Cibus (August 2017)

issue â„–

56

the ultimate food platform

august 2017

editorial

Fantasy, escape, and dreams. These are the things we want in August, the third-busiest time for travel after Christmas and June, the first summer month. August, mind, is the summer month where some might be wishing that the Earth would just get on with its lap around the sun so we can go back to wearing more than a single ply’s worth of shirt material comfortably. This bleak view is outright challenged by the whimsical cover illustrated, once again, by Kriss Zammit Endrich, but the spirit of escape in August is a strong one. It’s in this spirit of escape that Mathias Mallia has written abou this traipsing across Bavaria.

Francesca Borg Costanzi writes about a food-care-package delivery service specialising in Maltese fanfare, for those of us away just a tad too long for comfort.

Of course, some manage to enjoy their August. Danny Coleiro celebrates swordfish in ftajjar (and somehow connects that to Benjamin Franklin — polymath and founding father of the United States). Mantas Stočkus is also back with another look at a Valletta establishment, sharing its name with the 2016 Woody Allen film: Café Society. James Camilleri, a newcomer to Cibus (chase your dreams, folks!) gives us a brief-ish look at the world of whiskey, and how we can enjoy our favourite fire-water in the summer months. If alcohol isn’t your steam this month, Alison Cilia Werdmölder hits us with fresher-than-fresh peach drink recipes that are more than suitable for even the most dreadful of August Tuesdays.

If alcohol is definitely your steam this August, then we have the thing for you: Death in the Afternoon, which is the name of a cocktail, but frankly it’s also the result of doing anything outdoors between the hours of noon and six during August in Malta. We have some of the usual stuff too, a portrait of the ever-simple, ever lovely watermelon, an almost-superfluous look at yeast as an ingredient in history, and this month’s Fictionalist’s Guide, which takes a page from a book that would make any heart pang with nostalgia for a country you’ve never known, for a home that isn’t your own — Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner, which I assume everyone and their dog has read by now.

There’s all this, and a little bit more, in this our August issue, and I wish it to augur well for all of you, our esteemed readers.

THIS PUBLICATION IS BEING DISTRIBUTED AS PART OF:

Jamie.

All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole, or in part, is strictly prohibited without written permission. Opinions expressed in Cibus are not necessarily those of the editor-in-chief or publisher. All reasonable care is taken to ensure truth and accuracy, but the editor-in-chief and publisher cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions in articles, advertising, photographs or illustrations. The editorin-chief is not responsible for material submitted for consideration.

Executive editor Jamie Iain Genovese (cibus@timesofmalta.com) Publisher Allied Newspapers Ltd. Printing Progress Press Co. Ltd. Production Allied Newspapers Ltd. Design Krista Bugeja Advertising Sales Marisa Schembri (tel: 2559 4216; marisa.schembri@timesofmalta.com)

Contents 4

COMPETITION

Win yourself a Ducale 2 ltr ice cream tub With sammontana!

To win this home scooping ice cream, simply tell us the name of the latest dairy-free product brought in by sammontana malta!

This dairy free ice cream is made from almond milk, a typical ingredient which is natural, inviting and able to enhance the creamy texture of the ice cream as well as the taste of all the other elements in the recipe. You can find the answer on Gelati all’ Italiana by Sammontana Facebook page to get more chances to win! For more information about the Sammontana brand, visit www.sammontana.it and www.facebook.com/SammontanaMalta/.

Send your answer together with your name, address and mobile number to marisa.schembri@timesofmalta.com or Cibus Competition, Allied Newspapers Ltd., 341, St Paul’s Street Valletta VLT 1211 by not later than Friday August 18, 2017.

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LOCAL 4 YOU’RE A PEACH! I’m obsessed with peaches.

They’re summery and fresh, while somehow also being rich and indulgent; sweet without sickliness - not to mention a great emoji

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for all your double entendre needs.

THINKING INSIDE THE BOX

FEATURES 14 A MALTESE FOOD-ENTHUSIAST IN BAVARIA

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There are two things in this world more important than family and love, and those

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are food and travel.

WELCOME TO WHISKEY

Ah, the water of life. Whisky, or whiskey, depending on one’s particular geographic inclinations, is a mystical drink with a long and intricate history. A drink for sighing artists and grouchy word-smiths, but also a drink for you and me. Stop thinking of whisky as something for stuffy old men and wet your whistle on the most iconic spiritthat the genius of mankind

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has wrought upon this earth.

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THE KITE RUNNER

YEAST

MAPPING THE INGREDIENT:

FICTIONALIST GUIDE:

We sat at a picnic table on the banks of the lake, just Baba and me, eating boiled eggs with kofta sandwiches - meatballs and

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pickles wrapped in naan.

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DEATH IN THE AFTERNOON ”IN THIS WORLD”’

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LOCAL

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LOCAL

YOU’RE A WORDS AND PHOTOS BY

Alison CiliA Werdmölder

I’m obsessed with peaches.

They’re summery and fresh, while somehow also being rich and indulgent; sweet without sickliness - not to mention a great emoji for all your double entendre needs.

H

ere in Malta we have been lovingly #blessed with what I would possibly biasedly refer to as The Best Peaches in the Whole World™. And as much as I would happily recommend simply biting into their flesh until juice runs down your chin, I know some of you just aren’t about that fruit-as-a-snack life.

That or you love the taste but that velvet skin gives you the shivers and peeling just isn’t worth it. Maybe you just want some new ways to enjoy them, I’m not here to ask questions, but to give answers so I’ve come up with four summer appropriate ways you can drink in some glorious peaches.

Protip: When making smoothies I highly suggest pre chopping and portioning your fruits in plastic bags in the freezer, that way you don’t have to add ice to make it cool, plus it’s much quicker to make for breakfast before heading out for the day!

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LOCAL/RECIPES

THE OLD CLASSIC: PEACH ICED TEA INGREDIENTS 1 cup peach - 1½ peaches in my case honey OR sugar - optional 1 tsp lemon juice 2 or 3 black (regular) tea bags Water Ice Mint and Peaches for garnish METHOD Blend all the ingredients until you reach the consistency you prefer, I like blending just until it’s fully combined to keep some of the chocolate chip texture! Add a bit less milk than you think you need and keep adding, you can always add more, never less. Add whipped cream, peach slices and chocolate chips on top for added f lair.

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LOCAL/RECIPES PEACH CHOC CHIP MILKSHAKE INGREDIENTS 1 cup peach (if possible pre frozen) Handful of chocolate chips 2 scoops vanilla ice cream Milk as needed Whipped cream, Peach slices extra choc chips for on top METHOD Make 2-3 cups of strong black tea in a glass jug, and if you like it sweet dissolve the honey or sugar into it, then leave it to cool. Meanwhile blend the peaches with the lemon juice. Pass it through a fine sieve to get rid of any pulp. Add this juice to the cooled tea with lots and lots of ice, you can garnish it with a few slices of fresh peach and sprigs of mint.

