Cambridge Edition April

Cambridge EDITION XXXXXXXX

YOUR MONTHLY FIX OF

A P R I L 2 018

LOCAL LIFE

SEVEN CELEBRATING CELEBRATING

YEARS YEARS OF OF CAMBRIDGE CAMBRIDGE EDITION EDITION

A P R I L 2 018

1

S I G N U P TO O U R W E E K LY D I G I TA L N E W S L E T T E R

CE04_001 (COVER).indd 1

Cambridge

EDI T

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

C A M B S E D I T I O N . C O. U K

3/16/18 3:35 PM

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 2

16/03/2018 16:51

W E LCO M E

EDITORIAL

Editor in chief Nicola Foley 01223 499459 nicolafoley@bright-publishing.com Senior sub editor Lisa Clatworthy Sub editors Siobhan Godwood, Felicity Evans

ADVERTISING

Senior sales executive Chris Jacobs 01223 499463 chrisjacobs@bright-publishing.com Sales executive Lee Fifield 01223 492240 leefifield@bright-publishing.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Alex Rushmer, Angelina Villa-Clarke, Charlotte Griffiths, Cyrus Pundole, Daisy Dickinson, Elodie Cameron, Jordan Worland, Martin Priestley, Ruthie Collins, Siobhan Godwood, Sam Cooke

DESIGN & PRODUCTION Editorial designer Flo Thomas 01223 492242 flothomas@bright-publishing.com Ad production Man-Wai Wong 01223 499468 manwaiwong@bright-publishing.com

MANAGING DIRECTORS Andy Brogden & Matt Pluck 01223 499450

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK find us @cambsedition CAMBRIDGE EDITION MAGAZINE • Bright Publishing Ltd, Bright House, 82 High Street, Sawston, Cambridgeshire CB22 3HJ, 01223 499450, cambsedition.co.uk • All rights reserved. Material contained in this publication may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without prior permission of the publishers. • Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of Cambridge Edition or Bright Publishing Ltd, which do not accept any liability for loss or damage.

• Every effort has been made to ensure all information is correct. • Cambridge Edition is a free publication that is distributed in Cambridge and the surrounding area.

This month’s cover illustration was created by Flo Thomas. See more of Flo’s illustrations on Etsy at HeydayDesignsUK or at heydaydesigns.co.uk

Author illustrations by Louisa Taylor louisataylorillustration.blogspot.co.uk

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_003 (WELCOME)sg.indd 3

Welcome

A

pril has rolled around and with it *drumroll* Cambridge Edition’s seventh birthday! I fear I get all misty eyed and say this on every anniversary, but the years really do seem to be flying by. It feels like almost yesterday I was putting the finishing touches to the firstever issue (caffeine-jittery, takeaway pizza on my desk and possibly slightly delirious with sleep deprivation as I remember…), and now here we are, a whopping 84 issues later. We decided to celebrate by unveiling a bit of a spruce-up for the magazine, with a new look and lots of new content, which I hope you’ll enjoy exploring.

Sometimes people ask me if I ever get bored of writing about Cambridge, and the honest answer is: no way! Growing and changing constantly, and filled with so many brilliant, brainy, creative, and community-minded people, Cambridge is a dream subject for someone in my position. Every month somebody pops onto my radar with news on an event they’re hosting, a foodie place or pop-up I have to check out or an awesome new business they’re launching – serving up a goldmine of material. It’s definitely never dull (and we’ve got you to thank for that!).

An old favourite which just seems to get better with age is the Cambridge Literary Festival, returning this month with another seriously impressive line-up of writers, thinkers and speakers from 14 to 15 April. We chat to some of the authors involved and give our highlights over on page 28. We’ve also got news on the Cambridge Fringe, which is poised to bring a day of top comedy to the city in May (think Cambridge’s answer to the Edinburgh Fringe and you’ll be on the right track). Find out more on page 27.

Our bumper food and drink section is looking especially tasty this month, with a round-up of the best noodles in Cambridge, tips on eating with the seasons from The Gog Farm Shop, and a review of The Architect on Castle Hill. We’ve also got an interview with the head chef from the newly opened Ivy Brasserie – turn to page 52 for a peek at this much-hyped restaurant’s insanely beautiful interiors and to check out recipes for some of the dishes they’ll be serving there.

As ever, we’ve also got the lowdown on the best gigs, theatre, art exhibitions and family-friendly fun too - enjoy the issue and see you next month!

Nicola Foley EDITOR IN CHIEF

3

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:34 PM

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 4

16/03/2018 16:51

CONTENTS 6 l STARTERS

Miscellaneous musings on Cambridge, plus our fave social media pics of the month

11 l ARTS & CULTURE

Exhibitions, art shows, theatre highlights, interviews and more

19 l THE ART INSIDER

Ruthie Collins, founder of Cambridge Art Salon, shares her arty picks of the month

23 l MUSIC BLOG

The inside track on the best live music this month, from Slate the Disco’s Jordan Worland

24 l AFTER HOURS

The club nights, comedy, festivals and gigs you don’t want to miss this April

27 l CAMBRIDGE FRINGE

We find out more about the brand new comedy festival heading our way next month

28 l LITERARY FESTIVAL

A spotlight on the city’s much-loved book fest, including event highlights and author interviews

35 l FAMILY

Shows, family-friendly festivals and more to keep your brood entertained

55 45 l 5 OF THE BEST

36 l LISTINGS

Up this month: we round up the best of Cambridge’s noodle joints

40 l FOOD NEWS

Continuing the noodly fun, chef Alex Rushmer shares his favourite recipe

Our at-a-glance guide to the top events and goings-on this April The latest news and tidbits from Cambridge’s buzzing food scene

48 l MAKE THE BEST...

51 l CHEF’S TABLE

Alex shares what’s on his table this month (clue: it involves leftovers)

52 l REVIEW

We trundle up Castle Hill for a taste of the food offering at The Architect

55 l IVY LEAGUE

81 CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_005 (CONTENTS)sg.indd 5

64 l FASHION

This month’s top trends, plus picks from local indie fashion stores

69 l BEAUTY

News, advice and top buys from our beauty aficionado Daisy Dickinson

70 l BUSINESS

Local business profiles, plus we shine a spotlight on our independent of the month

75 l EDUCATION

The Leys’ headmaster looks at the importance of extracurricular activities

81 l INTERIORS

In celebration of the Ivy Brasserie opening in Cambridge, we chat to the head chef

Angelina takes a look at the hottest new interiors trends

61 l NATURE'S LARDER

95 l STORE OF THE MONTH

The Gog gives us the lowdown on which ingredients are in season

62 l DRINKS TROLLEY

Wine tips, cocktail recipes and a peek at some of our favourite hidden bars around the city

5

We chat to Granite Transformations

97 l ASK THE AGENT

Sam from Cooke, Curtis & Co considers what we Brits really want (from our gardens)

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:34 PM

Starters

@ELINAKONDRASHOVA

@IANFARRELL

#INSTACAMB

@ELLIE_IN_CAMBRIDGE

O U R FAVO U R I T E C A M B R I D G E I N S TAG R A M P I C S O F T H E M O N T H .

