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As always, we've curated a collection of great reading by our team of wonderful writers as well as beautifully presented advertising by Bristol's best businesses. We hope you'll enjoy this month's magazine.

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By Susannah and Aaron Rickard
Serves 4 — Prep time 10 minutes — Cook time 30 minutes

There's something magical about the combination of sparkling wine and cream – cava is mildly acidic so it reacts with the cream to gently thicken the sauce, while the bubbles keep it light and silky smooth. The resulting texture of this sauce is light and silky, dancing on the tongue. It's perfectly complemented with this simply cooked salmon and zesty potatoes.

For a vegetarian option, spoon the velvety cava sauce over grilled asparagus or portobello mushrooms.

Ingredients

100ml cava brut (dry sparkling white wine)

600g new potatoes – scrubbed

3 tbsp butter

••• a lemon – juiced (approx. 1 tbsp lemon juice)

Salmon fillets for 4 (150–200g per person)

1 tbsp plain flour

100ml single (light) cream

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steamed broccoli or kale to serve, and parsley to garnish

Equipment

Medium saucepan

Heavy frying pan

Whisk

Method

For the potatoes:

Put the potatoes into a medium saucepan and cover with cold salted water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 12 minutes or until tender.

Drain the potatoes. Put 1 tbsp butter, a large pinch of salt and the lemon juice in the pan with the potatoes, then put the lid back on and give it all a good hard shake so that the potatoes are lightly crushed and coated in the butter and lemon.

For the salmon:

Heat 1 tbsp butter in a large heavy frying pan over a medium heat. Meanwhile, sprinkle the salmon fillets with salt and pepper on both sides. When the butter is foaming, add the salmon fillets skin side down and cook for 4 minutes.

Gently turn the salmon over, and cook for 1 more minute (or 2 minutes if your salmon fillets are quite thick).

Once the salmon is tender, remove from the pan onto dinner plates, cover, and leave to rest while you make the sauce.

For the sauce:

In the same frying pan, melt 1 tbsp butter over a very low heat. Stir in the flour and cook for a minute, then gradually whisk in the cava until smooth. Cook for a minute over a low heat until the mixture is bubbling, then remove from the heat and stir in the cream and a pinch of salt.

Bringing it together:

If you're serving this with greens, cook them now.

Sprinkle the salmon with a little chopped parsley, then serve with the lemony potatoes and a large spoonful of the cava sauce, and greens of your choice.

These are great times for English wine - new wineries are springing up, new vineyards are being planted at a feverish pace, and new international respect comes with almost every tasting competition. Our rising stars are scoring high.

Chardonnay - Hattingley Valley 
Pale lemon colour with soft green hue, this Chablis-style Chardonnay has wonderfully pronounced citrus, blossom and grapefruit aromas, with a hint of honey and pear. The palate is clean and fresh, with a mouthful of green apple flavours, and a creamy texture that is nicely balanced with its natural vibrant bright acidity. A fine and rich mouthfeel, with a long dry finish. £22

Pinot Noir Rosé - Lyme Bay
The vines are trained on a sprawling trellis system, and the soil is a heavy clay loam resting on a stiff London clay subsoil. The vineyard receives very low rainfall and good temperatures each year, making Crouch Valley Vineyard a consistent producer of top quality Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. A serious Rosé made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes. This wine is a single-vineyard designated bottling and its complex aromas of cherries, rosehip, strawberries and cream, and tight acidity and length, a great food wine. £22

Ditchling Reserve - Court Garden
The award winning Ditchling Reserve is only made in the best vintages and the 2010 is now pretty rare. This classic blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay spends 9 months in French Oak before bottling. Straw hue, delicate well-structured mousse, good balance between acidity and dosage, rich flavoured mid palate, clean and round finish.£39.50

From the Dolomites to the bays of Sicily, Italy boasts a myriad of different soils, climates and grape varieties - perfect for wine production and with a long tradition of passionate winemaking the Italians are a forza to be appreciated.

Chardonnay - Jermann
Its colour is brilliant straw-yellow with greenish highlights, its aroma is intense and fruity (banana when young, golden delicious apple when mature), lightly aromatic and with excellent persistence. £29

Brut di Pinot Nero Rosé VS - Ruggeri
Cherry red with a hint of salmon pink. The nose is fresh, fragrant and inviting, offering light red fruit aromas and hints of biscuity yeast. Finely textured with a consistent mousse. This wine is medium bodied and dry, but posesses a ripe cranberry fruit intensity that balances the bubbles and the crisp finish beautifully. £16.95

Brut Metodo Classico - Planeta
Pale yellow in colour with shades of sea green. Shows distinct aromas of "muscaredda", a variety of white prickly pear, white flowers and green grass. Vibrant and lean on the palate. Mt. Etna in full eruption. £29.50

The Fabergé Colours of Love Collection exemplifies ‘A Life in Colour’, fusing extraordinary coloured gemstones, artistic ingenuity and exceptional craftsmanship. The collection features Mozambican rubies and Zambian emeralds from Gemfields' mines.

