Cibus (March 2018)

issue â„–

62

the ultimate food platform

march 2018

editorial A

uthentic. The genuine article, gen-you-ine.

Nothing like it, nothing changed, maybe something changed, but it’s the real McCoy. Authenticity – it’s a good conversation starter. Get people all riled up about what’s ‘real’ this or that. What the ‘best’ is. It’s an understandable issue: we all want the paramount, the incomparable, the absolute best. We expect the best out of our friends, our shoes, our mattresses, our leather wallets, our handbags, our food.

We want good deals, but we want to make sure that when we do spend good money, we spend it in the ‘best’ way possible. Nothing worse than buyer’s remorse, right?

The case could be made for having regions, specific places, where ‘authenticity’, code for tradition, is observed. Have excellent baguettes and croissants in France, wonderful home-made pasta in Italy, the best and most traditional Neapolitan pizza in Naples, three Michelin stars for sushi in Japan, the tastiest Tacos on the Mexican side of the border – that kind of thing.

The case could also be made that if you go far back enough even the most traditional of foods was essentially imported or at the very least ‘avant-garde.’

Why would Italians be credited with putting stuff on dough?

Most of the time, when we say ‘authentic’, it’s simply implied that we’re talking about something that gained its reputation from a past-millennium tradition, when the countries were more or less similar to what they are today. There are obvious exceptions of traditions being older than the country they’re in. Look at how many Maltese traditions have lived on (and died out) through our declaration of independence. Then look at how many things feel ‘authentic’ to us now, like té fit-tazza, even though that’s something we got from the British.

It might be best, perhaps, to not be too legalistic about the whole affair. It might also be the best to ask ourselves what we mean whenever we say ‘authentic’.

Whether it concerns pizza, how we serve our tea, or even when discussing ourselves.

Executive editor Jamie Iain Genovese (cibus@timesofmalta.com) Publisher Allied Newspapers Ltd. Printing Progress Press Co. Ltd. Production Allied Newspapers Ltd. Design Krista Bugeja

Cover Design Kriss Zammit Endrich

Advertising Sales Marisa Schembri (tel: 2276 4337; marisa.schembri@timesofmalta.com) THIS PUBLICATION IS BEING DISTRIBUTED AS PART OF:

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 editor-in-chief is not responsible for material submitted for consideration.

CIBUS | MARCH 2018

1

contents

4.

And Now for Something Slightly Different by Jamie Iain Genovese features an interview with Aaron Rizzo, who shares some tips on what bottle-ofsomething to get if we want to colour outside the lines a little. The man knows his stuff.

The Land of Sugar and Spice by James Camilleri is his pen’s gift to us from his time in Zanzibar. Zanzibar, we should have you know, produces many of the cornerstone spices that we find in stores and kitchens around the world. (By the way, ‘allspice’ is not, as James also learns, a mix of spices sold by a shop. That would be ‘ras el hanout’.)

28.

7

4

9.

Pork Napoleon by Danny Coleiro returns, as regular contributors often do, with another recipe. A dish birthed years ago, its roots in a time when he and his friends wanted to eat on a budget, this twist-on-a classic contests with the ‘authentic’ recipe with its delight, making it great in its own right. Of course, we always have more than one recipe…

20.

From the Heart of Ħamrun by Jamie Iana Genovese A look into some of the best chocolate happening right now, and the man behind it, Arthur Azzopardi.

26

24.

Getting to the Roux-t of It by Alison Cilia Werdmölder debuts a new series featuring basic kitchen skills that will keep you from turning to the store-ready, in-a-can, instant mixes and ingredients. This month, we’re starting off with a basic roux and béchamel sauce.

2

CIBUS | MARCH 2018

28

20

13

15.

Culture Watch is a little list from the editor, just some picks from pop and not-so-pop culture that have piqued interest, and somehow echoed this issue’s concerns and topics. Check this out if you’re looking for a new series or book to pick up.

34.

The Home Vegan featuring more vegan, gluten free recipes from Bailey Lalonde. It’s a continuation from the February issue, and even tastier than before. Try it out, even if you aren’t a vegan nut yourself.

LOCAL

4

CIBUS | MARCH 2018

LOCAL

And Now, for Something...

Slightly Different WORDS BY

jamie iain genovese

hose that find themselves needing to learn a thing or two about spirits would find themselves in touch with aaron Rizzo, who is, among many things, a lecturer in food and beverage operations and in wines with the institute of Tourism studies. mr. Rizzo is an alumnus from the Wine & spirit education Trust in London and has pursued this line of study for qualifications both locally and abroad, cutting his teeth working for people in the field.

He recently led a whiskey masterclass by The Phoenicia at The Club Bar in january, though i had made his acquaintance at an earlier event in late 2017 – the Whiskey Fair, where he promptly answered many questions about a particular distillery’s selection and what would best fit my tastes. someone with a breadth of knowledge like that: you take their contact information. i ask him about possible wine recommendations, what sort of thing people could look out for. We get one very important thing out of the way, right off the bat.

“Company. You could have a €1000 bottle of wine, you won’t enjoy it in bad company.” The reflexive is also true, and no one would enjoy any wine you pour if they cannot enjoy you. after that, it was things like how a sauvignon Blanc from new Zealand, but not France, could pair well with a dish that’s heavy on the chili and-or garlic.

We wondered onto other things, such as the vitality of travel and novel experiences, how the new things you learn by experimenting with the unusual can teach you more than thirty slides from a

powerpoint presentation. Whether it’s trying to learn a new language, or embedding yourself abroad for a while, or even dipping your palate into port or sherry if you never have before.

