Countlan Magazine Issue 07 by Countlan Magazine

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entertaining globally // issue seven

AROMATIC DELIGHT Palate awakening food

FAMILY OF DEsIGn Next generation successes and challenges

COnVERsATIOn PLATEs Dishes that command curiosity

e FROM THE EDITOR

mer marks an exciting time of year. Mental gears shift into a er pace and we do our best to enjoy the weather, the outdoors he company of friends and family. Whether you are vacationing After fromthat holidays in Toronto, it appears that the trees in my neighay-cationing, it’sreturning time to visit design studio you heard about, bourhood bloomed whilefor I was away. The once golden-dry a gathering or go the extra mile a special ingredient. In otherlandscape is looking greener and richer than before. Even the produce atand the farmers’ markets is s, immerse yourself into something a bit out of the ordinary inching towards an increasingly varied smorgasbord. nd your entertaining repertoire.

ue 04, we explore how the pendulum hasspring, shiftedwe from mass far and wide for To celebrate the chocolate changes that come with searched uced to bean-to-bar. Weawaken also talk to stimulate some wonderfully opinionated stories that and the senses. We met designers and artists preneurs and industry experts who revealwild howdishes, to train your chocolate producing some spectacularly entrepreneurs captivating our palng palate and appreciate a bar like a fine wine or a craft beer. ettes with aromatic ingredients and new retail concepts that will heighten the experience of shopping and take the drudgery out a (sometimes) monotonous e topic of ingredients, we’re rooting for sea salt from some rather untask. cted and remote locations and introduce you to a few of our favourite ds. When itIfcomes to outdoor entertaining, no one does it better you have visited the Countlan website recently, you than the locals on the Amalfi Coast or the tranquil shores of may have noticed that we redesigned and re-launched EDITOR: Transcoso in Brazil. We talk about picturesque the site. Our goal was to improve how people navigateback- SARAH LAMBERSKY {USA} andour table detailsI invite with two experienced and drops consume articles. you highly to check out the entertainers in each location. mark) new site and hope you enjoy what you see.

Assistant Editor:

Our design section considers the success of an inMike Drach {Canada} eachretailer issue ofinCountlan is divided threeat a epublic) As always, dependent Copenhagen, andinto marvels sections that chintz providecollection a snapshot and the Although stories ofwe are colourful in Toronto. ART DIRECTOR: people who entertain around the world. If you or someendlessly fascinated with the tabletop vessels that keepBENTE BARTH {GERMANY} one our you know is interestedwe in contributing to Countlan, food interesting, expand our definition of design ublic) please email sarah@countlan.com. to include flowers. You’ll find a dreamy comparison of PHOTOGRAPHER: floral arrangements from florists across the globe. ADAM GOODMAN {USA} mark) However you spend your spring, I hope it is full of new Finally, you’ll meet a few and intrepid discoveries, new experiences a fulltravelers table of and chat-tastemakers ter and goodwho food.run some of the most creative travel sites ILLUSTRATOR: around. They chime in on memorable meals, inspiring BENTE BARTH {GERMANY} cities and whereinthey headed Countries covered thisare issue: USA,next. Canada, UK, Australia, Argentina, Singapore, South Africa, New a) If youDenmark, would likeTurkey, to join Countlan’s growing dialogue on CONTRIBUTORS: Zealand, Italy, Lithuania, Slovenia, entertaining globally or have an article idea to pitch, weJoe Gray (UK) Netherlands, Estonia, Sweden. invite you to get in contact with us and inquire how you Fatih Gokmen (Turkey) ) Eva Kosmas Flores (USA) can contribute to future issues. da) Stephanie Le (Canada) S a rSarah a h L Lambersky ambersky Katy Rose (South Africa) ada) Elena Sala (Italy) Editor, Co-Founder e) Ulf Svane (Denmark) @countlan Fiona Symington (UK) #countlan Jurgita Vaskel (Lithuania) a) Molly Yeh (USA) K)

COVER PHOTO:

Eva Kosmas Flores, Adventures in Cooking

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CONTENTS entertaining globally

ISSUE seven FOOD

DESIGN

Sweet Syrups

Family of Design

Aromatic Delight

Designer Questions

Singapore Bakes

Inspirational Salt

Food Origin

Urban Foraging

What's Cooking: Jurgita Vaskel

What's Cooking: Eva Kosmas Flores

What's Cooking: Molly Yeh

ENTERTAINING Little Things

Conversation Plates

Made In: Wood

Take Stock: Vancouver

Pop Up to Click and Collect: A look at retail

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Discover the bold flavours of aromatics, try three new seasonal recipes that make the most of spring produce, learn from today's hunters and forragers and explore two bakeries in Singapore that will entice you to book a flight for a visit.

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Photo Credit: Eva Kosmas

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--Sweet Sy rups-F ruit on its own is best, but there is magic in the nex t wave of fruit c oncoctions being developed by sma l l businesses around the globe.

Poor

{ H udso n Valley }

Man’s Kitchen

nspired by the syrups he often purchased to mix artisanal cocktails at work, bartender George Carney started making his own batches of syrups in his apartment in Brooklyn in order to realize a better return in quality and quantity. The first syrup he created was pumpkin spice and has gone on to develop eight other syrup flavours like date, chamomile, Chinese five spice, and cardamom that can be added to cocktails, soda, coffee or tea. “I usually approach the process of creating new flavors by imagining how they would work in a cocktail or how it would pair with a certain spirit” says Carney, owner of Poor Man’s Kitchen. He personalized the brand by incorporating images, stories and traditions from his family history. “The name ‘Poor Man’ stems from a translation of my mother’s maiden name, Poveromo, and all of the photos on the label are of my family, mainly my grandparents, who grew up in the Bronx. The project pays homage to my past while looking towards the future.” www.poormanskitchen.com

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Quince & Apple

{MADiSOn}

01 wh at iS Qu i nce & a ppl e a bo u t? Drawing on Matt’s experience making preserves for family and friends and coming from entrepreneurial families, we started Quince & Apple to create a product that can be enjoyed with all the great meats and cheeses in the area and. As for the name, both the quince and the apple have a lot of pectin in them which is the component that keeps together a preserve. Also, the name is sort of an homage to the quince which is the mother fruit of all preserves (or marmalades, really). The word “marmalade” derives from the Portuguese word for quince, “marmalo.” It felt natural to include the fruit in our preserves business.

02 wh at iS Qu i nce & a ppl e k n ow n F o r? Our Figs and Black Tea preserve has received the most recognition. It was one of our first preserves. The flavour is well-balanced and complements many cheeses and meats.

03 h ow d id yo u m ove Fr o m pr e S e r ve S to Syru p S? Our cocktail syrups started while working on a recipe for a preserve. Matt was formulating a new recipe that ended up working out better as a simple syrup. The discovery took us into a new direction and we launched our cocktail syrups in May 2012. The recipes come from a lot of experimentation and testing the batches as a team. We work hard to achieve a good balance of ingredients and create a final product with the right dimension of flavors that we would enjoy in a cocktail.

04 h ow ma ny t yp e S o F S y r u pS d o yo u pr od u ce? 8

Five: Tart Cherry Grenadine, Rhubarb Hops, Citrus, Lime and Cucumber, and Honey Lemon.

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The co-owners of Quince & Apple, Matt and Clare Stoner Fehsenfeld, explain why producing preserves and syrups in Madison, Wisconsin, an area known for its agriculture, cheeses and meats is a good thing.

www.quinceandapple.com

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{wELLinGTOn}

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Six Barrel Soda Co H

istorically, New Zealand has never had any cultural ties to soda. But the climate is conducive to growing great fruit – a factor that resonated with business partners Joseph Slater and Mike Stewart, founders of Six Barrel Soda Co. in Wellington. For five years, Joseph has been making and serving soda at his vintage Americana-style bar Monterey, which he co-owns with Mike. “People loved the flavours. Over time, I improved my soda and thought we should step up and start supplying other places too,” says Joseph. Intent on offering a local handmade alternative to big brand sodas, the guys opened a production kitchen that also serves as a factory and café where they make, bottle, distribute and serve their small-batch sodas, in both classic flavours and exotic seasonal one-offs like feijoa, wild blackberry or grapefruit and hops. “We juice all of our fruit by hand, bottle one by one and hand-stamp labels,” says Joseph. “This means we

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can make seasonal flavours and oneoff batches because we aren’t meeting huge production minimums. It allows us room to make some off-the-wall flavours.” Six Barrel Soda Co. produces 10 soda flavours and experiments with seasonal recipes as they see fit – like when a family member’s ripe fruit tree needs picking.