H A S H TAG # I N S TAC A M B F O R A C H A N C E TO F E AT U R E !

FOLLOW @CAMBSEDITION ON INSTAGRAM FOR MORE GREAT PICS OF CAMBRIDGE

APRIL ESSENTIAL

R ECOR D S TOR E DAY An international celebration of independent vinyl shops and the culture that surrounds them, Record Store Day takes place on 21 April. Locally, Relevant Records goes all out, serving a packed line-up of live music all day long, plus bacon rolls, prosecco and of course, selling loads of covetable limited edition records. It’s a great, buzzy day and a chance to meet fellow music lovers, shop and hear top music. Get down early and enjoy the party!

Head to cambsedition.co.uk for more info.

A P R I L 2 018

CE04_006-007 (STARTERS)sg.indd 6

6

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

3/16/18 3:26 PM

STA RT E R S WITHIN T H E S E WA L L S

T HE L EPER CH A PEL

THE MORE YOU KNOW

WAS FOOTBALL INVENTED IN CAMBRIDGE?

E

ver heard the one about football being invented on Parker’s Piece in Cambridge?

It’s a longstanding boast of our city, but can it really be true?

The answer is: yes (sort of ). People have doubtless been playing some variant of football for as long as we’ve had feet and something to kick, and records show that (something akin to) football was popular as far back as medieval times – though it barely resembled what we recognise as footie today. “The main features of these games were that they were often part of wider community life,” explains sports historian Matthew Taylor.

“They were characteristically chaotic, unorganised and frequently violent.

There was generally no proper ‘pitch’ as such – the game criss-crossed the locality, through fields, streams, village centres, and so on.”

Often eye-wateringly brutal, these lawless games regularly disintegrated into mass brawls, and eventually, the situation got so bad that various attempts were made to make football illegal.

It’s when it comes to the evolution of football into its modern, more refined, form that Cambridge comes in. On Parker’s Piece in 1863, a group of students having a kick about set about establishing a set of rules which emphasised skill over force, nailing them to trees surrounding Parker’s Piece. “We know that the

Cambridge Rules of 1863 directly inspired the men who met at the Freemasons Arms in London that year and created the Football Association,” explains Matthew. “So Cambridge can certainly claim to have played a major role in the development of the football codes that became so culturally important in 20th and 21st century Britain, and indeed throughout the world.”

The significance of the 1863 rules is that their introduction to the debate in the FA meetings of the same year led to a schism between representatives of clubs who were devoted to ‘hacking’ (booting your opponent in the shins) and those who opposed it. “Eventually, it was advocates of the latter position – which was a crucial feature of the Cambridge Rules – who won the day,” explains Matthew. “However, the creation of association football was a messy process – not a neatly ordered affair that can be easily followed in minute books... The historical reality, as is often the case, is more complicated than the idea of finding a ‘birthplace’ or even a birth date for football suggests,” concludes Matthew.

So, Cambridge may not have invented the beautiful game, but we’ve got a unique claim to having been crucial in its development – a fact acknowledged with a soon-to-be-revealed sculpture on Parker’s Piece that shows the original rules carved into granite in different languages.

MATTHEW TAYLOR IS A PROFESSOR OF HISTORY AT DE MONTFORT UNIVERSITY AND THE AUTHOR OF BOOKS INCLUDING FOOTBALL: A SHORT HISTORY (2011) CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_006-007 (STARTERS)sg.indd 7

7

You’ve probably walked or driven past the Leper Chapel on Newmarket Road countless times, but did you realise that it’s the oldest complete building in Cambridge, dating back to the 1100s? Also known as the Chapel of St Mary Magdalene, it got its ‘Leper Chapel’ moniker from its history as an isolation hospital caring for those suffering from leprosy. In 1199, King John granted permission for the Chapel to hold a market, which heralded the birth of the Stourbridge Fair. At its height, this was the biggest fair of its kind in England, attracting visitors from far and wide. The stalls extended along Newmarket Road down to the river, from about Stanley Road to the chapel, selling everything from wool and cloth to hops, cheeses, ironware, spices and books.

As times changed, the popularity of the fair waned and it eventually shrank to a shadow of its former self, but the commodities traded live on through the names of the streets surrounding the Chapel – so next time you find yourself on Garlic Row, Oyster Row, Mercers Row and Cheddars Lane, you’ll know how they got their names!

Since 1951 the Leper Chapel has been looked after by local charity, Cambridge Past, Present & Future, who honour the tradition of the Stourbridge Fair by hosting a medieval re-enactment each autumn. Pop along to step back in time for a taster of this remarkable building’s past, browsing stalls, meeting pedlars and alchemists and enjoying entertainment typical of the time.

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:27 PM

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 8

16/03/2018 16:51

Culture Club ART EXHIBITIONS • THEATRE HIGHLIGHTS • INTERVIEWS • GIGS & CONCERTS Image from Flux, a contemporary ceramics show curated by Matt Smith, showing as part of the Things of Beauty Growing exhibition at the Fitzwilliam Musuem

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_009 (ARTS OPENER)_FE.indd 9

9

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:34 PM

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 10

16/03/2018 16:51

A RTS & C U LT U R E

Arts Culture

NEON MOON The eccentric, dazzlingly attired Neon Moon Club returns this month for a spring ball at the Cambridge Union on 21 April.

Featuring world-class burlesque and cabaret acts, the theme of the evening is Wild West, so expect to be transported to a dusty saloon filled with swinging Stetsons and cavorting cowboy boots. Entertainers include risqué ‘boylesque’ from Dave The Bear and a gun-toting cowgirl extravaganza from Ayesha Hussein. It’s over 18s only and tickets start at £29.50. theneonmoonclub.com CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_011-017 (ARTS)sg.indd 11

11

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:26 PM

THEATRE HIGHLIGHTS Fun, drama, dance, songs, musicals and more come to the stage this month in a packed selection box that is sure to tempt you to get booking.