With that, we lamented the scarcity of non-commercial sherry or port in establishments. People don’t order the drink – i don’t blame them – because they probably only ever had the cheap stuff.

The bottles you would see on every two-bit bar from here to Tallahassee. a quick breakdown: Sherry is a fortified wine, usually from the andalusia region in spain.

Marsala comes from, well, marsala in sicily. it’s generally sweet, but has a range of both taste and colours.

Port is from Portugal, and must be wine made with local grapes and fortified with unaged brandy. generally, this would yield about 20 aBv. There is variety to port: one could choose between tawny or ruby, white or rose, and a few others. in short, one must experiment, and not take experimentation lightly. after all, there’s something to be said about being able to shop around for a port or a sherry to give someone at a dinner party. i mean, sure, you could go for red wine but that’s often becoming the absolute minimum one could offer. For something like €12 or €20 you could stand to make an impression that’s worth the glass it’s poured in. You’d be a classy guy with something to say. just like aaron Rizzo.

CIBUS | MARCH 2018

5

RECIPE

GLUTEN FREE, DAIRY FREE FIGOLLI IngredIents FOR THE PASTRY · 500g Doves Farm glutenfree plain white flour · 225g Provamel Spread · 2 tsp Doves Farm glutenfree baking powder · 2 tsp Doves Farm Xanthan gum · 150g Traidcraft Unrefined Golden Caster Sugar · 1/2 tsp vanilla extract · Zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange · Juice of 1 orange · 3 egg yolks FOR THE ALMOND FILLING · 600g Pure ground almonds · 320g Traidcraft unrefined golden caster sugar · Zest of 1 large lemon · 2-3 egg whites · 1/2 tsp vanilla extract ICING Choose an icing of your choice Prep time: 40 mins Serves 4 people

PreParatIon 1. To prepare the almond filling: place all the ingredients together in a large bowl and bind together with your hands to form a soft marzipan. Make sure the mixture is not sticky. Put aside while you make the pastry.

2. To make the pastry: sift together the gluten-free flour, baking powder and xanthan gum in a large bowl.

Add the soya spread and rub with your fingers till mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add in the golden caster sugar, lemon and orange zest, fresh orange juice, vanilla and egg yolks and mix together till you have a smooth soft pastry. do not allow to rest and use immediately.

3. Roll out the pastry on a floured work surface, to a thickness of about 3/4cm. You can also easily do these by placing the pastry between 2 sheets of greaseproof paper. Using shaped figolli cutters, cut figolli shapes out of the pastry (you will need 2 pastry shapes for each figolla). Carefully place the figolli pastry shapes on baking trays covered with greaseproof paper.

4. Next, you need to roll out the almond filling, the same as the pastry, cutting out one shape per figolla. Brush ½ of the pastry shapes lightly with water, and cover each piece with the almond filling. Brush the almond filling lightly with water and cover with the remaining pastry shapes. Each figolla will end up with a pastry top and bottom, with the layer of almond in the middle.

5. Bake the figolli in the oven at 180`c, for 35-40 minutes, depending on their size. When the figolli are cooked, remove the baking trays from the oven and allow the figolli to cool down completely before removing them of the baking trays.

For best results, decorate the figolli the following day, using the gluten-free chocolate, marzipan, icing and silver dredges.

When the figolli are decorated and the icing is set, wrap them up in cling film to keep them fresh. The figolli can be prepared12 weeks in advance.

CIBUS | MARCH 2018

7

EASTER SUNDAY BUFFET LUNCH Assorted Cured Meats & Carpaccio Local & Continental Cheeses An Array of Antipasti Selection of Fresh Salads Variety of Canapés Sushi

Home made Leek & Potato Soup

Baked Rigatoni Chicken & Smoked Bacon Risotto Pescatore

Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb, Red Wine & Rosemary Jus Tarragon Chicken Chasseur Oven Baked Cod Loin Wrapped in Pancetta Suckling Pig & Crackling, Home-made Apple Sauce Honey Roasted Root Vegetables Poached Minted New Potato

Chef’s Selection of Desserts

€35.95 per person Free Flowing Foreign Wine & Water

We cater for all types of private functions Range of menus and venues for groups of all sizes Outdoor private venues & private rooms Central location with hassle free parking

MELITA GARDENS (next door to San Anton) Triq Idmejda, Balzan | Phone: 9988 7255 / 9940 8713

GARDENS

FEATURE

PORK

NAPOLEON WORDS BY

DAnny COLeIRO

A

s introductions go, that one was way too abrupt. Let’s slow it down a little. Set the scene, so to speak. I’m not late for anything, so there’s no need to hurry. Let’s start again…

So, a couple of weekends ago… dinner. Dinner was pizza, and it was a good one - crispy crust, not overloaded with too many toppings and balanced precisely on that fine line between not a soggy mess but not cardboard either. What was cardboard was the box it came in… which means that there’s no amazing pizza recipe hanging around waiting to be introduced in the next few paragraphs. Sorry. I can, if you like, pass on the phone number.

They deliver, if you don’t mind waiting for forty-five minutes to an hour.

But no… not pizza. This is a recipe for pork.

Or it will be, when I get there. Right now, we’ve just finished dinner…

We. That would be me, my wife - who I like to call ‘K’ because I’ve always thought it sounded cool to refer to someone by a single initial - and the children, who don’t need names in this particular tale because all they did was stuff their faces with the aforementioned pizza and then disappear into another part of the house with our friends’ children to crane their necks over each other’s mobile phones together. This, apparently, is the modernday equivalent of ‘going out to play’.