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P&H Soda Co { B R O O K LY n }

P&H Soda Co, launched in 2009 by Anton Nocito, is part of a growing number of entrepreneurs who are passionate about improving the taste, quality and flavours of bottled syrups on the market. Originally, Anton wanted to open a soda fountainluncheonette that served his own syrups and ice creams, so he started experimenting with local, seasonal ingredients to make fruit syrups. Today, he sells six flavours and continues to draw inspiration for new recipes from the foods and places around him. www.pandhsodaco.com

mOST POPUL ar SODa?

Raspberry Lemon. “It’s a classic pink

lemonade, which isn’t exactly common these days. We use real raspberries and freshly squeezed lemons, so it has a great flavour.”

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A r o m at i c Deli ght B r eathe de ep ly as we disc over the ingredients and foods that ignite our senses.

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Photo Credit: Tremper Photography

ghost town might not rank high on an ideal list of locations when setting up a new business. But for Shae Whitney, owner of Dram Apothecary in Silver Plume, Colorado, it fit the bill. Silver Plume is a former silver mining town (pop. 169), located 45 minutes west of Denver. Much of the town remains true to its late 19th-century conditions, when it was at the peak of its population. Shae, who studied food science and herbalism in college, outgrew her kitchen after one year in business, with Dram Apothecary often jammed with eager customers each business day. Shae and partner Brady Becker were instantly drawn to a town others might call unusual. “We chose to set up shop here because we absolutely loved the building we found.”

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Ghost Town Herbs

People come for Shae’s handmade bitters, teas and syrups which are inspired by the plants for which she forages seasonally. “This winter, the only plants to forage on our trail hikes were largely pine, juniper berries and rosehips, so I came up with two syrup recipes to make use of this harvest.” Her locally sourced creations also received a boost from renewed interests in cocktail culture. The store launches products twice a year, depending on what is being made. “Teas are faster to launch because they are easy to blend and package,” Shae explains. “Bitters and syrups take more time to produce, so we like to make sure we have the time to commit. Most of the time we'll make a new product and put it on the shelves at our shop to test how it’s received by our customers before we take it to the public at large.” Shae’s thriving small-town business is a success story in doing things your own way, and sourcing and serving locally. “Our friends and family thought we were insane at first,” Shae says. “Setting up shop in a ghost town isn't exactly normal, but we haven't had a hard time getting people to visit.” dramapothecary.com

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{ c O p E n H AG E n }

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A photo essay explores the experimental quality of licorice with photographer Ulf Svane, blogger Anne Moltke Hansen and liquorice entrepreneur, Johan Bülow.

iquorice, a popular flavour among Scandinavian palates, is commonly consumed as a sweet or salty candy. In recent years, this powerful aromatic has become a favourite spice in cooking and baking in Denmark adding dimension to a dish.

Photo Credit: Ulf Svane

Glycyrrhiza glabra, the plant where liquorice comes from, is native to several regions around the globe including central and western Asia, the Caucasus, India, Pakistan and southern Europe and has been used medicinally (eastern and western medicine) and in food (it contains a compound that is about 50 times sweeter than sugar) for thousands of years. Typically, liquorice is used in its extract or powder form. The extract is used in candies and syrups and is made by boiling the plant root until the water has evaporated leaving behind a concentrated syrup. The powder, on the other hand, comes from steaming, pressing and granulating the liquorice root. Bringing liquorice into the kitchen means embarking on an experimental journey of flavors. ” In Denmark we eat a lot of licorice candies” says Anne. ”Only recently has liquorice become more mainstream and is being added to traditional desserts like ice cream or cakes and to salty dishes with fish and salads.”

LIQUOrICe COOkIeS WITh WhITe ChOCOL aTe • • • • • • • • • •

100 g butter, softened 75 g brown sugar 75 g caster sugar 1 egg 125 g plain flour 75 g oatmeal 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/3 tsp salt 1 1/2 tbsp raw liquorice powder 200 g white chocolate (Ivoire 35% from Valrhona), chopped in chunks

INSTrUCTI ONS:

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F In a bowl mix butter with brown sugar and caster sugar and whisp until a fluffy and light consistency. Add the egg. Mix in the flour, oatmeal, baking powder, salt and liquorice powder. Finally fold in the white chocolate. Make balls and put them on a baking tray lined with a baking sheet and press the dough down a little to flatten them before baking. Bake in the oven for 10-12 mintues.

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K C

fter leaving the world of cake and buttercream behind, Melbourne based Christy Loekito is tackling the world of gourmet snacks. The Wondersnack Co., which Loekito launched in 2012, offers four small batch bar snacks with a twist. She pools together local ingredients to create her unusual blends with names like The Hangover, Bourbon & Bacon and Kamikaze.

R E

Last year Loekito also collaborated on a summer seasonal snack with LuxeBite, a popular cafĂŠ and patisserie in the city. To evoke the most iconic flavours of Australia and New Zealand in a bag, they developed a bag that combines sugared almonds and cashews, pineapple jubes, candied ginger, strawberry marshmallows and lemon peel.

n O

www.wondersnack.com.au

Photo Credit: The Wondersnack Co.

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Caravan Tea

“I have always had incredible experiences with tea” says Jessica Bonin, the owner of Lady Bonin’s Tea Parlour in Cape Town. “I wanted to open a café, and use tea as a tool to provide people with a positive experience and a break from our divided world”. Instead of starting with a permanent shop in Cape Town, Jessica creatively took her leaves to the road in a 1975 caravan. She spent two months transforming a vintage caravan into a suitable mobile tea room, outfitted with bohemian accoutrement before launching Lady Bonin in December 2010. “The caravan initially came about as a solution to financial limitations. I did not have the resources to commit to a permanent location; the risk was too high” says Bonin. From the caravan she serves 17 teas, hot or iced alongside other blended drinks, depending on the day, event or market. “My concept was brand new and I needed a way of getting the idea to the market instead of trying to get the market to me. Being mobile was the best option.” Today Lady Bonin’s Tea Parlour still travels around in a mobile caravan but Jessica has also established a permanent tearoom in the Woodstock Exchange and tea distribution through other outlets.

Photo Credit: Claire Gunn Photography

www.ladybonin.com

KNOW FOR: Lady Bonin’s uniquely blended Spiced Chai. It is my very own recipe inspired by my travels to India and containing. I blend it with Ceylon or Rooibos base and have my decadent option as the Red Spiced Choc Chili Chai, translated to Lady Bonin’s Rooibos Spiced Chai with chocolate and chili.

TEA SERVING MOTTO: Tea is experienced differently all over the world. Each culture has developed and perfected their way of purveying the “perfect cup”. You will find that these ceremonies, formal or informal, have been established in order to honour a moment or experience. Although guidelines exist around brewing and enhancing specific teas, tea is a personal experience. My best advice is to apply the notion of Kung Fu to preparing tea – “Time, patience and diligence to perfect an art.”

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From Garden to Glass {LOnDOn}

When he was just ten years old, Jameel Lalani was ordering black tea directly from East Africa because he preferred it to the tea available in London. No surprise that today he runs his own tea business, Lalani & Co.

sion-making processes from sourcing and shipping to storing, selling and brewing their leaves. “We work with artisanal, family-run tea gardens to find small-batch teas that are the finest in their region,” says Lalani. “Similar to wine, we consider a garden’s prime seasons; the elevation, varietal, and optimal brewing style; as well as understanding how the flavours of each garden’s teas develop over time.”

Despite London’s historical importance as an international tea-trading hub and its influence on drinking tea as a pastime, growing a loose leaf tea brand in London is no small feat. After all, this is a nation of tea drinkers where the addition of milk and sugar is both acceptable and often a must — the equivalent of nails on a blackboard to a tea purist’s ears. In an attempt to captivate London’s discerning tea drinking audience, Lalani & Co took a different philosophy as a tea merchant. They call it Garden to Glass; an idea that affects their deci-

Only three years old, Lalani & Co’s philosophy of promoting tea education, traceability and provenance is resonating with consumers. Up next, Jaleel is working with restaurants and pairing his carefully cultivated teas with food. Japanese Sencha with goat cheese, anyone? www.lalaniandco.com

Photo Credit: Lalani & Co.

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S in g apo re bakeS

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t h a n k S to a c onFlu e nc e oF c u lt u reS and inFlu enc e S, Sing a p o r e iS F u l l o F in t e reSt ing Food S and Fl avou rS. t he b akery Sce n e iS n o l e S S div e rSe. meet t wo b akerie S who know a t hing o r t w o a bo u t bu t t e rc r e am.