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LOCAL/RECIPES SPLIT SMOOTHIE INGREDIENTS 1 cup peach (if possible frozen) Pinch each of nutmeg and cinnamon ½ small tub plain yoghurt Milk and honey as needed 1 cup frozen berries - I used blueberries ½ small tub plain yoghurt Milk and honey as needed METHOD Blend each set of ingredients separately, adjusting milk for consistency and honey for sweetness, remember you can always add more! Tilting the glass at an angle pour in one smoothie first, keeping half the glass clean, then add in the other one gently while slowly tilting the glass back to upright and you’ll hopefully achieve the split smoothie effect.

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PROMO

Aperitif

Represented the distinctive colour and spirit of the drink, orange was everywhere. Beautiful rows of upside down orange umbrellas created a shade from the afternoon sun, while striped deck chairs, soft cushions and Aperol Spritz hostesses were all in orange.

“Our first Pjazza Aperol Spritz aperitif party was a great experience. We wanted to give people a social and light-hearted occasion to remember.

The sparkling refreshing flavour, the low alcohol and bright orange content, make Aperol Spritz the perfect drink that replicates the Italian lifestyle in Malta from the aperitif hour to an evening in the piazza,” said Claudia Attard, Aperol Brand Executive at Farsons Beverage Imports Company.

Live music was provided by guitarist Mark Rapa and Antonio on Thursday while Kiko and Emma Muscat played on Friday. Giorgio’s Cafeteria provided free fingerfood while San Carlo crisps were given out. Patrons had a chance to try their luck at the Wheel of Fortune as winners received handsome prizes.

Aperol Spritz is one of the most widely consumed cocktails in Italy and is fast becoming a cult drink in Malta. It is made by mixing Aperol with Prosecco and a splash of soda, topping it up with a slice of orange: light in alcohol, sparkling and refreshing, it’s the ideal drink for every occasion. It can be enjoyed before a meal, whether that is lunch, as a real Italian aperitif before dinner, or simply as a lighter option at an after-work get-together with colleagues and friends.

Aperol is produced by Gruppo Campari. In Malta Aperol is imported, marketed and distributed by Farsons Beverage Imports Company (FBIC) Limited, a member of the Farsons Group. Trade Enquiry: 2381 4400.

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FEATURE

Bavaria A MALTESE

FOOD-ENTHUSIAST IN

WORDS BY

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Mathias Mallia

FEATURE

W

hat I shall attempt to do in this makeshift travel diary is let you in on my trip as I find out what Bavaria has to offer in Regensburg and Passau. There will be beer gardens, Passau University student hang outs, holes in the wall, and a whole lot of Bavarian hospitality. Currently sitting in the Maltese airport smoking area, however, my first two observations are that tobacco is way too expensive here and that the cafeteria hasn’t paid for a Spotify premium account which costs €7 a month.

SATURDAY 8TH JULY – BAVARIAN HOSPITALITY

Today was more of a homegrown food day where brunch was provided by my very gracious host; including a lot of fresh fruit like grapes, raspberries, blackberries and gooseberries. This was joined by wheatgrass eggs, which taste better than they sound to anyone who has been jilted by the new wave of Vegan wheatgrass nonsense; a selection of baked goods; fake Nutella; posh cheese you only bring out when you have posh guests, of which I am far from; two types of yoghurt; and drinks. Needless to say, for someone who tends to fall victim to the hectic, non-breakfasteating life of the Maltese, this was almost too much, but really it wasn’t. The problem was that I wasn’t in a hotel, because then and only then is when the Maltese appetite really opens up for breakfast.

Dinner was then similarly provided with an assortment of everything you will ever see, or need, at a bar-be-que including steak, ribs, chicken, potatoes, salad, and essentially nothing entirely Bavarian except for the company, the occasional refreshing rain

showers, and the beer. Lots and lots of beer. Contrary to what the media wants us all to believe, as I found out during my first day in Bavaria, it is not constantly cold and miserable. Let me paint a picture: imagine a lonely Maltese boy with around 7 Germans playing Pool Beer Pong. I had to go out and buy a new pair of swimming trunks and T-shirts, and if you thought Maltese busses were moving incubators, the German variant are not much better since it seems the media has also fooled them into thinking it’s ok not to have Air-Conditioning or a cracked window when the temperature is just below 30°C. SUNDAY 9TH JULY – REGENSBURG CENTRE & JAZZ FESTIVAL

Today was a journey into the heart of Regensburg led entirely by intuition, the smell of the food coming out of the many beer gardens, and the sound of jazz playing in the near distance. I doubt there is a more efficient form of immersion in Bavarian culture than having a Regensburger Teller (which can be roughly translated into “plate of heavenly Bavarian meat in Regensburg”… very roughly) in one of the aforementioned specialised gardens overlooking the Danube before stumbling rather buzzed on Dunkles (dark beer) into the centre to witness 5 jazz music stages and then exploring the immense and beautiful gothic Cathedral.

Going into the food ingredient by mouth-watering ingredient we started with two types of sausage, knacker und bratwürstl which are pretty much a staple in any German dish regardless of which parts of the country you are. The former is a thicker pink sausage that looks like Wudy to the untrained and untasting eye, but it’s cooked skin and all with a strong herb tinge to it, complemented CIBUS | aUgUSt 2017 15

LOCAL by the latter which is the thinner, yellowish/grey sausage infused in all the herbs that taste of Germany. The schweinefleisch (literally ‘swine flesh’, which is a totally heavy metal way of saying ‘pork’) was a cut of pork shoulder oven grilled to give a semi-crunchy outer layer and a tender middle. Sides were sauerkraut which is the marmite of the German world, basically sour cabbage which you either love or hate. And finally, Bavaria’s answer to the Maltese obsession with bread, reiberknödel, which is a thick, pasty, potato concoction made by grating the potato and mixing it with eggs and breadcrumbs soaked in milk to create the perfect gravy sponge.

MONDAY 10TH & TUESDAY 11TH – MALTESE RECIPROCITY IN IDYLLIC PASSAU

Having made our way to Passau where we will be spending the rest of the stay until this Friday, I, for once, am out of words to describe some of the sights in this oft forgotten peninsula where the Danube, Inn, and Ilz Rivers all meet in hypnotic harmony.

And since my wonderful host is a student/lecturer at Passau Universitait, I decided to show thanks in one of the most Maltese ways possible – by cooking enough food in these couple of busy days for her, her flatmate, and potentially people in the street too.

Monday’s lunch was a sweet and sour beef couscous dish with a few as-close-to-Maltese nuances as you can get. About 250g of beef steak sliced into thin morsels were fried in a large pan along with a decently sized red onion seasoned with salt, pepper, curry powder and spicy paprika. Once the smell and colour indicate enough time has passed, I also added diced yellow and red bell pepper that give a nice texture, colour, and sweet tinge; this was also coupled with

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a good amount of garlic since you can’t be Maltese and cook without at least enough garlic to ensure a vampire free radius of around 5.7kms from the apartment. Once those start sizzling along with the meat and onions, I also added Tunisian sundried tomatoes, sweetcorn and red beans. Finally, the sweet and sour sauce was added with a bit of water and cherry tomatoes to complement the sweetness and offset the tartness of the previously added sundried variety. This concoction was then mixed with around 250g of couscous and voila, four portions of relatively easy to make food which had the Germans having second helpings.