Our friends. I like to call them Chris and Corinne because, well… that’s their names, and we’ve all known each other for long enough to be on a first name basis. We pretty much grew up together. I first met Corinne in late nineteen-eighty-something, when one of my friends became her boyfriend, and then I met K and became her boyfriend, and then we both met Chris soon after, when that same friend became Corinne’s ex-boyfriend. Two weddings, four children, countless holidays and roughly thirty years later, we still meet up almost every weekend.

CIBUS | MARCH 2018

9

FEATURE

Sometimes we go out to eat, sometimes we cook our own food, and occasionally, we order a takeaway pizza and chat and laugh and drink too much wine before switching to coffee… and find a couple of old photo albums with roughly thirty years of happy memories trapped between the pages…

It’s not just pork, by the way. There’s puff pastry involved too.

And melted cheese. everybody loves melted cheese. We’ll get there soon… there’s no need to hurry.

Seriously, there’s no need to hurry. If you don’t believe me, find an old photo album, blow off the dust, and crack it open. you’ll find yourself wondering where the time went. you’ll find yourself marvelling over how you all still look exactly the same, and yet how you’ve all, somehow, changed so much over the years. And you’ll find yourself wishing you could go back to that time, if only for a moment… if only for just long enough to tell yourself not to be in such a hurry all the time…

Before you wander off to look for your old albums though, you might want to pop down to the shops and buy some pork fillet. your average pork fillet will happily serve three or four people, so call a couple of your closest and invite them over - food, and old photos, always go down well with wine and old friends. While you’re at the shops, pick up a can of spinach, a few slices of whichever cheese floats your boat and a packet of sliced Parma ham, or whichever region you prefer. you’ll also need some wholegrain mustard, and a packet of that wonderful ready-made puff pastry that comes all neatly rolled up and ready to go. you could always, of course, make your own puff pastry - I suppose it depends on whether you’d rather be elbow-deep in butter sweating over a rolling-pin for hours, or sitting at a table with friends, drinking too much wine, reminiscing about the good old days and laughing at Corinne while she quickly tries to mop up the water that has just spilled all over the table before it goes over the edge and hits the floor. Which is pretty much what happens when you casually toss two heavy photo albums stuffed with thirty years of memories into the middle of a not-yet-cleared-away dinner table and they knock over a two-litre bottle of water.

So, we cleared up, and switched to coffee. And then we spent a wonderful couple of page-turning hours lost in a nostalgic conversation about bad hairdos and hairdon’ts, unsolved crimes of fashion and ‘do-you-remember-whens?’, which occasionally lapsed into silence as we went back alone for a quick ‘where-didthe-time-go?’ before returning once more to the present together.

There’s always something special about the past, because every minute of it brought you right up to where you are now. And where you are now is in the kitchen, tearing off a piece of cling film big enough to wrap around your pork fillet, which you need to rub with salt and pepper and sear off in a pan until the outside is brown and the house smells like it should taste good. Then you 10 CIBUS | MARCH 2018

can smear it in wholegrain mustard - the pork fillet, I mean, not the house - and leave it to cool in its own good time. While you wait, flatten out the piece of cling film and put the Parma ham slices on it next to each other, overlapping slightly. Top that with the drained spinach, season liberally, and then top it all off with three or four slices of the cheese (I went for a smoked cheddar, and the flavours were phenomenal). Finally, put the pork fillet in place, and roll up the lot tightly in the cling film, twisting the ends until you end up with a firm sausage of goodness. Put that into the fridge for the next hour while you pour yourself another glass of white and point out that not only do you still have that T-shirt you were wearing in that photo, but also that it still fits you.

“Do you remember that time that you invented that board game?

We spent weeks playing it. Do you still have it?”

“I do. We’d just bought the house at that time, and were doing it up…” “… so, we were trying to spend less and go out less…”

“We used to go ‘round to K’s parents’ place and play there…” “… and you would cook something…”

“Do you remember that meal you made that was like a Beef Wellington…?” “yeah. But beef fillet was too expensive so you used pork fillet instead? And spinach. And no mushrooms…” “yeah. That was delicious. I think you called it something stupid like Pork napoleon or something, as a joke. Do you remember…?”

I do. It’s in the fridge.

So now you can take it out and unwrap it. Grab another piece of cling film - or use the same piece, if you happen to be doing up your house - and unroll the puff pastry on to it. Put the sausage on the puff pastry and roll it up again. And put it back in the fridge for another thirty minutes or so. Maybe even an hour, or overnight…

There’s no hurry. All that’s left is to brush it with egg-wash and bake it in a moderate oven for forty-five minutes, and you’re done.

Let it rest for ten minutes, then slice it up and serve with roast potatoes, roast vegetables, a good gravy, good friends, wine, and maybe a couple of photo albums. Take your time and enjoy the trip. It is, apparently, the modern equivalent of ‘going out to play’… … and then we went home. Slowly.

LOCAL

CAFFE CORDINA

I

mpress your friends with a different kind of chocolate egg to the norm: not only deliciously tasty, Caffe Cordina’s chocolate eggs are individually hand-decorated in two sizes and can be customised to include your own gift inside, ensuring the Easter egg you choose will be completely unique. Alternatively, if planning an Easter egg hunt for the little ones, make yours extra special by selecting from the cute, milk chocolate bunnies that have been crafted especially by Caffe Cordina using fine Belgian chocolate.

