Cibare Food Magazine Issue Three

Cibare
Issue Three, April 2015
Issue two, January 2015
www.cibare.co.uk
Contents
HEALTH AND NUTRITION

Honouring Nutrition 42
Honey 38
SHOPPING LOCAL
Riverford Organic 6
FEATURES
REVIEW
Meat Free Monday

8
Chickens 60
Food Porn 48
Fiction Becomes Fact
66
Oli and Zoes Food Co
70
Tea 44
Coffee 10
Gin 18
Ravaria Vs Camden Town
14
Snacks 52
Holy Fuck 13
Sushisamba London
56
Great British Fish and Chips 58
Secret Caf 36
Camden Market 46
GARDENING
Top Tips For Your Allotment
FOOD FOR THE SEASON

Breakfast Ideas 4
Lunch 20
Risottos 22
Theos Rizogalo 30
Healthier Alternatives
32
62
TRAVELLING TALES
A Swiss Odyssey
72
BOOKS
Life Is SweetThe Hummingbird Bakery
77
SOURCES AND CREDITS

2
Cibare Food Magazine
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Cibare
Editors Note
After a great beginning to the year its finally time for the latest issue of our magazine
to get you through till summer time. We are
full of seasonal treats from risottos to great
restaurants for you to try and of course lots
of reviews and interesting, informative articles for you to read.
I hope you enjoy our April Issue of Cibare
and that you see us in print very soon!
Please like us, share us, tweet us, join our
newsletter and help us take the next step in
our culinary adventures in FOOD!
www.cibare.co.uk
Greek Pizzas
Pastry, with a couple of scrambled raw eggs
on top and any topping you like. These are
Pastouma sausage and mushroom and
haloumi cheese.
Then pop it into the oven till cooked!
Delicious!
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FOOD
Breakfast
Eggs
Fried egg on sourdough with

mashed up avocado. Perfect with
a little Himalayan salt.
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SHOPPING LOCAL
Riverford
by The Editor
After somehow being invited to sign up to

Riverford Organics on my front door step
I eagerly awaited my first box of goodies.
This was, admittedly, in the vain hope that
I was going to get something half decent in
my veggie box as, when ordering from other, similar companies that could apparently
send me food not only did I receive just half
of what I asked for, unfortunately the veggies werent in the greatest shape either.
So I added a nice box of fruit to my regular

order and still turns up, mid-morning on a
Tuesday like clockwork.
The fruit, like the vegetables, is all organic
but sometimes I find that they have provided
bananas, which are not exactly locally grown.
What I love most about the vegetables is that
the vast majority of them are grown in Cornwall, where Riverford have a large group of
farmers that they buy from for shipment all
around England. Its not exactly local food
but its still pretty local, especially when
compared to the multi-national produce
you find in the major supermarkets. Riverford do sell some food that is imported but
I dont order any of that, as I like to source
my food as locally as possible. No need for
that extra flight to get it here although, yes,
I will admit to enjoying a banana every now
and again!
A box arrived mid-morning on a Tuesday

and it was rushed into the kitchen for a full
inspection. It contained a wonderful array of
fresh organic veggies that were full of summer flavours. It all looked so amazing that I
was horrified that Id not signed up earlier,
as the price for this entire box was so much
cheaper than buying the equivalent produce
from my local supermarket! What had I been
doing! For such a long time I had wanted to
go fully organic and this box let me do that
with ease and at a lower cost. The only catch
was that now I had to eat it all!
Having said all that I do love the fact that,
although Riverford operates throughout the
After a couple of weeks I decided to see what UK, it is also a local business, as my guy,
Riverfords website was all about and to my who brings the produce, lives locally and he
joy I discovered that I could get a nice box of owns the franchise for the area. In this way,
fruit too! We do like fruit in our house and as for the most part, my money remains in my
our little nursery also needs some fruit do- local economy.
nations each week it can be pretty expensive.
6
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Where I live its actually quite hard to buy

local unless you frequent markets and farm
shops (and there are not too many of those
in my area unfortunately) so being signed up
ensures that I get that good food when I need
it. I still buy from markets when I can but
that usually means I have to travel further
to do so. Added to which there isnt always
consistency in what I can buy from week to
week which can be a problem but I always

try and spread the love.
Do buy as local as you can. It can be difficult,
but there are amazing places to get great
deals on organic produce from your farmers market. Having said that when you are
unable to do that shop every week Riverford
is the perfect way to ensure organic quality
and a good price too.
FEATURE
Meat Free Monday

by The Editor
It was quite simple concept. Dont eat meat

on a Monday.
Some of us eat excessive quantities of meat
and it would seem that, in all honesty, besides the fact that we eat far too much for
our health, we are also killing our environment faster. There is the old quote that
cows fart so much that they are destroying
the ozone layer, and as far as I know that really is true, but unfortunately they seem to
be doing much more than that.
We are nurturing a massive need for meat
to eat and the consequences are that we are
all guilty of wrecking our precious planet. I
started delving deeper and deeper into this
issue and I found that all sorts of people are
blogging and writing about it, quite apart
from the huge campaigns that are under way
in an endeavour to educate us about what we
8
are doing to our planet because of this way

of over eating and over producing.
I found a YouTube video that shows a drone
flying over a massive pig farm in the US. Not
only are the poor pigs kept in appalling conditions in their thousands in massive buildings, but these are also next to a huge lake
in which all their pooh ends up. The farm
has to spray the lake and the surrounding
areas with chemicals, presumably because
of the smell and to break down the effluent,
but these chemicals are polluting the locals
air as well as the rest of their environment.
People living nearby are falling ill and the
adjacent small farms are going out of business because these powerful chemicals are
destroying the soil as well as the air quality. Hard times for everyone other than the
industrialised pig farms it would seem. I
guess we all like a rasher or two of bacon,
but at what cost?
Statistically people have been throwing
around numbers about what we need to do
to help our environment in terms of reducing meat consumption. But without the vegetarians waving their banners it seems that
even if each one of us cut out meat for just
one day a week, that alone would make an
www.cibare.co.uk
PICTURE CREDITS: www.veggievision.tv. and Meat Free Monday logo
I stumbled across Paul McCartney prattling

on about something on Twitter and somehow I clicked on the link. To my surprise I
was actually interested in what I had found
and what he had to say. I thought it was going to be a vegetarian rant about giving up
meat but the more I read the more genuinely interested I became.
impact on our entire lives. The simple notion

of No Meat Mondays could actually change
the way we look after our little green planet.
Now who cant or wont do that?
You dont need me to tell you how instrumental supermarkets have been in ruining farmers lives and livelihoods. Agrarian farmers
are being forced to accept smaller and smaller payments for their harvests whilst knowing full well that their pesticides are ruining
the environment. Thats without going into
the fact that we are killing our bees and our
wildlife by turning this planet into a giant, industrialised farm, and killing ourselves in the
process. How truly ironic is that. And this
is happening. This is real and we need to do
something about it now. Go veggie for a day
and buy as locally as you possibly can. Save
our planet. Save our children. And save our
future.
PS: May I just add that I love Vegetarians, Pescatarians, Omnivores, Herbivores and Carnivores, and none were harmed in the writing
of this article.
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REVIEW
Time for a coffee

Coffee Beans
by Dorothy Martinez
Our coffees this week are all associated with Campbell & Syme, the editor and I visited
cafs in one way or another.
their shop in East Finchley to see what all the
fuss was about. The coffee is roasted on the
premises and the roaster is on display in the
Mokital Bar Italia
The first is one Ive been drinking for a while coffee shop. Its one of the few places Ive
and it is the award winning coffee served at been that actually has a coffee menu with
Sohos famous Bar Italia, but is available lo- descriptions of the flavours. Items are listed
cally (to me) in a new health food shop, Gaia under espresso (served, as it should be, in
very short shots) and longer coffee. I think
Nutrition.
there were five on the menu and we might
The beans have an earthy, sweet aroma. For have worked our way through them all. It
my taste it works best on the espresso ma- was interesting. It was coffee you could have
chine where it produces a creamy flavoured a conversation about. Its a real coffee lovcoffee with a nice bitterness and creamy aro- ers coffee shop for serious coffee drinkers.
ma. If you like your coffee a little less intense
then add a little hot water to turn it into an So to the bag we reviewed. We went for the
Americano (though use a double shot of es- Purple Haze, probably because the name
presso). This really brings out the creamy, sounded cool and made me recall my 20s.
rounded flavour of the coffee. Its accept- The beans had a zingy fruity aroma of berable in the French press, although I find that ries and apples. As an espresso it was tangy
it somehow isolates the different varieties and sharp, though I detected a hint of tobacof coffee from one another. I get a distinct co somewhere towards the end. Mr Martaste of East African coupled with something tinez, who is of Cuban origin, insisted that
darker, Brazilian, perhaps. Given its back- it tasted like the Cuban caandanga fruit,
ground, its probably unsurprising that this which probably means very little to you and
is, in my opinion, probably one for the es- I, but since he was so certain that this was
presso machine, but nonetheless, it is a very what it tasted of, it seems wrong to omit it
pleasant, every day grind and it has become from this review. As a coffee that is meant
to be used for espresso I didnt feel comforta staple in our house.
able subjecting it to the French press, but I
did add a little water to draw it out a bit and
Purple Haze Campbell and Syme
Having heard a lot of good things about the results were good, with an understand10
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ably gentler fruity, fermenty, berry flavour.

This was a bright and interesting coffee and
is a fantastic early morning kick in the pants.
Indian Monsoon Beanzz
Every now and then I visit friends in Eastbourne and on my way down I thought Id
just look and see whether there were any
small batch coffee roasters in the area. To
my surprise, there actually was one. So we
popped along to the caf to check it out. The
coffee shop itself was nice and spacious and
spread over two floors. The cakes also
made by the owner, Zach, and his partner
were such a hit with the kids that we barely
got a look in. They went for the banoffee pie
and the lemon drizzle cake, and both were
excellent. The coffee on sale in the shop was
the house blend which went down well and
we actually took a bag of this away with us
as well as the one Ive reviewed here. Zachs
coffee is available online and it looks like a
really interesting range, currently including
two Asian varieties.
The one I took away to review was the Indian Monsoon. The beans had an acidic but
pleasant enough aroma. As an espresso, it
had a strong bitter chocolate flavour with
a hint of spice somewhere in the middle
perhaps black cardamom or even cloves.
It had a wonderfully thick consistency and
although I didnt really pick this up in the
flavour of the coffee, my kitchen smelled
of tobacco afterwards. We put it through
the French press which seemed to give it a
slightly smokier aroma and flavour and a
much gentler, creamier, chocolaty aftertaste. The spice was still evident and overall, it was reminiscent of spiced chocolate.
A strong coffee with well integrated flavours
Ill definitely be exploring Indian coffee a
bit more in the future.
An AeroPress is an inexpensive way to make a

fantastic coffee
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REVIEW
Warning: This article contains strong
language from the beginning!
Holy Fuck tasted peppery and hot.
Christ On A Bike is sweeter and hot, but I
think I could have this on anything.
Holy Mother of God is really spicy hot. I ac-
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tually said, Fuck me!! when I ate it as it was