At the Cambridge Arts Theatre there’s a programme of classic tales, important characters and nights at the opera.

Mary Stuart is a political tragedy that sees actors Juliet Stevenson (Truly, Madly, Deeply) and Lia Williams (The Crown) playing either Elizabeth I or Mary Stuart on the toss of a coin before the performance. One’s in power, one’s in prison. It’s all in the execution, from 23 to 28 April.

English Touring Opera brings together Il Tabarro and Gianni Schicchi, two of Puccini’s one-act operas, on the 18th and 19th, with performances of Mozart’s popular comedy The Marriage of Figaro on 17, 20 and 21 April. They come after a tale of four ageing opera singers – Quartet, 3 to 7

A P R I L 2 018

CE04_011-017 (ARTS)sg.indd 12

April – that features Paul Nicholas (EastEnders) and Sue Holderness (Only Fools and Horses) in a charming, bittersweet comedy.

More humour follows from 9 to 14 April when the Original Theatre Company performs the classic Oscar Wilde comedy The Importance of Being Earnest, featuring Gwen Taylor, Susan Penhaligon and Downton Abbey’s Thomas Howes.

Views from the ’Bridge is the Junction’s showcase of work in progress by local artists, on 25 April. Expect an eclectic bill of dance, theatre and spoken word.

Cupid’s Revenge, on 19 April at the Junction, takes a big idea (where did love go?), breaks it open with humour and brings it to life with dance, from the team at New Art Club, one of the country’s top comedy dance theatre groups.

Grease the Musical promises to deliver all of your favourite moments from the pupils of

12

Rydell High, including Hopelessly Devoted to You, Summer Nights and Greased Lightning. It’s performed at The Mumford Theatre, 5 to 7 April, by third-year Bodywork Cambridge students who are about to graduate and enter the performing arts industry.

Also at The Mumford, on 30 April, is a slightly different take on The War of The Worlds. The Pantaloons company presents the HG Wells sci-fi classic with “four actors of intelligences lesser than average”. Expect musical instruments, puppetry and enthusiasm to recreate deadly heatrays and giant flying machines.

Finally, the Corn Exchange offers a treat to fans of Strictly Come Dancing, arguably Britain’s biggest TV hit, before the show returns to our screens in the autumn, with An Audience with Ian Waite and Oti Mabuse. The duo will deliver a night of Latin and ballroom numbers on 14 April.

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

3/16/18 3:26 PM

A RTS & C U LT U R E

C A M BR IDGE CL A SSIC A L CONCER T SER IES The Cambridge Classical Concert Series continues this month with a visit from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on 5 May. Conducted by Michal Nesterowicz, the concert features Esther Yoo, erstwhile BBC Young Generation Artist and currently the Corn Exchange’s Artist in Residence. Opening with Greig’s Holberg Suite, the concert features Glazunov’s rarely heard, haunting Violin Concerto as the centrepiece, concluding in style with Brahms’ sublime Symphony No. 1.

After the concert, Esther will head over to the Cambridge Union for an informal ‘Classical Late’ event, where the audience can find out more about her life in music. She’ll be joined by Corn Exchange Composer in Residence Jay Richardson, along with some other musical friends and the event is free of charge to concert ticket holders (pre-booking recommended). Adult tickets start at £32. www.cornex.co.uk

ACTIONS AT KETTLE’S YARD There’s still time to catch the reopening exhibition at Kettle’s Yard, Actions: The image of the world can be different, which features work by 38 artists and runs until 6 May. The exhibition is inspired by a letter from Russian sculptor Naum Gabo to art historian Herbert Read, in which Gabo reasserts the potential of art as a social and political force and his belief that “the image of the world can be different”. It features pieces by Gabo himself, along with Edmund de Waal, eL Seed, Jeremy Deller and Melanie Manchot, amongst many others. From 11 April, visitors can also see paintings by Caroline Walker made in collaboration with the charity Women for Refugee Women. A series of portraits of women in temporary accommodation in London, the work gives an intimate snapshot of the impermanent situation these women find themselves in.

kettlesyard.co.uk

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_011-017 (ARTS)sg.indd 13

13

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:26 PM

XXXXXXXX

THE COURT OF REDONDA A remnant of a long-extinct volcano, Redonda rises steeply from the Caribbean Sea, girded on all sides by sheer cliffs. It is uninhabited, save for the seabirds and goats eking a meagre subsistence from the small grassy plateau that crowns the island. Rocky, vertiginously sloping and devoid of fresh water, Redonda is – and likely always has been – resolutely inhospitable to human habitation. Which makes the legend that surrounds this isolated outcrop all the more intriguing.

Discovered (and named) by Christopher Columbus in 1493, Redonda was claimed in 1865 by a merchant trader, who established an honorary monarchy that has been passed down

A P R I L 2 018

CE04_011-017 (ARTS)sg.indd 14

to the present day through a literary lineage. Fact on this matter collides with fiction in the work of novelist Javier Marías, who was until recently a King of Redonda, and appointed many notable writers and artists to his imaginary court – and it’s this which forms the inspiration for the latest exhibition at Downing College’s Heong Gallery.

A huge, vibrant collection of portraits by artist Stephen Chambers, The Court of Redonda features subjects drawn from different historical eras and cultures, imagining a utopian society that celebrates the idiosyncratic and honours creativity over hereditary privilege. It’s the product of a ‘mental collaboration’ between Chambers and Marías, featuring 101 portraits which articulate

14

the role played by artists in envisaging a world not how it is, but how it could be.

“The Court of Redonda is woven from a story about an uninhabitable place, which writers and artists have envisioned,” says Emma Hill, one of the show’s curators. “It is a work about the collective human spirit. The expression of the necessity and freedom of creative imagination, for art’s ability to reflect to us the moment we are living in and for an individual artist’s statement to carry the weight of this, is at the heart of images Chambers presents us with in the faces of his imaginary courtiers.”

The show runs until 20 May. dow.cam.ac.uk

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

3/16/18 3:26 PM

A RTS & C U LT U R E

THINGS OF BEAUTY GROWING & FLUX AT THE FITZ “Pottery is at once the simplest and most difficult of all arts,” said art historian Herbert Read in 1931.

It’s also one of the most exciting: ancient and elemental, yes, but continually evolving too – it’s one of the most dynamic art forms in the UK today.

