The Bath Festival reveals its 2022 programme

The Bath Festival is excited to reveal its 2022 programme, with an outstanding array of authors, musicians and influential thinkers lined up to entertain and inspire. 

The annual world-renowned festival, celebrating books and music in a beautiful city, will run from Friday 13 May to Saturday 21 May 2022, with a series of citywide live events.

The festival fun begins with the traditional free Party in the City on Friday 13 May, offering dozens of live music events in city venues. This celebration of music attracts thousands of visitors to the city, to enjoy everything from choirs singing in churches, to samba on the streets, punk rock in pubs and the stars of the local music scene playing on stages in local parks.

Highlights of this year’s wide-ranging programme include appearances from Davina McCall, PJ Harvey, Justin Webb, David Olusoga, Ali Smith, Marian Keyes – and many, many more.

Tickets go on general release on Friday 11 March. For full programme details visit The Bath Festival website: thebathfestival.org.uk; to get priority booking before tickets go on general release, sign up to become a Bath Festivals member: bathfestivals.org.uk/the-bath-festival/sign-up/

Featured image: Davina McCall

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British Pie Week is celebrated between 7-13 March this year; put this luxurious, moreish Chicken Pie at the heart of your pie-related party and prepare to reacquaint yourself with a British comfort food classic. 

Ingredients (makes one large pie, serves 4-6)

For the filling:

1 whole, free range medium sized chicken (1.2k-1.5k approx.)
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
2 bay leaves
10 peppercorns

For the pastry:

450g plain flour
240g cold butter, cubed
1 tsp salt
1 beaten egg (to glaze)

If you're not in the mood for making your own pastry, use 1 x 500g block of all butter, ready made shortcrust pastry.

For the sauce:

250ml whole milk
55g butter
55g plain flour
1-2 tsp dried tarragon

Method

1. Put the chicken into a large pan along with the onion, carrot, bay leaves and peppercorns. Cover with cold water and bring to the boil before reducing the heat and simmering until the chicken is cooked (probably around 1 ½ hours, depending on the size of the chicken). 

2. Meanwhile, make the pastry: sift the flour and salt together into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a food processor. Add the cold, diced butter and either use your fingers to rub the cubes into the flour or pulse in the food processor until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add just enough very cold water and mix or pulse to form a stiff dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly-floured surface and gently bring it together to form a smooth ball. Wrap in clingfilm or place in a plastic bag and chill for at least 30 minutes.

3. When the chicken is cooked, take the pan off the heat. Remove the chicken and put it onto a plate. Put the pan back on the heat and reduce the cooking liquid to about 250ml before straining the reduced liquid into a jug and leaving to cool. When cool, skim off any fat that has formed on the surface and discard it.

4. Cut the chicken flesh into chunks (discarding the skin and bones) and put to one side. Melt the butter in a pan and stir in the flour, allowing it to 'cook' for a minute or so to remove any trace of floury texture. Gradually add the milk and reserved chicken stock and bring to the boil, stirring continuously. Reduce the heat and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Add the dried tarragon, season to taste, then fold the chicken into the sauce. Set the mixture aside to cool.

5. Preheat the oven to 190°C/gas mark 5. Roll out two-thirds of the pastry and use it to line a 20–25cm pie dish. Add the cooled chicken mix and brush the edge of the pastry with beaten egg. Roll out the remaining pastry to make a lid and pinch the edges together to form a seal (you can, if you're feeling creative, make leaves or cute little pastry decorations with any leftover pastry at this point, and use them to decorate the top of the pie). Brush the top with more beaten egg and make a hole in the centre to allow the steam to escape before baking for about 35-45 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown. Allow the pie to settle for 5 minutes before slicing and serve with oodles of buttery mashed potato and a pile of steamed greens.

Smoked Fish Pie (serves 4)

Line the base of a lightly-greased, 23cm pie dish with two-thirds of a 500g block of rolled, ready made shortcrust pastry. Blanch 225g broccoli florets in boiling water; drain and put to one side. In a suitably-sized pan, cover 375g undyed smoked haddock and 225g smoked salmon fillets with 125ml dry white wine and poach gently over a medium heat for 4-5 minutes until the fish has an opaque appearance and flakes easily. Drain the fish (retaining the poaching liquor), remove any skin, flake into bite-sized chunks and use both the fish and the blanched broccoli to cover the base of the pastry-lined pie dish. Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Remove any tough stalks from 100g watercress and tear into a food processor or blender along with 150ml crème fraiche and the reserved fish poaching liquor. Blitz to form a sauce, then pour the sauce over the fish and broccoli in the pie dish. Brush the edge of the pastry in the pie tin with beaten egg and roll the remaining pastry out to make a lid for the pie. Seal the edges, brush the top with more beaten egg, make a small hole in the centre to allow steam to escape and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Allow the pie to settle for 5 minutes before slicing.