SO hot!! LOVE IT!
These are great sauces for a meat feast party.
Bring out the steaks! And the ribs, and the
chicken wings.!
13
Bavaria Vs Camden Town
Separated by about 700 miles, what do the Camden Town Brewerys founder, Jasper
Free State of Bavaria and Camden Town Cuppaidge, decided that, having lived withhave in common?
in the beating heart of one of the most happening places in the world for four years, it
As a recent or regular visitor to Charles would be the best place to realise his dream,
Pratts old manor, youd be forgiven if you and that dream was to brew the kind of beer
guessed bratwurst. The correct answer, previously only available from America and
however, measures much longer than a Ger- Germany. Take a sip of one of CTBs craftman sausage, and even longer than the time ed lagers (or stout if you like them darker)
it takes to prepare one; about two and-a- and you may just feel some gratitude begin
half centuries in fact. So, what links a federal to flow towards that decision. First up: India
state of Germany to Londons trendy Cam- Hells Lager which is, as CTB put it, an IPA
den Town is (drum roll maestro please) resurrected as a lager.
lager history. The former is noted as the
origin of lager, and the latter has, in more First impressions are important, and if
recent years, been adding its own notes to youre new to CTB beer it may appear as
the narrative of this relatively new beers bi- an enigma as you wonder why they chose
ography.
to circumscribe a reinvigorated lager into
a 330ml container. Why metal? Why break
In the early days of lagering (derived from from the tradition of bottling beer? The anthe German word lagern meaning to store), swer underpins the reinvention. Heat, oxysome brewers would take their beer to fro- gen, and light are elements which can spoil
zen caves in the Bavarian Alps - packed with a beer. The perfect packaging for keeping
ice from the lakes and mountains - leaving it away the ultraviolet light would be a frozen
there to keep cool for the summer months (if Bavarian cave but transporting 50 billion
only Primrose Hill was home to frozen caves tonnes of the Zugspitze Massif may prove
too). This longer brewing process (com- to be a mountainous task, and the roads in
pared to ale) meant the yeast in the beer set- North London arent conducive to carrytled, leaving a drink with a clean taste and ing such voluminous cargo. A note for anpaler colour, whilst also incorporating high yone thinking canned beer tastes metallic:
levels of carbon dioxide.
on the inside of beer cans there is a lining
between the liquid and the tin to prevent a
14
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PICTURE CREDITS: Jennifer Balcombe
by Paul Ralhan
www.cibare.co.uk
15
He said, to all the beasts of the earth and all

the birds in the sky and all the creatures that
move along the ground, we give you IHL; India Hells Lager. And it was so.
Leaving the frozen Bavarian caves firmly on
the ground in the German Alps, its time to
return to London but not without another
classic lager. A German-style Pilsner with
a light hue (known in German as Helles) is
pretty much the inspiration behind CTB.
Its an elegant lager with a distinctly refined
character and owing to how long it is matured in a tank, many have echoed that it
is, how a great lager should taste. Poured
from a cardinal red can, Hells Lager is a true
thirst quencher. Its smoothly subtle and
doesnt threaten to overpower. Even the
bubbles appear to rise softly to the surface,
as if their ascent carries the sole purpose of
bursting just to add a hint of zesty lemon and
smoky pepper to season the biscuity malt
16
which blankets your taste buds.

Camdens product range is expansive, as
much as it is versatile. Whilst Ireland demands a lot of credit for making the black
stuff famous, it should be remembered that
the birthplace of stout is in London. The bold
and distinctly chocolaty Camden Ink Stout is
a tremendous drop and suggests a spiritual
connection, especially when enjoyed locally
in NW5. Bottles, cans, kegs (yes, some beer
is also available in 30-litre kegs) or on tap,
youd do well to find any negatives about
the CTB experience. Camden Pale Ale, Pils,
or Gentlemens Wit, theres something for
every discerning beer lover.
Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night,
theres a street food trader set up at the
Brewery Bar. To reiterate, thats beer brewed
inside and food cooked outside. If you fancy
making it a bit of a Leo Sayer (all-dayer) you
could start the proceedings with a brewery
tour and see how the beer is made. There
are a lot of reasons to visit Camden, and
Camden Town Brewery definitely provides
three.
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PICTURE CREDITS: Jennifer Balcombe
transfer of flavour; pour the same metallic tasting beer into a glass and youd never know whether it came bottled or canned.
With the beer protected within, cans are also
very portable.
PICTURE CREDITS: Paul Ralhan
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17
REVIEW
Gin
by Andy Tudor
Do you wanna drink?
on fresh window cleaner - and the sharpest

taste with the longest finish with a slightly
Yeah, beer please. Or whiskey & coke.
spicy after taste. With exhaustive marketing and sponsorship of big-name events,
Shall we get shots? Tequila? Jagermeister? Bombay is one of the larger names in the gin
Sambuca?
world along with Gordons and Sipsmith, no
doubt because of how well it compliments a
You never hear the word gin.
gin & tonic but on its own its a little unpleasant.
Gin is what your gran drinks. And its gin
& tonic as people who sit in the VIP area at IDEAL FOR: Basic Gin & Tonics with your
Wimbledon drink.
nan
But all that has been changing recently it seems. More people I know have been
talking about gin - whether its new lime/
lemon/cucumber infusions, gin-of-themonth delivery companies like Craft Gin
Club (craftginclub.co.uk), or the favourite
tipple of Christian Grey. And its a key ingredient (amongst others) in some of my favourite cocktails - Tom Collins and a Long
Island Ice Tea. So if you dont have a bottle
in your drinks cabinet right now - read on
as we try out three of the most popular right
now
By contrast, triple-distilled Portlands Premium Gin comes in an understated corked dark blue bottle resembling anaesthetic
from a Victorian doctors bag. That sounds
immediately harsh - but its not. Its actually quite pleasant compared to the more basic bottles on offer from other brands and
comes with an attached Cocktail Compendium booklet.
With a lemon aroma most noticeable
amongst the seven botanicals on offer and a
slightly higher 41% alcohol volume, its initial
taste is somewhat overpowering like Bombay but conversely it has little depth to pleasure your palette over time. Whilst perfectly
sippable therefore, youll likely want to add a
little lime or cucumber.
We start with the most obvious choice - the

exotic-looking but entirely-commonplace
Bombay Sapphire London Dry Gin. Despite
boasting the most (ten) botanicals of all those
mentioned here, Bombay Sapphire bizarrely
has the most obvious aroma - one of lem- IDEAL FOR: Fruity cocktails (Singapore
18
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Sling, Aviation) with friends

Compare this to our last option Hendricks however and you might just forget about re-filling your previous glasses with either of the previous options. The most fashionable amongst
this test group, Hendricks comes in an even MORE authentically vintage-looking bottle
looking reminiscent of a Wild West elixir and with the pleasing pop of the cork from its
stubby frame you can IMMEDIATELY detect three aromas - lemon, lime and a floral note.
From the slightly slower slide down the glass you can also see its going to be a smoother
taste and thats absolutely true; its a crisper, cleaner, more refreshing and more more-ish.
With this more elegant taste youre also guaranted a better quality of Martini if thats your
preference. Utterly delightful - and despite a slightly higher price point its an absolute joy
to drink - perfect for either a hot summers day or a sophisticated alternative on a night out.
IDEAL FOR: On the rocks, Martinis with a kinky date
FOOD
Lunch
Leftovers never tasted so good!

Chicken and Mozzarella Quesadillas.
20
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Toasted sandwiches with Pepperoni and Cheddar.
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21
FOOD
Risotto
Meal for the season

Introduction by Dorothy Martinez
The traditional way of making risotto is a labour of love that has one standing over a hot
pan, gently massaging the starch out of the
short, fat grains of Arborio rice and studiously adding more liquid as the last lot gets
absorbed and that is a good way of doing it
but its not the only way and it can be a lot
less labour intensive.
I would generally start with a mixture of onions, garlic and maybe a little chilli softened
in oil (with a decent knob of butter if its a
white risotto and maybe some leeks if youre
using fish). If youre using mushrooms, especially rehydrated dried mushrooms, you
might add them to this mixture too. Sauting
the rice is also important as ensuring all the
grains are coated in oil helps them to stay
distinct from one another in the end mass
and it also starts the cooking process. Next,
add your first liquid this can be a strong or
distinctive flavour. Depending on the type of
risotto this could be wine, vermouth, the water used to rehydrate the dried mushrooms,
tomato pure dissolved in water but these
are just suggestions and you might just use
the first quantity of stock play around with
it. This is the point at which you can deviate
from the traditional method, add the rest of
the liquid (stock, blended tomatoes etc) and
try one of the following:
the oven (medium/high heat for 20 minutes),

or

A shallower oven dish, cover with foil
and bake it (medium/high heat for about 17
minutes). This method is perfect for fish
dishes, as you just lay the fish on top of the
risotto mix in the dish and cook the whole
lot together the fish is less likely to disintegrate.

A slow cooker whether you fry the
onions first or just chuck the whole lot in is
a matter of preference. It should take about
2.5 hours on the low setting with fried onions
and rice or about 3 hours on high with unfried ingredients. You may wish to chuck it
all in at once or reserve some ingredients
(vegetables, cheese etc) to garnish.
Whichever cooking method you use, leave
the finished risotto to rest for a few minutes
before serving to give the flavours a chance
to settle into each other. Some risottos actually taste better the next day, if they make
it that far.
You have a choice of rice grains Arborio

seems to be the most commonly used in the
UK, but Carnaroli and Vialone Nano are also
available from large supermarkets and Italian food shops. Which you use is a personal
preference; though remember that smaller
grains will require less cooking time. There

A pressure cooker (high pressure, 7 are various other types of risotto rice to exmins, quick release and stir before leaving periment with, though you might need to
to rest) or
search for them in Italy itself as theyre not

A hob to oven casserole and put it in widely available in this country. Recently I
have been experimenting with barley instead of rice in my chicken risotto. Barley
is more nutritious than rice and gives the
risotto a slightly nuttier, wholesome flavour. Gallo have brought out a mixed grain
risotto product, containing rice, barley and
spelt which also provides a more interesting
taste. Its a personal preference, but Id generally use these non-rice grains for richer,
creamier recipes rather than lighter vegetable or acidic tomato ones but, as always,
make your own decisions on that.
Below are some recipes from the Cibare

writers so give them a go and see how the
different methods work for each.
TOMATO RISOTTO
Ingredients:
1 medium to large onion, chopped finely

Garlic to taste, chopped (Id use the whole
bulb)
Chilli to taste (Id use two or three small
dried chillis)
2 cups of short grain rice
4 cups of liquid made up of: 1 can of tomatoes, blended and 3 to 4 tbsp of tomato pure
dissolved in 1.5 cups of hot water and the remainder hot water
Salt to taste
But there you have it. Risotto is actually very