It wouldn’t be Easter in Malta without figolli and Caffe Cordina’s pastry chefs use only the finest ingredients such as pure almonds for the filling of their yearly offering, making them in four traditional animal shapes as well as our very own Maltese eightpointed cross. These are also available as ‘figollini’ in bite sized portions to enjoy with your tea and coffee.

The ‘torta pastina’ – a sweet pastry dough cake filled with pure almonds and intricately decorated is always a popular item and is available in three versions this year. The classic, covered in intertwining almond paste, a chocolate cream edition and peanut

butter cream edition each decorated with chocolate mini eggs to fit the holiday. We’ve also gone and made Easter edition ‘kannoli’ giving a modern twist to a much-loved classic sweet. Similarly, at this time of the year, Caffe Cordina makes a special ‘qassatat tal-ħelu’, filled with sweet ricotta instead of savoury, and topped with a glacé cherry.

Beautiful cheesecakes are a plenty this year combining black forest, lemon and strawberry flavours all into one cheesecake and stunningly decorated with edible flowers. Assorted flavours of duck macarons are available as singles or in packs of six along with yummy, hand decorated unicorn cookies for the kids. We’ve got three different swiss rolls on offer decorated as a bunny, chick or sheep depending on your taste. Lastly this feast would not be complete without a proper cake, and what a cake we have for you.

A vanilla cake in the form of an Easter egg, filled and covered with vanilla buttercream, and decorated with walnuts, it is truly an artisanal work of art.

Easter at Caffe Cordina – you can’t miss out. Shapes and decorations may vary. We can also deliver, with free delivery on orders of €25 or more.

CIBUS | MARCH 2018

13

FEATURE

CULTURE WATCH

DOWN AND OUT IN PARIS AND LONDON GEORGE ORWELL

BY

Reading it began a while ago with permanent residence in my backpack, as if carrying it would encourage me to read it. Pointless, for carrying a book does not mean that you will have the time to read it. I only began to properly dive into its pages when I started keeping it by my bedside, going to bed earlier than usual (11pm versus 3am) and reading as many chapters as my eyes could enjoy before putting it down. I would never stop mid-chapter. I would never push myself past a limit.

CIBUS | MARCH 2018

15

FEATURE

To discuss it without spoilers shall not be hard, for I only need to discuss the first few chapters, their language, and the effect it had on me to relay what is most vital.

Orwell writes very openly in the first section of the book about living in near destitution in 1928’s Rue du Pot de Fer, the Latin Quarter. This part of Paris had housed many of the ‘Lost Generation’ (Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and their colleagues) as well as a large community of Russian immigrants following the events of the Russian revolution.

It must be said, although there are events cobbled into the book, experiences or practices he witnessed that he didn’t live, and a blend of the in-between, the accounts are no less true. The squalor and drunkenness of many on sour wine, the accepted living conditions of the time, the rubbing of garlic on bread to trick the body into believing it had a better meal than it did, the filling in of the holes in socks ravaged by moths, the mounting anxiety and the release when one finally reaches poverty, the filth behind the closed kitchen doors of the luxurious hotel known in the book only as Hotel X, all these things are true and some – the Hotel X chapters in particular – were indeed ripped right out of Orwell’s life as a dishwasher, as a plongeur.

Without ever coming close to the poverty line, Orwell can open a reader’s eyes to the reality of poverty and, most importantly, the humanity of the poor without ever asking for the reader to pity or romanticise them.

I can only praise and recommend it so much before becoming annoying about it, because it’s just that good, even if it’s his lesser, earlier, work. Ninety years on, and Orwell can still lay bare our privileges and all that they protect us from. How important it is, then, to read given how our own social security safety nets are being loosened at the corners.

DESIRE BY HARUKI MURAKAMI A powerful collection of short stories.

Murakami is often marred by an over reliance of similar tropes in his books: so many of them tend to feature cats, jazz records, a description of the lonely protagonist cooking or ironing, a description of the protagonist’s tryst with a minor character, and a subconscious dream of some sort. It’s derived from his style of writing: a dive into the black box inside his brain and editing whatever spilled out onto the page. It works, though to varying degrees of success.

16

CIBUS | MARCH 2018

These short stories, however, are concise and precise in their focus.

Each one looks at one breed of desire, though they all, strangely, are visited by food.

The first story, which shall not be spoiled, was focused on an insatiable hunger possessed by a newlywed couple. Suffice to say that as the pages turned I grew more and more possessed by a similar, cavernous, hunger of my own. There were no exorbitant or detailed descriptions of food, no fantasies to tease the senses.

There was only talk of hunger, of how unfillable it was, and the characters’ desire to sate it.

To those that wish to examine the desires in their own hearts, or their stomachs, this collection of short stories could prove useful.

It is a curious collection of work. Orwell did write so convincingly of hunger in Down and Out because hunger, even then, was unknown to the ‘educated’, to the rich. By that token Desire is a collection of short stories with great merit. After all, when’s the last time you felt truly hungry

UGLY DELICIOUS While I have always been wary of super-star fandoms in professional realms, while I may not be David Chang’s biggest fan, while I may not even be someone that watches food television, chiefly because it has a tendency to make restaurant life prettier than it really is; I must say that I am a fan of Ugly Delicious.

