Gazette and diary september 2017 part 1 by jenna hopkins

Gazette & THE

Diary Magazine

the

FRE E W

ith Aberg the av Chro enny nicle

Food Festival Map inside

FOOD FESTIVAL With Usk Show pull-out

issue

The Abergavenny Chronicle’s monthly magazine Issue 77 September 2017

£1.50 where sold

Gazette and Diary Magazine

Free guttering with all fascia and soffit orders!!! Free scaffolding on single storey projects

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Greetings readers

Monmouth MP Monmouth MP David Davies

David Davies advice surgeries holdsholds regular regular advice throughout surgeries throughout the constituency. the constituency. To make an appointment To make an telephone appointment telephone - 01291 672817 – david.davies.mp@parliament.uk 01291 672817 david.davies.mp@parliament.uk

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ere’s a random slice of philosophical poetry for you all to digest as you savour your first gin and tonic of the day and chew on that cheeky pork pie you’ve had your eye on for the last ten minutes. And it goes a little something like this, “I stand amid the roar of a surf-tormented shore, and I hold within my hand, grains of the golden sand. How few! yet how they creep, through my fingers to the deep, while I weep - while I weep! O God! can I not grasp them with a tighter clasp? O God! can I not save one from the pitiless wave? Is all that we see or seem but a dream within a dream?” Just like Edgar Allen Poe, the team at the G&D are often plagued by concerns of an existential nature and we meet at least once a fortnight over a communal pot noodle and lager shandy to discuss the complexities of life and the meaning of the universe. Yet although we thrive on civilized debate and intelligent discourse, what really floats our boat is food! Where would we be without it? On a diet? No thanks sweetie! And if you like food as much as we do, then let’s face it, Abergavenny is the place to be come September. What are we talking about? We’re talking about the Abergavenny Food Festival. It just gets bigger, badder, and tastier every year, doesn’t it folks. If the festival brings home the bacon so to speak, then all us hungry hogs are definitely going to bring the appetite to the table, and lots of it. You betcha! However, the Food Festival, (and you can read all you need to know about this year’s event inside), is not just about how many culinary delights you can shove down your throat in the space of one weekend, it’s also a communal events that highlights just what a great town we all live in. In fact it showcases this little corner of Wales to the world. What more could you want?

Well our mouths are watering all ready. So it’s high time for me to go and grill up a bumper pack of economy burgers with a generous splash of super-saver mayonnaise for the hard-working G&D team. Bon appetite ladies and gents and remember, it may seem like a lot of fun at the time but please, always think very carefully about what you put in your mouth. Adios amigos

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Mayor’s welcome to Abergavenny’s 2017 Food Festival

J. Straker, Chadwick & Sons Established 1872

Auctioneers & Estate Agents

N behalf of the Town Council, may I extend a very warm welcome to everyone who is here in Abergavenny, to enjoy our 19th Food Festival. From small beginnings it’s been a remarkable journey to become Wales’ longest running and best attended food festival. We are proud that the festival continues to evolve, branch out into new dimensions and alert us to new possibilities. We are delighted that people from all over the world now find their way to beautiful Wales, and to Abergavenny, not just to sample our culinary delights but to explore and learn about food, how it’s produced and where it comes from. We particularly value Abergavenny’s representation of the UK in the Agri-Urban project, in which eight European countries participate and whose members join us this week. There are many people to thank for the wonderful opportunities available to us this year: our tireless organisers, our sponsors, and our inspirational contributors, not least the team who have put together another stunning art installation in the Market Hall. Thanks too to the townsfolk of Abergavenny who make it all possible, who have put so much energy into the Fringe Festival this year, and who

hold regular sales of

Fine, Interesting & Affordable Wines

Single bottles, mixed and unopened cases Further information from the Wine Department: J. Straker, Chadwick & Sons NP7 5SD Tel 01873 852624 Fax 01873 857311 Email: info@strakerchadwick.co.uk www.strakerchadwick.co.uk

Councillors David and Penny Simcock

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MARKET STREET CHAMBERS, ABERGAVENNY, GWENT NP7 5SD TEL: (01873) 852624 FAX: (01873) 857311 Email: enquiries@strakerchadwick.co.uk Website: www.strakerchadwick.co.uk

keep us on track with Fair Trade initiatives all year round. The town council joins me in wishing the 2017 Food Festival every success. Councillor David Simcock September 2017

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Bring your mind and body together

...and a food movement was born...

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Abergavenny Food Festival

Walterstone, Nr. Pandy A warm welcome awaits you from A warm welcome awaits you Vera Watkins f from Vera Watkins Ve ki &&Family FFam mily il .

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It’s our 9th year! Come and see us at the usual spot St Mary’s Priory

and eating - and, in effect, ourselves - instead. As somebody who "spent years feeling uncomfortable" in her own body, Lisa is all too familiar with the cycle of not only fluctuating weight that comes from swinging between restrictive dieting and overeating - but the guilt, fragile self-esteem and shame entangled with it too. Since transforming her own relationship with food, she's founded My Body Positive and runs workshops and eightweek courses (Lisa's a licensed facilitator of Dr Michelle May's award-winning 'Am I

PA Photo/thinkstockphotos.

