillet for about 2-3 minutes on each side. When you the first lot is ready, wrap them in a tea towel to keep them warm and soft while you cook the rest.

5. Serve these with hummus and olives, or with any dip you prefer.

AUTUMN AWAKENING AT LE BISTRO

Along with a mercurial dip on the thermostat, autumn ushers in a flurry of flavours that reflect our desire for a more indoorsy warmth befitting of this time of year that the poet Keats called the “season of mellow fruitfulness”.

In this spirit, the talented kitchen team at the popular Le Bistro restaurant, located in the stylish waterfront Radisson Blu Resort in St Julian’s, has been hard at work crafting an exciting seasonal menu that beautifully captures the aromas, colours, and tastes of autumn, all using the freshest Mediterranean produce and ingredients. “In keeping with the restaurant’s penchant for serving up classic cuisine with a tantalising touch of derring-do, diners can expect bold new twists on familiar favourites that are sure to delight diners of all varieties,” Area Executive Chef Kevin Arpa explains.

With each season, we love to enhance the experience at Le Bistro. Through this new menu, we’re using a judicious mix of pumpkin, wild mushrooms, truffles, and other rich and warming seasonal ingredients to create a variety of soul-stirring dishes that encapsulate that cosy quality we all associate with autumn. This eclectic menu that spans soups and pastas to burgers, meat, and fish options, is a balancing act between comforting cooking and innovative culinary techniques that will surprise and delight our diners, both new and old.

Highlights on Le Bistro’s autumn menu include a sublime dish of garganelli pasta gently tossed with beef strips, garlic, parmesan, and cream of mushroom. The pumpkin ravioli is a deceptively simple indulgence that pairs the earthy sweetness of the squash with Parma ham and a creamy herb sauce. It might just be the taste of autumn in Malta.

Melt-in-the-mouth salmon fillet is crusted with lemon juice, crushed herbs, and a heavenly cauliflower and caper purée, while the classical bouillabaisse offers a subtle remix on the traditional Marseille fish stew. The dish takes advantage of the freshest local catch which is then simmered in a full-flavoured blend of tomatoes, white wine, garlic, leeks, and basil.

Elsewhere on the menu, the restaurant continues to excel in exquisite meat dishes that are quite unlike anything else around the island. The beef tagliata sees thick sirloin steak served alongside a lively medley of piquant pecorino cheese, the fresh crunch of rucola, as well a firecracker of spice introduced by a mustard seed caviar.

The duck leg confit draws inspiration from a centuriesold French cooking tradition, infusing the tender poultry’s flavour further with coriander-tossed vegetables and a final drizzle of tangy orange-scented jus. And real connoisseurs of meats will delight in special Sunday roasts of char-grilled rib of beef, cooked for two to share.

Alongside all the sublime food choices, Le Bistro stocks a varied selection of international wines with fine options to highlight and complement any food pairing. Open for lunch and dinner daily, diners also enjoy free parking at the Radisson Blu. Experience an autumnal dining experience with a delightful twist by making your reservation at Le Bistro today on www.lebistromalta.com

POTENTIAL Ageing

Wine and its aging potential can be a rather confusing topic. Unlike most other consumables, wine has the ability to improve with age. This statement is a total generalisation and is so often misinterpreted as “all wine improves with age”. In fact, most wine doesn’t improve with age, but some wine can improve with age. Furthermore, some wines will improve with age for decades, others will improve for a couple of years and then start to fade, while others simply start to fade within months of release. Confused much?

While wine and its aging potential can be a rather baffling subject, there are certain characteristics including grape variety, vintage quality, or origin, and how the wine was made, that determine the potential aging ability of a wine. I specifically mentioned potential, because the wine would need to be stored under optimum conditions to reach its best aging capability.

Andrew Azzopardi explores how long wine lasts and how producers are changing their winemaking techniques to make young wine more approachable, yet still age for decades

Do all wines increase in value when they age?

No. Since most wines do not improve with age, their value will remain the same or even reduce as they age. Most wines are meant to be fresh, fruity and juicy, and therefore intended to be drunk within the first 2 or 3 years after release. There isn’t an agreement on this precise number, but most experts say that only around 5% to 10% of all wine will benefit from aging over one year and less than 1% will improve after 5 or 10 years, and thus increase in value (though I personally believe this percentage has increased slightly over the years).

Wine changes with age, but age does not categorically improve or worsen the wine. The fruit flavours tend to rapidly decrease as wine ages and there’s usually a marked decrease in fruit after 6 months to a year, so wines that are meant to be fruity will be less enjoyable with aging. On the other hand, wines that improve over a 10 or 20-year span will often be less enjoyable in the first few years after release – this is what makes it so confusing.

Determining whether a wine will age or not is not an exact science, but there are four characteristics that most wine experts agree on when tasting a wine that will determine if it lasts. These four traits are high acidity, high tannin structure, high alcohol level, and residual sugar.