Celebrate ceramics this month at the Fitzwilliam’s Things of Beauty Growing exhibition, a show that features the work of more than 50 potters including Bernard Leach, Lucie Rie, Hans Coper, Edmund de Waal, Alison Britton, Grayson Perry and Julian Stair.

The largest of its kind in recent times, the exhibition is a collaboration between the Fitz and the Yale Center for British Art in New Haven (USA) where it was first displayed, and tells the story of studio pottery in Britain.

The exhibition traces the history of the medium through eight key sections dedicated to different forms – moon jar, vase, bowl, charger, set, vessel, pot and monument, as well as displaying the striking Made in China installation, which comprises 80 huge red and gold porcelain vases.

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_011-017 (ARTS)sg.indd 15

15

“This is a perfect fit for The Fitzwilliam as the exhibition speaks to our impressive permanent collection of ceramics, ancient and modern, which continues to grow due to the generosity of donors such as Sir Nicholas Goodison,” says director of the Fitzwilliam Museum, Tim Knox.

“Displayed in our temporary exhibition galleries, Things of Beauty Growing has given us the opportunity to highlight this particular strength of the Museum, and has encouraged us to look at our own collections in a new light. It has also enabled us to highlight the important collections of British studio pottery held in other UK museums, who have so generously lent to the show.”

Running alongside Things of Beauty Growing is Flux, a contemporary ceramics show curated by Matt Smith. Showcasing Parian – a fine, marble-like porcelain, Flux features more than a hundred sculptural busts, challenging traditional readings of historical figures.

Things of Beauty Growing runs until 17 June. fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:26 PM

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 16

16/03/2018 16:51

A RTS & C U LT U R E I N T E RV I E W

The Music Man RICHARD EGARR, MUSIC DIRECTOR FOR THE ACADEMY OF ANCIENT MUSIC, TALKS ABOUT HIS PASSION FOR EARLY MUSIC AND WHAT’S IN STORE FOR THE AAM’S APRIL SHOW

A

n internationally acclaimed period instrument orchestra, the Cambridgebased Academy of Ancient Music has been breathing a new lease of life into ancient music since it was founded in the 1970s. Performing using authentic traditional instruments, they explore the sound-worlds known to great composers like Bach, Handel and Haydn, presenting a rich programme of concerts throughout the year. Their raison d'être? To resurrect baroque and classical music through edgeof-your-seat live performances.

“A big misconception about early music is that it is some kind of museum-like preservation of past repertoire,” explains Richard Egarr, the orchestra’s music director. “The point of it is to make this old music alive and relevant for today.”

Richard himself discovered the world of early music when studying at Clare College here in Cambridge. “There was a harpsichord in the chapel, so I just started playing it with a friend from Trinity, Mark Levy,” he explains. “Then Andrew Manze [later associate director at AAM] came up the following year to Clare College and we formed a group called The Cambridge Musick, along with a recorder player from King’s College, Robert Ehrlich. My first inspiration and awareness of historicallyinformed performance though came at 16 when I was at Chethams School of Music in Manchester. I listened to David Munrow’s LP boxed set Music in the Gothic Era, which totally blew me away.”

From there, Richard went on to perform with the AAM as a harpsichord soloist,

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_011-017 (ARTS)sg.indd 17

“The point is to make this old music alive and relevant” becoming a director in the early 00s and then the music director in 2007.

He’s travelled around the world with the orchestra, playing everywhere from Beijing to the Thames, when the AAM sailed up the river playing Handel’s Water Music as part of the Diamond Jubilee Pageant.

This April, they take on the music of Haydn and Dussek in Saint & Sinner, taking place at West Road Concert Hall.

“It will be a fully interactive and lively experience of music both familiar and unknown,” says Richard. “Everyone knows Haydn’s ‘Surprise’ symphony but his Symphony No. 93 is just as surprising, as you will see – there is an orchestrated surprise ‘fart’ in the second movement!”

Audiences will also have a chance to get better acquainted with 18th century London’s resident musical bad boy, Jan Ladislav Dussek: a notorious seducer of

17

princesses and rumoured revolutionary whose personal life was every bit as colourful as his musical career. “He was quite a mover and wheeler-dealer,” enthuses Richard. “In the last decade of the 18th century he was living and working in London. He went into a joint publishing venture with his father-in-law and the notorious librettist Lorenzo da Ponte. When the business failed, he left London, leaving his wife and daughter, and his father-in-law and da Ponte facing imprisonment. He re-emerged in Paris and later in Germany, where he famously led a debauched and hedonistic lifestyle. He was certainly skilled at finding favour with the upper echelons of society, and leaving when things got rough.” l Have a listen for yourself on 12 April, tickets are available via Cambridge Live. cambridgelivetrust.co.uk/tickets

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:26 PM

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 18

16/03/2018 16:51

A RTS & C U LT U R E

The Art Insider RUTHIE COLLINS, FOUNDER OF CAMBRIDGE ART SALON, GIVES HER ARTY PICKS OF THE MONTH

‘A’

is for April, full of abundance and spring sunshine! It’s also for ‘acorn’. But did you know that ‘acorn’ is a word that’s been removed from the Oxford Junior Dictionary, along with scores of others relating to the natural world?

The words have been replaced with new ones relating to technology, causing mass outrage. This was the inspiration for Robert Macfarlane, Fellow of Emmanuel College and award-winning writer, to write The Lost Words, celebrating these beautiful words with poetic ‘spells’, to incant their return; a praise-song to the living world around us. “There is an old kind of magic for finding what is missing, and for summoning what has vanished,” he says. “If the right spells are spoken, then the words might return.”

Macfarlane is also a patron for the Cambridge Literary Festival, and is appearing at the event this month for a celebration of words and nature which promises to be a real treat for fans of The Lost Words – which is wellstocked in Waterstones, where you can pick up a copy.

He’s also appearing with acclaimed artist Jackie Morris, whose haunting, nostalgic illustrations bring the words to life throughout.

Other highlights of the festival include an appearance from Helen Pankhurst with Jane Robinson, chaired by the founder of the Herstory project, Alice Wroe. Helen is the great-granddaughter of Emmeline Pankhurst and her book Deeds Not Words offers a timely reminder of the 100th anniversary of women winning the vote. Join her and social historian Jane Robinson, author of Hearts and Minds: The Untold Story of the Great Pilgrimage and How Women Won the Vote, on 14 April, as they reflect on the legacy these extraordinary women left behind – plus what needs to be done today.