Carpenter and Cook I

nspired by London’s quaint shops and eclectic neighbourhoods, Cordon Bleu-trained chef Sim Li-Shenn and carpenter Phoebe Teo, together with friend Eunice Yeo, established Carpenter and Cook in June 2012. The quaint vintage café-boutique is a clear reflection of the food and furniture passions of its three owners, where locals pop by to enjoy a nice cup of tea and a slice of cake. Shenn, the baker, works with her team to craft a daily assortment of tarts, cakes and viennoiseries. Phoebe, the carpenter, keeps C&C stocked with vintage conversation pieces sourced from the UK and Europe. Eunice (the “and” of Carpenter and Cook) styles, bakes, and makes things look inviting, while also running an event styling and vintage prop rental company called Heaven in Wild Flowers. The enterprising women of this part-bakery, part-café, part-vintage furniture shop, part-event space and allround warm and inviting environment have recently opened a second location in the centre of the island, which includes a takeaway deli.

Ph ( M o to C ofy r Ph edit: o to E u s) nic e

Ye o

elv

www.carpenterandcook.com

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Song Meets Cake S

inger, stage performer and baker, Juwanda Hassim was searching for the perfect spot to open The Fabulous Baker Boy, a bakery he launched a year and a half ago in Singapore. Juwanda, who has been baking and singing together with his family since he was young, is known for his old fashion cakes (red velvet, salted caramel, apple cider and carrot), tarts and cookies. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dorie Greenspan, Rose Levy Beranbaum and Pierre Hermes are my (baking) godsâ&#x20AC;? says Hassim. He settled on a space by the Foothills of Fort Canning, a historic public swimming complex that was built by the Singapore City Council in the 1950s and closed in 2003 to be remade into a park for the arts and community.

INTereSTING Cake ON The meNU:

Bitter Marmalade- Layers of buttermilk sponge filled with marmalade and a lemony cream cheese and covered in puff pastry. www.thefabulousbakerboy.com

Photo Credit: Sung Linggun

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I N SP I RATIONAL S A LT L

{LOnDOn}

ondon based chef, Joe Gray, a graduate of Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen training program, is all fired up about Slovenian salt. He speaks to us about his experience on shooting a television show on the country’s cuisine and why he decided to bring a bit of Slovenia home and launch a new business importing salt from the region of Piran.

02 w hi c h c i t i e S d i d yo u

01 w h at’S c oo king i n

03 w hat i S u n i Q u e a bo u t

Sloven ia?

t he o r i g i n o F S love n i a n

Slovenia is bordered by Austria (north), Hungary (east), Croatia (south) and Italy (west). The food varies from hearty stews and Italian inspired pasta to Croatian style seafood mixed grills.

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t r ave l to i n S love n i a? The capital of Slovenia is Ljubljana. A lot of the TV show was shot there, but we did get to some remote locations. We spent some time in and around Piran, where the sea salt originates. One of my favourite areas is Goriska Brda, an area in western Slovenia that is nestled between the Alps and Adriatic Sea. It is often dubbed ‘little Tuscany’ as it is known for its wine, fruit and olives.

S e a S a lt? The Piran saltpans, located in the west-

ern part of the country, are among the rare saltpans of the world where salt is produced using 700 year old traditions. There are many reasons for the salt's uniqueness, the most prominent being its natural, sustainable process. The region of Piran benefits from the amazing Mediterranean sun and beautiful Adriatic Sea. Temperatures in the region can reach up to 40 degrees Celsius in the summer meaning sea salt can be produced with little human input. The muds that form the base of the saltpans are also very mineral rich. All of these reasons mean a fresher, cleaner, more natural product and flavour making a truly incredible unique product.

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04 w hat a r e yo u c o o ki n g t he S e d ay S? I use sea salt in my cooking. It is very versatile and can be used in numerous ways, such as seasoning meat, vegetables and fish. I save the Fleur de Sel for more special occasions. It's perfect to heighten a dark chocolate mousse and used as a finishing salt. Halve your peaches and remove the stone. Cut into wedges and marinate in a little oil and a Piran salt. Place the peaches on a hot grill and turn occasionally until they become soft, juicy and caramelised. Break up the mozzarella and put on a plate, season the cheese with Piran salt, pepper and olive oil. Assemble your salad by adding the radicchio leaves, peaches, prosciutto and oregano flowers. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic. www.slovely.co.uk

GrILLeD PeaCh aND PrOSCIUT TO SaL aD • • • • • • • • •

2 ripe peaches 4 slices of prosciutto 1 ball of buffalo mozzarella 1 small radicchio A small handful of oregano flowers A pinch of Piran sea salt Black pepper Extra virgin olive oil Balsamic reduction or balsamic glaze

Photo Credit: Joe Gray

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FA T i H G O K M E n

Food Origin Beyond taste, do you ever wonder about the history of food? We delve into the origins of Kokorec and Cantucci.

{ i S TA n B U L }

A dish originating from the Balkans, Kokoreç (Turkish) is made from the intestines and internal organs of a young lamb. In Greece, kokoretsi, is a traditional appetizer served during Easter to break the Lenten fast. The dish was created as a way to not waste any part of the animal. In Turkey, Kokoreç is a snack and late night delicacy served with bread or on a plate. Istanbul vendors, Turgay Ağademir (48) and Ismail Güneş (50), sell kokoreç at the Kabataş pier and are busy from early evening until late at night. For Mr. Turgay, making Kokoreç is a family business. His family has been working at the pier for more than three decades.

To prepare Kokoreç, intestines are thoroughly cleaned, threaded and wrapped around a large skewer of offal. Next, the skewer cooked for several hours, then grilled horizontally over a charcoal grill. When a hungry patron orders, the intestinesweetbread concoction is sliced off the spit, chopped into small pieces and seasoned with oregano, hot chili peppers, salt and served on bread. Fresh chopped tomatoes, green peppers or pickled peppers are also added to the mix.

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Beyond

Taste, DO YOU ever

WONDER ABOUT the

HISTORY OF FOOD?

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Photo Credit: Fatih Gokmen

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reCIPe: CaNTUCCI WITh CheSTNUT FLOUr, haZeLNUTS aND ChOCOL aTe ChIPS INGREDIENTS:

Photo Credit: Elena Sala

• • • • • • • • •

3 eggs 60 g butter, melted 180 g of sugar 1 pinch of salt 200 g of flour 300 g chestnut flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 130 g of hazelnuts 100 g of dark chocolate chips

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Dish: Cantucci (biscotti) T

uscan cuisine is known throughout the world for its simple, yet rustic flavours. However, many of the Tuscan flavours we have come to love were born out of a population mired in poverty and lack of access to quality ingredients; it’s no coincidence Tuscany is known for its soups, not pastas. One of the most celebrated culinary traditions of this region is the cantucci cookie, otherwise known as biscotti. Cantucci comes from the Latin word, cantellus, which means slice of bread.

CaNTUCCI TID-bITS: •

When cantucci are referred to as I cantucci or biscuits of Prato, it is a reference to the city in Tuscany that preserves the first documented mention of the cantucci in an old manuscript.

•

The Romans ate a savoury version of this biscuit during their military campaigns and its sweeter version went into production during the second half of the 16th century in the Medici court.

•

One of the best known producers of cantucci is Biscottificio Mattei, a family biscuit factory started in 1858 in Prato.

My recipe is a variation of the cantucci. Traditionally they are made with regular flour (not chestnut flour) lemon zest, and lots of shelled almonds. Variations of the cantucci include the addition of pine nuts, pistachios, uvetta (raisins). A cookie that allows for freedom of the imagination!

reCIPe INSTrUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 190C/375F. Sift flours with baking powder and set aside. Beat the eggs with the sugar and a pinch of salt until they become swollen and foamy. Add the warm melted butter, to the egg and sugar mixture and keep stirring. At this point, add the flour, mixing a little at a time until all the ingredients are combined (the dough will look soft and crumbly). Finally, incorporate hazelnuts and chocolate chips. Pour the mixture on a floured surface and work the dough together with your hands until you get a ball. At this stage, try to be quick so the dough does not warm up too much. Divide the dough into two equal size balls. Shape them into two long loaves (approximately 30 cm long, and no more than 5 cm wide and 2 cm thick). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, place the two loaves on the baking sheet with adequate space between them so they do not stick while cooking. Brush the tops of each log with egg and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes. Remove the loaves from the oven and cut them diagonally into 1 cm cookies. Lower the oven temperature to 170C/340F and return the cookies to the oven arranging them on their sides and bake for another 15 minutes until they appear golden. Make sure you do not overcook the cookies. Let them cool completely on a wire rack before enjoying them or storing them in a tin box.

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There is a new energy f u e l i n g f o r ag i n g i n urban areas. Curious? Meet a few personalities and resources to g e t yo u s ta rt e d.