EFORMED yo-yo dieter Lisa Beasley is on a mission: To get us to ditch diets for good, and focus on pursuing a healthy relationship with food

PURVEYORS OF FINEST QUALITY LOCAL MEATS Cashell’s family Butchers are located in the small market town of Crickhowell, nestled between the picturesque Black Mountains and Brecon Beacons. Mike and Chris Cashell came to Crickhowell in 1975 and started the family business. They believed and instilled in us that quality produce and quality service is second to none! We have continued to take this forward and we continue to work with local farmers and small producers, sharing for 40 years the same animal welfare passions and desire for quality, and priding ourselves on the highest level of customer service. The vast majority of our meat is sourced locally

OPENING TIMES: 8:00 - 17:30 MONDAY TO SATURDAY 09:00 - 12:00 SUNDAY

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We also have a Delicatessen with a delicious and vast array of cheeses sourced locally to us in Wales and beyond! A fine selection of tempting pickles, conserves, oils, sauces and coffees to tease all fine pallets ensures that all your requirements are met! 1578262

Hungry?' programme), to help others do the same. Weight-loss is not the focus, but she acknowledges that often, people who struggle with their relationship with food might want to lose weight. She firmly believes, though, that being trapped in negative mindsets - like thinking you're only 'worthy' and can only fully enjoy life if you're slim; messages we're bombarded with by advertising, the media, ourselves and each other - is usually one of the things driving us to overeat. She's all about unlocking these cycles and helping people feel better about themselves, even if they don't reach that 'goal' weight. Want to know Lisa's secret? It all comes down to mindful eating, which, hopefully, will help you feel happy in your skin - no matter the number on your jeans label. Here, Lisa shares five mindful eating practices that could transform the way you eat... 1. Whenever you reach for food, just take a moment to check in with what you're actually feeling "Do you have a physical feeling of hunger in your stomach? Because if you don't, it could be that you are eating for other reasons. That's OK by the way -

lots of us do that - just becoming aware of this is a necessary first step." 2. Paying attention to what you are eating makes food so much more satisfying "We've all sat in front of the TV before and got through a whole packet of chocolate without hardly noticing. Bringing yourself into the moment to pay attention to the flavours, texture and even temperature of your food will help you to feel satisfied much sooner." 3. Listen to your body "Learning to listen to yourself more carefully and work out what food you are really hungry for can completely change what you eat. It may sound radical, but you can actually eat what you truly want and need. And it won't just be cake, I promise!" 4. Let go of diet thinking "This is really important. If you spend your time restricting what you eat, or not allowing yourself to have what you want, there will come a time when you rebound and go back to what you were doing before." 5. Eat with the intention of feeling better than when you started "This is about feeling good, not being good!" • For more information, or to book a coaching session or Mindful Eating workshop with Lisa, visit mybodypositive.co.uk

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Lisa’s five tips to feeling happy in your jeans no matter what their size...

nantyderry

PA Photo/My Body Positive. PA Photo/My Body Positive.

Gazette and Diary Magazine

ers h c t u B g n i n n KS Award WiR LOC D DRINK O AL FOODS AN CENTRE FOR C

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How it’s always ‘Gin o’Clock’

ROCKMANS Gin, the gin like no other, should first be sipped alone, just over ice and if you don't know it yet, you are in for a treat and a very pleasant surprise. This gin brims with blueberry and blackberry notes, has a hint of bittersweet Valencian orange peel and coriander and other exquisite botanicals such as angelica, lemon peel, liquorice, almond and orris as well as, of course, Juniper berries. It is available from M&S (online and in around 140 branches); Harvey Nichols, Oddbins, Wine Rack, and a number of online stores and specialist

drinks retailers (RRP £34). A Brockmans Gin & Tonic, garnished with pink grapefruit zest and blueberries is a delicious serve. For Autumn, Brockmans Gin has also launched some new recipes which are easy to create and complement that delicious mixture of botanicals.

into a coupe glass. Garnish: with lime half turned inside out. Float on top of the cocktail. Fill with a cube of sugar then add some Absinthe, Ignite & sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon powder over the flame. BROCKMANS AUTUMN REVIVER

chilled martini glass. Garnish: with a dehydrated orange slice studded with cloves BROCKMANS BERRY FRESH

Ingredients 50ML Brockmans gin 20ML Lillet Blanc 10ML Cointreau 20ML fresh lemon juice 15ML Ginger syrup Shake all ingredients together in an ice-filled cocktail shaker; strain into a

BROCKMANS ROSY GLOW

learn something new on our working farm Ingredients

www.humblebynature.com 01600714595

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Cook on a Wood-Fired Oven 9th Sept Wild Food Foraging - Sat 30th-Sept Design an EdibleSkills Garden - 18th Sept Home Butchery - Sat 7th Oct th Butchery, Curing Sausages Cider Making - Sat&14 Oct - 8th Oct Wild - 9th -Oct BreadFood withForaging Hobbs House Thur 12th Oct th Rearing Pigs for PorkOct Chilli Experience Day -15th Sat 18 Nov CuringMaking Ham &-Bacon - Sat 25th Nov Cider 16th Oct Christmas Door Wreaths - 2nd - 8th Dec Curing for Christmas - 26th Nov 9thDec Dec Christmas Chocolate --Sat 10th

Ingredients 60ML Brockmans 20ML fresh grapefruit juice 15ML fresh lime juice (retain the lime skin) 15ML Cherry Liqueur 15ML cinnamon syrup Small dash of Absinthe Combine Brockmans, juices, cinnamon syrup, and cherry liqueur in a shaker filled with ice, shake, and strain

40ML Brockmans gin 20ML Lejay Lagoute 15ML Lemon juice 25ML Cranberry juice 10ML (1 bar spoon) allspice dram Shake all ingredients together in an ice-filled cocktail shaker; strain into a tumbler of crushed ice layered with frozen winter Berries then top with a little more crushed ice. Garnish: top with a few more frozen winter Berries.

If you’re looking for horse riding lessons, to put your horse into livery, show jumping, training or schooling, this is the place to come. The Centre is set on a farm of 380 acres of pastureland. We are located near Abergavenny in South Wales. It’s run by centre manager Beccy Field. TriFec is on the sunny side of the valley and has magnificent views in all directions. Experience your riding lessons out over our gallops, along peaceful country lanes or up challenging bridle paths. We have a course of working hunter jumps and a BSJA show jumps cross country course. We hold a number of shows at TriFec including, showjumping, open shows, one day events and clear round jumping.