Do only red wines improve with age?

There are a decent number of white wines that can improve with some age, but even savvy wine drinkers find it difficult to establish the aging capabilities of white wine. Though most white wines do not have high tannin structures, there are certain wines that have the capabilities of improving with age including the balance of style, high acidity, and concentration that determines whether a white wine will improve and gain complexity over time. Wines from cooler climates such as Germany’s Mosel Valley often produce racy, high acid wines with some residual sugar that can age for decades, while some of the most recognised dry white wines from Burgundy in France are produced with such concentration and intensity that they have the ability to age and improve over time, gaining a remarkable complexity, and, unfortunately, price-increase, over time.

While it is often the grape variety and terroir that dictates the aging potential of the wine, techniques such as fermenting the wine on its lees (a sediment of dead yeast cells) protects it from oxygenation during the initial aging process and adds complexity and texture. This would set up the wine to mature for many years to come.

“All e elements come toge er in perfect harmony to form a crescendo of layered avours which we would refer to as e peak of e wine.”

What happens as wine ages?

It is common knowledge that wines with the ability to age for decades are considered too young to drink during the first few years after release. Wine has an element that science calls phenolic compounds, which is the organic material that adds to a wine’s colour and aroma profile. One of the marvels of wine is that wine is a “living” thing. Better still, after it’s bottled the party doesn’t stop. Over time these phenolic compounds such as tannin, natural colour pigments, and flavour compounds, continue to interact with each other and, as oxygen seeps into the bottle through porous wine-stopper (or cork), it attaches with these elements forcing some of them to then bind together.

As this happens the phenols fall to the bottom of the bottle in what is called sediment. These phenols are what gives a wine a different flavour profile and what we call complex new flavours. Young red wines soften, losing some of the tannic structure and allowing new and softer aromas and flavours to take centre stage. The colour turns from bright ruby to a brick red colour and, at one point, all the elements come together in perfect harmony to form a crescendo of layered flavours which we would refer to as the peak of the wine. This is when the wine is at its best and what we hope will be the result of the perfect age.

This is the main reason we tend to store big, ageable wines for several years before we pop the cork. These usually high acid, high tannin, powerful wines are found to be overpowering, if not unbalanced, in their youth and

would only soften out after several years in the bottle. Sadly, this means that we would need to wait for years, if not decades, to finally enjoy these wines.

But the wine-making world has reacted. A market of impatient winelovers does not have the time, space or money to wait so long to pop the cork. And let’s face it, winemakers too prefer their wines to be opened sooner rather than later so they can cash in earlier, besides the fact that many of these big, expensive wines are consumed way too young at restaurants and are not enjoyed at their peak.

Winemaking techniques had to change to produce wines that are more approachable within just a couple of years of release. And change they have. I am often impressed with the immediate elegance and finesse of recent Bordeaux, Tuscan and Californian wines within just a year or two of their release. These same wines in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s would have resulted in unbalanced, harsh overpowering wines, but nowadays we can immediately taste age-worthy wines where the fruit components are perfectly harmonious and the tannins seamlessly integrated.

Age, value and taste

Those enamoured with the intrigue of well-aged wine are rewarded with a wine of incredible complexity, subtle finesse, and a sublime balance and whether this is worth the wait depends on one’s preference, patience, desire for exclusivity and personal wealth. However, I believe that aged wine is an acquired taste. As age-worthy wines increase in value over time, your enhanced enjoyment is not guaranteed, and the “peak” of a wine may indeed be subjective. n

Andrew Azzopardi is a wine specialist certified by the Wine and Spirit Education Trust.

“

ose enamoured wi e intrigue of well-aged wine are rewarded wi a wine of incred le complexity, subtle nesse, and a sublime balance.”

The Grape Harvest by Léon Augustin, Lhermitte, 1884, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

A selection of fine wine made with ageing potential

Four wines embodying our philosophy based on authenticity and sincerity, telling our story, and that of this terroir, our school of wine-making, our heritage…

Available from tabetta.com and leading bottle shops in Malta & Gozo.

MY FAMILY FAVOURITES

After several decades of cooking for a large family, improvising recipes and reproducing and improving on others inherited from earlier generations, Rita Diacono is about to publish her first cookery book. “Simply Rita” tells the story of her recipes’ origins, weaving those stories together with memories of the years she spent in the kitchen with her sister and their childhood family cook from whom she learned the basics. Here, she shares the recipes for three easy-to-prepare dishes.

PRE-PUBLICATION OFFER

Rita Diacono’s first ever cook book compiles 108 of her family favourite dishes, which she still prepares for her loved ones today. “Simply Rita” will be published by Kiwi Publications, Malta. You can order the book at the discounted pre-publication price of €59.97 (instead of €64.97) from www.kiwipublications.com

TOMATO AND BREAD SOUP

This easy summer soup is a favourite with my great-grandchildren. Made with sun-ripened Maltese tomatoes, it is great served either hot or at room temperature. I usually omit the chilli if I’m making it for the younger great-grands.