Tuesday’s menu was a lot more Maltese with a generous helping of patata l-forn, with onions, carrots, and all the herbs and spices we are used to smelling as soon as we enter a Maltese household ready for a wholesome meat and potato dinner. This also accompanied with the rest of the beef steak, roughly 300g, seared in a pan and sliced after being left to rest for a couple minutes.

The meat was then served on a bed of slow-cooked oven vegetables and accompanied with a generous helping of all the interesting German beer I picked up from the market. A perfect example of cross-cultural integration, methinks.

WEDNESDAY 12TH – BICYCLES AND CASTLES

Today was a very cultural day; we had to make our way up through the hills and the forest to make it to Vesta Oberhaus, which is a 13th century fortress and museum. This felt more like home than one would imagine considering there was restoration in progress which included scaffolding and a crane; home sweet home.

The restaurant which offered breath-taking views of the entirety of the Bavarian utopia. Lunch was a mix of Augustiner-Bierbraten (picture), which is crackling pork cooked in the oven with the beer – shocking, I know – and onions. This was accompanied by another slice of slow cooked pork which was marinated in a dish with onions, garlic, salted water and kept refrigerated for about 3 weeks after which it is put in the oven seasoned with pepper and cumin. This was served with the same potato ball that we had in Regensburg as well as a similar bread ball substance which is essentially identical but substituting potatoes with bread. All in all, it was clear that the beer gravy isn’t something to be wasted, but there seemed to be an aversion to giving out pieces of bread which a Maltese person is so accustomed to.

FEATURE This dish also included a different take on sauerkraut which was a little sweeter than the usual as, according to my host, they just wanted to be a little different.

The second dish which we decided to trade mid-way through the meal for the sake of trying literally everything, was ButtermilchBackhendl. This is chicken breast pieces pickled for 12 hours in buttermilk, which sounds odd, but tastes like what I imagine nibbling on an angel’s wings would taste like. The generous pieces are also battered with flour, eggs and bread crumbs and then deep fried and served with potato salad and pumpkin seeds pressed into a special Austrian-style oil.

which is a strong Austrian cheese. The meat was marinated in ox broth, water, oil, and a secret combination of spices making it one of the most tender burgers I’ve ever had the pleasure of sticking into my face. One thing that genuinely struck me, especially considering the Maltese focus on ‘gourmet burgers’ was the simplicity of it all with just 4 main ingredients topped in bar-beque sauce making for an exquisite lunch. It was also cheaper than any of the aforementioned Maltese equivalent and had enough chips to constitute a separate meal on the side. Perhaps that is the way forward for burger places of the future, simplicity rather than complex flavours.

This evening also saw my cycling baptism by fire, considering I hadn’t actually properly ridden a bicycle in roughly a decade.

There were moments of laughter to hide exasperation, I was sweatier than I thought I could get on a Bavarian evening, and upon stopping for beer to watch the sunset outside an old monastery, there were also moments where I appreciated how little I am used to nature. Germans have a habit of being perfectly fine with being circled by insects at dusk; I did not share the sentiment.

As if that wasn’t enough palatal excitement, we then ended up cycling to a farm in the rural Hofötz that makes most or cider, although mine was mixed with lemonade in a sort of Radler due to my taste buds being used to the sweeter ciders we tend to drink at home. Dessert was a simple homemade cranberry cake which also spoke volumes in defence of the simple life. Unfortunately, the suffering of cycling back to Bavaria after all the food and cider, which hit a lot harder than I’d like to admit, made up for the simple enjoyment. Literally paying for it with sweat and, I’m not going to lie, a few tears as well.

THURSDAY 13TH – CROSS-BORDER CYCLING

FRIDAY 14TH – HOME SWEATY HOME

Following yesterday’s bicycle workout, feeling quite confident and my newly rediscovered balance, we decided to ride through the absolutely stunning Passau University, dubbed one of the most beautiful universities in the world and with good reason. As a testament to how fantastic this university is, the inner roads and paths lead deep into a forest which eventually crosses the border into Wernstein Am Inn in Austria after crossing one of the bridges over the Inn river.

Lunch was served at the Gasthaus ‘s Gelbe Ekk! In the form of an ox meat burger (yes, ox meat) with lettuce, tomato and Alm Käse,

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Today was the final day spent mostly travelling and trying to find a way to let go of a place which, over a week, I found myself wishing I could miss my flight back home with a clean conscience. I must take the time to thank my host, Denise Hüber, who practically planned my entire trip for me and made sure that I could experience as much food and as many sights as any idiot tourist abroad can hope for. I can never do the place justice both in terms of sights, tastes, and mere experience, but I will always suggest to anyone who is thinking of visiting Germany that a visit to Bavaria, specifically Passau, is worth the time and travel.

FEATURE

welcome to

Whiskey WORDS BY

James Camilleri

Ah, the water of life. Whisky, or whiskey, depending on one’s particular geographic inclinations, is a mystical drink with a long and intricate history. A drink for sighing artists and grouchy word-smiths, but also a drink for you and me. Stop thinking of whisky as something for stuy old men and wet your whistle on the most iconic spiritthat the genius of mankind has wrought upon this earth.

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FEATURE

So, What is Whisky, Exactly?

No doubt you’ve noticed a bottle of the stuff watching you suspiciously from a dark corner of a dingy bar. But what makes something whisky and not just muddy and odd-tasting water? essentially, whisky is a spirit distilled from fermented grain and aged in wooden barrels. a simplified version of the process goes something like this: 1. a huge pile of grain (like barley or rye) is drowned in a vat of water. The grain gets soggy and the sugars locked up inside are released.

2. some unsuspecting yeast is added to the sugary water. The yeast throws a party and starts producing alcohol. it produces so much alcohol it kills itself. This ends the party.

3. The resulting liquid, which is like a warm beer, goes into a metallic still, where it is heated until the alcohol begins to evaporate. This process is repeated two or three times, until a clear and high-alcohol content liquid is produced. This is the distillation part of the process.

4. The alcohol is stored in wooden barrels for a number of years, where it matures and gains colour and flavour.

5. The matured whisky is blended, bottled, and sent off to eager consumers around the globe. enthusiasts cheer while their livers begin to panic.

There are generally smaller steps between these stages, and each stage is split into tens of “if” and “when” and “then” scenarios. But the basic gist of it remains – ferment grain, distil beer, store alcohol in barrels. Drink and be merry.

What Do All These Words Mean? Help Me I Am So Confused. if you’ve ever had the fortune to go whisky shopping, you may have been inundated with a heap of terminology that you can’t make heads or tails of. What’s a single malt? What’s a blended malt? Not to worry, a perfectly reasonable explanation for this madness exists.