8 September 2017

Upper Triley FarmLlantilio PertholeyAbergavenny MonmouthshireNP7 8DFT/F 01873 890523 M: 07855 473176E: enquiries @trifec.comW: www.trifec.com

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Gazette and Diary Magazine

with a Brockmans cocktail

BROCKMANS ODE TO APEROL Ingredients

Undulating parkland course with magnificent views over Abergavenny and The Black Mountains. A long front 9 and a shorter back 9 suits all standards of golfer. 9 hole pitch & putt and driving range. • Society packages available from £16 per person • New members welcome

40ML Brockmans Gin 40ML Aperol Juice of 2 Satsumas Prosecco Fill a highball glass with ice cubes, add the first 3 ingredients and stir before topping with chilled Prosecco. Garnish: with a cocktail stick skewer of Satsuma peel and blueberries

O U T L E T

Old Ross Rd, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, NP7 8NG Tel: 01873 856223 Fax: 01873 852177 Email: info@wernddu-golf-club.co.uk Web: www.wernddu-golf-club.co.uk

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10 September 2017

Hereford Sixth Form College Folly Lane, Hereford HR1 1LU Tel: 01432 355166

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If you’re planning a party look no further than the Wye Valley Brewery for all your beer and lager needs

re you planning a social gathering? Having a ‘bit of a do’ with friends and family? Well, with the amazing 36-pint polypins you can serve Wye Valley Brewery beers from wherever the party’s at! Offering traditional cask-conditioned ale in a convenient ‘bag n’ box’, a polypin of ale is a guaranteed hit with your beer lovin’ guests and is the best way to set your event apart from the rest. Old favourites Butty Bach, HPA

and Wye Valley Bitter are all available. To complement these real ales, the brewery’s new cool, crisp premium lager, 1985, is available in bottles from our brewery shop or online. This delicious Kolsch-style lager celebrates the year the team started brewing our beautiful beers; and has already started getting International applause, having recently beaten hundreds of lagers to win Silver at the International Brewing Awards.

Pale straw in colour and boasting a moreish malty base, 1985 is skilfully crafted using the best of British hops with traditional european lager hops. This – together with lagering at subzero temperatures – gives our awardwinning lager its delicate fruity aroma and refreshing cool, crisp taste. Perfect for a party! Check out the full range at: www.wyevalleybrewery.co.uk or call the brewery for more information

on 01885 490505. Wye Valley Brewery is a family business that takes great pride in brewing the best cask-conditioned beer possible and supporting local pubs as places to enjoy the perfect pint. The brewery is immensely proud of the team of talented people who make all the magic happen… Incredible as it may seem, there are fewer than 50 of them at Wye Valley Brewery ensuring around 10 million pints of beautiful beer are enjoyed every year!

to the the great great outdoors! to outdoors! YOUR LOCAL OUTDOOR SPECIALIST YOUR LOCAL OUTDOOR SPECIALIST YOUR LOCAL OUTDOOR SPECIALIST

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Salt

Gazette and Diary Magazine flavoured, market-driven plates. He has won many awards throughout his culinary career, including The Observer Food Monthly ‘Outstanding Achievement Award’ in 2015. Join Shaun at Abergavenny Food Festival on Sunday, September 17 as he showcases three mouth-watering recipes from his new book. In his Priory Centre masterclass Shaun will be cooking a trio of chicken dishes; poached chicken pot au feu with summer herbs and vegetables, chicken bourride – braised in saffron, orange zest and pepper stock then thickened with garlic mayonnaise and southern fried chicken as you’ve never known it before.

and spice

and all things nice

ALT’S been getting some very bad press of late; garnering a villainous reputation when it comes to food and nutrition. But is this really the case? Not according to Michelin-starred chef Shaun Hill it’s not. In fact, he’s so convinced, he’s even written a book about it. Salt is… Essential is a thoroughly engaging exploration of Shaun’s 50 years as a chef. Never one to shy away from controversy, he covers everything from why local and seasonal are not necessarily indicators of quality, to why soy beans are best left for cattle feed and Budapest is paradise for the greedy. The recipes range from Warm Rock Oysters with Spring Onion Butter Sauce to Pork in Shirtsleeves and Buttermilk Pudding with Cardamom. And although his commentary is undeniably witty, it’s Shaun’s knowledge and expert guidance that makes this book an invaluable tome for anyone who takes their food (but not themselves) seriously.

“This is a book you need to own” – Rick Stein Shaun Hill has spent nearly 50 years in the kitchen, heading various Michelin-starred eateries over his long career. As a one-man brigade at The Merchant House, he put Ludlow on the culinary map, and at his new enterprise at The Walnut Tree he continues to delight with his unpretentious, gorgeously

“ If there’s one thing I’ve learnt from 50 years at the stove, it’s that salt is essential

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Fernybank, Quarry Road, Clydach, Nr Abergavenny

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Wedding Fayre

11am - 4pm â&#x20AC;¢ Free Admission

14 September 2017

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Sunday 22nd October 2017

Gazette and Diary Magazine

Enjoy a bit on the side with Romy Gill

NEW for 2017! experience the atmosphere of working miners in our exciting new moving displays…

unusual and exciting activities see our website for more details

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Nine impressive caverns Exciting caving activities Café Free parking Educational groups welcome

OPEN DAILY 10.00am-5.00pm Clearwell Nr Coleford Telephone: 01594 832535

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‘a great underground experience for all the family’