Serves 4

YOU WILL NEED

175g stale Maltese bread, crust removed and torn into approximately 2.5cm pieces 750g ripe tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and chopped 90ml extra virgin olive oil

1.5l vegetable stock or water

1 small dried chilli (optional), finely chopped

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped salt and freshly ground pepper

1 handful fresh basil leaves

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C and place the bread cubes and chopped chilli on a baking tray. Drizzle the bread with 2 tablespoons of the oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake the bread for 10 minutes, until golden. Remove the tray from the over and set the bake bread cubes aside on a plate lined with kitchen paper.

2. Sauté the onion and garlic in the remaining oil for a few minutes till softened, but do not allow them to colour.

3. Add the peeled and chopped tomatoes, season, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and let the pot simmer for 15 minutes, then add the stock. Bring the pot to a boil again, then lower the heat and let it cook for a further 20 minutes.

4. Take the pot off the heat and, using a large fork, gently mash the tomatoes and bread together. Add the torn basil leaves and check the seasoning.

5. Serve drizzled with a good quality extravirgin olive oil and garnish with more basil.

ANNA’S PASTA WITH ZUCCHINI AND CARROTS

My daughter, Anna, always liked to experiment in the kitchen and loved using new ingredients that had started to make their way to Malta. At one point, zucchini were one of those ingredients. Anna once brought back some pasta shapes in different colours, which took prime position on her kitchen counters in glass jars for many years but never got cooked. This pasta dish is so light and fresh that it is ideal for serving on a summer evening, or any time you want a light meal.

Serves 4 as a starter

YOU WILL NEED 320g Castellane pasta (or any short pasta shape) extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, peeled and sliced into strips

2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

2 large carrots, peeled and cut into strips

2 large zucchini, cut into strips salt and pepper a good bunch of mint and parsley leaves grated Pecorino

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and throw in the pasta.

2. As the pasta is cooking, add a few good glugs of extra virgin olive oil to a large frying pan.

3. Add the onion and fry on high heat for 1 minute or 2 to soften, then add garlic and cook for another minute.

4. Add the carrot strips and fry for 1 minute, then add the zucchini. Season well. Cook for 2 minutes, by which time the pasta should be ready but still al dente.

5. Drain the pasta and add it at once to the frying pan. Add the fresh herbs, stir well, and cook for just 1 more minute on a high heat. Serve with grated pecorino to top.

APPLE AND WALNUT TORTE

This is a recipe we always joke about. My daughter Veronica and I were baking one day, and, if I remember correctly, it was a Robert Carrier recipe that we messed up by adding too much sugar. The result was sweet but so good with a crunchy, meringue-like top. Since then, we have always made it this way. A word of warning: the crunchy top does not work if southern winds are blowing.

Serves 14

apples mixed with Golden Delicious and Granny Smith

plain flour

teaspoons baking powder

pinch of salt

eggs

sugar a little almond essence

roughly chopped walnuts rice paper oil to brush the sides of the cake tin

Preheat the oven to 190°C.

Brush the sides of a large rectangular baking tin (I use one of 36cm by 28cm) with oil and line the bottom with rice paper.

Peel, core and slice the apples.

Sift the flour, salt, and baking powder together.

Beat the eggs with the sugar in a mixer at high speed till the mixture is creamy and thickened. 6. Using a wooden spoon, fold the apples into the eggs, then add the sifted flour with a drop or two of almond essence.

Fold in the chopped walnuts. 8. Pour the mixture into your prepared cake tin and bake it for 60 minutes till golden brown and crunchy on top. 9. Leave it to cool completely before cutting it into portions and serving. I like to serve this cut into 8cm squares dredged with icing sugar, and with unsweetened whipped fresh cream on the side.

BRUNCHTIME SPREAD

Put together a few dishes of varied flavours, cool water, and freshly squeezed orange juice for easy entertaining or an instant brunch. For breakfast, just add coffee, or substitute that with wine for lunch or dinner.

Food, styling, and photography by Gabriela Gherghel

FRUIT AND CHEESE PLATTER

A fruit and cheese platter is a great way to extend a brunch spread. This is not so much a recipe as a delicatessen shopping list for standby ingredients. You may already have some of them at home, which will save a last-minute trip to a crowded supermarket.

YOU WILL NEED bresaola Parma ham salami fresh purple figs a bunch of white grapes mozzarella cheeselets (ġbejniet) sourdough bread

1. Slice up the mozzarella and the cheeselets, and arrange them on a platter. Roll up the slices of bresaola, parma ham, and salami, and add them to the dish.

2. Rinse the bunch of grapes and break the grapes off the main stem. Slice the figs into quarters. Place the fig quarters on the platter and scatter the grapes.