Single Malt: The standard “fancy whisky”, or at least what everyone assumes is a fancy whisky. a single malt is a whisky made entirely from malted barley and aged in an oak barrel. all the whisky in the bottle is from the same distillery. so all the liquid inside a bottle of Glenfiddich 12 (for example) is guaranteed to come from the Glenfiddich distillery.

Blend: Generally more average whiskies, such as Johnny Walker Red or Teacher’s – though there are some very fancy blends available on the market. The difference between a

blend and a single malt is that most of the stuff in the bottle is a simpler grain whisky that hasn’t been aged. This is a plain spirit with very little intrinsic flavour, and is far cheaper to produce. it is then enhanced with flavour from different single malt whiskies to craft the flavour required for the blend.

Blended Malt: a sort of cross-breed between a blend and a single malt. This kind of whisky is created by mixing (or blending) single malts from different distilleries together to obtain a particular flavour. There is no “base” grain whisky, so blended malts tend to be more premium offerings than standard blends. They can also offer some interesting flavour profiles not possible with single malts. some examples include the lovely Sheep Dip, Rock Oyster and Timorous Beastie bottlings.

Single Cask: a sort of super single malt. a single cask whisky comes from a single barrel in a single distillery. These bottles are individually numbered, since you can only get so many bottles out of a single cask. single cask whiskies are premium products, and well-produced ones like the marvellous Two Isles Single Cask – Ġuże Cask Finish by Kilchoman (aged in a maltese wine barrel), are masterpieces of the distilling arts.

Cask Strength: When a whisky is labelled cask strength, it means it’s been poured directly from the barrel into the bottle, without adding water to reduce the alcohol level to a standard 40-45% by volume. You’ll find them floating around the 5065% mark, although i’ve tasted an impressive Edradour that hit 69%aBV. Triple Distilled: This refers to the number of times the alcohol is passed through the still before being put into the cask for maturation. The overwhelming majority of scottish whiskies tend to be distilled twice, but most irish whiskies (and a few scottish exceptions) are distilled an extra time before going into the barrels. an extra round of distillation tends to remove more of the harsher impurities, creating a much smoother final product.

How to Start Drinking Whisky Caught your attention, have i? Piqued your interest? Keen to dabble? excellent. it’s not as complicated as you think it is.

Pick a glass. any glass will do, something short and wide, with an inward-tapering top if you can find one. There are glasses specifically designed for drinking whisky, but that’s not important right now. Pour some whisky into your glass, have a small existential crisis about whether or not you should add ice, take a hearty sniff of the stuff and then slide the silky substance into your mouth. sipping is recommended over chugging to better savour the flavour.

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FEATURE

That much is pretty obvious, so i’d like to go a step further and suggest a few bottles to start your journey with. While i am a fan of the more potent and peaty whiskies, giving a swig of Lagavulin 16 to a complete newbie may well cause them to keel over and die.

Keeping this in mind, i tend to direct those eager to get into the whisky-drinking business towards a lighter and smoother set of whiskies to start. These are merely opinions, based on my somewhat limited experience, so do take them with a pinch of salt. You may find some of them revolting. (i do.) You may find them all revolting. in that case, i’m sorry i’ve failed you.

Something Sweet: The Jura offerings, at least the 10 year old i’ve sampled, tend to be quite sweet and offer a good introduction for those not yet ready to brave stronger-tasting whiskies. The new kid on the block, the swedish MacMyra distillery, also offers a fascinating Svensk Ek (swedish Oak) which is quite light on the palette.

Something Smooth: anything from The Glenlivet distillery tends to have a light and grassy flavour, smoother than a hot knife through butter. The twelve year-old expression, as well as the Founder’s reserve, are excellent staples and not too expensive.

Something Subtle: The Japanese Hibiki series of blends are an excellent example of a premium blended whisky done right. an almost floral sweetness, but not as over the top as the Jura or MacMyra bottlings.

Something Splendid: The Springbank 10, a wonderfully spicy creation from the independentlyrun Springbank distillery in Campbeltown, is one of my all-time favourites. an excellent mid-range whisky, it’s one of those bottles we tend to open but not need to close, because it’s completely empty by the end of the evening.

There’s a lot more to whisky than the little bit i’ve brushed upon here – way more in fact – but hopefully this is enough to tempt you into tasting your first tot of the good stuff. Keep an open mind – in the words of raymond Chandler, “There is no bad whiskey.

There are only some whiskeys that aren’t as good as others.”

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PROMO

THE MAJESTIC SKYBEACH OPENS Skybeach the latest luxury lifestyle offering from InterContinental Malta has recently opened on the hotel’s 19th Floor. Offering dramatic and expansive views across the Maltese Islands, the venue is graced with a glorious infinity pool, along with a Champagne bar and restaurant providing refined and truly exclusive services to its esteemed clientele. The opening of Skybeach represents the completion of InterContinental Malta’s all embracing refurbishments. This has included the arrival of InterContinental Arena Conference Centre, one of Malta’s foremost meeting facilities and of course the hotel’s Highline Suites the most distinctive and luxurious accommodation offered on the islands.

Skybeach allows its guests and members to enjoy a truly fantastic location, with performances from some of the islands finest musical personalities playing a selection of lounge and chillout music, complimented by a selection of distinct and defined gastronomic offerings. Residents of the hotel’s Highline Suites will be able to enjoy Skybeach as well as those with seasonal memberships and day access.

Martin van Kan, Area General Manager InterContinental Malta commented, “I am simply delighted to see this project come to fruition, a great many people have been involved in ensuring the successful realization of this endeavour. Personally, it gives me great pleasure to have this truly fantastic asset as part of the offering of the hotel. I look forward greatly to the response from our guests.”

INGREDIENT

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INGREDIENT

e M e v a e L t a e H e h t y Ma

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PROMO

CHEERS TO THE

GSD Marketing Ltd has responded to this demand by recently adding a low calorie beer to its portfolio – the New 33 Lager.

The New 33 Lager helps you stay healthy without forfeiting flavour since Bavaria has mastered the art of producing full flavoured, bloat free beer which allows you to enjoy the complete lager experience without being weighed down.

The New 33 Lager is brewed with various special malts and natural mineral water from Bavaria’s own springs, in combination with a modified brewing process which gives the beer a beautiful body and excellent flavour. Additional aroma hops give the beer the normal bitterness of pilsner and a deliciously refreshing hop-like aroma. As a result, the beer does not taste watery like any traditional light but retains the authentic flavour of a premium lager you’re looking for, something that is low in calories but still high in flavour.

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‘‘Consumers have a lot of choices when it comes to lagers, but there aren’t many options if you’re looking for something that’s low in calories but still high in flavour. The introduction of this new calorie lager is a testament of our continuous process of innovation which brought about this significant evolution which will now provide a low calorie lager to our consumers. Thus far, the beer has been well received and even though it has only been in the market for a month, it has had great feedback and positive reactions from our consumers.

Our immediate clients, which include supermarkets and bars, are very excited to feature the beer’’ said Martin Aguis, Sales and Marketing Manager at GSD Marketing Ltd. It’s summer, a time to relax with family and friends and the perfect occasion to enjoy a pint of the New 33 Lager.