Rainbow Vegetable and Mozzarella Pie (serves 4)

Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Gather 2 red peppers, 2 yellow peppers, 2 red onions 1 aubergine and 1 courgette together and peel and deseed as necessary before chopping into bite-sized chunks and tumbling across 2 roasting trays. Toss the vegetables with a mixture of olive oil, 2-3 cloves of garlic (peeled and crushed), the leaves from 2-3 fat sprigs of fresh thyme and plenty of seasoning and roast for 25-25 minutes, turning occasionally, until the vegetables start to caramelise. Remove the vegetables from the oven, tip into a large bowl, add 200g cubed mozzarella and 4-5 tbsp passata and stir well to combine. Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6 and line the base of a lightly-greased, 23cm pie dish with two-thirds of a 500g block of rolled, ready made shortcrust pastry. Fill with the vegetable/cheese mixture, brush the edge of the pastry with beaten egg and roll the remaining pastry out to make a lid for the pie. Seal the edges, brush the top with more beaten egg make a small hole in the centre to allow steam to escape. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown, and allow the pie to settle for 10 minutes before slicing.

All Day Breakfast Pie (serves 4)

Sauté 550g Cumberland sausages (chopped into bite-sized chunks) with 200g smoked bacon lardons until just beginning to colour (around 4-5 minutes). Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 5 and line the base of a lightly-greased, 23cm pie dish with two-thirds of a 500g block of rolled, ready made shortcrust pastry. In a large bowl, lightly beat 4 large eggs with 4 peeled, roughly-chopped spring onions and plenty of seasoning. Add the sautéed sausage and bacon to the bowl and stir well to combine. Fill the pie with the sausage/bacon/egg mixture, brush the edge of the pastry with beaten egg and roll the remaining pastry out to make a lid for the pie. Seal the edges, brush the top with more beaten egg make a small hole in the centre to allow steam to escape. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Allow the pie to settle for 10 minutes before slicing.

Classic Apple Pie (serves 4-6)

Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 5 and line the base of a lightly-greased 23cm pie dish with two-thirds of a 500g block of rolled, ready made shortcrust pastry and pop into the fridge to chill. Peel, core and thinly-slice 1kg cooking apples and toss them with the juice of 1 large lemon, 100g caster sugar, 1 tbsp flour and 2 tsp ground cinnamon. Line the pie case with the apples and brush the edge of the pastry with a little water. Roll the remaining pastry out to make a lid, seal the edges, brush the top with more water and a sprinkling of caster sugar and make a small hole in the centre to allow steam to escape. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Serve warm with cream, ice cream or custard.

Five magnificent Spanish reds

The Great Wine Co is currently offering a ‘Magnificent Spain’ promotion - with up to 30% discount on some truly excellent Spanish wines. There's reds, whites and rosés on offer, but we've been fancying some Spanish reds... here are some all-time favourites.

Rioja Reserva – Vinedos Sierra Cantabria

This is an utterly awesome Reserva Rioja. Intense Cherry and toasted notes on the nose with subtle aromas of tobacco and cedar. Ripe fruit on the palate combines with light floral scents. Dense, sweet and polished on the palate, this is a beautifully balanced wine with very fine tannins. £22 (was £27.50)

Ribera del Duero - Pago de Carraovejas

The modern classic! PDC is the new standard of top flight Ribera del Duero. Brooding dark fruit profile, spicy mocha nuances from a blend of both new and old wood and firm back bone of acidity that can only be found on the Golden Mile of Ribera makes these wines both incredibly complex and ageworthy. £35 (was £44)

Rioja Edicion Limitada – Ramón Bilbao – Rioja

Intense ruby red with black cherry glints and a deep hue. High fruit intensity on the nose, with a perfect balance of dark fruit and oak on the palate. The spicy nuances play a key role, with black pepper, cloves and cumin. Fresh wood aromas with notes of cocoa, dry tobacco leaves and mint and a smooth, fruity mouth-feel with a long finish. Pleasant, polished tannins and refreshing acidity. £12.75 (was £17.50)

Organic Tempranillo – Bodegas Verum – Embrujo

A wonderfully expressive red, serving up a palate of black fruit - blackcurrants, blackberries – elevated by a fragrant sprinkling of spice. £7.77 (was £8.85)

Baluarte Roble – J. Chivite Family Estates

An absolute cracker, fantastic value for money and a truly great red wine. Fermentation and maceration occur at controlled temperatures in stainless steel tanks where the three grapes (predominantly Tempranillo) are co-fermented. After malolactic fermentation, the wine is racked into American oak barrels where it is aged for 4 months. This is a wine with a satisfying mouth-feel, black fruits character, good acidity gives backbones and structure, and a lingering tasty finish. £8.25 (was £9.95)

Explore the full 'Magnificent Spain' promotion by clicking here.