Kirstie Young Photography

O you fancy creating a show-stopper that’s simple, seasonal, sustainable and spiced to perfection? Well now you can thanks to chef Romy Gill. Under her guidance discover how to blend the best of British produce with the flavours of India, to create delicious and innovative modern classics. What happens when you take a beautifully marinated haunch of venison, add a blend of dried rose petals, fresh turmeric, tamarind and chilli and then introduce it to a humble pumpkin? There’s only one way to find out! Meat not your thing? Don’t worry; the focus of her cookery class will be on the exploring new flavours and spices that can put the zing into any dish – there’s something for everyone! “When I moved to the UK in 1994, I left behind my friends, my family and the food I loved to eat. I had to find my own identity again, to navigate my way around this new culinary landscape. The food I cooked started to become very much Anglo-Indian. I ‘d buy meat and fish that I’d never seen before in West Bengal: monkfish, sausages and salami. I loved tasting each new ingredient, working out which Indian flavours and cooking methods would suit their taste and textur,” said Romy. Romy Gill is one of the few female Indian chef/owners in the UK, having opened Romy’s Kitchen Restaurant in Thornbury, Bristol in 2013. She was awarded an MBE for her services to hospitality industry on the Queen’s 90th Birthday Honours list in 2016. Romy was a judge on the Chef’s Table in 2016 Celebrity Masterchef finals and contributes regularly to food publications such as Crumbs, Olive, Delicious and Saveur. She has also featured in The Guardian, Observer, Telegraph and Independent. Romy’s masterclass takes place on Saturday, December 16 at the Priory Centre at 4.30pm

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Draaggon In Dra Inn

Crickhowell

Four star 17th Century Inn with great selection of local produce, meats, fish, homemade desserts, beers, wines and cocktails. Restaurant and bar open all day for morning coffees, lunches, afternoon teas and evening meals. Large garden and car park at the rear, with glorious views of Crickhowell Castle and Table Mountain. Function room with bar also available to hire for family and other gatherings. Contact

01873-810362 or enquiry@dragoninncrickhowell.com Dragon Inn, 47 High St, Crickhowell, Powys NP8 1BE

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T may be September but with Abergavenny Food Festival’s reputation for brilliant weather, the weekend mught prove your last chance for a sneaky barbecue so grab a bag of coal, fire up those flames and get grilling some of these stunning high street buys. Delicious in all weathers. Pork rib rack, £6, M&S

Tried, tested and utterly tasty Eden Mega Burgers, £6 for four, Ocado

Properly impressive on the barbecue and finished off with a deliciously sweet and sticky pomegranate and chilli glaze.

Buffalo Cauliflower Bites, £2,50, Waitrose

We all love a kebab, and ones lovingly grilled on coals in your backyard taste so much better than any takeaway, we promise Salmon Courgette Koftas, £5, M&S

Another favourite with the veggies, sweet potatoes make for a great burger, with or without the bun.

As the name suggests, these burgers are pretty mega. Slide them into a brioche bun and slather with smoky ketchup, crisp lettuce and crunchy relish for sink-your-teeth-in perfection.

Pops Pimm's Ice Popsicle, £5.99 for three, Ocado OK, so this one can't actually go on the grill, but it's the perfect partner - Pimm's in a popsicle. Slurp.

Minted Lamb Kebabs, £4, Tesco Impress any vegetarians in your crew by serving up these crispy cauliflower delights in a spicy dressing.

Sweet Potato Burgers with Harissa, £3, Waitrose

Now you're just showing off. Anyone lucky enough to be offered one of these salmon and trout koftas (with courgettes, currents and cumin, no less) at a Bank Holiday BBQ is very special indeed.

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18 September 2017

Gazette and Diary Magazine

F the tasty ready prepared barbecue fayre featured earlier in these pages doesn’t float your boat and you envisage a world where your summer barbecues are nothing less than home made and magnificent, where the chicken is succulent (and not pink), the veggies perfectly chargrilled, and there's not a sausage in sight, you need to meet Raymond Blanc's development chef, Adam Johnson who offers our reporter some tips during a recent barbecue masterclass...

There's no need for fire-lighters Many a British barbecue has started with fire-lighters, a bottle of lighting fluid and some singed eyebrows. Not so at Le Manoir. We're kitted out with aprons, sturdy gloves, tongs and a pretty nifty chimney starter. Practically faff-free, it's just a metal column stacked with coal or brickettes, one match gets it going and, because of the air-flow it allows, your coal gets super hot super quick, and eyebrows remain intact. Step away from the sausages and burgers - you can be adventurous on the grill On the menu meat-wise, the choice is stomachstretchingly overwhelming. Adam handles the trickier tasks, like smoking mussels and cooking salmon on a plank of cedar wood, while a slow hickory-smoked pulled pork shoulder ticks along in the background (which he started the day before - it takes around six to eight hours to have the meat falling apart). He also whacks an entire spatchcocked chicken on

the grill to cook gently (later it gets doused in garlic, barbecued in its skin until soft), while we're put in charge of whipping up a satay sauce for chicken skewers, lamb ribs with harissa, and mango marinated pork shoulder steaks. I told you: No sausages to be found here.

Your side dishes are as important as your meat You can't just focus on the meat though - and no, you can't get away with chucking some iceberg lettuce in a bowl. We slice fennel thinly and dress it with lime and olive oil; shredded celeriac tumbles into homemade mayonnaise and courgettes are trimmed into ribbons and thrown together with basil and garlic. There's corn on the cob too - after all, you can't beat a classic. Even pudding can be barbecued It's easy to feel content after a barbecue if you escape without food poisoning, or snag an ice lolly, but Adam goes all out. He cores and skins a whole pineapple, covers it in a mix of sugar and citrus zest, then spit-roasts it on the barbecue. It becomes caramelised and sweetly charred in places, and is still sticky and juicy. You won't want pineapple any other way again.

Photo/LeManoir.

Learn to barbecue with the master at le Manoir

Don't ignore the garden (particularly if you are lucky enough to barbecue at Le Manoir) Whether in your back garden or in the park, setting is important. And at Le Manoir, you get to barbecue by the glass house in the kitchen garden. Nearby, there's Blanc's Japanese tea house and ponds, but it's the spiky columns of artichokes around every corner, the huge polytunnel of courgette plants grown purely for their yolkyellow flowers (to be stuffed or deep fried in the kitchens later), and the trays and trays of micro herbs in various growth states that are really stunning.