Gemfields work with local communities, governments and conservation NGOs to ensure every gemstone sold supports health, education and livelihood initiatives, minimises effects on our environment and protects Africa’s biodiversity.

The Colours of Love collection also uses metals comprising Peruvian mined gold ore which contain no mercury, therefore making these environmentally sustainable and guaranteeing complete traceability across the supply chain.

Above left to right: Fabergé Colours of Love Fluted 18ct rose gold rainbow sapphire and diamond Ring, £2,520. Fluted 18ct rose gold ruby and diamond Ring, £5.520. Fluted 18ct white gold rainbow sapphire ring, £2,520.

The Fabergé range can be seen at Mallory.

Britta Glass Art: made with gold

Bristol-based artist and Britta Glass Art founder, Brittany, creates unique and vibrant artworks on glass using 23ct gold, mother of pearl and lots of glitter! Working out of her studio, she designs bespoke commission pieces and an array of iconic city landscapes and famous faces.

Follow Brittany on Instagram to keep up to date with her latest work and shop here: brittaglassart.com

Also available at Grace & Mabel; The Mall Clifton Village, 32 The Mall, Clifton, Bristol BS8 4DS

Top left: Love No.17; £130

Top right: Frida No.4; £150

Bottom left: Bristol No.6; £180

Bottom right: Clifton Suspension Bridge No.23; £200

Grace & Mabel: dress for the occasion

VEJA

The V-10 model made out of ecological and sustainable materials stands for 10 ans d’amour. The lining is made out of organic cotton; the insole made out of wild rubber and other synthetic materials; and sole made of wild rubber from the Amazonian forest (25%).

V-10 Leather Trainers - Extra-White Nautico Pekin; £115.

Shop here: graceandmabel.co.uk

ROSEMUNDE

The Babette feminine lace top is the Rosemunde best selling top. The lace top is designed with a classic lace detail around the neckline and has a beautiful curling edge at the bottom. 

Babette Lace Silk Top, Spicy Red; £46.

Shop here: graceandmabel.co.uk

New launch: Chanel's Eye Collection 2021

With the 2021 edition of the eye collection, Chanel encourages self-expression by way of ultraresistant, long-wearing products. Highlighting our eyes is a way of asserting our personality, but makeup must be adaptable to every mood. That observation inspired Chanel to create this new collection of long-wear products that allow women to go about their lives without worrying about whether their makeup can keep up.

Shop the latest creations here: chanel.com

The Water Man (2021)

Desperate to save his ailing mother, 11-year-old Gunner runs away from home on a quest to find a mythical figure rumoured to have the power to cheat death.

The Water Man is David Oyelowo's (Selma, Queen of Katwe) directorial debut, starring Lonnie Chavis (This Is Us), Amiah Miller and Rosario Dawson.

Watch it on Netflix today!

Image: Karen Ballard/ Netflix © 2021

Something for the holidays: Leap of Faith

Located in Wild Place Project is Leap of Faith, one of Bristol’s finest outdoor activity centres – ideal for all ages. The whole family can climb up to 25ft on any of the climbing routes, brave the exhilarating ‘leap of faith’ from which the centre gets its name, or take the plunge on Bristol’s only giant swing! It’s within walking distance from The Mall at Cribbs Causeway, so you can head over just to climb, or make a day of it and explore everything the park has to offer: animals from across the globe, forest trails and lots more.

Leap of Faith is open to the public at weekends as well as weekdays all through the summer holidays from 10am – 5pm. If you have some over-energetic kids (or adults!) take them down to the Leap of Faith course for some fun. All bookings are to be made online via the Wild Place website. Please note, if you wish to explore Wild Place, an additional entry fee will be charged.

Blackhorse Hill, Bristol BS10 7TP
wildplace.org.uk; 0117 980 7175

The Wardrobe Theatre

The Wardrobe Ensemble will celebrate their 10th anniversary with an ambitious new theatre festival running from August to October. Pop-up venue The Mix, designed by Studio Three Sixty, will become The Theatre on the Downs at Breaking Bread on The Downs. This new venue in Bristol will celebrate the local theatre scene as The Wardrobe Ensemble strive to create opportunities for South West artists and provide a community-focused hub in the city for audiences to enjoy after a year inside.

The first shows are now on-sale with more theatre, circus, poetry, family shows to be announced!

Kicking off the festival will be world premiere of The Wardrobe Ensemble’s WINNERS. In their own inimitable style, this exciting new show explores capitalism and tracks the shift of labour in the history of food from farming to fast food. Directed by Jesse Jones (Death Drop, West End) and Helena Middleton (Education, Education, Education, West End), WINNERS is a rollicking and fantastical look at manipulation, monopoly and money, capitalism and currency.