easy anyway and can be made even easier if
you play around with your method. A close
friend said to me that risotto is a great dish
because theres so little washing up. And by
using one of the less traditional methods
suggested here, you can have most of that To garnish, use some or all of the following
done before you even sit down to eat.
(I use all)
Rocket salad
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23
Leek & Scallop Risotto
Tomato Risotto
Asparagus & Basil Risotto
Chicken Risotto
Parmesan shavings
Roughly chopped Mozzarella
Pitted black olives
Canned mackerel in olive oil (one can for every two people)
Method
CHICKEN RISOTTO
1 medium onion, chopped
Garlic, chopped, to taste (Id use half a bulb
for this one)
Chilli to taste (Id use 2-3 small dried chillies)
4 to 5 closed cup mushrooms, sliced (optional)
50g of butter
2 tbsp of olive oil
2 cups of risotto rice
1 cup of white wine or white vermouth
2 chicken stock cubes dissolved in 3 cups hot
water.
75ml of single cream
2 lemons, juiced
3 good handfuls of grated Parmesan and
more to garnish
4 chicken breasts, beaten flat and dusted in
flour seasoned with salt
1.
Soften the onion, garlic and chilli in
olive oil for about 5 to 7 minutes on a gentle
heat
2.
Add rice and stir constantly for two
minutes taking care not to let it burn
3. Add the tomato pure dissolved in
water and stir well until it has all been absorbed by the rice
4.
Add 1 cup of the blended tomatoes
and salt to taste. Stir until they have been
absorbed and then add the remaining liquid
(i.e. remainder of the blended tomatoes and
hot water) one cup at a time until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is al dente
5.
Check for seasoning and leave to rest Method
for 10 minutes while you prepare the gar- 1.
Soften onion, garlic, chilli and mushnishes.
rooms if using in olive oil for about 5 to 7
minutes on a gentle heat
NB: If you are using one of the other meth- 2.
Add rice and stir constantly for two
ods, then add all the remaining liquid after minutes taking care not to let it burn
step 3 and if necessary, transfer the whole 3.
Add the white wine or vermouth and
mixture to the oven dish / slow cooker / oven stir well until it has all been absorbed by the
and cover. If using a pressure cooker, put rice
the lid on and get to the desired pressure.
4.
Add the chicken stock one cup at a
If ever you find youve made too much of time until all the rice is al dente
this recipe, you can use the leftovers to make 5.
Check for seasoning and leave to rest
Suppli a Roman snack, often served in the for 5 minutes. Meanwhile start cooking the
hole in the wall pizzerias. First, shape the chicken in a frying pan with a little olive oil
risotto into balls and push a bar of mozza- 6.
Stir in the single cream, followed by
rella into the middle, ensuring you close the grated Parmesan and the juice of one
the ball with the risotto. Then, cover the lemon. Leave to stand until the chicken is
ball in breadcrumbs first dusting in flour, ready and the flour coating has turned goldthen dipping in egg and finally tossing in en. While still cooking in the pan, pour over
breadcrumbs. Lastly, deep fry until golden. the remainder of the lemon juice and shake
Theyre so good that you might find yourself the pan a bit
accidentally making double quantities of ri- 7.
Slice the chicken and either arrange
sotto!
on top of the risotto or on a plate and serve
with extra Parmesan.
26
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ASPARAGUS & BASIL RISOTTO

By Gillian Balcombe
Serves 2
10g butter and 10ml olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
200g Arborio rice
125ml dry white wine
750ml vegetable (or chicken) stock
50g freshly grated parmesan cheese
10g butter
225g asparagus
Once the rice has reached the creamy texture, add the parmesan, butter and seasoning to taste. Finally stir in the asparagus
pieces with the chopped basil and allow to
heat through. If chopped fresh basil seems
like a task too far, try using one of the rather good brands of quick frozen basil that are
now available.
To serve, divide the risotto equally between
two plates / dishes and top with the remaining asparagus spears.
LEEK & SCALLOP RISOTTO
By Dani Gavriel
Handful of finely chopped fresh basil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to
Ive had versions of this risotto in restautaste
rants both in the UK and in Italy so I was
Wash the asparagus and snap off the low- very excited to come up with my own recipe
er, woody part of the stalk. Cut all but four being a huge risotto fan!
spears into 3cm lengths, and trim the spears
to a length of about 75mm. Cook the pieces The Arborio rice really soaks up the wonand the spears until they are al dente, then derful flavours and the pan fried scallops
give the pancetta and leek a nice contrast in
set aside.
texture and taste.
Meanwhile, melt the butter and oil in a heavy
bottomed pan then add to it the chopped Packet of Arborio rice
onions and the Arborio rice. Make sure the Drizzle of olive oil
onion and rice are well coated with butter 2 large onions, peeled & diced
and saut gently until the onions become Packet of diced pancetta
translucent. Do not allow the onions to be- 3 leeks, trimmed and sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
come coloured.
Bunch of fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Immediately add the white wine and stir un- Salt and pepper
til it has been absorbed by the rice. Begin Teaspoon of dried crushed chilli
adding the stock, one ladle at a time, stirring Packet of cleaned scallops
continuously until each ladleful has been Large glass of white wine
absorbed before adding the next but ensur- 2 pints of fish stock
ing that the pot does not dry out between
each addition. Continue adding the liquid Saut the garlic and onion in olive oil until
until the rice is cooked (it needs to take on softened.
a creamy texture) and all the stock has been Add the pancetta and cook until crispy.
used. You may find that you need a little Add the leeks and cook for five minutes.
Add the Arborio rice and coat in the mixture.
more or less stock.
Turn up the heat to maximum, add the glass
of wine and cook for two minutes.
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27
Turn the heat down and add a ladle of stock,

one at a time, until each ladle of stock is absorbed by the rice, stirring every few minutes - the rice takes about 20 minutes to
cook.
After 10 minutes of cooking the rice add the
parsley, chilli and salt and pepper.
Just before the rice has cooked, coat the
scallops in olive oil, crushed chilli and parsley and then pan fry for two minutes on each
side.
Pile the rice onto a serving platter with the
scallops arranged on the top.
28
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PICTURE CREDITS: Theo Michaels
FEATURE
Rizogalo
by Theo Michaels
Forget stodgy school dinners join the rice

pudding revolution with Rizogalo! A traditional Greek and Middle Eastern pudding,
Rizogalo or Greek rice pudding is a fragrant, delicate, creamy and usually chilled
Greek dessert. Hints of rose water, crunchy
pistachios and sweet brown sugar with undertones of cinnamon and vanilla...is your
mouth watering yet?!
vent you having to use corn flour, eggs or

even cream in the recipe. This is really a
sweet risotto except that its a lot less fussy
in terms of cooking process but dont tell
the Italians I said that otherwise theyll be
saying this is their recipe!
In saying all that, I must admit that you can
alter this recipe to use up leftover boiled rice
OK, it wont win any awards and isnt the
same as the recipe below but the fundamentals are not that different a load of rice, lots
of milk and sugar and reduce it down to a
creamy texture.
Rizogalo comes from the Greek: Rizo meaning Rice and Galo meaning Milk you get
the picture This is the perfect refreshing
dessert: using Arborio risotto rice it is incredibly easy (and relatively quick) to make
but it nonetheless delivers on taste and in- Anyway, if you want to try the best damn rice
dulgence every time.
pudding or rizogalo youve ever had, read
on...
There is some debate as to the type of rice
to use, be it pudding rice, Arborio rice, long
grain rice For me, Arborio is perfect as
it holds its shape and texture really well. It
avoids becoming a pile of mush but at the
same time it exudes enough starch to pre-
30
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RIZOGALO
(4 servings)
Ingredients
1 cup of Arborio rice
4 cups of whole milk
1/2 cup of caster sugar
2 (5 cm) length of orange rind (optional)
3 sticks of cinnamon, about 2 (5cm) long
each
2 tablespoons of rosewater
Few pinches of brown sugar
Few pinches of ground cinnamon
Few pinches of chopped pistachio nuts
Knob of butter
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla essence
Pinch of salt
Method:
Towards the end of cooking (about 25 minutes) and just as the rice is done (taste it it
should be just past al dente but not mushy!),
add the caster sugar and stir until dissolved
then the final cup of milk in stages, if needed. You want a soup-like consistency, and
bear in mind that the pudding will thicken a
lot as it cools.
Turn off the heat, add the rosewater and stir
in.
You can now pour the mixture into individual serving dishes (a wine glass is quite good)
and chill or pour into a bowl and divide later,
although it looks much neater if done while
still warm. TIP: to avoid a skin forming as it
cools you can sprinkle some sugar over the
top while it cools.
Add knob of butter to saucepan and melt, Serve warm or cold garnish with a sprinadd rice, 3 cups of the milk, cinnamon sticks, kling of brown sugar, pinch of ground cinnamon and the crushed pistachio nuts.
salt, vanilla essence and orange rind.
Bring to the boil then reduce to a gentle sim- Goes well with a warm summers day or late
at night to satisfy a bad case of the munchmer stirring frequently.
ies!
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31
Tasty Raw Food
A wonderful alternative to Risotto and Pizza
You dont have to go without risotto and pizza just because you want to eat more raw
food! It may be a little different in texture
but remember the benefits of eating raw
more energy, great skin, looking younger, a
sharper mind and feeling (and being) lighter
and give it a try.
I am offering you healthy, nutritious alternatives to the cooked versions. I am not
suggesting you adopt 100% raw food into
your life which would take a lot of time and
energy in the modern world. To start, try
out different dishes and experiment. When
you eat raw food, you will find that you can
taste the food better and you can try out a
variety of tastes and food combinations. I
have had many successes although I admit
that a few dishes have gone in the bin because they didnt taste exactly as I imagined
they would. The great thing about raw food
is that you can use different combinations,
not necessarily what it says in the recipe.
Youll soon start to learn what combinations
work. Also, if you dont like a food, you can
try out alternatives. For example, I dont eat
raw tomatoes, which is a bit of a problem
with raw food as there are many dishes with
a raw tomato base. I replace them with sundried tomatoes (you will need fewer as the
32
taste is much stronger) or a mixture of sundried and raw as the sundried ones mask
the taste.
Now, onto the risotto and pizza
Cauliflower makes a great alternative to
rice. Its texture is a bit different but it does
work and it is very tasty. Try this mushroom and asparagus risotto. You could also
make it with bell peppers and a few nuts
whatever topping you fancy. The dressing
helps to give the risotto more of the sticky
texture of one made with rice and the grated
macadamia nut could easily be mistaken for
parmesan!
With the pizza you will need a dehydrator
to make the base, so its not quite as simple.
But, if you want to sample the toppings, you
could make a normal pizza base and then
add the raw toppings to it. If I want some
hot food but want to keep an element of raw,
I sometimes make up a dish of raw veg and
nuts and then add it to cooked brown rice.
And I sometimes buy tortillas and make a
wrap with the fillings that you see below for
the pizza.
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PICTURE CREDITS: Alison Matthews
By Alison Matthews
RAW MUSHROOM & ASPARAGUS RI- half the lemon juice and a spoonful of shoyu
or tamari for about 30 minutes. I prick the
SOTTO
Serves 2
3 or 4 chestnut mushrooms
4 stalks of asparagus
small cauliflower
2 spring onions (white part only)
Spinach (optional)
Juice of one lemon
teaspoon of English mustard
cup of cashew nuts
teaspoon of turmeric
teaspoon of nutritional yeast (optional)
Water
Shoyu or tamari
Sea salt or Himalayan salt (to taste)
mushrooms with a fork to help them absorb

the marinade.

Put the cashew nuts in a blender with
the remaining lemon juice, turmeric, mustard, nutritional yeast, salt and a little water
(two tablespoons to start). Blend together
and add more water to get the consistency
you want.

Put the cauliflower and spring onions
in a food processor and blend until they form
a fluffy mash.

Mix all the ingredients together and
lay on a bed of raw spinach.