Cheers!

FEATURE

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FEATURE

Mapping the

ingredient

WORDS BY

jamie iain genovese

s

ome, such as the likes of jared Diamond, author of Guns, Germs, and Steel (1997), would consider something like agriculture to be a bit of a mistake humanity has made along the way. He goes on about it at some length (3 pages or so) in an essay published with the may 1987 issue of Discover magazine, titled ‘The Worst Mistake in the History of the Human Race’. of course, we very much feel and believe that we developed agriculture to tame the lands, to make it do our bidding and fill our stomach. Float, for a moment, the idea that we didn’t domesticate crops in some kind of one-way, master-slave relationship. Rather, open yourself up to the idea that agricultural crops, such as wheat, domesticated us. We’re slaves to our crops, to how well they grow. one need only think of biblical famines to understand why it was so important to care for crops, and to in fact become slave to your produce.

But we digress. seriously, what’s done is done, we can’t exactly undo tens of thousands of years of agricultural practice and culture. Besides, we reap its benefits for sure. ever had sourdough bread? That stuff’s delicious. and you know what’s super important for sourdough? Wheat. and what else?

Yeast. This fungus is used in anything from alcohol to not alcohol, from food to genetic engineering; yeast has been crucial to us as a species. How far back does our relationship with yeast (try not to think about yeast infections) go? Rough estimate: about four thousand years, at least in egypt. How magical and life-giving it must have seemed, to be able to use cultured yeast, a by-product of winemaking and drink-brewing to make bread that was so soft and airy. Which is all the yeast does in bread, really, it ferments in the dough and allows for gaps to be formed, essentially making a small amount of mass bigger, lighter, and more palatable for the discerning man of 2,000 B.C. Yeast, i remind you, is a living thing. it might seem almost absurdist to consider that we use a small, living culture of fungi to ferment in drink and food and somehow make it better, to deprive a substance of oxygen to convert sugars into alcohol, the drug that gives us a buzz. Dionysius, it seems, is another name for Saccharomyces cerevisiae, but good luck pronouncing that after a tipple. it’s hard to say how exactly yeast spread, fermentation processes sprouted up almost everywhere, much like language. Perhaps it was the happy accident of poor hygiene in the ancient kitchen, mayhaps it was an inevitability of the domestication of man by wheat and germ. in any case, prost!

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PROMO

CARTERS SUPERMARKET A FRESH NEW LOOK Chain Market Ltd., is well known all over the island for its commitment to quality and high standards of customer service.

After establishing its reputation with the three supermarkets in Zabbar, Fgura and The Point, the brand has now taken over a new challenge – the refurbishment of the Carters Supermarket in Tarxien.

Chain’s investment can only be described as massive and the intention is clear – to bring quality and price levels which are normally associated with the south of the island. Although prices are very competitive, products at Carters supermarket certainly do not compromise on quality.

Carters Supermarket refurbishment with an investment of over €3.5 million, to match the existing brand of the Chain supermarkets. The shop area was transformed after it was taken over by Chain Market Ltd in 2012 with all the latest technology used to create a supermarket which is one of the best on the

island. No expense has been spared to provide clientswith the best quality of service that one now expects from the Chain brand.

Located on the two floors Carters Supermarket is set over 1,800 square metres. One can note the attention to detail in the displays, the clear delineation of products in their various shapes and sizes and a general aura of spick and span cleanliness which is the hallmark of any Chain Supermarket. Amongst the highlights, one can note the delicatessen counter and the wide variety of frozen and fresh food products such as vegetables, fresh cuts, pre packed prepared meals and chicken products, readymade food, ice creams and much more– all in an extremely hygienic environment which certainly pleases the eye. Carters Supermarket is offering the best service and value with free street level car park facilities for over 50 vehicles.

Open all day from Monday to Thursday & Saturday: 07.30 to 19.00hrs. Friday: 07.30 to 20.00hrs. Sunday: 08.00 to 13.00hrs. Follow us on Facebook for our special offers and in house promotions. Carters Supermarket– where shopping is a real pleasure.

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FEATURE

RUNNER t may be the setting which finds resonance somewhere within us. Or it could well be the immediate (if at times besmirched by association) engagement with this child from 1970s Afghanistan. Whatever the reason, most would find The Kite Runner compelling reading. As did I. The insight, the pain, but especially the simple honesty of this book ensure that it lingers.

The child’s selfish and jealous love, as children’s love tends to be, is the sentiment that is being expressed just before he recounts what he was eating with his father, in the quote above. You could therefore be forgiven for missing it, coming as it does after that insightful passage. And yet it is evocative in itself, a keystone in completing the setting we seem to assimilate so easily, with Hosseini’s writing.

So I would not call it irreverent, this delving of mine into the culinary, at this point. The mundane pleasures can often intertwine so brilliantly with the sublime treatment of suffering and courage.

They are what give the experience its total immersion.

And with compelling reading, many a time, comes an equally compelling drive... to the nearest specialty shop. For at their very mention, the taste of those koftas lingers as much as the haunting tale does. And a compulsion is not a cumpulsion unless it is acted on, right?

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So what makes a kofta? My mind conjures up the taste of lamb koftas, rather than beef, although beef works equally well. I find that lamb goes so beautifully with the cumin and garlic, coriander and onion and the mint and turmeric that go into the mixture of these meatballs. And the naan bread with pickles just makes the meal all that much more outdoorsy. Or not. I could be stretching this immersion theory, at this point. Stitching it, even. (Apologies.

That intertextual reference came out even weaker in writing than it did when it popped into my head.)

The thing is though, if you’re going to make your own naan bread, you do need to start a couple of hours ahead of time.

Because you must knead the flour and yeast mixture and let it rise to twice its size, before rolling it out and baking it in a moderate oven for around 10 minutes. Then again, when it is so easily available... You’ve guessed it. Mine was store bought. I couldn’t risk the craving disappearing by the time I followed its lead.

Let’s say, however, for the sake of contextual accuracy, that you are baking your own naan. Well, while it was baking, you would have shallow fried the koftas until cooked through, with a hint of a crispy exterior, ready to be laid out on the bread. And all in the company of pickles of your choice. The local pickles, or ġardiniera, give the recipe a bit of a twist. (Pick it up from the deli counter at your local.) It also saves me having to explain yet another process: that of pickling. Because for the purpose of this fictitionalist’s guide, we will remain in the undergraduate programme. There might come a time when we would consider moving to the lofty heights of pickling and jam making. If called for. One day... But for now, I’m craving the hard boiled eggs too.

I’ll just spare you the condescension of explaining how to boil them.

FEATURE PHOTO BY

jAMIe IAIn genOveSe

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PROMO

A CAVE, A BAR, AND MORE THAN A FEW COCKTAILS

Friday 28th July saw the launch of the Pergola Hotel’s Pool Terrace and Cave Bar. At 8pm, the sun was just about setting, and walking out onto the terrace on the third floor of the Pergola rewards you with a view out—past the edgeless pool of topazcoloured water and to the Mellieħa Church, and beyond that the sea, and beyond that the sky. They met in a flat way; a wide-open expanse of air, and later on: stars.