FEATURE

The series does a lot to move away from the established motifs of food television. It doesn’t indulge in slow-motion money-shots of food being tossed and accompanied by classical music, it doesn’t worship the old or authentic as pure deities that floated down from Mt. Olympus and it doesn’t mock them, either.

There’s a lot of fluff when it comes to food entertainment: 30 second GIFs or videos on social media that only work because they’re like 30% bacon, 30% cheese and 30% Oreos; cheftestants on shows over-complicating simple foods in order to be ‘creative’ while ignoring the basics; a mass extinction of plates in restaurants, instead having gazpacho served in test tubes or prosciutto on the branches of a dead tree; even downright junk science being pushed by manipulative advertising agents trying to play up to whatever it is that’s popular on Instagram.

Ugly Delicious is self-aware, it is self-critical, it is sincere, it is also informed. The presentation, clear lack of script, and editing choices make it closer to a television essay that understands the value of audio and video. I shall not say much else, other than that its style is perfectly weighted against its substance.

That alone is enough to make it worth the watch, but then it is also a travel show that shows us the value and wonder of the exotic as well as the mundane. The first episode looks into pizza: what it is, what it is like. What makes a pizza a pizza? Is the Pizza from Naples more ‘pizza’ than a pizza in Brooklyn, in Japan, or more

of a pizza than a pizza cooked by Wolfgang Puck, some guy named Peppe, or out of a Dominoes kitchen-factory? Authenticity is central to all the episodes of Ugly Delicious, the show asks what authenticity is and hazards a few guesses for itself. Maybe American-Italian pizza can be authentic as much as a Neapolitan pizza is.

Best of all, if you don’t care about authenticity or philosophy when it comes to food, you won’t mind watching the show at all. Try the first episode but do order pizza from your favourite pizzeria before you do.?

CIBUS | MARCH 2018

17

PROMO

EASTER This year colourful eggs are taking centre stage. M&S favourite, Percy Pig, is off on his travels and has had an eye-catching pink makeover. The Globetrotting Percy comes with a selection of sweets and promises to be a favourite with kids and adults alike. The Chicka-Boo Egg is a milk chocolate egg with a colourful yellow decorative chick and the luxurious Hand Painted Belgian Milk Chocolate Egg is the ideal gift, with a colourful red and gold shell and mini Marc de Champagne shimmered truffles The trend for caramel continues to be popular this spring. The Easter favourite, Caramel Eggs, are back and perfect for sharing. The Dippy Egg is a milk chocolate hollow with a caramel filled yellow yolk.

Hot Cross Buns are also embracing caramel, with the new Salted Caramel and Chocolate Hot Cross Buns, which are perfect toasted and topped with butter Fruit flavours are present throughout the Easter Eggs and Hot Cross Buns. The popular Fruit & Nut Milk Chocolate Lattice Egg is a hand made hollow milk chocolate egg with pistachios, hazelnuts, almonds, golden raisins and sour cherries. The new Blueberry Hot Cross Buns are packed full of blueberries and juicy Vostizza currants and the Kentish Bramley Apple Hot Cross Buns are with Bramley apple pieces, juicy sultanas and a hint of warming cinnamon.

CIBUS | MARCH 2018

19

LOCAL

from the heart of Ħamrun

CHOCOLAT WORDS BY

20

CIBUS | MARCH 2018

jamie iain genovese

LOCAL

CIBUS | MARCH 2018

21

LOCAL

W

ho would have thought? Wonderful, handmade chocolate made by Maltese hands on Maltese earth.

Arthur Azzopardi has shown an aversion to compromise in the quality of his chocolate and a ceaseless effort to improve and expand its identity.

As a man, he is a lover of history as much as he is of chocolate, which is how he managed to make the Unica 1658, a chocolate that has its roots embedded in our culture as deeply as the flags that fly over our Churches.

It is only fitting, then, that some inches in this issue of Cibus, in anticipation of Easter Sunday, would be dedicated to the chocolate that Arthur makes, to let people know of the wonderful eggs that beat the best store-brand ones in both price and quality.

Respect can always be given to those that respect their craft, that is part of what Cibus believes, and Arthur does respect his craft.

22

CIBUS | MARCH 2018

LOCAL

CIBUS | MARCH 2018

23

RECIPE

GETTING TO THE

ROUX-T OF IT WORDS BY

Alison CiliA Werdmรถlder

INGREDIENTS FOR THE ROUX Butter/Oil : Flour (1:1) Pinch(es) of Salt Spices; maybe nutmeg or freshly ground pepper FOR THE BECHAMEL ROUX+ around 250ml of milk Salt (to taste) Flavour Option: Sprig of Rosemary

24

CIBUS | MARCH 2018

LOCAL

T

here isn’t even a real ingredients list for this; it’s so simple!

Your ingredients are equal parts butter and flour. i love real butter but if you are vegan or need a lactose-free diet you can go for your favourite oil as a substitute, just add an extra pinch of salt for taste if your fat of choice is unsalted. For the gluten free, you can play around with alternative flours as you prefer too. i generally eyeball the amounts, this isn’t baking so as long as they’re generally equal you’re fine. i used roughly a heaped tablespoon of each. so start with the two ingredients in a heavy bottomed pan (to avoid burning) on medium heat.if your butter is very stiff i’d let that melt a bit first before adding in the flour to avoid burning it.

Here i go offbeat and take some inspiration from the indians: add in a spice right into the butter for it to fully develop its flavour and cook out. This is entirely optional but i personally like a decent pinch of nutmeg and some freshly ground pepper.