Sprinkle with a ground macadamia
nut.
Think you can never eat pizza again well,

think again! As I said earlier, you do need a
Macadamia nut (optional)
dehydrator to make the base and do this one

Chop and marinate the mushrooms in properly.
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33
MUSHROOM AND PEPPER PIZZA

Pizza Base (base recipe from Raw Freedom)

1- cups of raw buckwheat soaked
overnight and rinsed

cup of ground flaxseed

1 medium red pepper, deseeded and
chopped

1 pinch of sea salt or Himalayan salt

1 tablespoon of dried oregano

1 garlic clove, crushed
Put all the ingredients into a blender and

blend until they form a paste add water
until you reach the consistency you want.
Spread the tomato paste on the pizza and
then the cheese. Dress with slices of mushroom and red and yellow peppers or any
other vegetable of your choice. Serves two
to four people depending on how big you
like your servings of pizza!
Combine the ingredients in a food processor until they create a smooth paste like
a dough, not too runny. Spread the mixture onto a paraflex sheet of a dehydrator
into the shape of a pizza base. Dehydrate
at 145F for 2 hours and then turn down to
110F. Turn the pizza base straight onto the
dehydrator tray and dehydrate for another
12 hours. The base will store in an airtight
container in the fridge for two days.
Toppings
Tomato

cup of sundried tomatoes

cup of tomatoes, chopped

1 garlic clove

Juice of half a lemon

Water
Put all the ingredients in a blender and
blend until they form a paste. Add water as
required to get the consistency you want.
Cheese

1 cup of cashew or macadamia nuts

Juice of half a lemon

teaspoon of mustard

teaspoon of cayenne pepper

teaspoon of nutritional yeast

Water
34
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REVIEW
My Secret Caf
Campbell & Syme
by The Editor
On a side street off a busy main road there is a little coffee shop called Campbell & Syme.
Its quite a simple area with only a few small spaces to sit because there is a coffee roaster
taking up a large part of the shop. Behind the roaster is a kitchen space full of COFFEE, and
an array of bags of coffee beans and cakes. Darling little cakes just perfect for those dainty
little plates that sit next to your espresso are also available.
You can choose from a lively menu of food on the wall next to the equally large list of different types of coffee. Not Starbucks style with all manner of syrups and flavour combinations, but different types of beans, shots and methods of making the coffee itself filter and
espresso as well as cappuccinos and lattes. A true coffee heaven.
Happily its a family friendly place but with a real feel of good coffee snobbery, and I loved
it! It was quiet but at the same time we were chatting away and enjoying our coffees and
cake. It was a lovely morning and this was an excellent, if unexpected, interlude due to
where the caf is situated. Id heard that the coffee was good, I just hadnt expected that it
would be exactly what I hoped it would be. It was coffee-snobby yet friendly at the same
time, which speaks to me to be honest. I needed a really good coffee that morning and I got
a lot of it. You need to go.
Our coffee reviewer has also written her thoughts on their coffee, so dont just take my
word for it, check out what our Dorothy has to say too!
Campbell & Syme
9 Fortis Green
East Finchley
LONDON
N2 9JR
Tel: 07977 514054
Email: [email protected]
36
www.cibare.co.uk
The Herbalist
Honey
by Jo Farren
Getting the chance to write about honey really excited me, its one of those things that
I recommend to friends and family year in,
year out and something which I am really
passionate about.
Honey has been used since the dawn of time
across the globe: the Egyptians used it to embalm bodies, the Romans used it to sweeten
food and in ancient India it was used medicinally and spiritually, to mention but a few.
Not only is honey a delicious sweet treat with
a glycaemic index of around 55 (much lower
than sucrose!) it also has many health benefits. As ancient folk used it in their medicine
chests, so the anecdotes for its broad range
of uses have been passed down over the
years. More recently, studies have been carried out to confirm and clarify these claims,
which range from healing wounds and having antibacterial properties to helping alleviate the symptoms of hay fever.
There are many different types of honey available as you may have seen on the
shelves of your local supermarket. I didnt
realise quite how many: wildflower, heather, pine, manuka. The last of these, manuka
honey, is one which is especially well known
and is made by bees collecting nectar from
the manuka tree which is indigenous to Australia and New Zealand. It comes in varying
strengths, is antimicrobial and has been
38
shown to be effective against certain strains

of MRSA. Medicinal grade honey is used in
dressings and bandages to help heal wounds,
ulcers and burns and it is becoming more
and more mainstream after being slightly on
the alternative scene for some time!
Now, local honey is different from what you
find in your supermarkets. By local honey, I
mean something which is produced from a
hive within a three-mile radius. Bees generally travel up to three miles away from their
hive which, when you consider how tiny they
are, is a really long way! The pollen that triggers hay fever is light and blown around by
the wind, the stuff that the bees collect tends
to be heavier and causes far less of an issue.
The idea that honey helps hay fever is down
to the fact that teeny tiny particles of the
light pollen will be present in honey; really
tiny amounts though, so not enough to elicit
an allergic response, just enough to desensitize you.
The opportune time to start taking it is before the end of April which is generally when
hay fever rears its ugly head! Keep going
throughout the whole season. Id suggest
you have it in some natural yoghurt or porridge, but keep heating it to a minimum to
ensure that its properties are not destroyed
by overheating.
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39
As a long-time convert to local honey I can

also tell you that I prefer the taste, I feel that
it is far superior to other products which are
often imports. Yes it is more expensive but
its money well spent in my opinion. There is
also a big query over the welfare of the bees
in cheaper products. If hives are over harvested this means that there is not enough
honey remaining for the bees to survive on.
Once the nectar supply has ended, they need
to be fed sugar solution to stay alive. If the
hives and bees are managed responsibly,
then they should have enough honey to see
them through the winter. Local producers
tend to be keener on welfare and will ensure
that their bees are happy!

Handful of organic porridge oats
250ml milk of your choice almond / coconut / oat

2 teaspoons of honey

Blueberries frozen are great if you
dont have fresh

One banana

2 teaspoons of chia seeds / linseeds

Cinnamon
To find a local supplier near you, visit the

British Beekeepers Association website and
keep your eyes peeled at farmers markets
and farm shops. Ideally, you do want to
chose a honey which is made within a threemile radius of where you live, so that youre
being desensitized to the most local strain
of pollen (or work perhaps, if you get worse
symptoms there), and a multi-floral honey
will give you the best chance too.
I find that smoothies are a really good way

to get honey into kids my eldest son has
hay fever and I believe that using honey has
helped reduce his symptoms dramatically.
He seems to be far more compliant when his
medicine is so tasty! Id leave out the chia
seeds and possibly the cinnamon for him frozen bananas or yoghurt are a great way
to make it even more fun as its almost like a
milkshake (maybe that ones not just for the
children!)
As I said before, a really great way of getting

the honey into your body is in the form of a
smoothie, now this also contains one of my
other favourite ingredients which maybe I
will talk more about next time, oats!
Its really simple whack it all in a blender

and blitz until smooth, serve and enjoy!
Desiccated coconut is also really nice added
to the mixture. Do try playing around with
the ingredients, all the while keeping the
backbone of oats, milk and honey.
So, get cracking on it by mid-April. Of

course, if you dont fancy a smoothie then
theres nothing wrong with a bit of honey on
toast or a dollop on your porridge - sometimes the simplest things are the best.
Love, health and happiness
Joanne xx
40
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IGilly Bs
Bakery
Cakes made
with Love
Find her on Facebook and Twitter!

GillyBsBakery
HONOURING NUTRITION
by Thomas Bisson
With summer approaching, you may be

among the masses who are trying to make
healthier lifestyle changes in order to reach
a goal - perhaps its weight loss, muscle gain,
or just an overall desire to be healthier from
within. As a fitness professional, I am often
finding that my clients struggle with these
three elements of nutrition: the quality of
what theyre consuming, the quantity of
what theyre consuming, and the timing of
when they decide to fuel their bodies. Even
one of these elements done incorrectly or inconsistently can lead to a significant impact
on your results. In order to have a healthier
lifestyle, its important to honour the three
elements of nutrition - read on to find out
how you can master these principles in order to see more effective results.
Quality:
What are you eating? Feeding your body

with high quality ingredients will make a
huge difference to helping you stay on track.
Cravings are born when the body is lacking
vital nutrients and minerals, so by feeding
your body with nutrient-dense foods, youre
taking the right steps to kick cravings to the
curb and function at your best. Most people only see fast food as the unhealthy food
group to avoid, but with the right packaging
and marketing, any product can be disguised
as a healthy snack. Even foods with the
42
words natural or healthy can be laden

with chemicals and processed sugars. I advise my clients to live by this simple rule: if
you cant kill it, pick it or pluck it, dont eat it.
Its also a good idea to read the ingredients
label - if you dont recognise an ingredient,
put it down and go for something you can
understand. Avoid foods with added sugar
or sodium. By following these simple guidelines youll be sticking to foods that have a a
significantly smaller amount of additives or
processed chemicals.
Quantity:
For the first time in history we have an abundance of food. Most people have the mindset
of making sure there is enough food to go
around. When eating out, restaurants are
delivering portions that are often double
or triple what the average person actually
needs in a meal. A side of hot chips at an average restaurant ranges between 600-900
calories - which is nearly a third of the average persons recommended daily calorie
intake. When we eat at home, we make far
too much food and then are faced with two
options: wastefully throw the leftovers away,
or continue eating until there is a minimal
amount left. In order to fuel your body correctly, you need to be mindful of how much
food youre eating. A helpful tip to keep you
on track is to drink a full glass of water be-
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fore every meal. When your body is well hydrated you may be less inclined to over eat.
Remember to eat slowly and pay attention to
how youre feeling. Stop eating when youre
full. If you find you are left with too much
food at the end of your meals, learn to cook
in smaller quantities. If youre still hungry
after your meal, you can always reach for a
piece of fruit or a quick snack, like vegetable
sticks or scrambled eggs.
Timing:
Timing is often tricky for people who are on

the go. As a fitness coach, I am constantly
told I dont have time for breakfast or I
dont have time to make a healthy lunch.
These kinds of excuses arent going to help
you to be your healthiest self. The trick is to
make the time when it seems there isnt any.
Wake up 15 minutes earlier! Allow a quick
food prep to become part of your morning
routine! Do some online research to find
some quick, healthy, make-ahead recipes to
ensure that youre prepared to eat well. Another point to consider is that routine is vital
when trying to improve your nutrition. Aim
to be consistent by eating breakfast, lunch,
and dinner every day, no matter how busy
life may seem. Nothing is more important
that your own health. If you arent feeding
and nurturing your body, you cant be expected to be your best for anyone else.
These three principles are vital to making sure that youre getting the most out of
your new lifestyle. Aim to feed yourself well,
in the right amounts, and at the right times
and your results will be that much more impressive when summer rolls around.
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43
REVIEW
Time for Tea

by The Editor
Neals Yard
A pale tea with a combination of chamomile

and peppermint, it is lovely and refreshing. I can see why its an after dinner tea as
those two herbs combined are wonderful for
calming your tummy and your mind too. Its
delicious as a cup of tea any time though, as
it doesnt have too strong a flavour of either
herb in particular, and they are quite evenly balanced. It makes an excellent palette
cleanser too and its also perfect for helping
those hearty winter meals go down nicely! 2.99 from NealsYardRemedies.com
44
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Yogi Tea - Positive Energy
A combination of cranberry and hibiscus,

which is deliciously fruity with an added
cinnamon zing coming through too, both in
aroma and in taste. Altogether this tea is
supposed to be energising, and it may well
be, but the cinnamon also feels lovely on my
throat and really soothing when sore. This
is not a thin watery fruit tea, it feels like a
more substantial tea with milk. There is a
traditional Greek cinnamon tea to which
you add milk, and this has a similar flavour,
but with an undertone of fruit. - 2.40 from
most health food stores.
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45
REVIEW
Camden Market
by The Editor
Having been coming here with my mum

since I was a kid, I remember it being my
birthday treat to go shopping in all those
fabulously idiosyncratic (and often bizarre)
shops in Camden and buy those things that
you couldnt find anywhere else in London.
Even just window shopping was an adventure, with a silver painted plane forming
part of one shop front, a giant boot above another and a rocking chair hanging above the
door of yet another. Whilst Camden Market
has matured and changed since those days and I dont think that actually had very much
to do with the fire that ripped through it a
few years ago it has nonetheless retained
its unique character and has simply grown
with the times and with our expectations of
markets, food and fun!
On my recent visit, I got to the market a bit

