Recipe by Melissa Blease

An international flip on Shrove Tuesday tradition...

American Pancakes (makes 8)

Whisk 2 eggs with 350ml semi-skimmed milk and set to one side. Sieve 200g plain flour into a bowl and add 1 tsp baking powder, 1tsp caster sugar and a pinch of salt. Stir with a fork, make a well in the centre and gradually add the milk and egg mixture, whisking to combine as you go. Brush a nonstick frying pan with a little vegetable oil and place over a medium heat. When the pan is hot, pour around 3tbsp of batter into the pan to form a pancake approx. 10cm in diameter. Cook until bubbles start to form on the top, then flip the pancake over and cook the other side until golden. Transfer to a wire rack and cover loosely with foil to keep warm while you make the remaining pancakes. Serve with maple syrup and crispy bacon.

Indian Pancakes (Dosa) (makes 8)

Heat around 2 tsp vegetable oil in a large, non-stick frying pan. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds and cook for 2-3 minutes until the seeds start to pop and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add 75g gram (chickpea) flour and 75g plain flour to the mustard seeds with plenty of seasoning and mix with a fork to combine before adding 325ml semi-skimmed milk and whisking to form a smooth batter. Heat 1 tsp of oil in the frying pan over a medium heat and, when the oil is hot, pour in enough batter to cover the base of the pan thinly, tilting the pan as you go. Cook until crisp and golden (you don't need to flip). Transfer the cooked dosa to a plate and cover loosely with foil to keep warm while you cook the remaining batter. Serve 2 dosa per person topped with crispy fried eggs, a smattering of chilli sauce, a blob of thick plain yoghurt, a smattering of fresh coriander leaves and sliced red chillies.

Scotch Pancakes (makes 12)

Sift 225g self-raising flour into a bowl. Add 25g caster sugar, blend well with a fork and make a well in the centre. Add 40g melted butter, 1 egg and 125ml semi-skimmed milk and whisk together before slowly adding another 125ml semi-skimmed milk and continuing to whisk to create a smooth, thick batter. Heat a large frying pan until hot and brush lightly with around ½ tsp oil. Spoon 1tbsp batter into the pan and, seconds later, top with another 1tbsp of batter to form a thick pancake around 6-7cm in diameter. Cook in batches of 3 over a medium heat for around 1-2 minutes, or until small bubbles appear on the surface. Flip and cook for another minute on the other side until golden, puffy and crisp on the outside. Transfer to a wire rack and cover loosely with foil to keep warm while you make the remaining pancakes. Serve with warm fruit compote and thick yoghurt.

Russian (blinis) (makes 40-50)

Sift 150g self-raising flour into a large bowl. Add ¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda and mix well with a fork to combine. Make a well in the centre, drop 3 eggs into the well and gradually whisk 115ml semi-skimmed milk into the mixture. Add 3tsp finely-chopped fresh chives, season well and whisk again to create a smooth batter. Cover the base of a large frying pan with a slick of oil and heat over a medium heat. When the oil is hot, spoon teaspoons of the mixture into pan (you want each blini to be around 3cm in diameter) and fry for 1-2 minutes or until little bubbles appear on the surface and they curl slightly at the edges, then turn over and lightly brown on the other side. Leave to cool on a wire rack before serving topped with cream cheese, slivers of smoked salmon and lemon wedges. Any remaining blinis can be frozen in sealed bags for up to 2 months; defrost and reheat in a warm oven before serving.

THE FEBRUARY ISSUE: OUT NOW

Our February magazine features 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 enjoy the read!

15,000 copies are delivered door to door, and you can pick up a copy at many places around town – including our stands at Waitrose, John Lewis, House of Fraser and Harvey Nichols.

Read the digital version of our current issue here!

And if you would like to have a copy sent in the post every month, then we offer a postal subscription for just £33 for 12 issues, £18 for six issues or buy a copy for just £4.25. UK mainland prices. For Euro and World zone subscription prices – see our website. 

Rioja winemaker Marcos Eguren

Rioja winemaker Marcos Eguren has been distinguished as ‘Winemaker of the Year’ by the prestigious British prescriptor and Master of Wine Tim Atkin in his ‘Special Report Rioja 2023’.