Real Ale. True Quality... Cwrw Go Iawn. Gwir Ansawdd... Raglan’s award winning brewery We offer a wide range of superb beers made on site, including pale ales, bitters, stout and wheat beer. Available in bottle, 5 litre party pin, 36 pint pin and 72 pint firkin.

Mae’r bragdy yn Raglan wedi ennill nifer o wobrau Rydym yn cynnig amrywiad mawr o gwrw arbennig wedi creu ar y safle, gan gynnwys cwrw golau, chwerw, stowt a chwrw gwenith. Mae’r diodydd ar gael mewn poteli, pin parti 5 litr, pin 36 peint, a ffircyn 72 peint.

We also sell great Welsh ciders and a range of wines from around the world!

Rydym hefyd yn gwerthu seidr Cymreig ac amrywiaeth o winoedd o bedwar ban y byd!

Open to the public and trade Monday-Friday 10am-5pm • Saturday 10am-3pm Unit 6, Little Castle Business Park, Raglan, NP15 2BX Take the Clytha exit at the Raglan roundabout on the A40. Then take the next right signposted Llantilio/Crossenny.

Tel: 01291 690074 • Mobile: 07988 199794 Email: enquiries@untappedbrew.com

Ar agor i’r cyhoedd a masnachwyr Dydd Llun-Gwener 10yb-5yh • Dydd Sadwrn 10yb-3yh

Uned 6, Parc Fusnes Castell Fach, Raglan, NP15 2BX

Cymerwch y tro ar gylchfan Raglan, ymlaen i’r A40. Nesaf, cymerwch y dde nesaf wedi ei arwyddo Llantilio/Crossenny.

Ffoniwch: 01291 690074 • Symudol: 07988 199794 Ebost: enquiries@untappedbrew.com

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Gazette and Diary Magazine

Valuable life lessons can be learnt though gardening

in association with

The Abergavenny Chronicle

HERE’S nothing better than spending time in the garden to positively direct pent-up energy into something meaningful and constructive especially for kids. Children are naturally inquisitive and with the power of their imagination, everything they will see, hear, smell and feel in a garden will open a whole new world of learning to their young minds. They can be simple projects like creating a fairy garden, or more complex like building a home for wildlife like a bug hotel or hedgehog house. Bosch Home and Garden reveal some valuable life lessons that can be learnt through getting children involved with garden projects this summer: Expands their knowledge Being exposed to natural elements, whether its flowers and vegetables or insects and other living creatures, allows children to observe their surroundings and get to know more about nature in detail. Gardening provides children a practical yet enriching hands-on experience that cannot be otherwise learned in a classroom, by encouraging them to watch become safely

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involved in small garden projects you can inspire them with a passion for gardening that can last a lifetime Improves problem-solving skills Studies have found that gardening increases children’s alertness and concentration levels and forces children to think on their feet and solve problems. Simple tasks like measuring to lay beds or help create build projects can help them understand the practical implications Encourages healthy eating Growing food in the school or home garden supports a positive change in the eating habits of children. Giving kids their own veggie patch to cultivate is a perfect way to get kids on the path to a healthy diet. They will almost certainly enjoy eating their own produce too! Nurtures love and respect for nature Children learn about sustainability and their responsibility to the environment when given the chance to discover and experience the outdoor environment - a love and respect which should last to adulthood and encourage a new generation of garden enthusiasts. Develops a positive attitude Gardening helps children to learn and experience valuable emotions and attitudes at a young age. Patience, responsibility, and even loss when flowers die is a valuable and important lesson that is learnt in a light-hearted way through gardening. Improves fitness Children’s young bodies are stretched and worked out in ways they may not be aware. The simple act of pulling weeds, digging soil, carrying watering cans, and building garden projects increases physical activity whilst encouraging muscle and bone growth.

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20 September 2017

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Monmouth Schools - creating well rounded, confident students who excel in their chosen fields

EFINED over 400 years in the heart of the naturally inspirational Wye Valley, the Monmouth Model educates girls and boys aged three to 18 through a unique combination of single-sex and co-educational environments at the optimum stages of their academic and personal development. Parents seek the best all-round education for their children; they want to feel confident that their sons and daughters are developing to the full their academic talent, self-confidence, and social awareness. At Monmouth, pupils embark on an educational journey within a distinctive community. Community is a core value of the schools; the founder, William Jones, is the definitive example of the difference one person can make in the wider community. Monmouth pupils are inspired to grow into well rounded, refreshingly grounded but also unbounded young men and women, who excel in their chosen paths and who aspire to make a positive difference to society. Pupils thrive and discover their particular strengths through an impressive selection of academic subjects, outstanding facilities and a vibrant calendar of trips, expeditions, events and shared community projects. Within the unique single-sex and co-educational framework, pupils benefit from the right environment at the right stage, beginning with a vibrant co-educational Nursery and Pre-Prep that sets the foundation. From age seven to

16, as pupils mature, their learning is focused within a single-sex setting. The schools believe that, at this stage, boys and girls are each inspired and motivated in specific ways; at Monmouth the distracting pressures of adolescence are absent from their academic lives, while they retain the valuable benefits of joint social and co-curricular activities. As pupils progress into the Sixth Form, some joint teaching and more extensive joint social and co-curricular activities ensure a successful transition from school to university life. Haberdashers’ Monmouth Schools recognise talent and nurture excellence, providing the best possible springboard for a pupil’s future. Parents can feel confident as their children join a legacy of excellence in education that is renowned both nationally and internationally. The Schools run a daily bus service covering Abergavenny and the surrounding area. For more information on the Open Days taking place on October 6-7, please go to www.habsmonmouth.org, call 01600 710 433 for Monmouth School for Boys, 01600 711104 for Monmouth School for Girls, or 01600 713970 for Monmouth Schools PrePrep & Nursery.