early so I could watch everyone set up and
I have to say that nothing excited me more
than the black cab that was parked outside
Cyberdog (you cant miss it, you can hear the
music pumping for miles round!). So there
it was. CABBI COFFEE! It was early and I
was thirsty and bless those ladies, they made
me a really good coffee. No, they dont have
a big coffee bean grinder in the boot to give
you a roasters dream, but they are using a
new system from Lavazza. It is a black cab!
And the coffee is genuinely very good. The
experience is so cool and the ladies are a
start up business, so park up all that coffee
snobbery and give it a go. I did and it was
well worth it. Certainly the best coffee in
Camden.
Camden has always been the place to shop

for clothes, but the calibre of the shops and
stalls has improved enormously, as has the
availability and diversity of all manner of
different foods. I love that the market has an
amazing food quarter. Not that its exactly in competition with the large street food
markets but there is a great selection and
because its Camden there is always a real
quirkiness to it as well. I love how the food
looks hot and appetising and ready to eat.
With coffee in hand I kept looking around,

on the hunt for more food as I was sure that
there was more. Whilst walking towards Regents Canal and the Lock I suddenly caught
a whiff! Higher up and slightly hidden from
my location was a quadrant absolutely full
of world foods! Where have you been!! It
looked wonderful and in fact this is the rest
of the street food market that youve been
looking for. The inside food court is dominated with Asian flavours - Thai, Malaysian
46
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and Chinese - although you will also find

very tempting Italian, Mexican and churro
stalls. And then outside you find the falafel,
Polish and vegetarian stalls, and an amazing
looking paella stall too. Taking all these together you have a truly amazing foodie escapade: you really need to spend the whole
day there so that you can sample everything
thats on offer!
Camden Market is open every day so you can
go on an international food journey any time
you choose. It does get busy at the weekends, and particularly in the sunshine - and
lets hope that is here to stay too.
Im still loving Camden Market after all these
years. If youve not been yet you have no idea
what youre missing! Get down there today
and enjoy!
Stables Market
Camden
LONDON, NW1
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47
FEATURE
Food Porn
Mrs Spinks Food Porn Babble

by Gemma Feeney
LUX SLIDER ON THE ROOF, ANYONE? Self professed frivolities kicked off the feast
Does the food at a glamorous event ever
make the experience any better? Does anyone care? Or at a posh do are you just glad to
have something to do with your hands while
you secretly ogle the famous people while
simultaneously pretending to not give a shit
what they look like / wear or how they laugh /
drink / eat in real life? Truthfully, how much
do you care when you havent paid for the
food anyway? Its just a real bonus if its
good, right? Ive tried and tested some wonderful event food and also some pretty forgettable stuffbut I believe that food matters, whatever and whoever is in the room.
Id go so far as to say if the food is good or
bad it can totally make or break an evening
- kind of like the music (its impossible to sit
still or not sing along to 80s hits, right?) but
thats a whole other story.
Sitting across last week from some very famous people at a swish event high up in the
middle of the city (were talking tree canopy
level here), the menu was definitely something to savour if a little schizophrenic.
48
- parmesan fricos (crisps, basically), squid

ink tapioca (like small frog eyes peering back
at you) and posh Quavers (smoked pork actually) followed swiftly by a champagne melon
cocktail which was delicious though it was
hard to know where the melon finished and
the accompanying buckets of Mot started.
Then, out of nowhere, the menu made a categorical u-turn to diner.
Delicious, velvety macncheese had a serious crunch on top which really worked - the
contrast between soft and mushy, naughty cheesy pasta with truffle infused snappy
breadcrumbs was something I had to keep
tasting and checking I did like (I did). The
really garlicky Caesar salad was also good
as long as you didnt have to talk to anyone
afterwards. Then moved in the real mains
- seriously delicious mini burgers, sorry,
LUX SLIDERS (beef, chicken or a great veggie combo - Portobello mushroom, harissa
and houmous) and small buckets of triple
cooked chips served up in cheapy Ikea-esque silver buckets but made more palatable
with a cushioning of well thought out pink
greaseproof paper.
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49
Salted caramel ice cream and espresso Mar- (www.mastbrothers.com).

tinis ensued to guarantee dance floor moves
amongst the jabbering, A-lister crowd. And And if anyone still has room and is up for
groove, they did.
a late night helping of nostalgia - get your
history soaked soul down to recently opened
But, oh where to breakfast in town after a late night bar Cahoots in Kingly Street,
night out?
Soho. Housed inside a disused underground
Tube station its a nod to the nocturnal and
To the Breakfast Club in Shoreditch (www. illicit escapades that took place in post war
thebreakfastclubcafes.com) for a wonder- 1940s when spirits were high and still are
fully hearty American breakfast washed here, quite honestly. Featuring dazzling
down with a bloody spicy Bloody Mary and cocktails (Give Peas a Chance is not to be
lots of hot coffee to boot. And later that day, missed - see pic), swing dancing and sing-ain the same neck of the woods whilst shel- longs around an old piano (thankfully withtering from a hail storm, a couple of gin and out a hint of Chas n Dave) its well worth a
tonics and some pork scratchings and roast journey back in time (www.cahoots-london.
potatoes from the very dog friendly pub The com).
Owl & Pussycat in Redchurch Street (www.
owlandpussycatshoreditch.com)
Blinded And then all of a sudden its Monday again
by the lights outside (its a dark pub) we and how I hate them even more after the gastook an unexpected stumble into the nearby tronomic indulgence of the weekend - but
Mast Brothers that recently opened. A ha- these have been made a LOT more manageven for sweet toothers, its a chocolate fac- able with the latest darling of the food world,
tory / shop / hot drinks bar where you hang Deliciously Ella, and her breakfast smoothout and watch them make the real deal, all ie. SO good and nourishing and filling. But I
within a very soothing, clean lined and shiny would add that you need the Medjool dates interior. The chilli chocolate we tried had the little delights kept popping with each sip
a particular bite (back of the throat job) but and with their good sugar and energy they
these siblings hailing originally from Brook- are worth the extra effort to buy and add in,
lyn really know their sauce and their flag- especially if you hate Mondays.
ship London store is definitely worth a visit
50
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REVIEW
Snacks
by The Editor
Raw Health - Truly Juicy Bar: Almond Raw Health - Organic Spirulina Orange
Balls
& Apricot
My first bite had a big brazil nut in it which
was a bit of a surprise, but the rest of the
bar is quite laden with almonds which gives
it a good texture that isnt too crunchy. The
apricots are not a strong flavour as the bar
also contains dates which hold it all together, but the dates arent overpowering either,
which makes the whole taste experience very
pleasant. I think if you want something like
this that is mildly apricot in flavour then you
have it, but with all the other nuts in the bar,
they do become its strongest elements. I really enjoyed it and would happily eat more
from this range. - 1.75 from most health
food stores.
52
They look like truffles on a box or little round

treats. They smell of dates and a little of orange, and although they look as though they
are moist from the dates you get an orangey,
crunchy surprise when you bite into them.
The inside looks almost like a cake with its
apparent fluffiness but its very dense with
all the nuts. With all the walnuts and almonds they contain, it doesnt feel like you
can get much more in there. I cant taste
the spirulina over the orange and although
theres meant to be ginger in them, I dont
get that either. Regardless of those lost elements they are really flavoursome. With all
those wonderful ingredients they taste great.
They come in very nice packaging and are a
good, alternative treat when you want something sweet but without the naughtiness that
goes with your average coffee or tea snack.
With three in a packet you can share. - 2.55
from most health food stores.
www.cibare.co.uk
Ombar
72% Dark Chocolate

It smells divine!! I love dark chocolate. This
is sweetened with cacao butter and coconut
sugar, which Ive not had before in a chocolate. Its consistency is just like that of a normal chocolate with a firm bite but it tastes
very different to your average dark chocolate
off the shelf. The way it has been sweetened
doesnt really add much sweetness at all although you can taste that its there. Its very
intense, but if you love your chocolate dark
and strong this is the one for you! - 1.99
from most health food stores.
Ombar
Lemon & Green Tea Chocolate

This made the same way but with lemon
powder and green tea mutcha added. The
lemon powder is strong and there is a very
definite flavour of lemon coming through, so
much so that you can taste it fighting with
the chocolate for the strongest flavour prize!
The green tea is there but its underlying the
other two, as they are so powerful. Altogether, a great chocolate. - 1.99 from most
health food stores.
The Ombar range has bio live cultures added
to the bars so that our tummies are happy
as well as our brains too (chocolate is good
for your brain!!). So this chocolate range has
a great health ethic. Another reason to indulge!
Booja-Booja
A tiny box of two little espresso chocolate

truffles. These are dairy free, gluten free
and organic. And I have to say that these are
amazing! They dont taste as if they are dairy
free at all, they taste of dark naughty chocolate with shots of coffee delight. Devilishly
good! Its a good thing they come in small
boxes of two or I would eat so many more
of them. That said, I will be off to buy some
very soon. - 4.50 from most health food
stores.
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53
FOOD
Dinner
Slow Cooked Pork Belly Slices

by The Editor
How to create a sauce using the recipe below

to slow cook pork belly slices. I pop them
all the ingredients into a bowl and combine
them to make a nice smooth sauce. If you
want to cook a larger piece of meat then you
can easily double up on the quantities.
This is quite mild but its easy to make it hotter by adding fresh or flaked chili, more chili
powder or even chili sauce.
Once you have made the sauce you add it to

the meat. I add it directly into the roasting
pan or ovenproof casserole dish with the
1 small packet of pork belly containing about onions cut into fairly large chunks and a few
8 slices of pork
garlic cloves. Make sure the meat is nicely
2 tablespoons of tomato ketchup
coated with the sauce and then cover with
1 rounded teaspoon of mustard
some foil or with the lid of the pan, keeping
2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
the heat, aroma and moisture inside the pan.
1 level teaspoon of sugar
1 good pinch each of salt and pepper
Then cook for about 6 hours on 120C, gas
Half teaspoon of onion granules
mark (very low heat).
1 teaspoon each of parsley, oregano and coriander
1 teaspoon each of garlic pepper and chili
powder
Half teaspoon of Cajun seasoning (you can
add more if you wish)
Quarter teaspoon of powdered ginger
1 teaspoon of garlic pure
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 or 2 onions and 5 garlic cloves to bake with
the meat.
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RESTURANT REVIEW
SUSHISAMBA London
by The Editor
What can I sayHAPPY BIRTHDAY!
with a wash of the best Kobe fat before being

stirred in with other amazing delights and
I love sushi and when I found out I was get- poured over a block of ice. Its pretty expenting steak too I thought Id died and gone to sive but so very tasty! Its like drinking very
heaven.
boozy steak but its utterly delicious! If you
are a real steak connoisseur its a must-try
It began with a trip up a very fast lift that cocktail to enjoy.
shot up to the 38th floor of the Heron Tower
in London. We snuck around a dark quiet Then of course there was the dessert steak. I
corner to find a food super club night. We thought I was going to pop but you can never
got our table and sat down and of course or- say no to that extra rare slice of delight. You
dered cocktails immediately! (Ill be honest dont need cake when you are at SushisamI have no idea what I ordered, but it tasted ba! It was a great night.
good and I was a bit pissed. My bad! I did
take a photo though.)
In all honesty there was a dispute with our
booking as they had booked us in on the
And so it began. We went through most wrong night and we ended up sitting at the
of the menu starting with a real favour- fast-service seats watching the chefs creatite, Kobe Beef. WOW!!!! It was melt in the ing their masterpieces with the sound sysmouth sweet steak joy. We were given slices tem at the bar behind us thumping out some
and a hot stone to cook it on ourselves with great tunes. As we ate we danced in our seats
some pots of seasonings beside it. We had to with our waitress. We gazed at the gorgeous
be very careful as the stone was very hot and outside area with the most beautiful illumionly needed a few seconds on either side to nated tree at its centre and we ate the most
cook the beef and then it had to go straight amazing food. It was perfect.
into your mouth in one piece. It was bliss.
We checked out the dining room where we
After that came a lot of sushi. A wonderful should have been and as beautiful as it was
selection of fishes as Ngiri, Sashimi and Te- we were happier where we were and would
maki rolls, so I was more than happy. You actually go back for the same seats. And yes,
can certainly taste the freshness of the fish a return visit is definitely on the cards!
with its perfect flavours and temperature,
and again mouth melting when its supposed SUSHISAMBA London
to be. Once all of that had been devoured Heron Tower
it was time for another drink. Sushisamba 110 Bishopsgate
has a fabulous cocktail on the menu called London, EC2N 4AY
a Kobe Cocktail, which has been treated www.sushisamba.com
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57
RESTURANT REVIEW
Great British Fish & Chips