Use a wire whisk to both keep the roux moving and fully incorporated. now you can have your roux white, blonde, or brown; depending on how long you leave it on the heat. if you leave it white, make sure you’ve left it long enough on a low heat to cook the flour. Personally, i prefer to leave it somewhere between blonde and brown, for a caramelized but not strong flavour. At this point you can use your roux.

Today, i’m making a bechamel with my roux, so we are adding in milk. my roux soaked up about 250ml, but i find this varies each time. Add it bit by bit, whisking well in between each addition to avoid clumping and bits getting stuck and burnt to the

bottom, for the same reason i often find myself lowering the heat as it thickens. salt to taste. i also threw in a sprig of rosemary to infuse some flavour into it, and a sprig would be easy to pull out later. At this point i like to leave the sauce simmering on low heat for a few minutes to thicken it a little more and make sure the flour is fully cooked.

With the amounts i used i ended with a lovely thick bechamel, perfect for use in lasagna. Add a handful of your favourite cheeses and you have a cheesy sauce for on top of a croque madame. Add in a handful more and you have a lovely, not too heavy cheese sauce for your cauliflower cheese or mac and cheese (for the latter i also love to throw in some crispy bacon or chorizo). An alternative is to thin it out a bit further with more milk or even water to use as a base for a creamy pasta sauce. one thing to remember is that this sauce thickens a lot when it cools, which is what makes it so perfect for things like lasagne – and why resting your lasagne before cutting it helps it keep shape so much! if you are using leftover bechamel that you’ve kept in the fridge be sure to heat it before you thin it, or you may go too far.

Pro-tip: if you accidentally added too much milk and simmering it hasn’t thickened it enough for your liking, mix a teaspoon of cornflour with a small amount of the sauce (to avoid lumps) and add it in, and repeat this step - heating in between - until you have returned to your prefered thickness. is it too thick and you’re all out of milk? Water or stock work fine here too.

CIBUS | MARCH 2018

25

RECIPE

SALMON EN CROUTE INGREDIENTS

PREPARATION

6 salmon fillets, about 120g each 1kg puff pastry 3 tbsp sundried tomato pesto 8 black olives 150g frozen leaf spinach 1 egg beaten

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas6 2. Defrost the spinach and squeeze out all the water and divide into 6 portions 3. Divide the pastry into 6 equal portions and roll out each pastry portion. Place a fish fillet on top; cut the pastry around the fish, large enough to enclose the fillet and shape into a fish; reserve the trimmings 4. Lift the fish off the pastry and spread ½ tablespoon sundried tomato pesto underneath it; place the fish on top of the pesto; chop one black olive over it and cover with the spinach 5. Brush the edge of the pastry with beaten egg, fold over encasing the fish and filling and shape the mouth and tail of the fish 6. Place the pastry encased fish on an oiled baking tray and brush with some more beaten egg; cut pastry scales from the trimmings and stick on to the pastry case, so they overlap a little; cut a band of pastry and wrap round to outline the head; mark the eye with a piece of the remaining black olives 7. Brush the finished fish with beaten egg and bake in a preheated oven – 200C/Gas 6 – for about 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden

Serves 6 people

T

he traditional main course for Easter lunch is lamb, but so many are now giving up meat and going for fish that I immediately thought that this recipe would be ideal. I like to use individual portions of salmon for this dish and make them in the shape of a fish, but you can use any fillet of fish which you prefer and you can also make one large fish shape instead of six small ones. Cutting out the scales for the top is a bit time consuming, but it is worth the effort because the end result is impressive. The good thing about this dish, is that you can prepare it from the night before, cover it and put it in the fridge and cook it the next day about 25 minutes before serving 26

CIBUS | MARCH 2018

FEATURE

THE LAND OF

SUGAR & SPICE WORDS BY

28

CIBUS | MARCH 2018

James Camilleri

FEATURE

CIBUS | MARCH 2018

29

FEATURE

he roads in Zanzibar are an interesting affair. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve regrettably had to drive through far worse on our sunny little island... but then again I’ve never seen someone climb onto the roof of a moving minivan over here. Despite the fear of a tragic (but morbidly entertaining) road – related demise, we finally made it to Kidichi spice farms, just outside Zanzibar City. After turning off the Mad-Max-inspired main road and into a long and maliciously convoluted dirt trail, we parked our absolute lemon of a rental car in a clearing, where we were greeted by the aforementioned enthusiastic local. Before we quite knew what was happening, we were following Hamis deeper into the farm. (Apologies to our wonderful guide if I have done him the great disservice of misspelling his name, the subtleties of orthography sometimes escape me, especially when concerning foreign tongues.)

The soil crunched beneath our feet as Hamis flitted from plant to plant, explaining the spices or fruits each provided, along with their main use in the kitchen and occasionally in far less mundane scenarios. He also put us to the test, challenging us to name the spices he pushed into our hands and wafted under our noses. I am slightly embarrassed to say we did not do remotely as well as we expected. (Hint: It’s not lemongrass. Until, inevitably, that one time it is.)

We spent a good couple of hours exploring the farm, sampling all kinds of fantastically edible flora. Naturally, nobody wants to read a two-hour testimony of me putting leaves into my mouth, so I’ll be skimming through the more mundane parts of our tour and highlighting the more interesting bits.