Fans of Beijing-born, Cambridge-based artist Chen Xi will be delighted that her exhibition at The High Tea Club, 160 Mill Road, has been extended until the end of June.

Teas and Dreams is a glorious journey through Xi’s magical landscape, with her comic books also on sale, plus many

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_019 (RUTHIES COLUMN)sg.indd 19

original drawings. It’s also a goodbye to the city, says Xi. “It is my last exhibition in Cambridge before I move to Manchester,” she tells me. “I have presented some art works that I have shown in different places during the time I lived in Cambridge, also the books I wrote and drew about Cambridge and my life as a Chinese artist here. This final show is my farewell to this wonderful little place.

Teas and dreams will always be my inspirations.” While at the show, Xi recommends we try the winter rooibos tea which comes with almond snowflakes – hopefully this won’t be a reflection of the weather this month! During her ten years in Cambridge, she has published 16 books and describes Cambridge as ‘very international; people are so open, it’s a great place for artists to work.’ Watch out Manchester!

These magical worlds that artists create with their work are often what we as the audience love when we experience a show, or read a book – ‘a fictional present... a possible future reality’ (novelist Javier Marías). That feeling of being whisked away, inspired by an artist’s

“Being whisked away, inspired by an artist’s sense of possibility” sense of possibility – helping us not only spot the magic in imagination, but the magic in our spirit. A dazzling display of this is Stephen Chambers’ The Court of Redonda, now showing at The Heong Gallery, Downing College. A court of mavericks; quirky, creative and brimming with colour, this is a jaw-dropping tribute to diversity in all its richness.

Chambers created the 101 portraits, which glow with contemporary, everyday detail, but are imbued with a haunting gravitas, invoked with references to the hidden shadows of historical portraits. With each character given a quirky title too (my fave is ‘Steaming Agnes’), the whole show radiates humour – a comical, yet graceful honouring of what curator Emma Hill calls ‘the collective human spirit’. In modern day times, it’s always good to be reminded of our creative human spirit, bringing us together. Have a fantastic April all. l

19

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:34 PM

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 20

16/03/2018 16:51

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 21

16/03/2018 16:51

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 22

16/03/2018 16:51

MUSIC

Music Blog

JORDAN WORLAND FROM LOCAL MUSIC WEBSITE SLATE THE DISCO SELECTS HIS MUST-SEE GIGS IN CAMBRIDGE THIS MONTH

A

pril is bouncing with great gigs in Cambridge. We start on Norfolk Street at the Blue Moon where our top pick of the month is Bessie Turner on the 20th. Her style is an eclectic pastiche of her musical heroes; she is influenced as much by MIA as by Dionne Warwick. Yet it is her own uniqueness – in her personality as well as her music – that sets her apart.

Our next Blue Moon tip is American folk duo A Hawk and a Hacksaw on the 23rd. The band consists of accordionist Jeremy Barnes, who was previously the drummer for Neutral Milk Hotel and Bablicon, and violinist Heather Trost. The music is inspired by Eastern European, Turkish and Balkan traditions, and is mostly instrumental.

The same venue on the 6th hosts The British IBM, Paint Nothing and The Furious Sleep. This is followed by The Horse Loom on the 15th, Open mic night with Martin Guitars and PMT on the 19th and finally, Goldblume and Echo Trails on the 21st.

Meanwhile at the Corner House on the 13th, we’re big fans of The Dissociates. They were here last April and have since released the banging album A Capital Idea. Punk rock in the vein of Future of the Left and Hüsker Dü.

There’s a bumper month at The Portland Arms, with our top shout being Gengahr on the 30th. The psychpoppers are in town to showcase their recently released sophomore album; expect cinematically romantic, playful and breezy indie pop.

Kele Okereke will play The Portland Arms on the 23rd.

The singer-songwriter described the spring tour as “playing some intimate shows in a few towns I don’t get to visit very often.” Known for fronting Bloc Party, Kele Okereke last year released his third solo album Fatherhood, on which he unexpectedly traded electronic trappings for a folksy, fingerpicked sound.

Caustic and pertinent, Petrol Girls’ live show has to be seen in the flesh to really be experienced. The band combine manic jagged rhythms with vocals that range from furious screaming to intricate melodies and harmonies.

They’ll be at The Portland on April 26th.

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_023 (GIG GUIDE)sg.indd 23

The Portland also hosts the Powderhead album launch this month (14th). Powderhead are a new face on a classic scene, belting out raw, old-school rock. This Cambridge band began in February 2015 fuelled by guitarists Si Mortlock and Jose Solar and vocalist Helen Johnson’s mutual interest in 80s and 90s rock and metal. They were later joined by drummer Ollie Rose and bassist James Miller. Following the release of their self-titled debut EP in May 2016, the band has a string of gigs lined up this summer to showcase their headbanging rock to audiences in the UK. Other shows at The Portland this month include Josienne Clarke and Ben Walker (5th), Shonen Knife (11th) Gaz Brookfield (12th) October Drift (16th) and Grant Lee-Phillips (24th).

April is a busy month for the J2, with the venue hosting Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman (24th) Blair Dunlop (16th) Emily Smith and Jamie McClennan (17th) and Mary Coughlan (20th), while next door in the J1, April kicks off with Lower Than Atlantis on the 3rd, followed by Rejjie Snow (21st) and the final of this year’s Cambridge Band Competition on the 27th.

“Expect romantic, playful and breezy indie pop from Gengahr” We end our April tips at the Corn Exchange where this month we have: Beth Hart (24th); The Waterboys (29th); and Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls on the 30th, the show giving us a glimpse of Turner’s forthcoming seventh studio album Be More Kind which is due out in May. April also sees The Vaccines back in Cambridge after an absence of a few years. Last month the band released their fourth album, Combat Sports, an effort that rewound the years to their earlier sounds. Our final April tip is the excellent Public Service Broadcasting at the Corn Exchange on the 10th. The band recently released their critically acclaimed third album Every Valley last year. A concept album about the mining industry in Wales, it reached number 4 in the UK album charts and featured vocal turns from Manic Street Preachers’ James Dean Bradfield and Camera Obscura’s Tracyanne Campbell. l

23

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:34 PM

After Hours THE NIGHTLIFE EVENTS NOT TO MISS THIS MONTH

1

APRIL

29

WONKY DISCO ALFRESCO Looking for some Easter weekend fun? Cambridge’s one and only rooftop party begins its 2018 series of events this month, serving up a tropical, glitter-fuelled daytime shindig on 1 April. Running 2pm to 9pm on the roof terrace at city centre nightclub Lola Lo, you can expect colourful decorations, cocktails and beats provided by local DJs like Stuart Banks, Margaret Scratcher and Secret Garden Party’s ‘Head Gardener’.