{ Ne w York }

Hunting and Gatherin G

rowing up in Denmark on a small “hobby farm” left a mark on New York-based fashion photographer Danny Christensen. “We had everything: cows, horses, pigs, rabbits, chickens, goats, ducks, geese, cats and dogs,” says Danny. “As a kid, I understood where my food came from and the circle of life because I touched it, I was a part of it, I saw it, I felt it.” Mealtime was often a group effort that truly embodied the meaning of farm-to-table, rather than one that required a trip to the grocery store. “The chicken that I fed yesterday is now on the table to feed the family.” Christensen splits his time between New York City and the greater state, where he has parlayed his passion for food, hunting and cooking into an educational website and video blog called the Urban Huntsman. Episodes and posts feature Danny and his friends and family hunting, fishing and preparing a meal from their daily catch. He offers recipes such as rustic venison pizza, as well as useful tips, including how to build a fish smoker from a flower pot. Urbanization continues to widen the distance between consumers and their food. Despite urban horticulture starting to catch on, and increased interest in buying fruits and veggies local farmers’ markets or CSAs (Community Supported Agricultural groups), what about our connection to meat? Danny’s mission is to educate meat-eaters about the lifecycle of an animal, bird or fish from the wild to the plate, encouraging a closer look than the butcher shop or supermarket shelves can offer. In terms of further education, Danny advocates actively hunting down information. “You’ve got to get out there. Reading about it means nothing, you have to feel it!” www.theurbanhuntsman.com

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Photo Credit: Danny Christensen

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RENAISSANCE FORAGER {EDMOnTOn}

enaissance man, Kevin Kossowan, is an Edmonton based hunter, urban farmer, food skills educator and holder of many more titles who first embarked on a path exploring food cultivation and supply in 2005. Although Kevin was familiar with gardening, fishing, hunting and foraging, activities from his childhood and youth, it was his many trips to Europe that spawned his interest in localized food culture. “I did a lot of exploration of different regions, each with their own specialties and endowments, leaving me to question what our culture back at home really could and should be” says Kossowan. He started a blog where he wrote about his findings about how to access better produce in his kitchen. From produce he started researching meats, butchery, charcuterie, grains, fruits and the “food apex”, wild foods. Almost a decade on, Kevin continues to share his commentary and video footage about his experience becoming self-sufficient in food. Today, he is the part owner of Lacutua Urban Farm, an urban agriculture gardening business that supplies local restaurants with sustainably farmed vegetable varietals, part owner of Shovel & Fork, a company that teaches foraging, butchery, cider making, gamer cookery, food preservation and other skills for the home cook and owner of Story Chaser Productions a production company that produces a hunting/fishing/foraging series called, From the Wild. www.kevinkossowan.com

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Q+a WITh keVIN kOSSOWaN: 01 wh at i S ed m onton like a S a b a S e For your Food proj ect S? Edmonton has an agrarian DNA, it is also surrounded by a ridiculously vast agricultural belt- literally surrounded by food, so it doesn't take long to find folks who either grew up on a farm, whose parents did, or whose grandparents did. Anyone with that background typically has fond memories, or at the very least, a respect for self-sufficiency when it comes to food. Edmonton is also in an early but vigorous growth phase of culinary maturity. Looking at what is culinarily interesting under your nose where you live is a natural extension of the exploration that chefs and home cooks are figuring out. It feels like the city's market size is now large enough to support specialists at the top of their game, and keep the talent that may have otherwise bled out to greener pastures in bigger markets. 02 w hy iS more at te n tion be in g pa i d to For agi ng, h unt i ng a nd ur b a n Fa rm i ng? Thankfully, I think there are a variety of reasons foraging, hunting, and urban farming are receiving new attention and energy. They span widely from health and wellness, the increasing apparent need for more sustainable agricultural practices, climate change, a growth of interest in gastronomy and food quality, interest in better use of urban spaces, and many more. The more folks are aware of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) and genetically modified organisms (GMOs), the less they want to eat from that trough, and alternatives start to look pretty attractive. Huge world issues like climate change also point to solutions in how we grow, transport, and eat food. You can't really extract food issues from the majority of issues faced by humans.

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Photo Credit: Kevin Kossowan

//Food

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lackberries in late summer. Elderflowers for cordial and wild garlic for autumn feasting. Chestnuts in readiness for winter. Our cities’ waterways, parks and gardens are the new hedgerow. On any given weekend, you're likely to find a new generation of ‘rurbanites’ in search of city-grown fruit, wild greens, mushrooms and berries. Urban foraging has never been so popular, a reflection of our interest in local foods and the intensity of flavours and seasonality of wild edibles. Just ask Chef Mike Richardson of Mike + Ollie. This maverick forager routinely roams the streets of south London, seeking inspiration and produce for his street food and supper club. Depending on the season, you could be tasting quinces picked from Crystal Palace or green almonds from Ruskin Park. For Chef Richardson, the appeal of foraging is the “unanticipated pleasure” of discovering food that grows in our cities and offers us a chance to appreciate the abundance of food around us rather than letting it go to waste. San Francisco’s Forage SF shares a similar philosophy. Its foraging classes emphasises sustainability, while its roving supper club, Wild Kitchen, serves an eight-course menu based on ethically sourced local ingredients. While famed restaurants like Noma (Copenhagen) and Coi (San Francisco) have popularised foraging, urban foragers like Invisible Food’s Ceri Buck celebrate the terroir of a city rather than the countryside one. Bruck likens foraging to a “treasure hunt” which explains the popularity of her walking tours as those offered by Steve “Wildman” Brill in Central Park, New York.

//Food

BOOKS TO GET YOU FORAGING •

The Wild Table: Seasonal Foraged Food and Recipes by Connie Green and Sarah Scott

•

The Forager’s Kitchen: Over 100 easy recipes from Savoury to Sweet by Fiona Bird

•

Wild Food: Nature’s Harvest: How to Gather, Cook & Preserve by Biddy White-Lennon and Evan Doyle

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Dandelion Hunter: Foraging the Urban Wilderness by Rebecca Lerner

•

Hens of the Woods and Other Wild Foods and Medicines: A Guided Tour Including Folklore by Steve Brill

Like many, Invisible Food has a strong community focus, bringing together Londoners to “create recipes made with unusual and yet common plants on everyone’s doorstep”. Forage Oakland redistributes surplus backyard fruit amongst neighbours using a barter network, whereas Hamburg-based Das Geld hängt an den Bäumen (money hangs from trees) employs disabled and disadvantaged people to harvest apples from the city’s public gardens, which it then sells as apple juice. On a more global scale, at Falling Fruit, local foragers post the location of fruit trees and gardens using an open-source website. Over half-a-million fruit trees have been mapped globally and the site is as much a celebration of the urban harvest as food for the table. So is urban foraging here to stay? It would appear so, given the number of foraging food walks, cookery classes, guides and even apps like the Foragers Apprentice available. Its appeal goes beyond wild gastronomy to a deep commitment to place, food provenance and seasonality.

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//Food

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cooking: J u r g i ta Va s k e l

{ V i l n i us }

Ch i c ke n , R ad i sh a n d O ra n ge S alad 300 g chicken meat from a leftover roast chicken cut into pieces 1 large, juicy and sweet orange 10-15 radishes mix of salad leaves (200 g)

dressing : 1 small orange (juice only) some lemon juice and honey extra virgin olive oil salt freshly ground black pepper

I n stru c t i ons: Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Wash and dry the salad leaves. Cut the radishes into thin slices. Peel the orange, divide into slices and remove the pith keeping the slices and juice intact the best you can. To make the dressing, in a separate bowl, whisk together the juices of the small orange, lemon, honey and a good glug of olive oil. To assemble the salad, in a large bowl, combine the salad leaves, chicken, orange slices, and radishes. Sprinkle some salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix ingredients together. Divide the salad into two portions, and serve on deep plates. Pour the dressing on the salad and serve immediately with some freshly baked bread.

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Photo Credit: Jurgita Vaskel

//Food

n Lithuania, people can't imagine eating an early spring salad without radishes. The most popular type of salad is made of spring onions, salad leaves, radishes, sometimes dill and huge spoonfuls of sour cream. To celebrate this seasonal staple food, I make a radish salad with a twist.

in viLniUS, iT iS iMpORTAnT TO TRY... • •

•

Smoked pig ears as a beer snack Vėdarai which is pork intestine stuffed with a filling made from a combination of smoked meat and potato šaltibarščiai which is a cold and refreshing beetroot soup

in viLniUS, DOnT MiSS A MEAL AT... LOKYS: I love the atmosphere of this old restaurant in Vilnius. The food is good and you can try old Lithuanian cuisine with a twist along with other unusual dishes like beaver meat stew. SOUL BOX: A place for young souls. Good food in the daytime, one of the best cocktail places in Vilnius at night. FIORENTINO: An Italian restaurant on a charming street in Old Town near the University of Vilnius. I love their bruschette, fagottini and cantucci with Vin Santo to end the meal.