by Gillian Balcombe
A short while ago I made plans to meet a

good friend I hadnt seen for some time. But
where to meet, when she is based in the heart
of the City of London and I live and work in
West Hampstead? Our solution was somewhere around Bond Street / Marble Arch,
and I had the task of finding somewhere that
would provide a tasty lunch at reasonable
cost, that wasnt a greasy spoon.
After a trawl round the Internet, I found
what seemed to be an ideal spot equidistant, inexpensive and serving classic British
food fish and chips! In such a rarified area
where there are so many amazing Michelin starred fine dining establishments with
prices to match, this little place is a real find,
offering not only fish and chips but also really traditional dishes such as Shepherds Pie,
Steak & Kidney Pud and Rib Steak & Chips.
The sides are well loved chip shop classics,
from Battered Wally (deep fried pickled cucumber, something Ive never understood)
to Mushy Peas and Chip Shop Curry Sauce,
as well as fresh vegetables and salads. We
never got as far as the puddings, stuffed
as we were with the delicious starters and
main courses, but they include such staples as Apple & Blackberry Crumble, Citrus
Treacle Tart and Warm Chocolate Pudding.
Theres also a pretty comprehensive list of
soft drinks, hot drinks, wine, lager, cocktails
58
and all manner of alcoholic tipples.

The restaurant itself is a little gem a long
narrow room, made to appear lighter and
larger by the clever use of pale shades of
painted wooden panelling, mirrors, white
tiled walls and a black and white tiled floor.
The few individual tables for two and four
people in the front area are prettily tiled,
Mediterranean fashion, opposite the serving
counter. You can also buy takeaway however
unlike chippies, the frying is all done in the
basement kitchens, so you dont leave with
that iconic smell of fish and chips hanging
around your hair and clothes. In the centre
section of the restaurant there is a bar with
high stools and a communal table that seats
eight people. And then at the very rear of the
shop, through an arch, there are a few more
tables in a small room. My seating preference though, would definitely be front of
house.
My companion loves soup, and so chose the
freshly made soup of the day, which was
Spiced Butternut Squash. A generous, piping hot bowl full arrived, complemented by
slices of sourdough bread still warm from
the oven, and she declared it to be excellent.
I had the same delicious sourdough bread,
but mine was accompanied by Smoked
Cods Roe, which was a rare treat, delicately
www.cibare.co.uk
smoked and tasty. We could also have had

dishes that incorporated cured salmon, Cornish crab, smoked mackerel rock oysters or
black pudding, but we were very happy with
our choices. The prices range from 2.00 to
8.50.
high standard. Its like a little oasis of reality

amongst the often pretentious places in that
part of London do go, you wont be sorry!
Address
14 North Audley Street
Mayfair
For my main course, I chose the Mayfair London
Classic, priced at 13.50. Up came a hand- W1K 6WE
some wooden board, upon which rested a
wire basket lined with Great British paper containing a golden piece of perfectly
cooked cod with fat, delicious chips crisp
on the outside and soft within, sprinkled
with a dusting of sea salt crystals. Half a
lemon and a handful of pea shoots nestled
in two of the corners. In front of the basket
were three mini copper saucepans, holding
mushy peas, pickled onions and pickled cucumber, and Tartare sauce. Curry sauce is
also an option but I have to say its not my
choice! And it not only looked wonderful, it
was served piping hot and cooked to perfection. Absolutely delicious and a real bargain.
Bea chose Mrs Kirkhams Cheese & Onion
Pudding, a really old fashioned dish. On her
heavy wooden board was a round cast iron
platter holding a steamed pudding of very
generous proportions. The pastry had been
made with chopped parsley, and a silky mixture of cheese sauce and onions oozed out
when she cut into it. It was served with the
ubiquitous pea shoots, caramelised leeks
and shallots and a rich thyme gravy there
was an extra mini copper saucepan of this
on one side of the board as well. This too
was pronounced delicious.
With bottles of sparkling water and a coffee
each to end our so-called light lunch, the
bill was about 23 each really good value
for such excellent quality. The servers were
friendly and helpful, and it was lovely to find
a restaurant that takes such pride in providing traditional British dishes to such a
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59
FEATURE
Chickens
by Emma de Sousa
It was back in 2008 that I got my very first

hens, three adorable Bantam chicks. This
was the beginning of my love affair with
these endearing little creatures who quickly stole my heart. Thirty two hens later and
I can honestly say that I cannot imagine life
without them, especially my beloved Rescue
Hens, who are particularly close to my heart.
In 2009 I was put in touch with a wonderful
lady who dedicates her life to rescuing former battery hens. She had set up a charity and over the years had been involved in
the rescue of literally thousands of these
poor creatures from the cruel confines of
the battery cage. In 2013, the EU brought in
new legislation regarding battery cages and
in the UK we now have an enhanced cage
system - it is, in my opinion, only a slightly
better alternative to what is a cruel existence
for these animals short lives, but at least it
has improved the situation from how it was
pre-2013. It is by no means ideal, and until
we as consumers demand a better existence
for the animals that produce our meat, eggs
and milk, producers will continue to provide
poor living conditions for animals in order
to feed our need for cheaper food. You can
read more about this at the British Hen Welfare Trusts website at www.bhwt.org.uk
take on they need a certain amount of attention each day. So apart from the obvious needs of food and water, a clean, dry and
safe house in which to live with access to an
outside run is essential before you get your
own hens, it is worth spending some time
and effort speaking to other hen keepers to
find out what has worked for them. For me,
as large a run as you have space for is the
ideal, and fox proofing is essential, but also I
have found that a roof over my run has been
a godsend as the hens can be out come rain,
sun or snow. There are so many designer
coops out there, but I have found that they
are way too small - and I like the option of
leaving my girls safe in the coop while I am
out, with room to roam and dust bath without getting in each others way. I do let my
hens free-range on a daily basis but only
when I am working in and around the garden or my dogs are there to keep an eye out
for the local fox family!
Of course one of the main benefits of keeping hens is the lovely eggs that they producefrom our small flock of hens we get
a lot of eggs and the neighbours are kept
stocked up with a steady flow from our girls.
If you have never tasted a genuinely freerange FRESH egg then you quite frankly haKeeping chickens is not difficult, but there vent lived! There is nothing like a beautiful
are some basic rules that need to be fol- egg that has been picked from the nesting
lowed. Like any animal that you decide to box just after being laid, warm to the touch
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and cooked when its only hours old. The

eggs you buy in your local supermarkets are
probably at least a week old and maybe a lot
more, and you never quite get that beautiful
yellow yolk that you get from a truly freerange chicken. Try one and you will see and
taste the difference immediately. That and
the fact that if you keep your own hens you
know exactly what they are feeding on and
what is ultimately going into your and your
familys bodiesyou just cant beat it (excuse
the pun!).
So here are some top tips if you are considering becoming a keeper of hens
- Always keep a minimum of three hens
Hens are flock animals and need company!
- If you are going to free-range your hens
then dont expect a pristine garden. They
can be destructive so careful planting is
required if you also want to keep a decent
looking garden. Maybe fence off an area that
is for your hens only, grow hardy shrubs and
grasses and dont expect a beautiful lawn.
Chickens love to scratch!
www.cibare.co.uk
-Build as big a run as you can spare space

for, that way you wont need to let them freerange all day and they will still have plenty
of room to spread their wings, dust bath and
behave as nature intended, scratching the
earth and foraging for worms and bugs!
- Chickens cant fly very far but they will escape over a low fence so make sure your garden is secure.
- You can feed your food scraps to your hens
but it is not advised to feed them meat products they will eat almost anything but are
generally omnivores so green matter and
worms etc are their mainstay as well as their
daily chicken pellets or mash. It is important that they get greens as well as their dry
food. Cabbage leaves are great.
- If you do decide to keep hens it is not advisable to keep a cockerel you dont need
one for egg production and your neighbours
wont thank you for its early morning wake
up call!
- You can find more information on keeping
hens and in particular rescue hens at www.
bhwt.org.uk
61
GARDENING
TOP TIPS FOR YOUR ALLOTMENT

by Emma de Sousa
Back in November last year I finally got my

very own allotment. It was an overgrown,
unloved wilderness but over the last five
months I have lovingly hacked, dug and
de-weeded this small patch of land and it
now resembles somewhere that may just
produce something beautiful this summer!
My plans are to grow flowers (including edible ones) and veggies I am no expert but I
have grown up in a family who have always
grown their own and I am the last of the clan
to get my little patch of heaven. So I invite
you to join me on this growing journey I
am keeping a written as well as a photo diary
of my journey and I will, in conjunction with
my expert allotment buddies, be taking you
on my journey to growing heaven
What To Do In April.
of leaves to produce side shoots.

You can directly sow your half hardy annuals such as French and runner beans, squash
and basil in April. Also hardy annuals such
as salad leaves, carrots, spinach, beetroot,
broccoli and chard. Sow your salad leaves
in a length of gutter and then when they are
ready to plant out its a much quicker and
easier job simply to slide your seedlings into
a pre-dug trench.
Plant your potatoes if you havent already
done so.
Its a good opportunity to do a last de-weed
on your already dug-over ground. By now
all the weeds you thought you had removed
during the colder, dormant months will be
re-appearing all over the place so hoe them
out while they are young and its easy to remove the entire root. This is a job I give my
children to do each has a bucket or an old
plastic pot and the one who fills it with the
most weeds gets the prize!
You should have started sowing your seeds

undercover already, such as courgettes, cucumbers and tomatoes, and they should be
well on the way to making sturdy little plants
ready for planting outside once the risk of
frost has passed. If you love sweet peas as I
Dont forget to sow your herbs. Not only do
do, these should also be well on their way in
they taste fantastic they are also a pretty adthe cold frame I have just pinched out the
dition to your plot.
tips of mine down to the second or third set
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You can sow directly this month your edible flowers such as dill, borage and pot marigolds.
Wait until next month for nasturtiums and viola although you can sow undercover if you
have a greenhouse or space on your window ledge, as long as it is not in direct sunlight all
day.
Think ahead and plan to feed your allotment friends I intend to use no chemicals at all
on my plot and will be growing lots of bee friendly flowers to create a desirable environment and encourage pollinators into the area. I also have a bug house built out of hollow
stemmed reeds to encourage ladybirds and other aphid eating insects - I dont know if this
actually works but I am trying it and will report back. During the colder months, keep a
pile of wood and leaves in a corner of your plot to encourage hedgehogs to hibernate there
they are your friends during the warmer months as they eat the dreaded slugs which in
turn means that the slugs wont be eating your lettuces!
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63
Companion planting is a great way to deter