3. Serve with thickly sliced sourdough bread, and olive oil on the side.

SHAKSHUKA

There are dozens of recipes for shashuka. A satisfying dish that can be served at any time of day, the common element is eggs poached in a chunky pepper and tomato sauce, flavoured with spices and herbs. This was cooked on a stove top but it could also be baked in an oven-proof dish.

YOU WILL NEED

1 can whole peeled tomatoes

1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped

1 red capsicum pepper, seeded and chopped

4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

6 free-range eggs • 1 teaspoon cumin • olive oil ¼ teaspoon harissa • 1 teaspoon paprika • salt pepper • fresh coriander and parsley, chopped

1. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pan on a medium heat. Drizzle in some olive oil and tilt the pan until the inside is coated in oil.

2. Add the chopped onion and capsicum pepper. Cook for a few minutes, until the onion turns translucent. Add the spices and the garlic and cook for one minute more.

3. Add the tomatoes and their juice to the pan. Season with salt and pepper, and use a wooden spoon to “mash” the tomatoes and stir the sauce. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook until the sauce starts to thicken.

4. Use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke 6 holes in the thickening sauce, and crack an egg into each one. Cover the pan and let it cook until the eggs are done as you like them.

5. Sprinkle the chopped coriander and parsley over the sauce and bring the pan to the dining table.

PRAWNS WITH AVOCADO DIP

This simple, no-cook dish is ready in minutes. Serve it with garlic bread or crackers.

YOU WILL NEED

2 handfuls of fresh red prawns juice & rind of half a lemon salt and pepper

FOR THE DIP

1 avocado • 1 medium tomato

5 parsley stems with the leaves

2 sage leaves • goat feta cheese or 3 tablespoons goat yogurt olive oil, approximately 3 tablespoons lemon juice • salt • pepper

FOR THE GARLIC BREAD rustic bread, sliced • 1 garlic clove olive oil • chopped mint (optional)

TO GARNISH pomegranate arils angel hair chilli or chilli flakes seaweed flakes

1. Remove the prawns’ heads, shells, and the thick black vein that runs down the back. Rinse the peeled prawns thoroughly under running water. In a bowl, toss them lightly with the lemon juice, salt, and a bit of pepper. Store them in the fridge until serving time.

2. To make the dip, put all the ingredients in a blender, add a pinch of salt and pepper, and drizzle in some olive oil. Blitz until the mixture is smooth and creamy. You may need to add a little more oil if using feta cheese, rather than yogurt.

3. Put the bread slices in the oven and bake them till they turn a golden-brown colour. Rub the garlic clove over the surface a few times, and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil. Optionally, sprinkle finely chopped mint over the garlic bread.

4. To serve, scoop the dip into a large plate and use the back of a spoon to spread it out. Garnish with pomegranate arils, angel hair chilli, and seaweed flakes. Top with the prawns, and serve immediately with garlic bread.

Old and new architecture are masterfully blended together in a house in the village core of Żebbuġ, Malta

Architecture & interior design: A Collective • Photography: Alex Attard

The apertures, supplied by Adore More, play an integral part of the renovation connecting the outdoor in, enhancing the architectural feel of the project.

Colour tone carries from the exterior through the interior, with colour accents used throughout the house to good effect, with paints supplied by Sigma.

A t a time when traditional stone-built townhouses are disappearing beneath anonymous buildings of questionable aesthetics, it’s a delight to discover one which has been saved from demolition and the ravages of time and reinvented as a home for a young family.

The imposing stone-fronted townhouse is tucked away down a narrow street in the urban core of Zebbug in Malta. Likely built in the 18th century, over the course of its some two centuries of existence it had lost its grandeur, sprouted an accretion that was crammed between its front and back volumes, and slowly succumbed to the passage of time.

The owners bought the house from a developer who had planned to demolish it. They wanted to retain the old building and engaged A Collective to transform it into their home.

The grand hallway with a barrelvaulted ceiling now overlooks an arched opening which frames the courtyard.

By the time the current owners took it on, the house was in a severely dilapidated state. Parts of what was the original building were condemned as unsafe, including the stone spiral staircase which provided the sole means of access to the first floor, and a room at the back, between the courtyard and the garden, that used to house turkeys. The annex to the original building was constructed in hollow concrete blockwork and concrete slabs cast in situ. The space was never actually finished, and no windows or services had been installed. The building was, in short, a home owners’ nightmare, far from comfortably habitable and a daunting restoration prospect. But out at the back of the house there was a sign of hope and source of inspiration – a small orange grove that magically survived in a garden that had become overgrown and entangled through years of neglect.

The volume alignment of the staircase conceals the kitchen cupboards and a bathroom that is externally accessible from the pool deck.

The owners bought the house from a developer who had permits to raze it to the ground and replace it with a new building. Fortunately, the owners wanted to retain the old building and engaged A Collective to transform it into a habitable home.