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//Food

What’s Cooking: e Va kO s M a s F l O r e s

{LOS AnGELES}

Spring breathes life back into the earth after a long season’s rest. come March, many delicious vegetables begin to grow like the ramp (allium tricoccum), also known as a wild leek or spring onion. native to the eastern north American mountains, ramps can be found growing in patches in deciduous forests. in early spring, ramps sprout smooth leaves and disappear by summer. The ﬂavor of a ramp is reminiscent of sweet onion with a garlic aroma and is worth the foraging effort.

In Los Angeles, it’s important to try... Fish tacos: The seafood here is so fresh and the Mexican food scene is delicious.

Photo Credits: Eva Kosmas Flores

Sushi: A wide selection of high quality fresh ﬁsh and a large Japanese population make for some of the best sushi you'll have outside Japan. Burgers: LA loves its hamburgers, and you can get them in a dazzling array of sizes and with some pretty crazy toppings.

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CaraMeliZeD leek & gOuDa sCONes

//Food

inGREDiEnTS: 1 cup diced leeks 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 cups ﬂour ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground black pepper ½ teaspoon thyme 1/3 lb gouda cheese, grated 3 ounces quality ham, diced ½ cup milk

inSTRUcTiOnS: Begin by caramelizing the leeks. Mix together the leeks and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium-sized frying pan over medium low heat. Continue cooking them for 25-35 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, or until the leeks have turned golden in color and are soft and aromatic. Remove from heat and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and thyme until well blended. Add ¼ cup of the olive oil and mix until crumbs form in the dough. Stir in the ham, leeks, and gouda, then add the milk and mix until a dense dough forms. Knead the dough gently for a few turns on a lightly floured surface, then pat it down into a roughly 3-icnh thick circle. Place the circle on a lightly greased backing sheet and use a pizza cutter to cut the circle into 8 wedges. Gently pull the wedges away from each other so they have about ½ inch of space between them. Lightly brush the tops of the scones with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the scones are golden brown on top and cooked all the way through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving.

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//Food

{ n O R T H D A KO TA - M i n n E S O TA B O R D E R }

What’s Cooking: M O l lY Y e H WH O LE WH EAT DUMPLIN GS WI T H R A MP S, EGGS A ND B OK C HOY (12 dumplings) ingredients dough: 1/2 c whole wheat flour 1/2 c all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 c boiling water 1/4 c cold water

filling: 3 tb olive oil 1 bunch (about a dozen) ramps, finely chopped 3 large stalks of bok choy, finely chopped salt + pepper to taste 1 large egg 1 tsp sriracha (optional) soy sauce, for serving

amps (wild leeks) are among my favorite things, and I love the fact that you can only find them a few weeks of the year. When I lived in New York before moving to a farm on the border of North Dakota and Minnesota, I had a "ramp guy" who I would meet on a street corner, hand over a couple of bills, and make the exchange. I am a little bit nervous for the upcoming ramp season because I haven't yet found a ramp hookup in the Midwest!

01 best M Blue Hill S ricotta ma earlier tha sie, stunni bles, and s should tas funny bus

02 what’s A few var mismatch knives pa are in dire the mome

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//Food i n G R E Di E nTS : 1/2 cup vegetable oil 6 oz dark chocolate 6 oz butter 4 eggs 1 ¼ cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon ground cardamom 1 ½ cup all purpose ﬂour ½ teaspoon baking powder 3 medium pears

Meal: Stone Barns in New York. I had ade from milk that was milked at day from a cow named Besingly fresh and simple vegetastrawberries how strawberries ste. It was so pure and good. No siness.

s on your Table? rieties of salt, often hot sauce, hed dishes, and silver forks and assed down from my mom that re need of a good polishing at ent.

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inSTRUcTiOnS: To make the dough: Combine flours and salt in a medium bowl. Add boiling water and stir with a fork to form a mealy mixture. Add cold water to bring the dough together and form a ball. Turn onto a floured surface and kneed for five minutes. Cover with a damp towel and let rest while you make the filling. To make the filling: Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add ramps, bok choy, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the egg (you want it to cook in the vegetables a bit). Stir in sriracha (if using). Line a steamer with blanched cabbage or parchment paper poked with a few holes to let the steam through, set it aside. Set a large pot of water over medium high heat to come to a boil. While it's heating, form the dumplings. Form the dumplings: Divide dough into 12 equal balls. Using a rolling pin, roll out balls until they're three-inch circles. Add a tablespoon of filling to the center, fold, and crimp edges. Place finished dumplings in the steamer. Once water comes to a boil, place the steamer over the pot and steam for 10 minutes, or until dumplings are cooked through. Serve with soy sauce and enjoy!

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Photo Credit: By Lassen

//Design

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//Design

Catch a glimpse of the work of four woodcrafters whose objects stand for quality and bring delight, explore the challenges associated with carrying on a family design business and discover five new retail concepts who are successfully drawing traffic and curiosity.

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//Design

FAMILY OF DESIGN { c O p E n H AG E n }

In the design world, it is one thing to have carte blanche to define, communicate and evolve your works. For Nadia Lassen, director and owner of by Lassen in Copenhagen, her job comes with a different set of responsibilities and challenges: to carry forward the design legacy left by her great-grandfather and his brother (her greatgrand-uncle), Mogens and Flemming Lassen. Mogens Lassen (1901-1987) and Flemming Lassen (1902-1984) were famous Danish architects who were part of the modernist architecture movement. During the era in which the brothers designed buildings, it was not uncommon to also have a hand in their interior design. This led to the creation of chairs, tables, kitchens and accessories all in sync with their respective exteriors, leaving behind a legacy of iconic products. One such product is Mogen Lassen’s Kubus candlestick, launched in 1962. “I am proud to carry forth the legacy of

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my great-grandfather and great-grand-uncle and I am sure that they would both appreciate by Lassen today,” says Nadia. “For this reason, I would never make the Kubus candelabra in pink. We try to be as authentic and true to their designs as possible.” Branded with a logo that pays homage to the city in which the company resides, the by Lassen line that Nadia oversees stays true to its roots and reflects a Nordic design aesthetic that is simple on the surface. Yet, there is nothing simple about their products. “No detail has been left to chance. Because Mogen and Flemming were architects and keen on designing great products that would last for generations, they were detail-oriented – something we respect.” It usually takes Nadia and her team 12 to 18 months to launch a new product when working from existing designs. “We have a designer who looks through all the old sketches before we

Photo Credit: By Lassen

choose which design we would like to pursue,” says Lassen. So far the company has focused more on Mogen’s products, including his ML42 stool, Frame box, Kubus candelabras and bowls and his ML33 chair. This year saw the launch of Flemming Lassen’s Mingle sofa, with plans www.bylassen.com

to produce more designs from Nadia’s greatgrand-uncle. In keeping with tradition, the products are made of steel and European wood. She is keen to keep production local, which is why the entire Kubus collection is still produced in Denmark.

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//Design

Five Questions with Designer: Jessie Philips Andersen

{ Oakla n d }

Designer of: The Wobble Bowl W hat Is a W o bbl e B ow l? It’s a bowl that reflects motion in a toy-like movement, similar to the objects kids play with.

M a d e I n? I’d been making the Wobble Bowls myself, but I was having trouble producing enough to fulfill orders, and production was taking up most of my time, so I wanted to have someone else take it over so I could spend more time designing—specifically someone in the US producing highquality work. Now the Wobble Bowls are made by a small, craft-focused production studio in Portland, OR, which produces its own work as well as that of other designers.

M at e r i a l ? Wobble bowls are currently slip-cast in porcelain. Most of my other work is cast in a buff stoneware. I try to use materials that are traditional but clean, which is why I usually choose smooth, white clays for ceramics.

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//Design

D o you Ente rta in at H o me? We host friends for dinners fairly often, as well as parties and holidays—we even hosted our wedding in our home. Our style is very warm and personal, yet clean. It’s a blend of modern Scandinavian design with vintage American.

W hat is On You r Ta b l e? My husband is Danish, so on our table, you’ll find my own work next to Georg Jensen serving pieces and Danish potter Birthe Sahl’s bowls. And there’s usually a quirky element, like our Little Joseph doll-head candleholders by Maxim Velcovsky, or, at Christmas, our 25 elf candleholders. www.jessicaphillips.net

Photo Credit: Switch Thomas, Jesper Andersen

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//Design

Wood is t h e s t ar mater ial o f o ur M ade-In s e ct i on t h i s s p r ing. We meet fo ur ar tisans wh o cra f t m ag i c al pieces fo r the table that are me an t t o l a st a lif etime.