Right off the bat, our guide pulled a small bunch of green balls — almost like miniature grapes — off a vine and prompted me to taste one with a twinkle in his eye. I had a sneaking suspicion as to what I was eating — one that was quickly confirmed when the entirety of my mouth and throat caught fire. He put a finger to his mouth, motioning me to keep quiet as we watched the other members of my party react to their mouths being turned into the very gates of hell for a couple of minutes. This tiny and unassuming harbinger of flames, as you may have guessed, was in fact freshly picked pepper. It packed quite a punch. Having inherited a fondness for spice and dragon fire from my slightly masochistic parents I was delighted at the flavour, but some of my more sane companions, alas, were not.

Once picked, the pepper is spread out on the ground and dried in the sun, where it obtains the black colouring we’re all familiar with. While the flavour of the dried peppercorns is still quite potent, some of the sharpness of the fresh fruits is lost in the process. Alas, fresh green pepper does not last too long after being picked, so transporting it is a logistical impossibility. This 30

CIBUS | MARCH 2018

contributes to its rarity in most cuisines — although it apparently turns up in some Thai curries. The easiest way to obtain it would probably be to grow the pepper plant yourself, but it seems this is a lot easier said than done. Given my complete inability to cultivate anything other than weeds and the occasional sunflower I’ll regrettably leave that to the far more skilled people of Zanzibar.

Hamis hurried on and stopped by a spindly-looking tree, dwarfed by its neighbours. He whipped out a wicked-looking knife — one which seemed to be a core component of his daily attire — and hacked away at the trunk until a shred of bark lay in his hands.

This was quickly hacked into even smaller pieces and distributed among us. The smell was tantalisingly familiar, but none of us realised we were holding raw cinnamon until Hamis clued us in.

The bark from the cinnamon tree is stripped and left to dry in the sun, where it browns and curls into the familiar shape we’re used to seeing in our curries and mulled wine.

Next up on our magical vegetable tour was allspice. Now I don’t know about you, but I was always under the impression that those cute little supermarket bottles of “allspice” were just that — some arcane concoction of various spices put together by the evil masterminds at Tesco or whatnot. All-spice: a bit of all the spice.

Maybe I’ve lived my life in a sheltered Western lifestyle. Maybe I’m just naive. (I am so naive.) Maybe I’m just a bit slow on the uptake. (Also sad but true.) It turns out, however — to my complete and utter bewilderment — that allspice comes from a single tree. A single tree whose fruit, once dried, tends to taste a like a little bit of all the more common spices mixed together. I feel slightly cheated, yet slightly amazed by this revelation. You learn something every day I suppose.

We continued to amble around the farm, encountering a pile of different plants, from the mundane to the miraculous. These included the henna plant, whose leaves are dried and powdered to create a paste for temporary tattoos; the “don’t touch me” plant, which would rapidly curl its fronds away at the slightest provocation; cassava, a potato-like root with a slightly sweet taste and possible aphrodisiac qualities; ginger, which apparently cures everything and is also an aphrodisiac (these guys are really into their aphrodisiacs); lychee fruits, a peculiarly-shaped sweet fruit that was retrieved from the high branches it grows on by a man waving around a knife attached to a long pole; cute little Zanzibar apples, vanilla, chili, turmeric... the list goes on and on. We even finally came across some lemongrass, long after giving up hope that any of our impulsive and single-minded answers to Hamis’s questions would ever be correct.

Hamis also introduced us to Imran, the amazing climbing coconut boy. Coconuts are a neat little thing — they have tons of uses and provide a good meal too.

FEATURE

CIBUS | MARCH 2018

31

FEATURE

32

CIBUS | MARCH 2018

FEATURE

The only drawback to their general existence is that they tend to be found at the top of trees that can grow up to thirty metres in height, making their retrieval somewhat tricky. Not for Imran though, who quickly monkeyed up an intimidatingly massive tree to show us how they’re picked, using nothing but his bare hands and a band to keep his feet together. Watching it was absolutely terrifying, if you were wondering, although the miraculous climbing boy didn’t seem at all phased.

Now weary from hours of walking, topped off with the emotional trauma of watching a young man spit in the face of death, we were directed to some rough benches and given a small snack. Or at least we thought it would be a small snack. It turned out to consist of a coconut each (full of coconut water and a considerable amount of fleshy meat), followed by slices of watermelon, pineapple, grapefruit, a few strawberries and a mango. And a couple of cups of tea to wash it down. Eating it all took considerable effort, especially since I was the only one attempting to do so and my travelling companions kept slipping their food into my plate. Everything was simply bursting with brilliant flavour. Exasperated after watching us sip at our never-ending reserves of coconut water for twenty minutes, Hamis showed us how it was done and chugged the contents of his coconut in a few seconds flat. Not to be outdone I followed suit, underscoring my complete lack of sense and occasional propensity to acts of rash imbecility. I wobbled back to the car feeling a bit like an overflowing coconut myself.

The island of Zanzibar is home to many hidden treasures, and its spice farms should definitely be counted among them. A thrilling counterpoint to the excellent cuisine in the city, they provide a novel insight to the flavours that are cornerstones to many a meal.

Informative and good on the taste buds — what’s not to love?

CIBUS | MARCH 2018

33

RECIPE

34

CIBUS | MARCH 2018

RECIPE

GREEN DAY WORDS BY WORDS BY

Bailey lalonde jamie iain genovese

i

s your system craving a little TlC but you don’t have time for a cleanse or health retreat? Try a day of greens. The more colourful the food we eat is, the more nutrients it fills us with. green foods are particularly cleansing, with a wide range of essential health benefits. They are known to be rich in fibre, vitamin C, and vitamin K, which strengthens bones.