When studying the existing building and planning what would come next, A Collective decided to remove the concrete annex and any parts of the building which could not be salvaged. That left an L-shaped building with a southfacing façade on the street front elevation, extending inwards along the eastern perimeter of the site.

Their transformative plans included recreating the courtyard by building a reverse L-shaped extension along the western flank and northern end of the building’s footprint. The courtyard is flanked on two sides by the solid fabric of the original building, and on the other two sides by glass walls and three concrete columns propping up the contemporary extension at first floor level. The new intervention appears to hover, yet, from the street, it is completely invisible.

The internal space of the house flows seamlessly from the old building to the aesthetically identifiable new extension. Architectural lighting from Elektra gives a modern sleek finish and complements the contemporary design elements integrated into the overall look. Air conditioning is an important consideration in the design process, and Audio Electronics (AUDIO Malta) supplied air conditioning which fits seamlessly into the overall design of the property.

Back in the original house, the cellar was cleaned out and the structure from the ground up was salvaged and kept intact. Its grand hallway with a barrel-vaulted ceiling is still within the original fabric of the house. It now overlooks an arched opening which frames the courtyard, overlooking the kitchen and living area in the new extension, and the garden beyond. The space flows seamlessly from old to new, yet the new extension is aesthetically identifiable, an honest rendition with fairfaced concrete ceilings and exposed steel beams.

With the spiral stairs gone, access to the first floor is now solely through a newly built staircase that runs along the western flank of the house. Its volume alignment conceals the kitchen cupboards and a bathroom which is accessed externally from the pool deck. The stairway itself is concealed behind a playfully designed library in a soft green.

Scars from the demolished parts of the building have been deliberately left exposed, such as the remnants of the barumbara (pigeon holes) at the back of the house.

The garden was given a new lease of life and the swimming pool situated in a way that meant none of the orange trees on site needed to be felled. “Retaining all the existing trees was a priority,” A Collective partner Patricia Grech says, in refreshing contrast to the enthusiastic removal of trees from public spaces in the name of progress. The overflow pool was designed to create a calming atmosphere as the water overflows gently onto a bay of pebbles, a soothing effect that can be enjoyed outdoors or from the living room.

Within the garden space, old and new are embraced once again. Old rubble walls wrap around the garden enclave and the solid volumes of the original building contrast with the predominantly glazed intervention, which is fully visible at this end of the house.

The scars from the demolished parts of the building have been left exposed, with no attempt to conceal or cover what was once there: remnants of the barumbara (pigeon holes), the linear grooves where the stone slabs from the garden shed were once embedded into the wall, and the triangular stones keyed into the building at first floor which once formed the external staircase to the roof above.

All of that would have been lost if the existing building had been demolished and completely replaced. The overall effect is of a building rooted in history but which looks to the future, providing a haven for a growing family. As Patricia Grech says, “when you walk into the house and experience the space, you can feel the difference. You can never mimic that feeling by completely replacing an old building with a new one.”

THEVIEWFROM THESTREET

Three adjacent Sliema townhouses have been repurposed while retaining the appearance of the original streetscape

Architecture:

Studjurban Photography: Ramon Portelli

When Studjurban was commissioned to design the redevelopment of three adjacent townhouses in Sliema, the architects’ work started with in-depth research, rather than the proverbial wrecking ball. The research principle was about understanding how the design could provide a contemporary response that respected the architectural fabric it was to replace.

“Our first step was to establish important streetscape principles,” says Antoine Zammit, the lead architect on the project. “We addressed these individually and then layered them together to form the backbone of the design. Our starting point was understanding the nature of the important contextual cues still found within the street.”

The project is primarily residential in nature, but mixed with other uses: a guesthouse at the upper end of the development, a restaurant ancillary to the guesthouse, and a language school at ground floor level. A communal internal courtyard at ground level animates the development, providing a spillover area for some ground floor uses and enabling residents on the upper levels to interact with people in the courtyard below.

When the project was being researched and planned, a decision was taken to retain the façade of the oldest house within this part of the street. The built fabric comprised post-WWII reconstructions that had seen a number of interventions and alterations over the years, but its stonework and closed timber balcony had merit and have been retained.

During the design phase, Studjurban identified the urban design parameters for the project, starting with the façade proportion. Next came block articulation: the vertical termination at the upper end of the development defines the transition to third party property, the façade above the first two storeys was set back with an additional setback at the uppermost level. This first setback gives more legibility to the volume, pronouncing the retained and redesigned façades, including the retention of their historical aspects.

The development’s legibility is reinforced with the combination of both traditional and contemporary elements.

The new building is primarily residential, but mixed with other uses: a guesthouse and restaurant, and a language school at ground floor level. Tiling is from Satariano. The guest house furniture is from Joinwell.

Once the outline parameters were established, the building mass could be sculpted. New vertical apertures were aligned with the ones on the lower levels, the solid:void ratio of the building was lowered, and the retained façade was repainted to distinguish it from the rest of the masonry. The material and colour palette is based on an understanding of the compatibility of, and relationship between, different materials as they are brought together. The development’s legibility is reinforced with the combination of both traditional and contemporary elements.