People dressed up, they mingled, they drank aptlynamed cocktails such as The Cave; with its gin, strawberry purée, and pineapple juice; so-named after the natural cave that’s home to a well-stocked bar that’s surrounded by tables for parties of people to sit and drink at.

A steady stream of waiting staff pour out of the kitchen, in intervals, to serve guests hors d‘oeuvres such as canapes, and other bite-

sized finger foods of all sorts — the beefy, the vegetarian, the smoked, the puréed, the sautéed, the breaded, the profiterol’d, the in-acone, and even the on-a-stick. In other words, a lot.

Eventually the sun set, people chatted the time away over the whole range of available cocktails and drink. The day gave way to night, and when the night got darker still, a parade of fireworks sounded off, colouring the night sky in greens, reds, yellows, and smoke. Everyone looked up, and grabbed their phones, hoping to keep a record of this moment to tell their friends of the time they were at a cocktail party and fireworks flew overhead, to tell their friends about the opening of the pool and terrace at the Pergola hotel.

LOCAL

WORDS BY

frAn Borg CoSTAnzI

S

crolling through social media websites is usually a force of habit. It serves more as something to occupy my mind rather than an endeavour to find something interesting to read.

While running a thumb up and down the screen aimlessly, nothing usually catches my eye. But then I came across an advert for the company ‘Plait’ and I was instantly drawn in. The words “real taste of Malta” and “best gift ever” caught my eye immediately and as someone who loves Maltese cuisine, how could I not click on it? It’s safe to say I was in for a treat.

Plait is the first subscription box company in Malta. The idea is unique in itself but what makes the company a cut above the rest is the fact that it delivers high quality products at a time which is most convenient for the customer. This is why I believe that this

company is gold— it takes pride in client satisfaction: an element that is supremely important but often falls by the wayside. It bridges the gap in the market between high quality products and reliable customer service with standards that do not wane from one month to another. A customer can choose between four different kinds of crates. My favourite of which is the slice of Malta crate. This includes typical Maltese wines, food and other beverages of the best quality and can come in three different sizes according to how gluttonous you’re feeling. There are also beer, wine and organic food crates that can be ordered that also come in an assortment of sizes. The boxes can be part of monthly/bimonthly subscription or be given as a gift. To my friends reading this article right now, hint, hint! Christmas is just around the corner.

CIBUS | aUgUSt 2017 37

LOCAL

To add to the allure of this innovative business, the wines and beers in the boxes change every month to ensure that the customer gets as much variety and opportunity to taste new and exciting products as possible. In terms of quality assurance, there is no doubt that this rapidly growing business has got it covered. The crates contain wine of the highest quality that is chosen by a sommelier, some of which would not otherwise be available for retail purchase. The boxes also include tasting notes and suggestions for food that would go best with the wine. You could use these notes to your advantage when having friends over for dinner. Dishing out a few remarks on the flavour of the wine and what dishes to serve it with will make you seem like a wine connoisseur and the most cultured person in the room.

The thing that truly puts the cherry on the cake for me is the boxes themselves. They are designed beautifully both inside and out so it feels like your birthday every time you receive one.

The boxes are made of carton and come with a lid. This is not the most cost-effective design but there is a thought process behind everything Plait does. Plait wanted to use slightly pricier lidded boxes to heighten the customer’s experience when opening the box- adding a lid makes the whole ordeal much more special than just opening a generic package. These boxes are also reusable. Plait strives to be as environmentally sustainable as possible so they designed boxes that could be used not only for packaging but for a number of storage purposes too. Customers also have the choice to return the boxes which 38 CIBUS | aUgUSt 2017

have not been damaged so they can be reused by the company itself. So, the boxes are not only a great investment in terms of the products inside them but they also come with the bonus of being handy. The word ‘waste’ is almost alien to the whole concept of this business.

As soon as I came across Plait, I wondered about the name. Is it pronounced like fat or fate? And how was it decided on? Like most great inventions, the name came about randomly and was instantly liked. Just like everything else about the company, the name has depth to it too. Plait refers to the way the company intertwines different products and its service into one solid unit like plaited hair but its definition is not fixed. It is open to the public’s interpretation. Plait uses the American pronunciation of the word similar to ‘plate’. This is because it conveniently rhymes with ‘great’ and ‘crate’ which make up the company’s tag line“great in a Crate”. A very fitting slogan for a company that sells boxed goodness such as this one.

LOCAL

The main founder of Plait has a Masters in Entrepreneurship and seeing as each iota of the company has forethought and preparation, it is plain to see that the minds behind it have knowledge of the field. The brandinng for the company went through months of drafting and development and was finalised in April of this year.

The company was formally launched about two months ago and started gaining traction in the public eye ever since it was given the spotlight on a popular local website and has continued to flourish ever since. Certainly, a household name in the making!

If you’re looking for a downside to this business then you’ll have to be disappointed. It’s a great concept executed by talented people.

The products you love delivered to your door at the time you like.

What more could you ask for? We’re told so often in life to go against the grain and think outside the box. Plait had something completely different in mind and it is paying off like crazy!

Check out their subscription and gift ideas here: www.plait.com.mt CIBUS | aUgUSt 2017 39

FEATURE

afternoon DEATH IN THE

Allegedly invented by Hemingway (Farewell to Arms, The Old Man and the Sea, and many more), and allegedly drunk in sets of three or five, this cocktail of champagne and absinthe is aptly named.

Pour a bit of the absinthe into your glass (a coupe, a champagne flute, or whatever suits you) and then pour the iced champagne, roughly four times the amount of your absinthe. Of course, finding good absinthe in Malta seems to be a fool’s errand. But then again, so is drinking a few of these.

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FEATURE

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what’s new promo

Borges extra virgin olive oil

summer is the time for light, natural, tasty dishes you can prepare in no time at all.

Make the most of food that’s in season, such as cucumbers and watermelon, and include them in your main dishes. Do not hesitate to liven up your regular salads with some fruit in season. an extra dose of vitamins won’t do you any harm and it will also add some surprising flavours and textures. You can start with some pieces of melon with cubes of feta, drizzled with Borges extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch of black pepper! a simple, different fresh summer dish. For more information about the Borges brand, visit www.borges.es and www.facebook/BorgesMt

Barley cup range

Made only from wholesome roasted barley, rye and chicory, Barley Cup is a range of instant hot drinks that are freefrom caffeine and artificial additives. In addition, Barley Cup drinks are certified gluten free. Barley Cup is the natural alternative to coffee. at only 10 kcals a cup and with no added sugar, Barley Cup tastes as good on its own, with milk or with a dairy free alternative.