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//Design

Rollingpin-less

{ S lov e n i a }

Photo Credi: Anja Kucler

he best products are often solutions to personal frustrations. Metod Burgar, a Slovenian designer, got the idea for his Wood’n’Roll rolling pin after he resorted to using a wine bottle as a stand-in to roll out dough. The rolling pin, a continuously joined piece with no visible screws or glued parts, is made from locally sourced wood and Kerrock, a composite material similar to marble but non-porous, which is also made in Slovenia. He added pair of colourful rotating handles that connect to the body through a curved surface, to make rolling easier and more ergonomic. His first project with Wood’n’Roll? Potica, a traditional festive Slovenian pastry.

he Wood’n’Roll joins a growing list of objects produced by young Slovenian designers who are showing an interest in expanding on Slovenia’s history of craft. This re-en-

ergized and contemporary approach to woodworking, glass blowing and ceramics has led to an onslaught of products helping to elevate Slovenian design around the world. Objects like the Ondu pinhole camera by Elvis Halilović, the Eclipse wall lamp by Tilen Sepič, the wFoil 18 Albatross hydrofoil two-seater by Wilsonic Design, Leis kitchenware by Gigodesign, the Taste dining table by Luka Pirnat and other products by young Slovenian designers are just a few examples of design emerging from Slovenia at the moment. www.woodnroll.com

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//Design

NEW IN DESIGN { E i n D H Ov E n }

atvian design student Jasmina Grase is in her final year at the Design Academy of Eindhoven in the Netherlands, and she refers to her work as a modern, more practical version of what her family has done for generations: artistry. This young designer has developed an affinity for creating conversation-worthy home and table accessories that allude to her Latvian heritage and playfully solve domestic problems with modern utensils.

Ph ot o ed Cr

resh Beat, a carpet beater, is Jasmina’s take on a once-ubiquitous tool that was used to clean carpets until the vacuum took its place. “I was trying to update an old-school activity like beating carpets outdoors with a tool for today,” says Grase. Similarly, her Broom of Luck bread board and knife set imaginatively incorporates a Latvian mythological symbol, Laima’s broom, to catch breadcrumbs on the board while paying tribute to the Baltic gastronomic staple: rye bread.

it: Ja sm in a Gr as e

Laima is one

ing in Latvian fate and luck

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Laima’s symb and craft, an

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//Design

ON OUR TABLE { S T. A L B E R T }

hen a chef, a designer and a wood manufacturer team up to create accessories for the kitchen and dining room, you know good things are to come. The trio, Cindy Lazarenko (chef), Geoffrey Lilge (designer) and Christopher Brandt (wood manufacturer), formed On Our Table, a St. Albert, Alberta based design outfit that crafts beautiful wooden boards, butcher blocks and accessories out of walnut wood.

he company got its start by making serving boards for Cindy's restaurant. “We couldn’t find any that we liked, so I designed and made some” says Geoffrey, Cindy’s husband. For example, their Chisel board has an angled corner that was created to provide restaurant servers with the optimal wrist angle when presenting the board to the diner. In terms of new products, Geoffrey continues to fill the design pipeline with objects that satisfy a need. “This year we will be doing more collaborations, releasing furniture (fall 2014) and a cookbook; that will be enough.”

Ta b

www.onourtable.ca

of the three goddesses of fate appear-

bols are applied throughout Latvian design d h e r b r o o m o f l u c k i s u s e d t o s av e p e o p l e

ng.

Cr ed o ot Ph

, she is symbolized by the fir and broom.

it:

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//Design

SACRED OAK { TA L L i n n }

hen over half the geography of a country is boreal forest, like it is in Estonia, one might expect wood to feature prominently in design. For Tallinn based designer-craftsman, Karl Taul, he set up a small workshop in the city and transformed his woodworking hobby into a profession. “The aesthetics of my work is grounded in the old Estonian peasant way of life, a style which is known for its simplicity, even naivety, but also playfulness” says Taul.

e remains flexible with his designs and letting the wood guide the end product. Karl’s preference is to work with local reclaimed wood (spruce and pine are common) and only uses oak, a tree with a sacred status in Estonia, for his cutting boards and salad forks. “Despite the fact that oak would be the best wood

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to use in certain pieces, cutting down oak trees to make furniture does not feel right. Oak has a mythical status in Estonia. The trees are believed to be wise creatures and thus should be treated with respect.” shop.malin-workshop.com/

KAR L TAU L

Photo Credit: Karl Taul, Anna-Liisa Liiver

//Design

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//Design

â&#x2014;&#x160; TH E R E TA I L S PECTRU M â&#x2014;&#x160; to Stay c om petitive in the ever evolving retail l andScape, merchantS have to Stay on their toeS and raiSe the bar to at trac t a loyal Following oF cuStomerS. our retail Section exploreS F ive Shop c onceptS, both online and on the Street, that are get ting the mix and experienc e right.

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//Design

NEW IN

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//Design

{LOnDOn}

n a creative effort to support London’s small homeware and fashion businesses, StreetHub, based in East London, launched its click and collect website in November 2013. The site (and soon to launch iPhone app), founded by Alex Loizou, Maxim Berglund, and Mandeep Singh, enables shoppers to buy online from independent shops like Homage in Stoke Newington, Volte Face in Bloomsbury, Family Tree in Clerkenwell and Fabrications in Hackney, and collect their purchases in-store, thereby driving much needed foot traffic into local communities. Out of the gate, StreetHub started with a list of over 100 independent shops in London and are adding approximately 20 shops a month in Central London, in areas such as Shoreditch, Chelsea, Notting Hill and Islington. www.streethub.com

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//Design

{ L o n do n }

lippings.com, part online home store, part design magazine, draws from its neighbours in the design and tech industries, which surrounds its office located in the Clerkenwell district in London. “We launched over a year ago and have been quietly growing our community and range of products” says Co-Founder of Clippings.com, Tom Mallory. The site provides a platform for young designers to showcase their work and gain access to a wider audience. So far, hundreds of designers have signed on bringing the shopping spectrum to close to 10,000 products. “We want to build a community that is excited about design and who want to help push design further!”

Designers We Like: Fundamental Berlin:

Furniture, lighting and accessories make up the mix of products that manage to be fun, sophisticated and reasonably priced all at the same time, I’d recommend you check them out.

Marina Dragomirova:

Royal College of Art graduate, Marina Dragomirova creates one-of-a-kind, up-cycled vintage glassware, where the stems and cups are connected by magnets. All the glasses are sourced from antique and vintage shops around London.

Kaymet:

A classic British brand that keeps evolving its designs and is celebrated for its superb quality. They specialize in making aluminum trays that will last you a lifetime.

www.clippings.com

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//Design

{cORBRiDGE}

Photo Credit: RE

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NEW IN

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//Design

Hadrian’s Wall is a nod to the power and vastness of the Roman Empire. It stretches 80 miles from the Solway Coast in the west to Tynemouth in the east, and it took 15,000 men six years to build. The Wall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the best known and preser ved frontier of the empire.

orbridge, a Roman village set along a portion of Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland, may seem an unlikely spot for an eclectic design shop like RE. After spending years working in the fashion industry, owners Jenny Vaughan and Simon Young opened RE in 2003 in a small converted workshop in a village far from the bustle of London, but closer to home. RE is a showcase for a wide scope of unique merchandise, as well as Jenny and Simon’s multitude of skills in design, planning, styling and building collections. “There’s no set formula or logic to the style of RE,” says Jenny. “It’s purely about things we like mixed together: old, new, reworked, mass-produced or handcrafted one-offs.” Despite being five hours northeast of London, RE has found its way to the city in the form of pop-up shops and a permanent concession in the venerable department store Liberty of London.

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//Design

First Thursdays

{ Ca p e T ow n }

Wr i tte n B y: K aty R ose

oining the likes of other First Thursdays art-cultureretail based community events around the world, Cape Town’s has launched its own version of First Thursdays, an initiative taking advantage of the city’s title as World Capital of Design 2014. The monthly event encourages Capetonians and visitors alike to walk the streets of the city, visit its galleries and art venues, while tasting, sipping and celebrating local talent late into the night. Here are a few highlights:

S p i e r S e c r e t C o u r ty a r d – 6 4 A Wa l e S t r e e t

An established force in the South African wine industry, and a longtime patron of the arts, Spier has opened a pop-up summer time restaurant-bargallery tucked away in this →

Photo Credit: Katy Rose

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→ rustic courtyard. Art exhibitions rotate regularly, weekly Secret Suppers feature wellknown local chefs and then there is always Spier wine at cellar door prices.

//Design H o n e s t Ch o c o l a t e – 6 6 Wa l e Street

Proving that ‘raw’ and ‘vegan’ can also be devilishly tempting, Anthony and Michael of Honest Chocolate supply all of the indulgence with none of the guilt. Handmade, organic, dairy free and low GI – you’ll be left asking “But is this chocolate?” Their Honest Chocolate is available in slabs in a variety of flavours, and luscious bonbons in mint, ginger, rose geranium and honey. Dark, velvety, healthy and local – do we need more excuses?