The first two floors are richly coloured, with timber balconies, apertures and louvres painted in distinct primary colours, complemented by a neutral palette on the newer upper floors, which are defined by masonry stonework, anthracite grey-framed apertures and clear glass, and a natural stone cladding around each aperture to emphasise their verticality. The ground floor is defined as a plinth to the building, with a number of apertures along its length.

Masonry stonework has been used extensively, particularly on the northern façade, to carve out traditional masonry elements and form balcony corbels on the lower floors, and stone mouldings and fascias on the upper levels. The design also rethinks the thermal efficiency of the masonry skin on the northern face.

A turning point in the project design involved rethinking and reversing the usual arrangement of the internal space of an apartment, typically an open plan living, dining, and kitchen space that faces the street, with large openings and projecting balconies and bedrooms positioned at the back.

To ensure the vertical apertures on the north façade respected the street parameters, two vertically oriented apertures were installed, rather than one large horizontallyoriented aperture. Together, these two apertures offer access to an equivalent area of natural light but in a more contextual design. The narrower apertures are compatible with the scale of the smaller front rooms, which are bedrooms.

On the southern façade, larger apertures work well with the open plan area of the residential units – on the upper levels, these enjoy views of Valletta. The apertures are setback from the rear façade and are shaded by the deep overhang of the overlying terraces, preventing unnecessary heat gain.

Redeveloping multiple properties comprehensively made it possible to establish and apply design parameters that respected the historical streetscape. That would have been harder to achieve if each property had been redeveloped individually. The design impact has not gone unnoticed. “A neighbouring third party development located further up the street has replicated our façade in terms of architectural language,” Antoine Zammit says. That’s recognition for you. n

Studjurban identi ed the urban design parameters for the project, starting with the façade proportion.

The project is primarily residential in nature, but mixed with other uses.

A communal internal courtyard provides a spillover area for activity on the ground floor level.

A LOOK BEHIND THE SCENES

Extended Commentary at St John’s Waterloo in London, featuring works by Maltese and international artists, is part of a festival commemorating Daphne Caruana Galizia and her work. Megan Mallia spoke to Euchar Gravina and Ann Dingli, who co-curate the exhibition with the participating artists

Extended Commentary, an exhibition organised as part of The Daphne Festival runs at The Old Crypt, St. John’s Waterloo, London, on particular days until 16th October 2022. Visit thedaphnefestival.com/events/exhibition for more information, including opening hours.

Daphne once described her love for writing as a compulsion, saying that she supposed it was as with artists, who feel compelled to produce art. Maybe it is this artistic impulse – the drive to translate thought and feeling into something external – that makes Extended Commentary, an exhibition aiming to continue Daphne’s commentary and reflect on the past five years of campaigning for justice for her, so powerful.

I’m meeting Ann Dingli and Euchar Gravina, who, together with the six participating Maltese and international artists, are curating the exhibition. Extended Commentary forms part of The Daphne Festival, which marks the fifth anniversary of Daphne’s assassination, bringing together human rights and press freedom organisations, journalists, artists, and activists from around the world to remember Daphne, celebrate her legacy and join the call for justice for her and for journalists everywhere. The festival runs until 16th October in London, Malta and online, but the festival’s main space – and the venue of Extended Commentary – is St John’s Waterloo in London.

Euchar, who is artistic director at St John’s Waterloo and director of the festival, tells me that it was perfect timing, because it all coincided with the reopening of St John’s following restoration efforts, making Extended Commentary the first exhibition of work by artists external to the church’s redevelopment project to be held in the revamped space.

explores the interconnectedness of buildings, communities and people; Ed Dingli, a designer and illustrator who responds to world injustices through vibrant visuals; and Carmel Said, a scenic artist who expresses contemporary themes through classical terms in his fine art practice. The event developed as a collaborative effort, all involved “driven by Daphne and her story as an inspiration”.

Crucially, no specific theme was established for the artworks. Each artist had the freedom to reflect on Daphne’s story and legacy and to use their art to channel their sentiments. The result is an eclectic mix of works in various media and formats, ranging from digital illustration and drawing to sculpture and painting, each interpreting their subject from a different perspective. Some paint a more personal picture of Daphne – Seb’s stunning oil paintings, for instance, largely portray Daphne’s wild and wonderful garden. Aldo’s illustrations portray Daphne herself, both as a journalist and as the woman beyond the pen. Others, like Lydia’s hyper-realistic oil artworks, depict the vigils and demonstrations calling for justice for Daphne.