Just add hot water, stir, sit back, relax and enjoy the mild tempting aroma of Barley Cup! whether you are trying to cut down on the amount of caffeine you drink, counting the calories, or you simply want to eat and drink healthily, the Barley Cup is a great choice as part of a healthy and balanced diet.

yogikids

Yogikids is an excellent combination between flavour and texture - key aspects in children’s products. In addition, it is made with Pascual Milk, pureed fruit and vitamins a, e, B9 and D2, the latter of which necessary in the growing age. Yogikids is designed for children from one year of age, and that is why special care has been taken in developing a nutritious product with a smooth and creamy texture and a delicious taste. this has been achieved thanks to a combination of 85% yogurt made with Pascual Milk and the best pureed fruit. Yogikids is presented in two varieties, strawberry and strawberry-banana, and is an ideal solution for snacks and lunch breaks. It may be either chilled or stored at room temperature, and can be taken anywhere! Find them on Facebook for more information: www.facebook.com/PascualMalta 42 CIBUS | aUgUSt 2017

passione di Famiglia

a thick and velvety Balsamic Vinegar of Modena that strikes just the right balance between the sweet and sour tastes . the rose depicted in the shape of a heart pays tribute to the traditional method of planting rose bushes in the vineyard as a ‘red light’ , a technique that is still used today .

Imported by J. Calleja Import & export Ltd.

PROMO

POTS & PANS

Petrolea is a company founded three generations ago, in 1891. It is currently owned and managed by the third generation of Zarbs. Petrolea was founded in Rabat in 1891. In the 1920s the business moved to 26, Merchant Street, Valletta. In 1997 it was renovated and spread over three floors, it became one of Malta’s top Household/Gift stores. Our logo said it all… “The Shop Worth Visiting”.

In 2010 the decision was taken to move out from the renowned Store in Merchant Street, to a bigger and more centralised New Showroom in Valley Road, Msida, where one can find us till today. We are open all day with easy parking facilities.

Petrolea & Alessi started business together in 1963. The exclusive Alessi

“Shop In Shop” is located at our Msida showroom.

In 2006 Alessi collaborated with Designer Jasper Morrison and launched a new collection of cookware called Pots&Pans. This line of cookware occupies a much lower price bracket than the other Alessi cookware yet still maintains the same high design, quality and high attention to functionality.

Each piece is made from 18/10 stainless steel with an aluminium and steel heatradiating base. They can be used on all cook tops and in the oven, plus they’re dishwasher ready. Morrison’s distinctive lid design enables lids to be lifted, tilted, and placed with the use of any of his three coordinating Beech wood kitchen utensils.

FEATURE

WORDS BY

a

danny coleiro

nd while i’m slightly hesitant to go up against a man who was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, and a polymath to boot, i’d like to gently remind everyone that he’s also famous for quoting that “wine is constant proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy”, which seems to indicate that he enjoyed the odd drink or two. not that this necessarily means anything. in fact, i get on very well with people who enjoy a good wine, especially if they’re willing to share it. i’m just saying that anyone who goes out into a lightning storm to fly a kite may be, perhaps, a couple of sandwiches short of a picnic.

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The thing is, in this world, there are quite a lot of things which can be said to be certain. and yes, i’m aware that the quotation would have been a lot less quotable had Franklin concluded it with “... except death, taxes, and a ton of other things, actually”, but still... i can’t help feeling it was a little irresponsible of him to brush everything aside with one sweeping statement just because he was a polymath and thought it would sound cool in years to come.

But this is supposed to be an article about food - just in case you missed the sneaky ‘wine and sandwiches’ bit of foreshadowing up there - so please bear with me as i disprove Mr Franklin’s quote firmly within the frames of a culinary context.

FEATURE

For example, in this world, it’s almost a hundred percent certain that no cooking on earth will ever equal the food that mother used to make. i say almost because i suppose that there is a possibility that someone’s mother somewhere was, to the kitchen, what the lightning storm was to Franklin’s kite - think smoke, the smell of burning, and a possible visit to the nearest hospital for recovery. if this is the case, the statement slips back a generation, and grandmother takes the title. if neither your mother nor your grandmother could successfully toast bread without having to spend twenty minutes scraping the black bits off over the dustbin, then you were either cursed, or just incredibly unlucky. or you were Benjamin Franklin, presumably, seeing as he failed to mention Ma Franklin’s cooking in his quotation.

My mother was, and still is, an amazing cook. She can even cook swordfish in a way that makes it taste like swordfish should taste when it’s cooked the right way. er... you might want to go back and read that last sentence again, just to be sure. i did... and then left it like that anyway. in this world, it’s almost a hundred percent certain that people who say they’re not keen on swordfish say so because they’ve never cooked it, or had it cooked it for them, the right way. not that there is a right way, really. But there are quite a lot of wrong ways, and all of them end up with the fish being overcooked.

Swordfish is delicious and beautiful and a mouth-wateringly marine mouthful of ‘mmm!’ right up until the second you overcook it, and then you end up with a texture so dry and fish so flavourless that... well, think of Ben’s kite again.

Swordfish is meaty and strong enough to withstand quite a bit of heat, and it doesn’t dissolve or fall to pieces like a lot of other fish do. This makes it great on a barbecue, or under a grill, but by far my favourite way to cook it is wrapped in foil, in the oven, because this gives it a melt-in-your-mouth quality, just like mamma used to make... it’s almost a hundred percent certain that one of the greatest things to come out of Malta is fresh ftira. i say almost because i imagine that there are a handful of people who find it too chewy or too crusty or too tedious to deal with. But this handful notwithstanding, the mere smell of the bread being baked is the olfactory equivalent of hugging a teddy bear, and the crunchy satisfaction of biting into it - i mean the bread, not a teddy-bear - is further constant proof that God loves us, and loves to see us happy.

Which brings us, finally, to the point. i know it took a while to get from there to here, but wasn’t it Benjamin Franklin who once said that we should ‘take time for all things: great haste makes great waste’?

yes, it was. of course it was. anyway, here’s a luxuriously lovely light lunch that i’m almost a hundred percent certain you’ll love. it’s quick, it’s easy, and it tastes like you’ve just taken a bite out of summer. it involves my mum’s swordfish, and my ftira, and has absolutely nothing to do with Benjamin Franklin at all.

Start by pre-heating the oven to about 250°c, and then get busy with the swordfish. it should be a steak at least two centimetres thick - any thinner than that and you might as well not cook it at all; just slice it thinner and make carpaccio with the help of a little lemon juice, salt, pepper, parsley and about six hours in the fridge.

Which is great if that’s what you want, but not so groovy if you’re hungry and need to eat within the next fifteen minutes or you’ll pass out. So...

Put the swordfish on a square of aluminium foil, drizzle a bit of lemon-infused olive oil over it, then grind some salt and pepper over that. Fold the sides of the foil over to meet each other and scrunch up the edges to hold everything in place, loose enough to let steam out, but snug enough to keep the liquids in. Plonk it in the oven for approximately ten to twelve minutes.