pests from munching on your prize veg. For
example, planting nasturtiums near your
cabbages will encourage the cabbage white
butterflies to lay their eggs on them instead
of on your cabbages. Chives are great for
deterring aphids due to their strong oniony smell, so sow them amongst plants or
around borders to protect your crops. The
idea is to work with nature and build up a
healthy eco-system in your allotment or
garden, thereby lessening the need to use
chemicals to kill any unwanted visitors.
Old net curtains provide a good way of covering your new seedlings until they are
strong enough to survive nocturnal slug attacks. It has been known for an entire crop
of young and tender seedlings to disappear
overnight after falling prey to the common
garden slug! Or maybe a large plastic bottle with the bottom cut off to create a cheap
cloche will do the trick. Trial and error is
the name of the game. I will let you know
what works for me from baked crushed
eggshells to copper rings to sheeps wool
(someone told me recently that slugs hate
crawling over the coarse hair of sheep so
if you know any sheep farmers ask for some
and see!). Maybe I can try dog hair as I seem
to have plenty of that at home. Alas I have no
sheep (yet!).
Dont forget that in May the risk of frost
should well and truly be over so do get cracking with the rest of your half hardy planting
and keep successional sowing those carrots,
radishes and lettuces etc for a bumper crop
throughout the season. In June you can
directly sow brassica and leeks for a winter harvest and all your biennial flowers for
next year. Good luck and come the next issue we should all be reaping the rewards of
our hard work!
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65
FEATURE
FICTION BECOMES FACT

by Elizabeth Hobson
Food can play an important, sometimes aspirational, often surprising role in science
fiction and fantasy. Creators often slip in
references to food to reinforce the otherness of their world. For example, in Roger
Vadims 1968 film Barbarella which stars
Jane Fonda, (after 154 hours of sleep) Barbarella approaches the planet of Tau Ceti
and is woken by her spaceship who declares
Prepare to insert nourishment, producing a glass of an unappetising brown liquid.
Viewers are instantly transported to a distant and not entirely desirable future. But
how far away is that future? In terms of the
food, the technology is already here. Soylent
was developed by Robert Rhinehart and his
team after recognizing the disproportionate amount of time and money they spent
creating nutritionally complete meals. A
powder that users mix with water, Soylent
contains protein, carbohydrates, fats, fibre
and vitamins and minerals such as potassium, iron and calcium - all the elements of a
healthy diet. Classified as a food (rather than
as a supplement), it can be bought with food
stamps in the U.S. and provides a complete
substitute for conventional food. Prepare
to insert nourishment - the only difference
between Soylent and Barbarellas sustenance
is that hers is dark brown and clear whereas
Soylent is biscuit coloured and turbid.
66
An altogether more covetable portrayal of

fictional food is in Roald Dahls classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. In The Television-Chocolate Room both bars of chocolate
and the unfortunate boy Mike Teavee are
teleported across the lab. Scientists around
the world today are successfully teleporting
photons (light particles) from one place to
another. That is a long way from the idea of
teleporting a solid object but proves that it
is possible. Another Dahl-esque technology that well be seeing more and more of in
the near future is 3D printed food. The list of
foods already being printed is awesome - including chewing gum, lollipops, cake decorations, chocolate, pasta, ravioli, quiche, designer fish and chips and hamburgers. Last
year NASA paid mechanical engineer Anjan
Contractor $125,000 to make a pizza printer
for their astronauts. As I write, a Kickstarter
campaign thats already raised four times its
goal in funding with several weeks to go for
PancakeBot is in operation. PancakeBot has
been invented by Miguel Valenzuela for his
two young daughters. A video on their Kickstarter page shows PancakeBot re-creating
a drawing by one of the girls, of a rocket in
space. The outline is printed first so that it
browns more on the hotplate than the second fill layer, creating a startlingly effective
rendering. When it comes onto the market
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67
image from www.cedar-and-willow.blogspot.co.uk
68
Science and technology are fast realising the

culinary dreams (and nightmares?) of fiction
and the change in the way we produce and
eat food from now to 2050 is going to be exponentially greater than the difference from
1950 to now. It may well look fantastic to us
and its going to include us too - the possibilities are only as limited as our imaginations.
www.cibare.co.uk
Image from oomediahaiti.com

Image of soylent-pitcher- www.thejournal.ie
The final depiction of food in fiction Im going to share with you is from Arthur C Clarke.
There are quite a few examples in his work
that spring to mind but the short story Ive
chosen contains the most disturbing and
challenging of all. In Food of the Gods we
enter our world - in a future wherein food is
synthesised from water, air and rock. A biochemist representing one of many companies who have been put out of business by a
new product, Ambrosia Plus, is addressing a
U.S. Congressional Committee. He explains
that, although this society realises that eating meat is a barbaric obscenity shamefully
practiced by ancient people, they still crave
the long established taste - therefore much
of the food they enjoy is indistinguishable
from meat on a fundamental level. When
Ambrosia Plus exploded onto the market
the scientists at his company were analysing
samples and trying to work out what it was

that people loved so much about it It took a
while but they finally realised that the product is identical to human flesh. Dun Dun
Duh. Frankenstein eat your heart out. Literally. Correspondingly, on 5th August 2013 in
London, the first lab-grown beef burger was
eaten and proclaimed close to meat. Mark
Post, a vascular biologist, grew the burgers
in-vitro from cattle stem cells and brought a
whole new dimension to the idea of cruelty
free meat. They are predicted to be on supermarket shelves in twenty years time.
Images of 3D food printer from www.businessinsider.com
consumers will be able to print pre-loaded

designs or use the S.D. card slot or Mac and
Windows compatible software to create custom designs.
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69
FEATURE

Popcorn for Children
by Penny Koulias
FACT: 1 in 3 children in the UK are
obese: Oli and Zoes food company was
born from our concerns as parents not only

for our own childrens health but the ever-growing child obesity problem we have
in the UK:

UK has the highest rate of child obesity in Western Europe.

The World Health Organization (WHO)
regards childhood obesity as one of the most
serious global public health challenges for
the 21st century.
Our mission:
to create healthy snacks

that we would be happy to give to our own
children and that are affordable for all parents.
so why was Olivias BMI reading so high? We

had to examine where we were going wrong.
I come from a Greek background in which
my mother and grandmother consider the
more the child eats the better. I was raising
our children on the same principle but after an initial Internet search I knew I had to
re-educate myself on portion sizes and childrens nutrition (as well as our own).
We then began to consider the snacks that
our daughters were having and when they
started school it was much harder to monitor their sugar and fat intake, such as the
dessert they had with their lunch or the class
birthday treats. We started to look more
carefully at the snacks we were choosing to
give them before, for example, their after
school activities or in the evening after their
meal, most I had confidently bought after
reading no added sugar sugar free all
natural on the labels - but what did that actually mean? When we started to look more
carefully at the actual sugar and salt content
on the packages the figures were alarming
and could be misleading and to a parent,
worrying.
As first time parents you are immediately

thrown into a world of constant new learnings and worries and for us the day that our
eldest daughter, Olivia, bought home her
alarming BMI results when she was in Reception, it dawned on us that nutrition and
healthy eating were areas in which we were
not as clued up as we once thought we were.
We couldnt understand it, we cook healthy We decided that this was not going to be our
meals, she is an active child who exercises childrens lifestyle. To make a change we
regularly and snacks are kept to a minimum, needed to be proactive and introduce our
70
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own healthy snacks at home. We started

to make popcorn at home and the children
LOVED it. It also became the favoured snack
for their friends during playdates and the
idea was conceived: why could we not offer this to all children? Snacks shouldnt be
something parents feel guilty about giving to
their children and they shouldnt make children think they are eating something wrong.
Snacks need to be part of a healthy balanced
diet and enjoyed. There is also so much focus on adult healthy snacking options in all
shops but not so much on childrens.
whelming. The feedback we are getting from

parents, children and stockists has been incredible, which is only serving to reassure
us that our passion has not been misplaced,
and it is driving us on to spread awareness
of our product and more importantly, childrens health.
We are also about to launch our own website
catering for the young community and blogs
which will include easy healthy recipes for
parents, nutritional advice and special dietary recipes.
After a year of intensive research, including market research in our childrens school
ftes, speaking to mums and of course children, it was evident that popcorn was loved
by the majority of children and that children
favoured Sweet and Sweet and salty as their
top two flavours and out of this Oli and Zoes
Food company was born (named after our
daughters, Olivia and Zoe).
Oli and Zoe is the first UK company to launch
a 12g bag of popcorn in order to aid childrens portion control and also makes them
ideal for lunch boxes etc. The packaging is
also specifically branded for children, in fact
our daughters helped design the packaging.
We are currently stocked in a number of

different local businesses such as swimming pools, football academies, pubs, health
shops, soft play locations, coffee shops and
Partridges in Kensington.
We would be very happy to have you to join

our journey so please do follow us on FaceEach packet is:
book, Twitter and Instagram. We would love

Handmade in the UK
to hear from you, so please get in touch. And

Only 55 calories
if you would like to stock our products, we

Very low in sugar and salt.
would be delighted to meet you to discuss
this.
The only ingredients we use are popping http://oliandzoe.co.uk
corn, rapeseed oil (which is a healthy choice
cooking oil as it has less saturated fat than
all other cooking oils), a minimal amount of
sugar and salt for the slightly sweet and salty
flavour.
Since our launch in December 2014 our
presence on social media, namely Twitter
and Facebook has steadily grown and support in the local community has been overwww.cibare.co.uk
71
A SWISS TALE
MY SWISS ODYSSEY
A Foodie Tour of Switzerland
Last summer, I was recovering from surgery and my cousin Linda was staying with
me to help me out. Someone made a throwaway comment about horses and snow, or
more specifically horse racing on a frozen
lake. Lets Google it! is always the answer
to this sort of query so we did. And yes, every January, weather permitting, in a village
called Arosa a stones throw from Davos and
Klosters, theres horse racing and trotting
on the thick ice that covers the lake. I stress
weather permitting, and more about that
later. From this seemingly inauspicious moment plans began to be hatched. Itineraries were written and re-written, Swiss train
timetables were minutely studied, hotels
were chosen and rejected. By early November Linda had all the arrangements sorted
out all I had to do was book my flight to
Zrich and turn up.
And thats exactly what I did. Departure day
dawned at around 4am, the result of booking a flight that left Gatwick at 8am. No matter, thered be time to sleep when I reached
Zrich, as Linda wasnt due to arrive until
much later in the day. Following her di72
rections, I found our hotel in the centre of