NEW IN

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Skinny La Minx – 201 Bree Street

Heather Moore of local fabric and interiors brand, Skinny La Minx, has long been at the cutting edge of design in the small Cape Town community. Thinking outside the city, Heather was one of the first startups to market internationally and online. Using blogging and social media, Skinny La Minx quickly built up a strong following for its geometric screen prints, which adorn everything from tea towels, lampshades, throw covers and accessories. Their first retail space is located on Bree Street.

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//Design

SUPERCOOL {MELBOURnE}

obile shop, The Supercool aims to shake up predictable retail experiences in Melbourne with its story-worthy, eclectic and independent homewares. “We always liked the idea of being nomadic and going to the people rather than waiting for them to come to us” says Kate Vandermeer, co-founder of The Supercool. Together with her husband, David Nunez (Noonie), the pair will set up The Supercool in a location in the city anywhere from one day, or over a long weekend, to six weeks or as long as seven months.

Five Conversation PieCes @thesuPerCool u a S H M a M a pa p e r B a G S : We are

using these for holding candles or indoor plants, breadsticks. They are made from paper but feel like leather and washes like fabric! Love!

alcHeMy cHeMiStry candleS: A

cluster of beakers/flasks with hand poured soy candle wax in scents like ginger ale, coconut & lime or mandarin oil & rosemary.

t H e k i n F o l k t a B l e - This book is ace

for inspiration for what to cook and present on your table.

M a S o n d r i n k i n G J a r S W i t H r e tr o S t r aW S : Perfect for that hipster

green juice or handmade sangria!

luMiere art & co liMited edit i o n p l a t e S - These designer plates are like works of art! Who doesn't want cool crockery to eat off? 58

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www.thesupercool.com

NEW IN

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Photo Credit: The Supercool

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//Entertaining

ENTERTAINING ENTERTAINING entertaining entertaining

entertaining

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//Entertaining

Photo Credit: Violraviol

Plates with a point of view, design and a story become the next conversation pieces for the table. Don't shy away from colour and pattern the next time you consider growing your dish collection. We also share four items that make entertaining fun.

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//Entertaining

Violraviol

{BUEnOS AiRES}

The Name:

Pho

V edit: to C r

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viol

Violraviol is a play on words. When Cecilia's daughter, Violeta, was young, she loved to eat ravioli. Cecilia's sister, an excellent storyteller, would tell Violeta stories about a character named violraviol, a contraction of 'Violeta' and 'ravioli'.

n the vibrant barrio of Palermo in Buenos Aires, is where you will find Cecilia Sonzini and Javier Gomez Dodero's shop, Violraviol. Cecilia and Javier's granny trolleys and shopping accessories blend right into the neighbourhood's colourful landscape. “We make products to help you bring your groceries from the market, like shopping trolleys, reusable bags, and baskets” says Cecilia. “They are the objects used by our grandmothers, but we make them super functional.” Violraviol’s market baskets are made from discarded material found at fruit and vegetable markets, making each basket unique. As far as materials go, the company operates on the whim of what is in season and import regulations on food products coming into Argentina. “The colours you see in a basket are impacted by seasonal produce. For example, if it’s banana season, the zunchos (straps) are yellow because that’s how the banana company packages their bananas. It’s amusing to depend on such a random factor but we have learned that those obstacles are a starting point, so we create based on what we are missing.” says Sonzini.

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e nt ertaining: th e l it t l e t hingS SO METIMES I T’S THE LI T TLE THI NGS WE HAV E T HAT HELP

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MA KE A GATHERI NG RUN S M OOTH LY. T HI S SP R I N G WE A RE A L L A B OUT S UPPORTI NG S ERVI CE S T HAT M A KE O UR L IVES EA SIER AND PROD UCTS THAT DO T HE J O B R I GHT TH E FIRST TI M E. M EET FOUR C O M PA N I ES T HAT WI LL MA KE YO U WANT TO S AY “THI S I S AW E SO M E!”

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ichard Sparrenhök and Sara Edhäll are on a mission to keep Iris Hantverk – Stockholm’s beloved traditional brush-manufacturing company – alive. “Iris refers to the iris of the eye and hantverk means craft or handcraft in Swedish,” says Sara. “The reference to the eye comes naturally from our company’s history, as it has strong ties to SRF, a visu-

ally impaired organization in Sweden.” Iris Hantverk’s roots date back to 1889 when a group of visually impaired craftsmen founded De blindas förening (DBF), an independent political organization charged to encourage and empower individuals with visual impairments to actively participate in society and gain equal access to employment in order to live gainfully. Near the beginning of the 20th century, the group purchased brush-binding materials and set up a factory and a shop on Majorsgatan 12. Until 2012, the company relied on

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Cut the Cheese government subsidies from the Socialdepartementet to assist with the cost of materials, a main source of support for the company since the 1950s. Now based in the suburbs of Stockholm, Iris Hantverk employs 14 people, five of whom have visual impairments, and continues to make brushes according to Swedish tradition. The brushes, made from natural materials like Swedish birch, beech and oak, and bristles from horsehair and Tampico, are complemented by a new range of accessories for the kitchen and bathroom. Richard and Sara have their work cut out for them, but they are on the way to keeping the brand afloat. “We want to continue to highlight the excellent craftsmanship of the artisans who work with us,” says Sara. “It is also important to grow our markets outside of the country so more people can enjoy the Swedish traditions associated with brush-making, and make it so that we are in a position to hire more visually impaired craftsmen, a testament to our past and support for the community.” www.irishantverk.se

{ M A n i AG O }

{STOcKHOLM}

Cleaning Up

n Maniago, Italy’s center for steel blades, knife and cutlery manufacturers fill orders for clients around the world. The small town, which is located in north eastern Italy, is not only famous for its knives, it is also famous for its fresh, mild Montasio cheese (used in the Friulan cheese crisp called frico). The origin of the prized Montasio cheese can be traced back to a 17th century monastery in the mountains in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region. It is no wonder that Due Ancore, a Maniago family knife manufacturer that is currently run by fourth generation, Andrea Girolami, designed its Lamami line with over eight sets devoted to cutting, chopping and slicing various cheeses. As an expression of Italian lifestyle, each set provides context about the food it is meant to be used with and is packaged in an elegant recycled cardboard book that is perfect for storing knives.

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HANDLE MATERIAL: Olive wood and Paperstone (a 100% post-consumer paper with petro-free resin) FAMILY HISTORY: Due Ancore dates back to the XIX Century when the Beltrame family started manufacturing farming tools. FAVOURITE KNIFE SETS: Honey Cheese and Nuts, Brandy Chocolate and Cigar, Soft Cheeses and Cheese and Wine.

{ n E w YO R K }

tumped on where to buy a plant in the city that has everything, Eliza Bank founded The Sill, a service that brings people to plants that suit their lifestyle. When she first moved to New York City, Eliza noticed the lack of green space and fresh air around her. She made her first apartment feel more like home, a one-window, 200 square foot walk up, with plants. The Sill offers a range of mini plants, table top plants, and floor plants along with plant maintenance, gardening and plant design services. For the time pressed knowledge depraved, Eliza and her team focus on supplying easy-care plants in ceramic planters that can withstand a wide range of environments (think New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prewar overheated buildings). www.thesill.com Photo Credit: Sidney Bensimon

BLADE MATERIAL: Stainless steel with molybdenum vanadium

On The Sill S

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o a bet ter job at highlighting your ingredients, a

haracter, a story and colour can take a meal or

e to another level. We speak with four designers

es will kick start your dinner part y conversation in

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Illustration Art No. 11 by Nynne Rosenvinge

rection.

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Louise Wilkinson

01 { L o n don }

Photo Credit: Louise Wilkinson

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hese days, Yorkshire born Louise Wilkinson calls bone china her canvas. After studying illustration, Wilkinson got her start designing prints, patterns and characters for children’s clothes before moving into fashion when she moved to London over 10 years ago. She launched her own design studio in 2012 and settled on designing whimsical tableware on bone china which is hand decorated in Stoke on Trent. “I love the quality of fine bone china, particularly its flat surface area which is like a blank canvas” says Louise. “I wanted to create special cups and saucers that were playful and illustrative, with witty details.” Her Maple Collection includes a mix and match illustrated series of plates, cups, saucers, jugs trays and teapots. It is a reflection of her love of the traditional decorative arts and the inspiration she draws from nature, fantasy and animals. www.louisewilkinson.co.uk

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{SAn FRAnciScO}

lay has always been an integral part of life for ceramist Lisa Neimeth. Although her career began in a different direction, she maintained a connection to pottery by working in private studios, attending annual workshops in New Mexico and immersing herself in folk art and local ceramic works through extensive travel in Central and South America. After her children were born, she set up her own studio behind her home, a 19th-century dairy farmhouse in the inner Sunset District where she worked on sculptural pieces. It wasn’t until she ate at a restaurant that served on handmade plates that Lisa was motivated to transition her sculptural work toward something more functional. “I wanted to bridge the concept of a ‘work of art’ with something useable (and dishwasherfriendly),” explains Lisa. “I started creating one-of-akind handmade tableware using impressed objects and hand-etched design elements.”