As part of The Theatre on the Downs, The Wardrobe Ensemble are offering a brand-new commission of £10,000 for an artist or company based in South West England to develop a new piece of theatre. Alongside the commission, the successful artist or company will have the option of a programming slot in September and receive one-to-one sessions with members of The Wardrobe Ensemble to support the next steps.

thewardrobetheatre.com

Meadow Maker, A New Collection by Sally Stafford, 3 – 30 July

It is estimated that 97% of Britain’s wildflower meadows have vanished since the 1930s, and the few that remain are often vulnerable, together with the numerous creatures that depend on them, such as vital pollinators, butterflies, birds and small mammals. The tireless work of conservation charities such as Plantlife has never been more important.

Beginning on National Meadows Day, 3 July, Clifton Contemporary Art’s latest exhibition is a celebration of these beautiful habitats, expressed through the encompassing mixed media paintings of Sally Stafford, who has long drawn inspiration from the intricate balance of living colours and changing textures that define unspoilt meadows.

Meadow Maker immerses the viewer in a rare and precious world that deserves to be cherished and protected by us all.

cliftoncontemporaryart.co.uk

Image: Summer Haze by Sally Stafford

IT'S COMPETITION TIME!

WIN a pair of tickets worth £195 EACH to ValleyFest – the best-tasting music festival in the south west.

Taking place from 29 July - 1 August, at Chew Valley Lake, near Bristol, this small family-friendly festival has big name acts such as Texas, Deacon Blue and Sophie Ellis-Bextor. It also showcases the region's finest produce. You can expect feasts, BBQs, cooking demonstrations and lots of street food. All with plenty of Somerset style and sizzle.

The show-stopping lake view is unrivalled, the food is local and it all takes place on Luke Hasell's organic farm. The weekend is perfect for first-time festival goers as well as families of all ages. There really is something for everyone! You are advised to arrive hungry.

Enter on Instagram here: instagram.com

The competition will close at midnight on 16 July and the winner will be chosen shortly after! GOOD LUCK! 

Weezy: quality groceries delivered in minutes

Weezy is the UK’s first and leading on-demand supermarket and the pioneer of ‘last-mile logistics,’ delivering high-quality groceries to, wherever you are, in a matter of minutes.

Products range from fresh produce, cupboard staples, pharmacy items, cleaning products, alcohol and more, with over 2,000 separate product lines stocked. As well as working with wholesalers, Weezy sources groceries from independent bakers, butchers and markets, attracting customers with its fresh, localised offerings. Fresh fruit and vegetables account for the most popular categories.

Weezy customer delivery representatives stock, pack and deliver the groceries within minutes of customers placing an order, and only deliver on bicycles or electric mopeds.

Orders can be placed between 8am and midnight and Weezy is sustainably-minded from delivery right through to packaging.

Enjoy 50% off your first Weezy order! Simply enter BRISTOLMAG at checkout (max discount £25 expires 31/08/21).

Find out more about Weezy here: thebristolmag.co.uk

TrueStart and Holland & Barrett to donate a cup of coffee for every cold brew can sold this Summer

Feel good coffee brand TrueStart is teaming up exclusively with Holland & Barrett for their "you buy one, we donate one" coffee initiative. 

Throughout July and August, for every can of cold brew coffee sold through Holland & Barrett, TrueStart will donate a cup of it's Barista Grade Instant coffee to FareShare UK. 

TrueStart is the number one rated coffee brand on TrustPilot and one of the fastest growing soft drinks businesses in the UK. They recently launched in Holland & Barrett, both online and in stores across the country, and are dedicated to spreading relentless positivity as part of their ethos.

TrueStart cold brew cans will be on offer in Holland & Barrett: pick up a four pack for £5.50 in July or grab 2 cans for £3 in August. Not only will consumers be able to enjoy the fresh, clean and healthy coffee taste for a discounted price, they will also be contributing to the fight to end food poverty.

truestartcoffee.com

Outdoor Tiles by Mandarin Stone

There’s an impressive range of outdoor cobbles and tiles available at Mandarin Stone to use in a multitude of exterior environments.

From tumbled limestones to contemporary porcelain garden tiles, there’s a range of colours and styles, ideal for alfresco dining areas and exterior lounging and patio spaces.

Shown here, (left) from Mandarin’s Classic range is the Taj Grey tumbled Limestone cobble (from £29.87 per square metre ) rustic and great character – perfect for any outdoor project and (right) the Varna flamed Granite tile – a beautiful classic, non-slip it’s practical with a unique silvery grey finish from £78 per square metre.

See the range at Mandarin Stone.