As ever, entry is free but it’s guest list only. Email wonkydiscoalfresco@gmail.com to add your name and join the fun.

Search Wonky Disco Alfresco on Facebook for more info.

A P R I L 2 018

CE04_024-025 (AFTER HOURS)sg.indd 24

APRIL

T H E WAT ER BOY S

The Waterboys come to Cambridge on the back of their first top ten album since 1993, with last year’s Out of All This Blue. Led by Mike Scott, the band forged their own brand of stadium rock called Big Music and moved to folk, country and more, creating a dedicated following in the 80s and beyond. Catch them at Cambridge Corn Exchange on 29 April, tickets from £37.75. cornex.co.uk

24

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

3/16/18 3:26 PM

10

APRIL

NIGHTLIFE

NOW BOOKING S TA N D O N CALLING 26-29 JULY, STANDON, £149 FOR ADULT WEEKEND TICKETS

The colourful music festival returns, with headline acts including Paloma Faith, Bryan Ferry and George Ezra. standon-calling.com

PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING

DAV I D O'DOHERT Y

The rise and fall of the Welsh mining industry may not be the first choice of subject for chart success, but Public Service Broadcasting’s use of voices from old information films over inspired instrumentals competed with Jay-Z and Ed Sheeran last year, as their third album, Every Valley, reached number four.

They play the Corn Exchange on 10 April and tickets are £29.

Cornex.co.uk

1 NOV, WEST ROAD CONCERT HALL, £19

The comedian and telly regular is back on tour with a brand-new show. Expect songs played on a crappy keyboard from 1986. cambridgelivetrust.co.uk/tickets

C A RO E M E R A L D 19 OCT, CORN EXCHANGE, FROM £28

Retro jazz meets modern pop when the beguiling singer brings her stunning voice to Cambridge this autumn.

ALEX CAMERON

THE VACCINES

Aussie artist Alex Cameron comes to Cambridge this month to deliver a dose of his 80s-washed, sleazy synthpop. We hope you’re ready. Looking like a bad boy love interest from Neighbours circa 1990 and singing about seedy romantic encounters, mundane addictions and crushing self-loathing, his name is often attached to the adjective ‘Lynchian’, which gives a good sense of the creepy kookiness which has become his calling card. Catch him doing his thing on 14 April at Cambridge Junction; tickets are £12.50. junction.co.uk

Indie four-piece The Vaccines hit the Corn Exchange on 6 April as part of a tour in support of their latest release, Combat Sports. The band first sprang onto the scene in 2011 with the hugely hyped What Did You Expect from The Vaccines? Since then, they’ve racked up over a million album sales, scooped the NME Award for Best Band and opened for the likes of The Stone Roses and Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Combat Sports is their first outing after a three year hiatus and sees them returning to their roots, with a crop of big, brash, rocky numbers. Tickets are £25.50. cornex.co.uk

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_024-025 (AFTER HOURS)sg.indd 25

25

10 C C 4 NOV, CORN EXCHANGE, £38

Back together and on the road, the brilliant 10cc are in town in November, promising a major nostalgia trip with tunes like Wall Street Shuffle, I’m Not In Love and of course, Dreadlock Holiday.

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:26 PM

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 26

16/03/2018 16:51

CO M E DY

CAMBRIDGE FRINGE OUR CITY’S ANSWER TO THE EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE GETS ITS FIRST OUTING NEXT MONTH – WITH 28 CHANCES TO LAUGH YOUR SOCKS OFF

N

ext month will see the launch of the Cambridge Fringe Festival: a huge, free, multi-venue event that will showcase some of the most exciting comedy talent on the scene. Taking place on Sunday 6 May, the event is hosted by three local stand-up comedians and will feature 28 shows in total, taking place across Mitcham’s Corner venues The Portland Arms, The Boathouse and Thirsty.

Cambridge’s answer to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, it will showcase a mixture of genres including stand-up, improv, musical comedy, political comedy, storytelling and kids’ shows.

Highlights are sure to include headliner Tony Law, who’ll be on stage at The Portland Arms at 10pm, inviting the audience along with him on a surreal romp which The Guardian called “liberating good fun”. Multi-award winning Welsh comic Jenny Collier will be in town too, along with Robyn Perkins and Cambridge’s own Adele Cliff, to name a few.

“I’m putting on this event to bring a fun and uplifting art form to the local community, that is inclusive and open to everyone, irrespective of their social background,” explains founder Ali Warwood. Herself no stranger to the world of stand-up, Ali has been running the popular Commoners’ Comedy night in Cambridge for over three years, at which she serves in an always-hilarious compère role. “I wanted to lure in top comedians from all over the UK to our little city to entertain us for free/cheap, and to give local comedians and performers a platform to showcase their comedy in a festival atmosphere to develop their craft.”

The event will be the first of its kind in the city, bringing together a diverse mix of genres, from the witty political commentary of Rahul Kohli to the masterful storytelling of Matt Price, via Zahra Barri, who Ali describes as the “poshest filth bag you will ever meet”.

“It’s going to be a great day out to see the Edinburgh Fringe shows without having to go all the way up to Scotland,” says Ali. “Plus, Cambridge comedy audiences are amongst the best in the world and you need to be a part of it!” l

WHAT:

Brand-new, one-day comedy festival. Think Cambridge’s answer to the Edinburgh Fringe WHEN:

6 May, 12 noon until late WHERE:

CB4 venues The Portland Arms, The Boathouse and Thirsty

For more information on the event, search FringeCambridge on Facebook, and if you’d like to volunteer on the day, email cambridgefringe@gmail.com.

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_027 (CAM FRINGE) ljc.indd 27

27

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:34 PM

Literary CAMBRIDGE

FESTIVAL

a

NICOLA FOLEY FINDS OUT WHAT'S IN STORE FOR THE SPRING EDITION OF THIS MUCHLOVED LOCAL BOOK FEST AND CHATS TO SOME OF THE AUTHORS INVOLVED spirited celebration of the written word, Cambridge Literary Festival returns for its spring outing this month, bringing a sparkling lineup of writers and thinkers to the city between 13 and 15 of April. As always, the roster of speakers is nothing if not eclectic, ranging from the hottest new fiction writers to politicians, poets, cooks and comedians.