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September 2017 21

Gazette and Diary Magazine

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22 September 2017

ON'T expect to find your standard chicken tikka masala and bhaji recipes in Chetna Makan's new cookbook, because Chetna doesn't do the expected WRITES ELLA WALKER. In her first cookbook, The Cardamom Trail, the 2014 Great British Bake Off contestant explored how to use Indian spices in baking, and now her second recipe collection, Chai, Chaat & Chutney, takes an even more interesting tack. Packed with fresh, fast street food, it's crowded with dishes best eaten with your hands, straight from the fryer and in twisted paper cones; dishes that Chetna couldn't get enough of while munching her way around India for research. "After The Cardamom Trail, I wanted to do something which is more my passion and my growing up; that showed a bit of where I come from," she explains. "People think Indian street food is limited to the three or four dishes that we all hear about, like panipuri [hollow, deep fried crispy dough filled with sour, spicy water], and I wanted to show there's so much more." But with a country the size of India, which has a sprawling population of more than 1.3 billion, and all of those people eating, cooking, trawling markets, frying fish and snacking on street corners - how do you go about distilling such an incredible cacophony of foodie goodness? "I actually didn't know where to start because there's so much," admits Chetna, who lives in Broadstairs, Kent with her husband and two children. "It's a massive country - different cuisine everywhere - so I thought, 'OK, I'm just going to pick the four big cities and focus on that'." The big four - Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi and Kolkata - she explains, each have their own signature foods and flavours. Mumbai "is a very metropolitan city, so takes food from everywhere in the country, but it's got its own really distinctive dishes, like vada pav [deep fried potato balls] and dabeli [spiced potato and chutney wedged in a bread roll]". Chennai is "very big on South Indian food, there's lots of coconut, lentils, rice, and the typical dosas [savoury pancakes]". In Delhi, people "eat very heavy, they really specialise in flatbreads", while in Kolkata you can expect "lots of fish". Chetna studied fashion design in Mumbai before moving to the UK in 2003, so aside from noticing a surge in Chinese influenced dishes, the food she encountered on her return wasn't "such a surprise". "I was like, 'That tastes delicious, yeah, yeah, yeah, I've eaten that hundreds of times', but in Kolkata it was like, 'Oh my God, this is amazing'." She'd only been to Kolkata, which sits on the Bay of Bengal in East India, when she was tiny, and couldn't remember anything she'd eaten on that childhood trip, but this time around, she went big on rice and lentils topped with crispy slivers of fried fish. "It's my

Gazette and Diary Magazine favourite chapter in the book - I absolutely loved the food." What all four cities do have in common though, is how kaleidoscopic their street food stalls and markets are compared to Britain's. "They're very, very different," says Chetna with a laugh. "There's more colour and life, it's all haphazard. Here [in the UK], the street food stalls you go to are so organised! Everything is like clockwork - everything's in separate bowls! But there, oh!" "I went to Kolkata and the first day there I went out, it was pouring - I went in monsoon season. There was this couple and they had this bright blue plastic sheet which was covering their stall," she remembers breathlessly. "There was water pouring from the side, and it was literally stood next to a big electric board! And then, in front of that, in the rain, they had this massive pot and this coal barbecue all lit up to fry the puri, and I'm thinking, 'Oh my God, you're right next to the electric board and it's pouring!' "But it was the most amazing puri. They were just setting up and they had rice, daal and they were frying fish fresh, absolutely fresh, oh, it was so good - but shocking! Everything is haphazard, it's not organised at all." There is beauty in the technicolour chaos though, she says. "It is more inventive, that's the fun of it. It's so colourful - even the cooking pots are covered in flowers!" Chetna started cooking as a child, following her mum around the kitchen, helping to chop and stir, before confecting birthday cakes for her own children got her addicted to baking. She's decided she'll definitely give the new Bake Off on Channel 4 "a go" but admits, "If I don't like it, I won't continue". Straight-talking, to a point just shy of blunt, Chetna's counsel for this year's baking hopefuls is: "You have to find your strengths and stick with it, that's my only advice. That's what I did. I didn't think I had to do things a certain way, or think, 'I have to do this traditional English thing', I knew my spices, I knew my stuff and I just stuck with that." And it's certainly paid off. Chai, Chaat & Chutney by Chetna Makan is published in hardback by Mitchell Beazley, priced ÂŁ25. Photography Nahima Rothacker & Keith James. Available now

Expect the unexpected from Bake-Off star Chetna Makan September 2017 23

Gazette and Diary Magazine

GreenThumb Hereford/ Abergavenny becomes a Which? Trusted Trader

Call GreenThumb this summer and bring your lawn to life!

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24 September 2017

GreenThumb Hereford/Abergavenny can proudly call itself a Which? Trusted Trader, having recently passed a rigorous assessment that recognises reputable traders. Consumers in the Herefordshire, Ross, Abergavenny & Brecon areas can have confidence when using this branch of GreenThumb due to their Which? Trusted Traders endorsement. In order to become a Which? Trusted Trader, this branch successfully passed the endorsement process, including a visit by a professional Which? Trusted Traders assessor, with extensive trading standards experience, as well as a company credit check and customer references. Len Granger from GreenThumb Hereford/ Abergavenny said: A lawn can be a vital part of the garden’s overall appearance. It’s therefore important to us that our customers, existing and new, can see that all of our processes and procedures have been measured and judged by a reputable third party such as Which? They can trust therefore that their lawn’s care is in the hands of real lawn care professionals. Raj Kakar-Clayton, Managing Director of Which? Trusted Traders, said: “We are delighted to announce GreenThumb Hereford/Abergavenny as a Which? Trusted Trader. Our service gives consumers the confidence to make the right choices when it comes to finding skilled professionals and we’re pleased to be able to give traders the chance to distinguish themselves from their peers. This scheme is a valuable and free resource for consumers.” Which? have been testing products and services and awarding ‘Best Buy’ icons for over 50 years. The Which? Trusted Traders scheme captures this spirit to give consumers the same reassurance when choosing a trader. Which? Trusted Traders offers additional peace of mind for consumers as they can also benefit from free dispute resolution from independent provider Dispute Resolution Ombudsman, should any issues arise between a trader and customer. To find out more about Which? Trusted Traders, go to http://trustedtraders.which.co.uk