While those ten to twelve minutes are plodding by, grab a small ftira and cut it in half. Spread a load of butter over both halves, and then toss two clove’s worth of chopped garlic all over it. Toast it under the grill until it’s as golden brown as you like your gold browned, and then top it with a circle of overlapping layers of sliced tomato and fresh mozzarella. add salt and pepper and put it back under the grill for a minute - just long enough for the mozzarella to melt ever-so-slightly. and then squiggle some creme de balsamico over the mozzarella and tomato, and finish off with a liberal amount of fresh whole basil leaves. cut the halves into six or eight wedges, depending, i guess, on the size of your mouth. and serve it with the swordfish, which is now ready and should be perfectly cooked and opaque throughout. it should flake apart if you so much as whisper the word ‘fork’ at it, and you might want to put those flakes on the bread and have it that way, because it has been scientifically proven that eating with your hands makes food that much more delicious than using cutlery (but please, don’t tell my kids). incidentally, a good white wine goes exceptionally well with this, so go ahead. Have a picnic, and who cares if you’re two sandwiches short? Fly a kite. God loves you, and wants you to be happy... “in general, mankind, since the improvement of cookery”, said Benjamin Franklin, “eats twice as much as nature requires”.

He must’ve tasted my mum’s swordfish.

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FEATURE

p a S ip, Insipid Sand It’s August. And the cooking synapse in my brain has just ground to a halt. Or fizzled out. Or whatever it is that synapses do. If I’m even using the right terminology. Let me play it safe and stick to less ambitiously scientific malapropisms. In plain speak: my brain feels fried. It’s hot.

I’m lethargic and the last thing I feel like is hitting the stove with a flurry of whisks and pans and bubbling cauldrons. I mean, pots.

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FEATURE

Y

ou could be forgiven for thinking that this raises the curtain on a new, lighter and healthier lifestyle for us. A slimmer, leaner, fitter us. Avoid the oven. And the hob. Which only leaves salads. But funny thing this, I can’t seem to summon the enthusiasm for a salad. Much as I admire the artistically assembled concoction of leaves and foliage and colourful fruit that do the rounds on social media, I do find them tedious to prepare. Wash, rinse, dry, chop, season, toss, taste. Bland. Still too bland. But nevertheless, they are an improvement on the dreary mound of rucola that passes for salads in most restaurants nowadays. I should be grateful, really. It used to be a mound of even less tasty lettuce and chunky wedges of greenhouse grown tomatoes before rucola and the cherry variety elbowed that out of the scene. (I’m prolonging the dramatic metaphor somewhat. Bear with me.)

Which brings me to another gripe. Salads in restaurants.

Am I the only one to find they’re a hit and miss affair more often than not? Full of promise, they very often fail to impress, despite their dousing in dressing, which in any case annuls the benefit of eating the salad in one fell swoop or teaspoonful. No rave reviews here, despite the hype of the posters and billboards. (What is it with the theatre imagery today?) 3-ingredient salads with the same dreary drizzle. Or chunky, imported-chicken bites (if your mouth is the size of a dinosaur’s) and the chemical, fruity glaze that passes for balsamic unimaginatively squirted out of its plastic bottle in a sloppy spiral. So, no. Forgive me, but I will not fall into rapturous seizure at the thought of another ‘Caesar’. I guess pasta it is. Again.

In any case, flash back to the home scene (this is becoming ridiculous). I’m lounging on the kitchen armchair, trying to avoid the slats of sunlight filtering through the blinds and trying to catch the airconditioning blast. With one eye on the clock, and supper time approaching, I make a lethargic mental recce of the fridge and larder and their contents.

Uninspiring. The vegetable drawer offers up even more insipid suggestions. I sigh. Trying to come up

with a salad where one member of the family refuses to eat lettuce, the other eats only the iceberg variety, rucola is (rather forcefully) demanded by only one and there is generally a surprising anti-tomato majority leaves me with very few options. Namely… pasta I guess. Again, again. I tried to get around this by going for couscous, quinoa, bulgur wheat and all the other filling salad ‘guests’ that leave you with little actual ‘salad’ to add. Dismal fail. They are each individually disliked in equal quantities by the said members of the family, in turn.

So from the salads of my childhood, with chunky cheddar and pineapple cubes plus a generous chopping of nuts on top, to today’s more exotic watermelon and fig and melon based combinations of not so sappy creations, it is hard to imagine that I cannot find one, simple salad recipe that will please all. It can be rather exasperating, I admit. But I suppose I should at least be grateful that they’ve got over the phase of dismissing it all as ‘rabbit food’ (they mean no offence, bunny, but they’d rather have you as food than your food as meal).

A pensive look at the freezer reminds me that a visit to the butcher is long overdue. And a barbecued meal still wouldn’t taste as good without some tasty, carby salad to go with it anyway. So I rise slowly, and approach the crisp drawer cautiously, pensively. Is there really nothing in here that will make a fresh, filling and summery supper for us all?

The hands of the clock are seemingly moving even faster. In fact, they’re moving so fast that it’s almost time. I gasp. Why didn’t I think of it before? It’s past 5.

Alcohol zone. What could be more refreshing, light and mood enhancing than… a cocktail? Let’s see. Summer colours, of course, are a must. And maybe a little bit of sparkle won’t go amiss. And the cherry on top surely counts as one of the five-a-day? Perfect. Shaker. Check.

Ice. Check. Alcohol. Check. Check. Check.

Cheers all. When the going gets insipid, the tough go sipping. (In my defence at that, I inserted the disclaimer earlier on. My brain is fried. Bear with me.)

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PROMO SIMMENTHAL’S CHICKEN SALADS

The salads consist of tender chicken breast and selected vegetables with no jelly, ready to eat where and when you want! All the experience of Simmenthal in 3 tasty flavors that combine the delicacy of chicken and typical ingredients of the Italian territory, with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and without the addition of preservatives. Imported by J. Calleja Import & Export Ltd

FLAVOURED BEER

Simonds Farsons Cisk plc has recently launched Cisk Chill Ginger & Lime, a flavoured beer that strikes the right balance between the spice of ginger and zest of lime, making this brew an ideal thirst quencher to enjoy on a hot summer day. Cisk Chill Ginger & Lime is the latest addition to the Cisk Chill range of flavoured beers that also includes Lemon and Berry flavours.

Following on from the launch of its first new flavour, Cisk Chill Lemon, in 2011, the range has gone from strength to strength, becoming a huge hit with local consumers.

The refreshing flavours of Cisk Chill Ginger & Lime make it a perfect complement to light salads and meals. Owing to its easy drinking characteristics it is also the perfect aperitif to enjoy before a meal.

Cisk Chill Ginger & Lime is packaged in clear 25cl returnable bottles and is available nationwide in local stores, supermarkets, bars, pubs, beach clubs, and restaurants. It can also be purchased online at www.farsonsdirect.com.

The award-winning Cisk range of beers includes Cisk Lager, Cisk Export Premium Lager, Cisk Excel Low Carbohydrate Lager and Cisk Extra Strong Lager, as well as the Cisk Chill Lager Beer range in Lemon, Berry and now Ginger & Lime flavours. All Cisk beers are brewed to the highest standards by the Farsons Brewery using only the choicest raw materials. For more information visit www.cisk.com or follow Cisk on Facebook: www.facebook.com/cisk.