Those with a penchant for politics will be well catered for at this latest chapter of the festival, with the State of the Nation strand delivering lively debate on hot-button issues both at home and abroad. Tim Shipman, author of A Year of Political Mayhem, stops by on the 15th to give the inside scoop on the bedlam of last year’s general election, chronicling May’s astounding – and catastrophically misjudged – gamble, across twelve dramatic months in Westminster. Also offering a behind-the-scenes look at the corridors of power is Steve Richards, who’s in town on the 14th to have a good old giggle at goings-on in the UK government – Corbyn to Clegg; Hunt to Hammond, nobody is safe from his ire. John Crace, the Guardian sketch writer responsible for coining the term Maybot, will trace May’s journey from buoyant, newly minted PM to malfunctioning automaton, while former Labour party leader Ed Miliband stops by on the 15th to reflect on the biggest challenges of our age – and how we might solve them.

Hopping across the pond, Luke Harding shines a spotlight on the true nature of the ‘special relationship’ between Trump and Russia, from how it started to where it could take us.

Fiction fans, make a beeline for Alan Hollinghurst’s talk, at which he’ll be discussing his latest novel, The Sparsholt Affair. The sixth offering from the Man Booker Prize winner, it begins against a backdrop of the Second World War, masterfully surveying sexuality, desire and class across seven decades. The peerless Ali Smith is back at the festival, too, with a cherry-picked clutch of the most promising debut novelists on the scene, while Gail Honeyman, author of much-hyped recent release Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, stops by for a poignant conversation about loneliness, love and loss.

As event director Cathy Moore acknowledges in the programme, “2018 is the year of women” and in celebration

A P R I L 2 018

CE04_028-029 (LIT FEST FIRST SPREAD)_FE.indd 28

of that, the festival resolves to honour the achievements of women since they won the vote 100 years ago, while reflecting on the inequalities that remain. Deputy Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson and Everyday Sexism Project founder Laura Bates join forces on the 15th to address the structures in place which allow inequality to persist, while Athene Donald, Harriet Harman and Kathryn Jacob gather on the 14th to discuss smashing through the glass ceiling. ‘This house believes that the only way for more women to succeed is for more men to fail’ is the motion put forward for this year’s New Statesman debate, which like so many great debates before it will take place at the Cambridge Union.

Do we need radical solutions – perhaps quotas for female

“The hottest new fiction, plus poets, cooks and comedians” promotion or fair compensation for unpaid care work? Or is there plenty of room for both genders at the table? Join the debate on the 15th.

From feminism to food, with Bake Off finalist and writer Ruby Tandoh, who’ll be at the festival to chat about her new book Eat Up! A delicious riposte to the cult of clean eating and wellness, it’s a celebration of the joys of food and eating, encouraging a positive relationship with both.

Ruby Wax returns to the festival on the 15th to share her secrets of a happy life, while Simon Amstell also stops by to reflect on life, with all its heartbreak and hilarity, on the 14th.

From memoirists to murder mysteries, there’s plenty more to seek out. Visit the Literary Festival website for the full programme and read on for interviews with two of the authors speaking at this year’s festival. l cambridgeliteraryfestival.com

28

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

3/16/18 3:26 PM

A RTS & C U LT U R E

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_028-029 (LIT FEST FIRST SPREAD)_FE.indd 29

29

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:26 PM

TARA WESTOVER NICOLA FOLEY SPEAKS TO BESTSELLING MEMOIRIST TARA WESTOVER AHEAD OF HER APPEARANCE AT CAMBRIDGE LITERARY FESTIVAL THIS MONTH

R

aised in rural Idaho, Tara Westover escaped a brutal upbringing at the hands of her survivalist Mormon family to study at Cambridge University. Growing up, she was kept out of school, out of doctors’ surgeries when she fell ill or got hurt, and beaten by her terrifyingly violent brother. As her family prepared for the End of Days, she – inspired by one of her siblings’ escape to college – began to read and learn independently, away from the eyes of her fanatical father.

And so began her remarkable journey of self-education and emancipation from her now-estranged family, which has seen her ascending in the worlds of academia and literature.

Awarded a scholarship to study at Cambridge, she went on to complete a doctorate at Harvard and then a PhD at Cambridge. In February this year, she released her memoir, educated, to a rapturous reception. An evocatively written tribute to the transformative power of education, it topped bestseller lists and laid bare the harrowing tale of the childhood

A P R I L 2 018

CE04_030-033 (LIT FEST) ljc.indd 30

she’d kept buried for so many years.

“In some ways, writing the book was out of character: I am not someone who enjoys having others know personal details of my life. But I had a set of convictions about why I wanted to tell the story the story, and those convictions pushed me forward,” Tara tells us. “One of those convictions derived from my own experience of estrangement. When I went through the confusing, harrowing process of losing my family, I felt APRIL alone, isolated, as if I were the only person in the world who had parents give up on them, denounce them, break faith with them. I felt like there were precious few stories about estrangement – about the feverish feeling of being at war with yourself, of loving someone in one moment and hating them in the next. Of missing them to the point of nausea, while praying that you never see them again.

“After a few years had passed, and I had more perspective,” she continues, “I understood that there were reasons these habits and choices of entertainment stories were so scarce: because they are seemed to me to be licentious. I was also difficult to write, and even more difficult very ignorant. I had never heard of the to share. The solution seemed obvious. If I Holocaust, or the civil rights movement. I wanted the story told, I had to tell it.” believed Europe was a country. It was not a Tara’s first taste of life outside her promising beginning.” family’s ranch came when she left home to Despite some embarrassing missteps, study at the Mormon university, Brigham Tara excelled academically. Aged 20, she Young in Utah. Her schooling up to that was encouraged to apply for a spot on a point – done entirely at home by her family study abroad programme at Cambridge – was limited at best, but her experience of University’s King’s College. She was socialising with new people was virtually accepted and packed her bags, beginning non-existent. Thrust into a strange, often another eye-opening chapter in her baffling new world, Tara experienced a remarkable journey. huge culture shock, quickly realising the “I remember stepping out of the car and gaping holes in her knowledge.

“I was 17 the first time I set foot in staring up at the glorious spires of King’s a classroom. I had never attended a chapel. It didn’t seem real to me. It was too lecture, written an essay or taken an exam fantastical, too otherworldly. It felt like I’d (except the college entrance exam, which stepped into a book,” she says of her first is not where I would recommend having impressions of Cambridge – the city she’s your first experience with test-taking),” now chosen to make her permanent home. she recalls.