Gazette and Diary Magazine

Family food business expands into Abergavenny Y

OU may have heard of Monmouth’s now famous gelateria and café, Green & Jenks, and now the family firm, in it’s sixth generation is setting up their HQ in Abergavenny. This remarkable story of how one Welsh family took the plunge to reopen a family dairy food business that closed 1958. The idea to relaunch the business started just two years ago with a conversation between Monmouthshire based Gilly and her mother Shirley, a former home economics teacher, who lives in Cardiff. All Gilly knew about the family firm was that her grandfather's family had a dairy business in Cardiff and that it closed when her grandfather Norman Jenks retired. Gilly says " She had been planning to leave the corporate world of HR and set up her own business but hadn't planned to become a gelato maker! It was fate that has made this happen.” It's been a fantastic opportunity for the family to

find out more about their ancestors in particular Frederick Green, the Victorian entrepreneur who set up the business in 1888. Frederick’s family had a flour mill in Hampshire. He moved to London where he married and had five daughters. At some point in his career he worked for a dairy in Hammersmith in London, the area was famous for it’s dairies many of them were run by Welsh farmers. At the age of 50, in 1888 Frederick had the foresight to move his family from London to Cardiff to set up his own dairy processing business and grocer shop called The Roath Park Dairy Company Ltd. The business continued to be run successfully by his eldest daughter's husband Hubert Jenks and then his son Norman Jenks until he retired in 1958. The relaunched business opened it’s doors in July 2015 called Green & Jenks, after the surnames of the families ancestors who ran the company. Occupying a prime position in Agincourt Square, Monmouth, the beautifully restored Georgian house has provided the perfect setting for this creative new artisan food producer and popular cafe. Customers are not always aware that beneath the cafe floor is where the gelato is made. It's a hive of activity at this time of year turning milk from local farms and fruit from Herefordshire into delicious gelato and dairy free sorbets, all made on site in the basement lab. Now the name Green & Jenks is attracting new business from other cafes and high end restaurants and hotels who want to stock their products. With gelato now becoming more popular than ice-cream, and as it contains less fat and has more flavour, there is a high demand for gelato everywhere. The growth in wholesale has been the driver to open a HQ in Abergavenny to service the wholesale part of the business. With offices and warehouse space and the appointment of a sales team, the business will be building the range to sell to farm shops and delis, as well as other cafes and high end restaurants. Gilly says “ Being in Abergavenny is the prefect place for an artisan food business. We are very excited to be opening here in August before the food festival. " Gilly is a speaker at the festival and the company will have a stand in Upper Brewery Yard. In addition to the new direction of the business, the family have also made Gilly's daughter Harriet, who works for the Green Man Festival, a Director making her the sixth generation of the family business. So the future of Green & Jenks looks warm and bright.

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Gazette and Diary Magazine

Millbrook Garden Centre MITCHEL TROY, MONMOUTH, NP25 4BD TEL: 01600 713770 Tel: 01600 715476

Millbrook is a family run independent garden centre. We pride ourselves on the quality, variety and price of all our plants, including trees, shrubs and herbaceous perennials. • See our amazing range of unusual, rare and specimen plants. • We have a wide selection of quality outdoor furniture and are a main stockist of Weber barbecues. • We also stock virtually everything else that you are ever likely to need for your garden. ESTABLISHED Come and visit us, we’re bigger than you think! IN 1971 www.millbrookshop.com 1584177

26 September 2017

2017

12 PAGE PULL-OUT GUIDE September 2017 27

Gazette and Diary Magazine

Under 12s go free as the whole family enjoys Uskâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s famous show

SK Show takes Saturday, September 9 and tickets are now on sale and this year as an extra special incentive all under 12s go free! This local agricultural show is a great day out for everyone and has become the busiest country show in Monmouthshire. Alongside the livestock, horses and vintage tractors you expect to see at a country show, Usk Show also has a steam corner with models, engines and two miniature railways you can ride! There are marquees with exhibitions and competitions for

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homecraft, horticulture, poultry and rabbits, plus 200 outdoor traders as well as a craft marquee, shopping mall and food hall to accommodate 100 smaller enterprises. Meet and watch craftsmen and women at work in the rural crafts marquee or bring your dog along and enter in the fun companion dog dhow, this year raising money for Monmouthshire Young Carers Project and RABI charities. The main ring and countryside arena run displays and entertainment all day. New in the main ring are the motorbike stunt show, Broke FMX, who will be performing their acro-

batic freestyle motocross stunts and tricks in two afternoon shows. Curre and Llangibby Hunt will make a Parade of Hounds and the Mounted Pony Club Games are back in the Main Ring in a lunchtime slot. The grand parade of livestock and horses mid-afternoon gives visitors the chance to see all the champion animals. After last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success, local teams will compete in a touch-rugby tournament again before the show closes with a hot air balloon ascent. The countryside ring has returning contributors Black Mountain Falconry, Rowan Working Horses, Usk Valley Working Gundogs, The Ferguson Club, Amazing Alpacas and Woolaston Bassetts demonstrating their skills. They will be joined by David Seamark and his sheepdog display to demonstrate the skills of a shepherd and his dogs and the vintage tractor parade will also take their turn. Kids can enjoy free fun at the brilliant Junkfish tent where they can have a go at Make-&-Take Crafts, play with Circus Toys and the Giant Junk Ball Run, all for free! The showground is easily accessible from the A449 and just five minutes outside Usk. There is ample free on-site parking or free buses run from Usk Square and the park and ride service at County Hall, The Rhadyr from 9am.