The award recognises Marcos Eguren’s oenological work as the representative of a family of winegrowers from San Vicente de la Sonsierra, whose links with vine cultivation date back to 1870. Born in the town of Sonsierra, Marcos Eguren, together with his brother Miguel, is the fourth generation of a family that began bottling its production under the Sierra Cantabria brand in 1957.

Today the wines are the very finest production and can be found at The Great Wine Co. Here are some of Marcos’ best sellers from Vinedos Sierra Cantabria. 

The Great Wine Co has a full cellar of Marcos’ delicious Rioja wines – click here to view.

The Black Bay Pro

Tudor presents this advanced technical model with a whole new aesthetic. Named Black Bay Pro, it has a 39mm diameter, a fixed steel bezel, black dial with luminous markers and the mechanism is a new selfwinding Manufacture Calibre MT5652 with built-in GMT function specially developed by Tudor for the Black Bay Pro.

There’s a 24-hour angular yellow ‘snowflake’ hand (a hallmark of Tudor) and local time is referenced by the shorter ‘snowflake’ hour hand which can be set forwards or backwards.

The date, displayed through an aperture positioned at 3 o'clock, is coupled with the local time hand so that when setting the time and passing midnight in retrograde, it instantly jumps to the previous day. A highly unusual, sophisticated, and particularly practical function for the user.

It has a ‘weekend proof’ 70-hour power reserve – meaning you can take it off on Friday evening (if you want to) and it’ll keep going until Monday morn. As with a precision diver’s watch the Black Bay Pro is water resistant to 200 meters.

Shown here with the fabric Nato strap – although you can choose from a steel bracelet or a hybrid rubber and black leather strap | Model shown with black fabric strap, £3,200

See the Black Bay Pro and other Tudor watches at Mallory | Mallory, 1-5 Bridge St, Bath

Jigsaw, 80 Park St, Bristol

Julia Davey scented candle

Cheerful, fragranced soy candle in a yolk yellow ceramic vessel with a 'you are my sunshine' message to make you feel sunny side up | £22

• Sweet Basil & fresh Cucumber (smells divine)

• Reusable vessel

• 100% sustainable soy wax

Available at juliadavey.com

Curated by Daniel McCabe

A Rabbit’s Foot is a new magazine that aims to take a more cerebral approach to the world of cinema and the culture around it. Taking its name from Ernest Hemingway’s memoir A Movable Feast, this is a handsome and bookish volume itself, impressively packed with interviews, essays and biographical writing around a chosen theme, alongside photography, behind the scene-images and film stills. The theme for the third issue is ‘The Power of Film’ and features Wes Anderson, Claire Denis, Paolo Sorrentino, Ken Loach, Nadine Labaki, Oliver Stone, Penelope Cruz, Alice Diop, Lars von Trier, Darren Aronofsky, Ai Weiwei, Francesco Clemente, William Kentridge and Sir Don McCullin | £20

magalleria.co.uk

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

Soulful, whimsical and intricately crafted, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is the feature adaptation of Dean Fleischer Camp and Jenny Slate’s popular series of short films and New York Times-bestselling books, marking the highly-anticipated big screen debut that's fun for all the family.

When struggling filmmaker Dean (played by Fleischer Camp) moves into an Airbnb, he quickly discovers that he is not alone. Marcel (Slate), an adorable one-inch-tall shell, already lives there with his grandmother Connie (Isabella Rossellini) and their pet lint, Alan. Once part of a sprawling community of shells, Marcel and Connie live alone as the sole survivors of a vast shell family who had succumbed to a mysterious tragedy.

Taken with his unlikely new friend, Dean starts filming Marcel and his grandmother, igniting a meteoric rise to internet fame that changes their lives forever. But will Marcel’s newfound sense of possibility and a throng of superfans be enough to track down his long-lost family?

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is showing at Watershed until 23 February; tickets available at watershed.co.uk

The Bristol Hi-Fi Show, 24–26 February, Marriott City Centre Hotel | Bristol

The UK's biggest and longest running Hi-Fi and Home Cinema Show is back for its 34th year! 