Several of the pieces in the exhibition reflect on the last five years from a political or sociocultural slant. Carmel’s ornate sculptures parody the socio-political situation, and Ed illustrates (literally) the strength of goodness over crookedness. Nina, meanwhile, uses her distinctive clay

Inclusion is central, and the same goes for The Daphne Festival itself. “I wanted to involve as many people as possible,” Euchar says. “I thought, why don’t we think about a different dimension? We could try to involve artists, perhaps.”

“This feels like the right time to do it,” he says. It also seems like the right place. The exhibition is being held at The Old Crypt at St John’s, which Ann feels is particularly beautiful. As we speak, she’s sitting beside Euchar in that very spot, in front of a window that casts an otherworldly glow. “It will bring people into focus because it’s quite an intimate setting – it’s low lit, and the architecture feels quite ceremonial,” she says. Its evocative, contemplative aura fits with the reflective nature of the exhibition perfectly.

Built two hundred years ago, St John’s has a long history of engagement in social justice campaigns and creative happenings. Its redevelopment promised to transform it into an open, accessible space for artists and the community. Inclusion is central, and the same goes for The Daphne Festival itself. “I wanted to involve as many people as possible,” Euchar says. “I thought, why don’t we think about a different dimension? We could try to involve artists, perhaps.”

Euchar got in touch with political cartoonist and painter Seb Tanti Burlò, who would feature in Extended Commentary, and things took off from there. Seb later got in touch with Ann. “It all came together very quickly,” Euchar tells me, adding that it was “through Seb, mostly, and his wonderful network”. The other artists involved are Lydia Cecil, whose work primarily comprises portraiture and figurative oil paintings; Gattaldo, a designer, illustrator and author of a children’s book, Fearless, about Daphne; Nina Gerada, a designer and artist whose work

sculptures to comment on femininity, womanhood, and the patriarchal perception of women. The most moving aspect of the works in Extended Commentary, for Ann and Euchar, is that they have either never been shown publicly before or are new works that were completed in the last few weeks before this exhibition.

The blend of the political and the personal, the acknowledgment of ugliness and the celebration of beauty, is reflective of Daphne’s own interests, tastes and approach to journalism. Extended Commentary aims to do as its name – and poignantly iconic typeface – implies: continue her commentary and bring it to new audiences. And what better way to do it than through art? “To me, art is the most pure, undiluted medium through which truth can be spoken,” Ann says, “because it doesn’t just deal with the conscious mind – it deals with the subconscious too.”

Art translates what we think, know and are trying to make sense of into a physical form. It is a way of coping, or, more simply, an instinct. Extended Commentary and The Daphne Festival as a whole hope to not only mark the fifth anniversary of Daphne’s assassination but to celebrate her as a source of inspiration. Yet, commemoration – remembering and reminding – are at the heart of it all. “We haven’t forgotten, and we won’t forget,” Euchar declares. With all the thought and effort that is behind it, Extended Commentary itself will not easily be forgotten. n

“Artists’ statements”

LYDIA CECIL

“I first came to Malta at the tail end of 2019. The wave of protests that had engulfed the country that November were still being resoundingly felt. Everyone and everywhere seemed to have been moved by them. I never had the honour of meeting Daphne, but I came to better understand her immense legacy through the power of these protests and vigils. Their shockwaves were felt around Europe and the world, showing us that justice and the values she stood for can and must still be fought for.”

Contact www.lydiacecil.co.uk lydia@lytchettheath.co.uk @lydiacecilartist

GATTALDO

Gattaldo’s multi-headed Hydra is portrayed as an all-powerful body of politicians and businessmen. It represents the corrupt and mighty enemy that the investigative journalist engaged in conflict. This is a detail from the artist’s book for children – “Fearless, The Story of Daphne Caruana Galizia”. Another piece by Gattaldo, the ageing face of Daphne at a future date, a kind and weary smile that reassures and dispels our fears. Perhaps this portrait represents our past over-dependence on solitary journalists who stick their necks out to warn us of impending realities. Alternatively, what keeps Daphne alive is our determination to continue her quest to pursue the truth.

Contact: www.gattaldo.com | mail@gattaldo.com | @gattaldo

ED DINGLI

Eye of the Storm

“We are not going to find out the truth unless we keep chasing it”. Daphne’s words ring out like a beacon of guidance through the storm, one that battered and shattered the island ever since that horrible day that shook the very foundations of Europe’s smallest nation. Five years on, the scales of justice defy the odds. The bay leaves - a symbol of strength and courage, leaves from a tree that Daphne cared for in her own garden - carry more weight than the heavy burden of corrupt money stained with murder. Truth finds a way through despite systems designed to keep it under covers; nature finds a way to thrive slowly, surely, fairly, despite man-made structures that undermine her. The relentless courage of Daphne’s family and the consortium of journalists who joined the fight for justice, allowed for some light to shine out of the darkness.