Experience Fisher & Paykel at Coopers Home Appliances

Coopers Home Appliances on Walcot Street (opposite Waitrose) now boasts a new Fisher & Paykel experience centre – for customers to see up-close the beauty and quality of the Fisher & Paykel range of appliances. 

Coopers is just one of a handful of independent appliance retailers to offer a Fisher & Paykel experience centre. 

Editing our own footage together with product clips, we made this short commercial to celebrate Fisher & Paykel at Coopers.

If you have a product commerical in mind or need a video presentation to help promote your business - then why not get in touch with the team at The Bath Magazine. 

Green Park Brasserie

A must-visit with live music, locally sourced produce and a buzzing atmosphere, this is one of Bath’s best restaurants. Proudly independent since 1992 and known for their steaks, the Green Park Brasserie sits in the historic booking hall of the old Green Park Station and has a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. Hosting live music four nights a week (Wednesday to Saturday) this is one not to be missed. Green Park Brasserie has recently been awarded the title of ‘UK’s most Romantic Restaurant’ and is highly reviewed by The Sunday Times, Tatler and The Guardian. Two for £12 cocktails run from 12–5pm every day and the sunlit terraces are perfect for watching the world go by and letting the good times roll! Book for a table for indoor dining and live music or just rock up for a more casual bite to eat and drink on the terraces (no bookings).

6 Green Park Station, Bath BA1 1JB
Tel: 01225 338565 Web: greenparkbrasserie.com

Read this month's feature on the history – and future – of Green Park Brasserie by clicking here.

Looking for more delicious foodie inspo?

Click through to browse our full Delicious Guide!

Tudor Black Bay GMT Steel

Inspired by the Tudor watches of the 1950s, the famous Black Bay divers' watch is available with a GMT function, so it's easy to operate across different time zones without the need for an hour hand adjustment. 

Sporting a 41mm steel case, luminous markers and a distinctive burgundy and blue aluminium bezel, and steel bracelet (there’s also a leather strap or fabric Nato strap option) the characteristic angular hands known to collectors as 'Snowflake' first appeared in Tudor's 1969 ranges. Powered by Tudor's excellent in-house MT5652 automatic self-winding movement, the watch also features a large crown and is waterproof to 200 metres. See this model and many Tudor variations at Mallory. Model shown £3,200

See the Tudor range at mallory-jewellers.com.

Cherry Bizarre: Zing Silk Scarf

Cherry draws upon her colourful past to produce unique, vibrant imagery. She is always dipping into her upbeat view of the world shaped in 60s London, with influences from Carnaby Street and Biba, to working with the Rolling Stones, Monty Python, Peter Sellers, Handmade Films and George Harrison.

Above: Cherry Bizarre's Zing Silk Scarf – 100% silk, 60cm x 60cm. Made in the UK, designed in the UK. £90

Available from the Cherry Bizarre website: cherrybizarre.com

TOAST Menswear: Revere Collar Cotton Drill Jacket

TOAST's practical revere collar jacket is crafted from heavyweight organic cotton drill which is Italian-woven, then garment-dyed for depth of colour. Punctuated by external and internal patch pockets, then finished with a useful internal hanging loop. Part of the clothing brand's Menswear collection. £235

CHANEL Rouge Allure L'Extrait lipsticks: launched today

More than just a lipstick, Rouge Allure L'Extrait offers concentrated colour, radiance, and care, creating an intense, satiny makeup look that is nothing short of daring.

Its slim new refined case has been redesigned to fit a golden refill cartridge, without losing the iconic Rouge Allure click. With Rouge Allure L'extrait, makeup becomes a way of making a statement and fully asserting one’s individuality. Apply with confidence, define with precision. £46 (refill £34)

Click here to shop the lipsticks.

Netflix: Pieces of Her

In a sleepy Georgia town, a random act of violence sets off an unexpected chain of events for 30-year-old Andy Oliver and her mother Laura. Desperate for answers, Andy embarks on a dangerous journey across America, drawing her towards the dark, hidden heart of her family. Starring Toni Collette, Bella Heathcote, Jessica Barden, Pieces of Her is adapted from Karin Slaughter's novel of the same name. 

Pieces of Her season one is released on Netflix today (4 March): netflix.com

Curated by Daniel McCabe

FARE is an international food journal that examines a national cuisine through the lens of a single city. Or, if you like, a city through its cuisine. Either way, the results are enchanting and kaleidoscopic. For its tenth issue FARE visits Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan and a place of huge of spiritual significance: a city where, the publisher says, 'food and faith intertwine with nature, and locals find their voices amplified by millennia of tradition'. This is a superb issue, mixing interview, reportage and photography to thrilling effect. Even non-foodies will be be absorbed. £14

HAY Pao Portable Lamp

Naoto Fukasawa’s Pao lighting collection for HAY is inspired by the soft, glowing shape of illuminated Mongolian Pao tents. From £129

The HAY lighting collection can be purchased from the Holloways of Ludlow website: hollowaysofludlow.com