|
| Plus, four ways to cook rhubarb and Marks and Spencer's sustainable denim range |
View in browser
|
|
|
|
A specially curated guide to help you enjoy the next 48 hours (or more) in Bristol
|
|
|
|
|
NEW CREATIVES IN FILM | INSPIRED BY A TRUE STORY
|
|
|
|
| Bristol's emerging talent |
|
|
|
|
Dinah is a story that takes place after the pulling down of Edward Colston's statue in Bristol. It follows a runaway slave from 1687, Dinah Black, and an African exchange university student, Michael, as they collide in present-day Bristol, a city being forced to re-address its historical legacy post the events that have shaken the world.
Written and directed by Pierre Niyongira and produced by Guillermo Quintanilla-Pinto, the story was commissioned as part of New Creatives, a project from Arts Council England and the BBC Arts, which champions emerging new talent.
Watch Dinah on BBC New Creatives here: bbc.co.uk
|
|
|
|
|
WHAT'S BAKING? | FRUITY MEASURES
|
|
|
|
| Recipe by Melissa Blease |
|
| Fruity tea loaf |
|
|
|
|
Packed with fruity, malty flavours, this hearty tea loaf is a super-satisfying treat that's most definitely not just for tea time: top thick slices with chopped banana and drizzle with honey for breakfast; pair a wedge with crumbly Cheshire cheese at lunchtime; indulge yourself and have a thin slice with a glass of sherry in the evening... make the cake, and make it your own.
A mixture of 300g of whatever dried fruit you have to hand (or prefer) can easily replace the combination in this recipe – I've made this cake with various medleys including dried cranberries, dates, raisins and blueberries all to great success, but the sultana/apricot/prune mix results in the moistest end result.
The cake also has the added benefit of keeping well in a tin for days on end (if, that is, you can bear to leave it alone). It freezes well too, wrapped tightly in cling film... which is why I tend to bake two at once, and keep another in storage 'just in case'.
Ingredients
75g dried apricots, chopped
75g dried, pitted prunes, chopped
150g sultanas
2 large eggs
225 dark brown soft sugar
225g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
4 tea bags
Method
1. Mix the dried fruit and sugar together in a large bowl. Infuse the tea bags in 300ml boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags and pour the tea over the dried fruit and sugar, stirring well. Cover the bowl and leave the mixture to marinate for a minimum of 4 hours (preferably overnight).
2. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/gas mark 4. Grease and line a 900g loaf tin.
3. Beat the eggs and stir into the fruit/sugar/tea mixture. Sift the flour, cinnamon and baking powder into the bowl and stir until thoroughly combined.
4. Transfer the cake batter into the prepared tin and bake for around 1.5 hours, or until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. If the top of the cake is browning too quickly before the centre of the cake is cooked, turn the oven down slightly and cover the top with foil.
5. Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out to cool completely before slicing.
|
|
|
|
|
WEEKEND WINE | GREAT WHITES
|
|
|
|
| Five whites for around a tenner |
|
|
|
|
Estate Sauvignon Blanc - De Martino
From Chile. Intense aromas of ripe citrus and tropical fruit that lead to a fresh palate with medium body. £11.50
Blanc de Blancs, Vin de France - Le Rouleur
From France. 'Le rouleur' is the term given to a cyclist who is a good all rounder, and the same is certainly true of this wine. An attractive, glossy, pale yellow with crispy, fresh citrus and floral aromas with lively herby apple flavours on the palate. Soft in texture with a persistent finish. £8.50
Pinot Grigio - Le Vigne
From Italy. Blended from top vineyards including Cantarelle, next to Lake Garda. Pale straw yellow in colour with a bright and flowery fragrance. Light, crisp and dry with a racy acidity that gives mouth watering appeal. Offers good mid palate balance with a clean finish. £9.95
Petit Chenin Blanc - Ken Forrester Wines
From South Africa. Very clean, sparkly colour. Steely aromas of lime, lemon and mint. Supple and spicy, with bright acids giving shape to the flavors of stone fruits and lime. Very impressive. £10.95
The Stump Jump Chardonnay - D’Arenberg
From Australia. Very aromatic to start, lifted citrus blossom mix with white peaches and nectarines. Fresh and zesty on the palate, the oak lends support and gives a lovely creamy mouthfeel with texture and spice. £11.95
Explore the full white wine cellar at The Great Wine Co
|
|
|
|
|
ON THE BOX | AN UNNERVING THRILLER
|
|
|
|
|
The films follows Marla Grayson, a court-appointed legal guardian who cheats her elderly wards out of their assets as part of a con-artist team with her partner Fran. But when the pair set their sights on swindling wealthy retiree Jennifer Peterson they quickly find they’ve bitten off more than they can chew.