Zrich very easily. The Hotel Rtli is a very
comfortable business hotel about five minutes walk from the citys main rail station,
which, as you will see, was very important
to us! The staff know my cousin well, as she
is a regular visitor, and they made me very
welcome. Our room was spacious and well
equipped particularly as a Nespresso coffee machine had been included. That was
immediately put to good use.
It seemed wrong to nap straight away so I
set off to explore the area around the hotel
a little bit and find some lunch. The hotel is
very near Altstadt which is the older part of
the city, with its cobbled streets and traditional architecture. Very close by there were
restaurants offering all sorts of international
goodies, but I chose Restaurant Johanniter, a
long established place serving genuine Swiss
cuisine. After a bowl of Leberkndlsuppe,
which covered the first two courses of any
Friday night dinner by combining chopped
liver with chicken soup and matzo balls, I
sampled Geschnetzeltes Pouletfleisch mit
hausgemachten Sptzli an Pfefferrahm-
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PICTURE CREDITS: Gillian Balcombe
by Gillian Balcombe
sauce. Yes, these dishes have very long

names! A plate was set in front of me, full of
tiny, irregular shaped gnocchi-like dumplings that had been sauted to a gentle golden colour, accompanied by succulent pieces of chicken breast in a mushroom sauce
that was both creamy and light at the same
time. An excellent way to begin my gastronomic association with Switzerland! I then
had to walk off some lunch before napping,
and during my ramble found a bridge called
Muhleteg, which is an iron mesh footbridge
over the River Limmat. Its a local custom
for lovers to have padlocks decorated and
engraved with their names. They then fasten
the lovelocks to the iron mesh and throw
the keys into the water flowing below.
Dinner couldnt have been more different if
it tried. When Linda arrived starving hungry
after a flight from Tel Aviv, we switched from
the wood and copper interior of Johanniters
to the rather different surroundings of a
Chinese caf cum takeaway called Chopsticks on the same street, in the interests
of speed and diversity. The owner may have
been surly, and the dcor somewhat sparse
and outdated, but there was nothing wrong
with the duck and veg noodles.
The next day we spent shopping and mooching round Zrich and its suburbs. By the time
evening came we didnt want to go too far,
and so on my recommendation we returned
to Restaurant Johanniter. And they didnt
disappoint us. We both started with Grner
Salat an Franzsisch, aka a mixed leaf salad with a dressing that may never have seen
France or even have originated there, but
which is nonetheless creamy and delicious.
Our main course was the ber traditional
Zrich Geschnetzeltes Kalbfleisch Zrcher Art a delicately seasoned yet flavoursome dish of pieces of tender rose veal in a
mushroom and cream sauce, accompanied
by a large crisp and golden rsti, a grated
potato pancake that can best be described
as a giant latke, for those in the know! And
yes, theres a lot of controversy surrounding
Egg Corner a table with a portable gas

burner, an enormous bowl of fresh eggs,
dishes of butter, chopped onion, mushroom,
ham, tomato and peppers and grated cheese,
and a junior chef whose sole purpose was to
produce custom made omelettes containing
Breakfast in each of the hotels in which we whatever you desired, or your choice of fried
stayed was copious and varied. The buffet egg, on demand.
inevitably included any number of muesli variants and cereals, a wide selection of From Zrich we headed for Zermatt with
fresh fruits, fruit juices, platters of cold cuts high hopes of seeing the Matterhorn. We
and sliced cheeses, enormous whole chees- had a three hour train journey and I will say
es to cut yourself, cucumber and tomato, straight away that I have nothing but praise
pickles, soft cheeses and yogurts, warm hard for the efficiency, cleanliness and punctuality
boiled eggs and smoked salmon, numerous of the Swiss train services, be they InterCity
flavours of jam and honey and a huge se- or local rack and pinion. No nonsense about
lection of different types of freshly baked snow on the line here. (Take note British
bread. There was always a glass of Prosecco train companies!) Not being very sure about
on offer for those brave souls who werent the offerings of the dining car, although
too worried about skiing straight. In Zer- it turned out that we wouldnt have had a
matt and Davos there were also bains-ma- problem, we popped into a fish restaurant
rie containing scrambled eggs and bacon, named Nordsee on the station concourse to
whilst Davos outdid all the others with its get ourselves a takeaway salad. And what a
74
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PICTURE CREDITS: Gillian Balcombe
veal, however in Switzerland as in the UK, it

is ethically farmed with due regard for the
animals welfare. Milk fed veal with all its
connotations of animal cruelty is no longer
permitted.
high standard we found. Each freshly made

salad was prepared with the best quality ingredients, served in a fine pastry bowl and
popped into a folding, recyclable box for safe
transport. Not cheap, but worth every penny. And coffee on these trains is a revelation
too usually Lavazza and absolutely excellent. Proper coffee, not dishwater. (Again,
British train companies take note!)
The journey was easy and beautiful the
landscape around us was stunning. Not too
much snow at that stage, but nonetheless
lovely. We arrived in Zermatt in the late afternoon to find a very green village the
only vehicles allowed, including public service vehicles, are either electric or horse
drawn! Every hotel has its own electric taxi
and the two poshest ones pick you up from
the station in a horse and carriage. The town
taxis are the same kind of electric vehicle as
the hotels have, as are transport trucks belonging to contractors, delivery companies
and the like. The ski buses are just a bigger
version of the individual vehicles, and just as
green.
All hotels in Switzerland provide a half board

option, and the Alpenresorthotel is no exception. And although choosing half board
for your stay may be less expensive than ordering la carte, it does mean that you are
faced with a five course dinner! For 45 Swiss
francs (at the time about 30, though since
then of course the Swiss have played silly
games with their currency), we were treated to a royal repast. We worked our way
through smoked salmon with a mustard and
dill sauce, the most excellent cream of vegetable soup, the biggest tiger prawn I have
ever seen with Hollandaise sauce, veal cutlet
with herb butter, noodles and turned vegetables and a Grand Marnier parfait. Fruits
and cheeses were also on offer. The following night the theme was Barbecue. Again
the quality of the food was excellent grilled
Mediterranean vegetables on rocket with
balsamic dressing, cream of leek soup, a
plate of barbecued meats and fish, each of
which was cooked to perfection, and a dessert buffet. And because none of the desserts
on offer appealed to us, the chef prepared a
special dish for us. We later discovered that
he had earned a Michelin star in a previous

incarnation and, given the quality of the
food his kitchen produced, we werent the
least bit surprised.
erei, and another delightful local custom

a buggy ride round the village with Werner
and his faithful Swiss Mountain horse Lars.
And no, I dont know why a Swiss horse has
a Scandinavian name. So we saw the village
just as dusk was settling, with warm blankets around our knees, and the bells on Lars
halter jingling. The buildings were still festooned with fairy lights and light strings,
giving the streets a golden glow. It almost
made up for the rather disappointing Matterhorn!
The only meal that was a disappointment was

the lunch that we had at the top of Gornergrat. The day dawned reasonably fine and
we decided to take the rack and pinion railway up the mountain adjacent to the Matterhorn, hoping to get a fine view of this majestic peak. The little train took us up to 3,100
metres above sea level, where the first thing
we did was drink a hot chocolate! The jour- By this time the trip - and this article! - are
ney up the mountain was wonderful there only halfway through, so do look out for for
was plenty of snow and the landscape was Swiss gastronomic fun in the next issue!
glorious. There was a light breeze that lifted tiny snow crystals against our faces. The
snow underfoot was crisp and fresh. The
Matterhorn was shrouded in a fine mist, but
that would pass, surely?
So upwards we walked to the Kulmhotel
Grnergrat, on top of which is an astronomical observatory. Its so clear up there
that the view of the stars at night must be
amazing something to try in the summer!
We settled ourselves at a table which overlooked the general direction of the mountain and went to choose our lunch from the
self service selection. It was just a shame
that all the soups and the hot dishes were
either cold or lukewarm. However, to give
the staff their due, when I told the manageress, she apologised and brought us coffee
and chocolates on the house. Standards of
service remain high. Meanwhile, the Matterhorn wasnt playing ball either. It teased
us by partially showing itself as the cloud
moved across, but in the end it was covered
in a white out, and was all but invisible.
Still, this didnt stop your intrepid travellers
who, having purchased fluffy earmuffs and
neck warmers, set off back down the mountain to sample hotter soup served in a bread
roll bowl and Irish coffee at a nearby bck76
www.cibare.co.uk
BOOKS
Cookbook Review
Life Is Sweet- The Hummingbird Bakery
by Rebecca Stratton
would jump out at me. See, the trouble I find

with so many baking cookbooks released in
the last five years, is that they are ALL THE
SAME! Same recipes, same techniques, same
trends, just with a different person posing
with a mixing bowl on each cover.
My mind flicked back to the new Hummingbird book, and with a fresh perspective I
read the recipe titles again thinking how
wonderful it was to have a book full of recipes that do not appear in any other book I
own.
I bought this book on a whim after receiving
an Amazon suggests email. I love the first
two books from Hummingbird. They both
contain mountains of cupcake recipes and
kooky American bakes which we have come
to love over here too.
So, whilst the Tomato Soup Cupcakes

werent (and wont be) top of my list to try
out, I set about making the heavenly sounding Texas Tassie
Bars, a sort of pecan pie tray bake. A straightforward, concise and easy to make recipe
This book I found to be a lot more niche than which I enjoyed both baking and eating.
the first two books, focussing on Southern
American Baking. Some of the recipes in the Other recipes on the must-bake-at-somebook sound downright strange - 7Up Pound point list are Peanut Butter and Jelly Cake,
Cake, Tomato Soup Cupcakes and Vinegar Gooey Butter Cake, Lady Baltimore Cake (alPie spring to mind.
ways wanted to try this!) and Peanut Butter
Chocolate Banana Bacon Pie. Ok, I am a vegI had an initial flick through and put the etarian, but that last one fascinates me.
book down, having no intention on going
back to it.
As an experienced baker I am always looking
to try something new. Initial reservations
Then, one day I had a free day and fancied aside, this book is fabulous and I cannot wait
baking for fun. Picking up a few tattered to use more recipes from it. If we get more
cake books I sat down at the kitchen ta- than a day of summer this year, the Peach
ble and started to read, hoping something ice cream is definitely on this list.
Ready to eat this season
Send love to the Cibare Team for this

amazing issue
Check them out on
www.cibare.co.uk/team
... and sign up to our newsletter!
Meat Free Monday
Meat Free Monday
Bavaria Vs Camden Town
Jennifer Balcombe
Paul Ralhan
Photo Credits
Theos Rizogalo
Theo Michaels
Risotto and Pizza Alternatives
Alison Matthews
Food Porn
Gemma Feeney
Top Tips For Your Allotment
Emma de Sousa
Penny Koulias
My Swiss Odyssey
Great British Fish & Chips
Gillian Balcombe
Elizabeth Hobson
Fiction Becomes Fact
www.businessinsider.com
oomediahaiti.com
soylent-pitcher- www.thejournal.ie
www.cedar-and-willow.blogspot.co.uk
Cookbook Review
Hummingbird Bakery
Special Thanks to:
Jennifer Balcombe for the Camden Brewery

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Cibare

Issue Three, April 2015

Issue two, January 2015

HEALTH AND NUTRITION

Meat Free Monday

FOOD FOR THE SEASON

SOURCES AND CREDITS

Cibare Food Magazine

Cibare Food Magazine

Cibare Food Magazine

Fried egg on sourdough with

Cibare Food Magazine

After somehow being invited to sign up to

So I added a nice box of fruit to my regular

A box arrived mid-morning on a Tuesday

Cibare Food Magazine

Where I live its actually quite hard to buy

week which can be a problem but I always

Meat Free Monday

It was quite simple concept. Dont eat meat

are doing to our planet because of this way

Cibare Food Magazine

PICTURE CREDITS: www.veggievision.tv. and Meat Free Monday logo

I stumbled across Paul McCartney prattling

impact on our entire lives. The simple notion

Cibare Food Magazine

Time for a coffee

Cibare Food Magazine

ably gentler fruity, fermenty, berry flavour.

Indian Monsoon Beanzz

An AeroPress is an inexpensive way to make a

Cibare Food Magazine

tually said, Fuck me!! when I ate it as it was

Cibare Food Magazine

Bavaria Vs Camden Town

Cibare Food Magazine

PICTURE CREDITS: Jennifer Balcombe

Cibare Food Magazine

He said, to all the beasts of the earth and all

which blankets your taste buds.

Cibare Food Magazine

PICTURE CREDITS: Jennifer Balcombe

PICTURE CREDITS: Paul Ralhan

Cibare Food Magazine

Do you wanna drink?

on fresh window cleaner - and the sharpest

We start with the most obvious choice - the

Cibare Food Magazine

Sling, Aviation) with friends

Leftovers never tasted so good!

Cibare Food Magazine

Toasted sandwiches with Pepperoni and Cheddar.

Cibare Food Magazine

Meal for the season

the oven (medium/high heat for 20 minutes),

You have a choice of rice grains Arborio

Below are some recipes from the Cibare

1 medium to large onion, chopped finely

But there you have it. Risotto is actually very

Cibare Food Magazine