Contact: www.eddingli.com | @eddingles

Ed Dingli - Eye of the Storm, mixed media, oil on canvas, digital

The Hydra from the book Fearless, illustrated and authoried by Gattaldo

Lydia Cecil - Protest, oil on canvas

NINA GERADA

Nina Gerada’s pieces reference the prehistoric Goddesses of Malta, the local archetypal representation of the female form. In “A Goddess for Daphne”, shards of porcelain pierce a terracotta body, providing a protective shell yet also creating painful incisions over the woman’s skin. She is cracked and the artist has mended her carefully. The piece was made with the spirit of Daphne Caruana Galizia in mind. “United we Stand” is a crowd of small female statues, gathered to form a community. Together they conspire and protest. They are imperfect and scarred, celebrating strength, and transformation. Through them, the artist reframes the political narrative surrounding women’s bodies.

Contact: www.ninagerada.com (+44) 7838149646 @ninagerada

CARMEL SAID

This selection of works began with a series of drawings I was making after reading the news of unfolding political events, including Daphne’s reporting. Each day, I would read the news and draw them at speed; it really was as if I was compelled to make themsometimes I didn’t feel in control of myself - I must have drawn over 200 images. I wanted to depict the very darkest aspects of the narratives and themes that I was reading about, using allegory as confrontation, because the truth in actuality has been obscured. The powerful were presenting themselves as pious figures, who wanted to help the majority. As Catholicism is still largely ingrained in our culture, it seemed pertinent to draw on the ornate visual language of the church to portray the immorality behind their facade. It’s a base aspect of man that many would choose to ignore, opting to live a comfortable lie rather than to acknowledge.

Contact: www.carmelsaidofficial.com enquiries@carmelsaidofficial.com @carmelsaidofficial

SEBASTIAN TANTI BURLÒ

Daphne’s Garden

Encircling the Caruana Galizia’s hilltop family home like beautiful bastions in bloom, the garden protected the house and its inhabitants from the unrelenting ugliness that has usurped the Island of Malta. I was fortunate to have spent a large part of my childhood in that garden, a haven where I grew and played with the Caruana Galizia brothers and the assortment of friends that each brother brought along. Long and hot summers’ days sheltering under the cool shade of an olive tree, drinking iced teas. Cold and wet winters’ days trekking through muddy fields, battling imaginary foes. Sunny Mediterranean springs and autumns spent building go-carts and climbing mulberry trees. A paradise never to be lost.

Daphne wrote in a blog post on 8th August 2017: “I love gardens: mysterious, magical gardens full of nooks and crannies, the equivalent of rambling old houses packed with rackety furniture and old curios brought back by antecedents from their peregrinations, gardens that are collections of plants of all kinds, tall and small, wild and tame, big-leafed and spiked, tangle-branched and swooping. The ugliness of Malta’s soul is synthesised in its gardens.”

And the Garden of Dar Riħana is just that: wild and mysterious and magical, full of nooks and crannies packed with curios that filled our childhood with beauty and adventure. The four paintings of the Garden of Dar Riħana depict different parts of the Caruana Galizias’ garden, where Daphne lived, where I grew up alongside her sons, and where flowers that she planted continue to bloom.

Contact: stantiburlo@gmail.com | sebtantiburlo.com | @burlo.art

Carmel Said - Reaching New Lows

Photo © Sylvain Deleu

Nina Gerada - Detail from United we Stand

The Garden of Dar Riħana in Burlo's studio

Isis has a brilliant, straw-yellow colour with a pale green rim; a fresh, complex bouquet of grapefruit and other exotic white fruits with gentle floral notes; and a well-structured, citrus taste with a long, pleasantly acidic aftertaste. This wine pairs well with grilled fish and seafood and white meats such as chicken and rabbit. For information about Meridiana Wine Estate’s full range of wines www.meridiana.com.mt or find us on Facebook.

Trade Enquiries: S. Rausi Trading, Stadium Street, Gzira. www.srausi.com

Big Band Dusk by Furninova. Create your

oasis with Big Band’s modular sofa in 3 different comfort options allowing you to tailor the seating requirements according to your needs. Available in various configurations and finishes in both fabric or leather. Exclusively from Satariano, Msida Valley Road, Birkirkara.

The next issue will be out in November with The Malta Independent on Sunday.

For advertising, contact Sean Ellul on +356 7921 0705 sellul@independent.com.mt

Decorative mouldings have been adorning walls for centuries - an inspiration for Objet Collection by Arte. This decorative wallcovering is easy to install, but also adds colour and texture to any room. The collection is finished in a soft suede look for an extra tactile result.

Available exclusively from Satariano, Msida Valley Road, Birkirkara.

The iconic Snoopy lamp, by designer brand Flos, features an enameled metal reflector and a white Carrara marble base. The lamp provides a direct light that is ideal for task lighting and effect lighting. It was designed by Castiglionis in 1967 and gets its name from the shape and colours of Charles M. Schulz’s famous cartoon character. Find it at Elektra Ltd. Mill Street, Zone 5, Central Business District, Qormi. Tel: +356 2546 3000.

private lounge