Starring Golden Globe-nominee Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage, Eiza González, Chris Messina, and Dianne Wiest.
Watch it on Amazon Prime today
|
|
|
|
|
NEW MUSIC | LIVE STREAM AT LOUISIANA
|
|
|
|
| George Glew releases new EP |
|
|
|
|
A culmination of acclaimed singles and a highly anticipated project, George Glew’s Gravity EP is a stunning collection of carefully crafted songs that have been eagerly awaited since early last year. Five tracks of incredible song-writing and epic productions will land on the 26 February via Chameleon Music.
Renowned for his arena-sized emotive vocals, intricate attention to detail and huge delivery, it’s easy to hear why George has clocked up millions of Spotify plays over the last few years, and his reputation as a singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist is skyrocketing.
Gravity delves deep into raw story-telling, as George explores losses in his family. The bereavement process has resulted in straight from the heart, to the heart, music that resonates from start to finish.
It’s no surprise that George has received support from some of the biggest names in the business, including Elton John and Annie Mac to name a few. With dozens of radio plays on the likes of Radio X, plus syncs on Netflix and being playlisted on Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer and Amazon, the word is spreading.
Celebrate with George and the band next week and tune into the livestream: facebook.com
|
|
|
|
|
NEWS FROM THE CITY | LIGHT THE NIGHT
|
|
|
|
| Bristol votes to light Clifton Suspension Bridge in blue |
|
|
|
|
Local people and businesses who donated to the Clifton Suspension Bridge ‘Light the Night’ crowdfunder campaign have voted to illuminate the bridge in blue this spring. The campaign, part of the UK wide #SupportOurMuseums initiative, run by the Museums Association, raised £13,390 in 28 days, when staff from the Clifton Suspension Bridge Visitor Centre appealed for funds to support their work following an almost total loss of income due to the Coronavirus lockdowns.
The Visitor Centre team initially set out to raise £10,000, but hit their target four days before the close of the campaign, with help from Clifton College to take it over the target. The additional funds not only will help to support the team, working remotely through the lockdowns to deliver online learning, but also allow the addition of laser effects to the lighting display.
The date of the illuminations is currently being kept under wraps, to ensure they can take place in a Covid-secure manner, but the team is working on plans to ensure that they can be seen and enjoyed by the largest possible audience.
cliftonbridge.org.uk
|
|
|
|
|
There are two types of rhubarb available right now: baby pink forced rhubarb (which is grown in the dark) and outdoor-grown rhubarb, which tends to be thicker stemmed than its forced cousin and and is brighter red in colour. Make sure you select bunches with firm, unblemished, snappable stalks, but beware! Never, ever eat rhubarb leaves: they contain high levels of oxalic acid (poisonous to both people and animals) so dispose of them immediately.
To poach rhubarb: rinse, trim and chop 400g rhubarb and tip into a suitably sized pan. Scatter with around 40g caster sugar, add a splash of water and simmer (partially covered) until soft. To roast rhubarb: preheat the oven to 190ºC/gas mark 5. Rinse, trim and chop 400g rhubarb. Toss with 50g caster sugar, tip onto a baking tray (in a single layer), cover with foil and roast for 15 minutes. Shake it all about, remove the foil and roast for a further 5–10 minutes until the rhubarb is tender and the juices have turned syrupy.