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28 September 2017

Gazette and Diary Magazine

Join the thousands who throng to one of the UK’s biggest shows

N THE second Saturday in September, every year since 1844, Usk Farmers’ Club has held the Usk Show to celebrate the very best of Monmouthshire farming and rural life. Now one of the biggest one-day agricultural shows in the UK, its popularity is second-to-none. At the 100 acre Usk Showground near the village of Gwernesney just outside Usk , the Sshow comprises 11 different sections each holding their own competitions on the day. Usk Farmers Club members bring their cattle, sheep and pigs to compete in the agricultural livestock section. There is a thriving horse show and keenly contested show jumping competitions, as well as classes for goats, poultry, rabbits, horticulture, homecrafts, a companion dog Show, steam corner and a display of vintage tractors. In the main ring and countryside ring there are displays and demonstrations taking place throughout the day. For 2017 the main attractions are Broke FMX Freestyle Motocross Team in the main ring and David Seamark and his Sheepdog Display in the countryside ring. Over 300 traders travel to Usk Show each year and set up their stall either outside in the main field or in the busy food hall, craft marquee or shopping mall.

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e Best Show In South Wales!”

SATURDAY 9TH SEPTEMBER Wood treatment is a hot topic, and one local, family run company is telling you about their procedures of effectively treating and selling timber for fencing. Woodland Services, based on Hereford Road, Abergavenny, has been trading for over 50 years with the current owners entering their fourth year in the business and are ensuring the quality continues. They specialise in providing quality, locally sourced and appropriately treated wood for both agricultural and domestic use, and pride themselves on their endeavour to bring their treatment process as up to date as possible with a lot of money invested into their programme for machinery and tools. Tracey O’Leary from Woodland Services said, “Before we treat our timber in house in our fully upgraded, computerised treatment plant we ensure that the wood is dried to 28% or less moisture content. It is then pressure treated to Class 4 specification – Direct soil or fresh water contact using Koppers Celcure AC500 – giving

it a 15 year life. This whole process is computer linked and closely monitored by our treatment suppliers Koppers who support the projected 15 year life of the product. “Even though certain chemicals have been removed from the treatment solution by EU legislation in the past, this means that it is very important that the wood is dried to 28% or less moisture content then the penetration and the treatment will be as effective as it was prior to the change, and here at Woodland Services we ensure this procedure is adhered to.” Tracey has spoken about her experience with peoples concerned about the treatment of wood, and wants to let the people of the local area know that at Woodland Services they can get properly treated wood from them for a great price. A high percentage of our business is repeat business which makes it even more important that we maintain the quality of our treatment process. Tracey said, “I go to market on

Wednesdays and I hear a lot of peoples concerns about timber treatment, so we wanted to show that we have put a lot of time, money and expertise into our treatment programme and assure people that our service is safe and effective.” They also put a lot of emphasis on locally sourcing their timber that they prepare and treat, to go back to the local community. Tracey said, “When dealing with natural resources, it is important to stay as local as you can, and by using local businesses in our supply chain it benefits the whole community.”

So to find out more about their work, contact Woodland Services (Abergavenny) Ltd on 01873 855431 or email Tracey on tracey@woodland-sa.co.uk.

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Gazette and Diary Magazine

LIKES Javel Estate, Three Cocks, Brecon LD3 0SL

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30 September 2017

Gazette and Diary Magazine

Act now to prevent calf pneumonia

HE cost of pneumonia is well known, but treatment costs are the tip of the iceberg, as the overall cost of sick calves is 2-3 times the vet spend. On many farms, apparently healthy in-contact calves are affected and in groups where 35% show symptoms, more than double this are likely to have diseased lungs. The average losses in every calf with pneumonia are £82 / suckler calf and £43 /dairy calf. The main costs in the event of a pneumonia outbreak are not only related to actual treatment costs, but also to reduced levels of performance, increased mortality and higher labour requirements. Research has also shown that where an animal suffers from pneumonia, this animal took between 22 days and two months longer to finish when compared with an animal that did not suffer the disease. Clearly, prevention is better than cure and Jane Anscombe of Farm First Vets looks at what can be done now to prevent disease later in the year. The approach to reducing pneumonia should be two-fold: to increase the calves’ resistance and to reduce disease challenge. Increasing Resistance The most important tool in the box for increasing disease resistance in calves is a good intake of colostrum as soon as possible after birth. It is also important to reduce factors which will hinder a calf’s resistance, such as BVD infection, and stressors such as mixing, transport, housing and poor nutrition. Vaccination can help boost immunity. Many vaccines are available, and selection of the most appropriate should not only take into account the diseases involved on each farm, but how early the vaccine can be administered and how quickly it provides protection. For spring born calves which are going to be housed in the autumn,

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they will have the best protection if they are fully vaccinated before the stress of housing. For many of the vaccines, this means giving the calves two doses of vaccine 3-4 weeks apart, with the second dose at least two weeks before they are housed. So, if you need some advice on vaccine selection, speak to your vet soon to make sure that you get the vaccines into your stock before the risk period. Reducing Challenge This mainly involves looking at the housing and it is well worth finding some time now to make improvements before the calves go into the buildings. There are three essential considerations which will help to reduce the challenge from many diseases, not least pneumonia. Too much moisture favours bacterial growth and hence disease. It also absorbs energy, meaning that what you feed will be keeping the cattle warm rather than fuelling weight gain. In young animals, being cold will also make them more prone to disease. Lack of fresh air increases survival time of airborne bugs, and hence increases the risk of disease. Noxious gases may also build up. Too much air speed, or draughts (particularly at calf level) is associated with energy losses, reduced growth rates and increased risk of disease. Too little is associated with lack of fresh air. Good ventilation is essential in order to fulfil the above requirements. For baby calves, sufficient warmth is equally important. A veterinary building assessment can help identify problem areas, and provide practical solutions. For more information please ring Farm First Vets on 01873 840167. • Photo Courtesy of Messrs Phillips, Dairy Farm Raglan who have been vaccinating their calves before housing for the last 14 years, a policy which has worked well in reducing the rate and severity of pneumonia cases.

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