Lisa neiMeth

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wh at t ype oF cl ay d o yo u

w hatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S n e x t?

work w ith?

People crave something special, not machine made and I feel fortunate to be in this area of tableware design in such a ripe time and appreciation for handmade work. The spring and summer will see new work presented at Anthropologie, Terrain, Sundance and Silver Oak Vineyards in Napa. I am also working on a couple of new restaurant deals to do their plates, which I always love to do.

Rich, dark, California clay.

how w ou l d yo u d e Scrib e t he St yle oF you r wo rk? My style is about combining things in new and unusual ways. It is rustic-contemporary and deliberate in terms of the colours and matte finishes that I use. An example could be colour combinations, or design elements that are juxtaposed to amuse or encourage further observation. My tableware is meant to fit in a farmhouse country style home as well as in a stark and modern setting.

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Made

{ T oro n to / M ed i c i n e H at }

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Photo Credit: Shaun Moore, Aaron Nelson

harged with providing context and representation for under-recognized Canadian design, Julie Nicholson and Shaun Moore combined their international experience in design, art and merchandising and set up MADE in 2005, a retail store located on Dundas Street West among a hub of other independent businesses in Toronto. Recently the pair partnered with Aaron Nelson, the Artistic Director of Medicine Hat Clay Industries National Historic District in southern Alberta to launch the Redesigned Medalta plate series during the Toronto Design Offsite Festival in January 2014. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Redesigned Medalta project invited makers, designers and artists to create new designs for plates from the stock found abandoned at the Hycroft China Factory, a site part of the historic district in Aaronâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s titleâ&#x20AC;? says Shaun. The current series shows the work of Canadian

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artists, Aaron Nelson, Jenna Stanton, Jenn Demke Lange, Laura McKibbon, Noriko Masuda, Tobie Laliberté, Alyssa Nuhas and Elizabeth Burritt. “The designers were tasked with creatively illustrating the goals of the now Historic District in Medicine Hat with the goal of offering a new cultural context for its output.” The series is comprised of eight limited edition plates each by a different designer. The project intends to introduce new designs over time as new designers are invited to participate. At one time, Medicine Hat was a major production hub for pottery, producing approximately 75% of Canada’s pottery in the 1920s. Ceramic production started in the 1880s as it was geographically rich in two important resources: clay and (cheap) natural gas. Famous Canadian potteries like Medalta and Hycroft China used these natural resources to create all sorts of everyday items which they shipped on the Canadian Pacific Railway across the country to customers. The Depression, war and increased competition negatively impacted the Medicine Hat ceramic industry, which led to its demise. “The Redesigned Medalta plate series hopes to reach a wider audience while also leveraging and acknowledging the significant industrial past of the area” says Moore. madedesign.goodsie.com

M edalta i s a c e n tury- old Nat i o n al H i stor i c S i te ( i t o p e n ed i n 1 9 1 2 ) w h i c h c losed i ts doors as a n o p erat i n g fa c tory i n 1 9 5 4 due to de c l i n i n g sales a n d n e w c om p et i t i o n lo cally a n d i n ter n at i o n ally. T oday i t has bee n re i mag i n ed as a c o n tem p orary c eram i c arts stud i o, i n dustr i al her i tage museum , a l i v e i n dustr i al ar c haeolog i cal s i te a n d p rodu c t i o n p ottery stud i o.

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Sarah Cihat

{ B rookly n }

fter four years in Parsons School of Design’s furniture design program, Brooklyn, New York based Sarah Cihat was tired of designing products that used new or raw materials. For her thesis, she turned her attention to thrift shops and started experimenting with glazes that would allow her to augment and update the façade of discarded, unwanted dishes. “Not everything I find can be rehabbed, but I find all types of ceramic wares that I attempt to make work” says Sarah. Armed with positive feedback, she set up her studio in Clinton Hill the summer after graduation and got to work expanding her concept. She officially launched Rehabilitated Dishware last fall and sells exclusively at Barneys on Madison Avenue in Manhattan and online. www.sarahcihat.com

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Photo Credit: Sarah Cihat, Aaron Joseph

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van cou ver map Ganache Patisserie 1262 Homer St homewerx 1053 Davie St Olla Urban Flower Project 235 Cambie St Legacy Liquor Store 1633 Manitoba St Swiss Bakery 143 E 3rd Ave 76

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Thomas 2539

Mark 2326

Beau 2150 F

Barbara 1740

Gran 1689 Johnston

homas Haas West Broadway

ket Meats W 4th Ave

ucoup Bakery Fir Street

arbara Jo's Books to Cooks West 2nd Ave

ranville Island Public Market Johnston St

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van cou ver map

01 w he r e i S t he be S t pl ac e F o r m e at? If I'm looking for special order meat, I'll go to Market Meats on 4th Avenue. They're great if you're looking for a particular cut that isn't usually carried at the supermarket. Even if they don't have it in store, they'll source it for you. They carry a lot of local meat as well, which is a bonus. (Market Meats 2326 W 4th Ave)

02 w he r e i S t he be S t pl ac e F o r F lowe r S? I love, love, love Olla Flowers in Gastown. They have, hands down, the prettiest bouquets and arrangements I have seen in this city. I love their minimalist design and their terrariums or planters filled with moss and succulents. (Olla Flowers 235 Cambie Street)

03 w he r e i S t he be S t pl ac e Fo r d e SS e rt S/ba ke d g o o d S

S TE PHAN I E L E I S A VAN COUVE R B ASE D F OOD BLOGGE R W H O L AUN CHE D HE R SE CON D BLOG, I AM AFOODB LOG.COM, I N 2012 AFTE R COO KI N G, EATI N G A N D B LO GGI N G HER WAY THR OUGH THE MOMOFUKU COOKBOOK I N 2010. 78

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If I'm not making dessert myself, the place I'd definitely head to is Ganache Pâtisserie in Yaletown. I love their flavour combinations . I also like Thomas Haas for twice baked almond croissants and Beaucoup Bakery for their kouign amann, a buttery, sugary delicious treat. (Thomas Haas 2539 West Broadway; Beaucoup Bakery 2150 Fir Street)

04 w he r e i S t he be S t pl ac e F o r b r e a d? I like bread from either Swiss Bakery or Terra Breads. Swiss Bakery supplies bread to quite a few restaurants around town - I especially like their ciabatta. Terra Breads has a large selection of loaves filled with cheese, olives, nuts, seeds and fruit. They go wonderfully with charcuterie. (Swiss Bakery 143 East 3rd Avenue; Terra Breads 53 West 5th Ave)

//Entertaining 05 w h ere i S t h e b eSt p l ace F o r ta bl eware/d iS h eS? I like to visit Homewerx on Davie Street for tableware and dishes. They have a lot of simple, white modern pieces that take a backseat to the food and really let it shine. I like their modern colour palette when it comes to table linens as well - full of neutrals, but with fantastic textures. (Homewerx 1053 Davie St.)

06 w h ere iS t h e b eSt p l ace ve g g i e S? For veggies, I go to a bunch of places, depending on what looks fresh. The Vancouver Farmers Markets (various locations) run almost year round and feature lots of fresh BC produce. For a more grocery store type place, Kin's Farm Market is generally a good bet - they have a lot of local produce as well as organics.

07 w h ere iS t h e b eSt p l ace Fo r w i n e (or) beer (or) l iQu or Generally, in Vancouver, people head to BC Liquor for their go-to alcohol needs, due to strict liquor laws. There are a few independent licensed shops though. One of my favourites is Legacy Liquor Store in Olympic Village. They have a massive selection of beer, wine and liquor. I especially like their large craft beer selection. (Legacy Liquor Store 1633 Manitoba St)

08 w h ere iS t h e b eSt p l ace to bu y a new c oo kb oo k? I love browsing the cookbooks at Barbara-Jo's Books to Cooks. It's super well stocked and they have a full kitchen where they host events where authors cook from their books. Also, if you're a cookbook fanatic and you're looking for signed copies, Books to Cooks is most likely to have one. (Barbara Jo's Books to Cooks 1740 West 2nd Ave)

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Next ISSUE: July 2014 VISIT US AT WWW.COUNTLAN.COM