Below are some tempting recipes with rhubarb.
|
|
|
|
Rhubarb and Custard Cake
You will need 400g of roasted rhubarb for this recipe (see above). Preheat the oven to 180ºC/gas mark 4. Grease and line a 23cm loose-bottomed or springform cake tin. Take 3 tbsp of ready made 'store cupboard' custard (not the chilled, fresh custard) from a 150g pot and set to one side. Tip the remaining custard into a large bowl, add 250g softened butter, 250g self raising flour, 250g caster sugar, 4 large eggs and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Beat the mixture well until smooth and creamy. Spoon one-third of the cake batter into the prepared tin and cover with 150g roasted rhubarb, gently spreading as you go. Add another third of the cake batter mix and another 150g roasted rhubarb. Top with the last third of the cake batter and dot the top with the remaining 100g roasted rhubarb interspersed with little blobs of the set-aside custard. Bake the cake for 35–40 mins until risen and golden, then cover with foil and bake for a further 15–20 mins until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin before serving.
|
|
|
|
Rhubarb and Ginger Fool
Rinse and trim 300g rhubarb and chop into 2cm chunks. Place in a saucepan with 3 tbsp caster sugar and 1 tbsp water and cook over a gentle heat, partially covered with a lid, until the rhubarb is tender. Remove the lid, turn the heat up and boil rapidly for a couple of minutes until the liquid has reduced to a syrup. Tip the rhubarb into a sieve set over a bowl to catch the syrup, and allow both the fruit and the syrup to cool completely. When cool, use a stick blender or a food processor to purée half of the cooked rhubarb with 2 balls of stem ginger plus 1 tbsp ginger syrup from the jar. Whisk 200ml double cream with 1 tbsp icing sugar to the firm peak point. Roughly mash the cooked rhubarb and gently fold it into the cream along with 4 tbsp of the ginger purée and 200ml thick Greek yogurt, creating a swirl/ripple effect as you go. Spoon the mixture into glasses or dessert bowls and allow to chill before serving topped with the remaining ginger purée, the ginger syrup and crunchy ginger or shortbread biscuits.
|
|
|
|
Rhubarb Jam
Rinse and trim 1kg rhubarb, chop into 1cm chunks and place in a large, heavy bottomed saucepan. Add 1kg jam sugar (or 1kg caster sugar plus 1 x 8g sachet of pectin) and 2 vanilla pods (halved lengthways) and heat and stir gently,until all the sugar has dissolved. Add the juice of 1 large lemon and increase the heat and boil rapidly for around 10 minutes, skimming off any scum that rises to the top, until the fruit is really soft. To test that you've reached setting point, drop 1 large blob of jam onto a chilled plate and allow to settle for 2 minutes before pushing your finger through the jam; if the surface wrinkles, you're good to go; if not, keep cooking, testing for the setting point every 2 minutes. Allow the jam to cool for around 20 minutes before ladling into warm, sterilised jars and sealing well. The jam will keep in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months.
|
|
|
|
Rhubarb Gin
Rinse and trim 1kg rhubarb and chop into 3cm chunks. Put in a large jar with 400g white caster sugar, screw the lid on tightly, give it a really thorough shake, and leave in a cool, dark place for 24 hours, by which time the sugar will have drawn all the juice out of the rhubarb. Add one bottle of a classic, unflavoured gin of your choice (keep the empty bottle and lid), seal the jar again, shake to mix well and put it back into hiding for 4 weeks, by which time the gin will have turned a soft baby pink. Strain the liquor back into your empty gin bottle through a muslin-lined sieve and store in the fridge.
|
|
|
|
|
DESIGNS OF DESIRE | ROBERTO COIN
|
|
|
|
|
Italian jewellery designer Roberto Coin sets each and every piece of his jewellery with a small ruby, usually hidden from sight and in contact with the wearer. The brand has become enormously popular not only because of this quirky signature but also for creating beautiful romantic pieces embraced by a huge celebrity following. Shown here: Roberto Coin Pois Mois Mini 18ct yellow and white gold diamond pendant and chain 45cm, £995. Matching Pois Mois Mini bracelet, 18cm, £1,435.
See the full range and other collections by Roberto Coin at: mallory-jewellers.com
|
|
|
|
|
LOCAL STORIES | BRISTOL'S LIVE MUSIC SCENE
|
|
|
|
| An interview with Bristol-based folk duo |
|
|
|
|
Rainy Day Woman has recently been signed to the part Bristol-based label, Pear O'Legs Records. Sarah J. Davies chats to one half of the acoustic folk duo, Hannah Pawson, who shares her key influences, her creative process, and considers the possibilities of Bristol.
"As a songwriter and musician, I very often find myself faced with this irritating stereotype, that I'm a singer and not a musician, that my guitar is for decoration. It was one of the reasons I took up banjo... so I would stop getting comments like 'you're good for a girl' or whatever."