They also help to detoxify, boost the immune system and help with weight regulation. sometimes our bodies need a little pause and refresh to keep functioning at their potential. many specialists even say that a day of no food and lots of liquids, every once in a while, can be highly beneficial.

For a way to meet somewhere in the middle – a day of grain-free, vegan, plant-based cleanse – these simple recipes take less than twenty minutes to prepare. They can either be cooked to feed four people, or function as easy, healthy, to go lunches to help you facilitate a cleanse-week. starting the day with a glass of hot lemon water is always a good way to wake up and get your system working, and staying hydrated throughout the day is essential for optimum health and catalyses the cleansing process.

CIBUS | MARCH 2018

35

RECIPE

36

CIBUS | MARCH 2018

RECIPE

Split pea soup is full of nutrients as well as fibre, which is key for digestion. Another amazing benefit of this household staple soup that has been around since Classical times, is its richness in potassium and vitamin K. Aside from all of these nutritional benefits of split pea soup, it is also a tasty, home-cooked, easy on-the-go food to keep you satisfied throughout the day.

SPLIT PEA AND CARROT SOUP INGREDIENTS

PREPARATION

4 cups of homemade veggie broth 2 chopped carrots 1.5 cups dry split peas 2 pinches Himalayan salt Fresh Ground Black Pepper 1 handful fresh pepper Pinch of turmeric Pinch of pimiento rosso 2 cloves minced garlic

1. Rinse all the produce in water, remove ends and peels. Dice carrots into 1x1cm cubes. Mince garlic cloves.

2. Pre-soak peas overnight or simmer them for 2 minutes and soak for an hour.

3. Combine the ingredients: in a large saucepan and bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes.

4. Blend, after letting the soup cool, in small batches. Then place blended soup back into the saucepan and reheat for 5 minutes.

5. Garnish with olive oil, fresh ground pepper, and fresh basil.

Ready in 20 minutes Serves 4 People Vegan Grain-Free

TIPS Making veggie broth from home is simple and functions as a nutritious super-blast; save scraps from prep, such as skins and ends except those of things like garlic or onions.

Combine scraps in filtered water, adding ginger, garlic, fresh herbs, lemon juice, a pinch of Himalayan salt, turmeric, and black pepper. Then boil until nutrients and colour from vegetables go into the water and then remove the veg scraps.

CIBUS | MARCH 2018

37

RECIPE

38

CIBUS | MARCH 2018

RECIPE

For those of us who cannot eat grains, or simply who would like to take a little break from flour or gluten, zoodles are a delicious alternative. They can be prepared to taste equally as flavorful and satisfying when craving a dish of Italian goodness. Depending on your preference, these are great when left a tad al-dente, or when cooked through to be a bit more caramelized. Between the zoodles themselves and the rich tomato sauce to dress them with, this meal leaves you feeling fully satisfied without the heavy gut bomb sensation of a big plate of pasta.

SPICY MEATLESS ZOODLE BOLOGNESE INGREDIENTS

PREPARATION

6 large zucchinis ½ white onion 3 cloves of garlic 1 tbsp of oregano olive oil 6 large tomatoes 2 handfuls fresh basil A few pinches of Himalayan salt Fresh black pepper Pinch of pimiento rosso Lemon

1. Start by washing all produce and removing ends, bruises and skins.

2. Cut the zucchini in half to make it more manageable, place on the flat side, then cut into noodle shapes at desired thickness.

3. Slice ¼ of an onion into long thin slices.

4. For the sauce, cut tomatoes into cubes, I like 2 x 2 cm.

Squish the garlic cloves and remove peel; thinly slice. Dice ¼ onion into small cubes.

5. Turn up the heat Sauté the ¼ onion and garlic slices in olive oil with a pinch of Himalayan salt, oregano and pimiento rosso. Once lightly caramelized, add tomatoes and a handful of fresh chopped basil. Simmer until saucy.

6. Zoodle Time. In a large pan, sauté, salt, fresh pepper, a pinch of pimiento rosso and ¼ onion in olive oil. Once onions are slightly caramelized, add raw zucchini noodles to cook for a minute or two. Gently stir, add a small splash of water to lightly steam. Squeeze a slice of lemon over zoodles. Add a pinch of lemon zest. And you’re done!

Ready in 20 minutes Serves 4 people Vegan Grain-Free

TIPS Using the closest thing to local, organic, pesticide free, fresh produce is the best way to guarantee both high quality and fresh flavor.

Fresh herbs make a world of difference, I have found. The key to making interesting, vegan, grain-free meals is using herbs and spices to mix things up.

CIBUS | MARCH 2018

39

RECIPE

CULINARY TREASURE But what does each variety stands for? What is the use of flavored oils? There are special occasions where we feel like giving a surprise to our guests, and a flavored olive oil is a sure shot. Flavored oils provide hints of garlic, basil, or lemon to a meal. Have you ever thought your risotto recipe would taste so good with a touch of flavoured oil? Try the Borges AROMATIC Olive Oils. It is said that one of the best kept secrets by great chefs is the seasoning of their dishes. For this reason, Borges, in collaboration with Ferran Adrià , one of today’s most innovative and trend-setting chefs, presents a new range of olive oil seasonings totally natural and original (without essences, colouring agents or preservatives) with which you will be able to enhance, adjust and enrich the taste of your favourite dishes. For more information about the Borges brand, visit www.borges.es and www.facebook/BorgesMT

40 CIBUS | MARCH 2018