• Witness the launch of dozens of new products
• Experience the latest Hi-Fi and talk directly to the manufacturers and designers
• Over £10,000 worth of Hi-Fi to be won in the massive show competition 
• Pick up fantastic show bargains with deals on most purchases

Tickets from £11; Accompanied children under 16 FREE

24–26 February, 10am–5pm, Marriott City Centre Hotel | Bristol 

Find out more and book tickets at bristolshow.co.uk

Bristol Choral Society: Hymn to St Cecilia, Bristol Cathedral, 25 March

Benjamin Britten’s Hymn to St. Cecilia is one of his most enduringly popular choral works. 

Cecilia is the Patron Saint of musicians – and coincidentally Britten was born on St Cecilia’s Day. Under the baton of Hilary Campbell, Bristol Choral Society will also be singing the dances from Britten’s Gloriana, and Rejoice in the Lamb. 

This is a real festival of Britten’s music, in all its immediacy and humour. You won’t be drifting away during this concert, but you will leave Bristol Cathedral with some fabulous melodies and rhythms in your head.

Tickets from £11, available at bristolchoral.co.uk

Misplaced Theatre: Tender Napalm, March 7–11, Alma Tavern and Theatre

Misplaced Theatre return to the Alma Theatre with Philip Ridley’s explosive, poetic and brutal play, Tender Napalm. A compelling tapestry re-examining the language of love and the politics of sexual attraction amongst the ruins of a relationship scarred by catastrophe.

Grenades, bullets, monkeys, aliens, sea Gods, a tropical wasteland and memory and imagination. Ridley’s world is both barbaric and beautiful in equal measure.

Starring Bristol actors Jack Bannell as Man and Nina Bright as Woman; directed by Ben Jenkins.

Shows start at 8pm and finish at 9.30pm | Tender Napalm contains sexual language and threats of violence

Tickets £14, available from The Alma Tavern and Theatre website: almatavernandtheatre.co.uk | wearemisplaced.com

Featured image: @jgdphotography

Bristol Beacon confirms reopening date

Bristol Beacon will reopen after its five-year transformation on Thursday 30 November 2023.

The highly anticipated reopening will be a cultural highlight of the year, revealing stunning new performance spaces including the 2000+ capacity Beacon Hall, the 500 capacity Lantern Hall and the brand new 200 capacity Weston Cellar. 

The full reopening programme is set to be announced later this year; to keep up to date with more news and reopening announcements, including ticket details for these first shows, visit bristolbeacon.org. 

Bristol Bears play first home league game in 77 days

Director of Rugby Pat Lam makes two changes from the narrow defeat at Saracens, with Noah Heward coming in at full-back and Jake Woolmore starting in the front row.

Steven Luatua captains the side from the blindside flank, while at half-back, Harry Randall and AJ MacGinty link up with Callum Sheedy is absent with a facial injury.

Among the replacements, there are potential Premiership debuts for hooker Fred Davies and Academy centre Harry Ascherl, who impressed in the cup victory over Sale last time out.

Bristol Bears team to take on Newcastle Falcons at Ashton Gate TONIGHT (17 February) | 7.45pm KO | bristolbearsrugby.com

Southernhay Avenue, Cliftonwood, Bristol BS8

Offered for sale by Howard Homes estate agents.

This delightful three bedroom period townhouse is located on a quiet little terraced street right in the heart of the desirable area of Cliftonwood, Bristol, conveniently just down the hill from Clifton Village but also close to the joys of the Harbourside. 

The property is arranged over three floors and boasts the most amazing panoramic views towards the City, Bristol's floating harbour and Dundry Hills.

The current owners have taken full advantage of maximising these stunning views by opening up the rear elevation allowing plenty of light and scenery to shine through. There are many period features, coupled with modern twists, which have also been lovingly maintained.

The accommodation is flexible but currently is as follows: a reception room, utility, cloakroom and kitchen on the lower ground floor, reception room, bedroom 2 on the ground floor and two further bedrooms and shower room on the first floor.

The south-facing garden is perfect for alfresco dining or just sitting and watching the world go by as the city views are simply breathtaking.Guide Price £775,000

Click here for more details and images on the Howard Homes website.