Enjoy a four minute read here
|
|
|
|
|
DENIM SHOP | M&S SUSTAINABLE RANGE
|
|
|
|
|
MARCH ISSUE | A MESSAGE FROM THE TEAM
|
|
|
|
New issue update!
We're currently working on our new issue, which will be published in early March. We can't wait to be back on the shelves!
In the meantime, if you fancy catching-up on some great reads that you may have missed, there's an often overlooked link on our website, which will take you to a wondrous digital bookshelf of The Bristol Magazine's back issues. Explore and enjoy. It'll help keep you off Netflix.
Delve into the bookshelf here
|
|
|
|
|
EXCITING NEWS | A MOMENT FOR BRISTOL PRODUCTION
|
|
|
|
| Bottle Yard's first post-Covid show hits screens |
|
|
|
|
A new series of CBeebies’ award-winning Andy’s Aquatic Adventures, produced by BBC Studios Natural History Unit, began on Monday (15 February). The show was the first title to restart filming at Bristol’s Bottle Yard Studios after the UK’s first lockdown forced filming to pause last year.
Filming began on the 15 episodes on 10 February 2020, only to be brought to a sudden halt when the first lockdown came into force in March, meaning productions at The Bottle Yard Studios and around the country came to a standstill. After a short interval the Studios and individual production teams worked to implement a wide range of Covid safety protocols.
Changes put in place included a stripped back crew, in which Mark Jones served as series producer, director, assistant director and script supervisor. Front man Andy Day, CBeebies’ longest running and much-loved presenter, was required to apply his own make up after video tutorials. Use of PPE social distancing was mandatory, with output viewed on individual monitors.
In this new series, Andy comes face to face with turtles, polar bears and fascinating fish from all over the world in his incredible Safari Sub. To achieve some of the water-based sequences, the production team constructed their own green screen pool in The Bottle Yard’s Studio 2, to simulate Andy floating on the surface of the water.
Andy’s Aquatic Adventures is available to watch now, every weekday CBeebies at 4.30pm and on BBC iPlayer.
|
|
|
|
|
ON THE BOOKSHELF | A WARM READ
|
|
|
|
Havana Year Zero by Karla Suárez
The latest novel from the wonderful Edinburgh based indie publisher Charco Press, Havana Year Zero by Karla Suárez is long overdue for a translation into English. The reader is invited into the warm and intimate world of Julia, the narrator, in the year she considers to be Cuba’s ‘Year Zero’; the country at its lowest ebb. A lecturer who hates teaching, Julia becomes determined to take the reins of her own existence. Enlisting her colleague and former lover, Euclid, she embarks on a quest to find a document that proves the telephone was invented by Antonio Meucci in Havana – an achievement, she believes, that will secure their place in history.
Publishes in February, Charco Press, £9.99
|
|
|
|
|
SCHOOLS DIARY | VIRTUAL OPEN DAYS
|
|
|
|
|
Virtual Events at Badminton School
Senior and Sixth Form Open Morning: Friday 26 February from 9am.
For prospective girls and parents interested in all year groups at Badminton School from Year 7 in Senior School through to Sixth Form (ages 11 - 18 years old).
Book your place here
|
|
|
|
|
INTERIORS | RELAX AND UNWIND
|
|
|
|
|
BRISTOL PROPERTY | ON THE MARKET
|
|
|
|
|
The flat is situated on Kingsdown Parade and forms part of this attractive period property which is well placed for the centre of the city. A most convenient location to live with good access into Cabot Circus, City Centre, BRI, Bristol University, Gloucester Road, Clifton Triangle and Redland railway station with its direct link into Temple Meads Station.
The building is set well back from Kingsdown Parade. A shared pathway leads through neighbouring gardens into the ground floor flat’s private, enclosed garden.
The interior of the flat is of a good size and there is the potential to arrange the interior to create a second bedroom (subject to the necessary planning approval and building regulations).
There is a very generous sized kitchen/dining space which extends the entire length of the flat with a separate access leading out to the back of Kingsdown Parade. On the market at £325,000.
For more information, visit Howard Independent Estate Agents: howard-homes.co.uk
|
|
|
|
| Trending on our website this week: |
|
|
|
|
|