“It’s a feeling I get when I deplane at “I had been raised in a radical form of Heathrow,” says Tara, when asked what Mormonism, and suddenly I was being made her want to settle here. “I get the asked to socialise with mainstream same feeling when I step off the train in Mormons, whose clothing and dietary Cambridge. A gut reaction I can’t put into

15

30

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

3/16/18 3:26 PM

L I T E RA RY XFXEXST X XI VA X X XL

words, but if I had to, I suppose the words would be: ‘Thank god that’s over.’”

She admits that she’s been constantly astounded in every stage of getting educated out into the world. “That I was able to write it surprised me. That anyone should want to publish it surprised me. That anyone would bother to translate it, that so many people would read it, that some of them would tell me they cried through it,” she says. “I didn’t expect any of that. You hope for it, but you never expect it.”

Since the book came out Tara’s world has been transformed again. A household name now, her days are filled with interviews and TV appearances and a deluge of glowing reviews from critics and praise from readers with whom her story resonated.

“My story was so specific, I wasn’t sure anyone would be able to see themselves in it. In that way, writing the book was a leap of faith,” she muses. “I couldn’t see how others would find themselves in my story, but I knew from my own experiences that I had found myself in stories about other people. Stories that, on the surface, had

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_030-033 (LIT FEST) ljc.indd 31

“I had to trust in that great rule of storytelling that the universal is felt most powerfully in the specific”

nothing to do with me. So I had to trust in that, in the power of stories, and in that great rule of storytelling that the universal is always felt most powerfully in the specific.”

She remains estranged from half of her family, the other half – made up of uncles, aunts and cousins on her mother’s side – have read the book and been supportive (a reaction she gratefully describes as “wonderful”). And as for what’s next, with so many opportunities presenting themselves, she’s not yet sure which path she’ll take.

“The future is wide open,” she says.

“I have made no plans or commitments.

I want to see how things settle before I decide what to do next with myself.” l Tara Westover is in conversation with fellow memoirist Miranda Doyle on 15 April at Trinity College as part of Cambridge Literary Festival. The talk is at 10am and tickets are £9 or £11.

EDUCATED, BY TARA WESTOVER IS OUT NOW £14.99 (PENGUIN)

31

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:26 PM

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 32

16/03/2018 16:51

L I T E RA RY F E ST I VA L

Tom Kerridge A DOUBLE MICHELIN STAR CHEF, TOM KERRIDGE HAS LOST AN ASTONISHING 12 STONE. WITH HIS NEW DIET BOOK, LOSE WEIGHT FOR GOOD, HE HOPES TO HELP OTHERS WITH THEIR WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY THROUGH LOW-CALORIE, FLAVOUR PACKED RECIPES l HOW

WOULD YOU SUM UP YOUR NEW BOOK, LOSE WEIGHT FOR GOOD ?

Lose Weight For Good is a book of lower calorie recipes that are inspired through flavour, taste and wanting people to enjoy the food that they’re eating – and portion control that’s actually large, so you’re not hungry. It’s food that you’re going to enjoy, APRIL but all of it is family accessible – so there’s some stuff for weekends, that’s going to take a bit longer, but a lot of it is for the evenings when you come home from work. But it all has a lot of flavour, and hopefully, at the end, a stone of weight loss, but the reality is that I hope it’s a new way of eating – that you can stick to but that doesn’t even feel like a diet.

13

l WHAT

SETS IT APART FROM OTHER DIET BOOKS?

It’s written by a chef – so it’s food and flavour focused. It’s not written from a dietitian or nutritionist’s point of view.

I’ve come at it from a chef ’s perspective, and looked at how to make food taste great, and I’ve also written it from the perspective of a person on a weight loss journey who has the psychological, uphill battle that everybody on a weight loss journey has. So, it’s with an understanding of that particular space. l WHO

ARE YOUR KITCHEN INSPIRATIONS AND FAVOURITE FOOD WRITERS?

For me, as a chef, I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the great Marco Pierre White and his cookbook White Heat. It came out when I was 18 and I saw this incredible, dynamic, fantastic chef that was cooking phenomenal food, that made cooking feel like it could be an exciting and vibrant career to take on. I’m also a big fan of Tim Hayward, and the way he looks at food, and the process – whether it’s pots and pans or knives – he has a huge love for the art of cooking and everything around it. l WHAT’S

YOUR IDEA OF FOOD HEAVEN?

It’s amazing charcuterie, lovely cheese and olives, sat in the sunshine somewhere, watching the sun go down and the waves crash against the beach… that’s a dream.

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_030-033 (LIT FEST) ljc.indd 33

l WHAT

WOULD YOU CHANGE ABOUT BRITISH EATING OR DINING HABITS, IF ANYTHING?

I wouldn’t change anything! I think we’re all beginning to take a lot more responsibility for what we eat. Everything is out there for a reason, and you can’t ban fast food restaurants or chocolate bars, because not everybody needs to lose weight, it’s not a problem for everyone.

The one thing I would change is where chocolate bars and crisps are shelved in garages – I’m not saying ban them, I’m just saying that they’re right next to the till: why can’t that be a fridge full of beautiful fruit, and other healthier options, and then if you want the crisps and the chocolate they’re just in another part of the garage where you have to go and find them, so you have to go and

33

search for them, so that way nobody is just falling into the temptation when you’re paying for your stuff! l WHAT’S

THE KEY TO A LOWER CALORIE DIET?

The key is portion control – but that doesn’t mean to say small portions.

Something that often happens with lower calorie diets is that people make their portions so small that they end up still hungry, but actually, the key is that the potion is big enough, and satisfying. So, portion control, but not in the way that most people think. l Tom Kerridge is speaking at St John’s College on 13 April as part of Cambridge Literary Festival. The talk is at 6pm and tickets are £10 or £12.

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:26 PM

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 34

16/03/2018 16:51

1

FA M I LY DAYS O U T

Top Family Days Out T H E W I L D WO O D RUM P U S

A new one-day festival for all ages, The Wild Wood Rumpus takes place at Horseheath Racecourse on 9 June. There will be live music from The Brass Funkeys, a bubble disco, and kids can enjoy wildlings craft school, bush craft, den building, a mad hatter’s tea party and more. Jack’s Gelato, Fired Up Pizza and Churros Bar are among those providing eats, and tickets are now available via the website. mylittlefestival.uk

2

RED RIDING HOOD AND THE WOLF

MUDDY PUDDLE WALK

Muddy puddles everywhere spells one thing…

Peppa Pig, and this month sees the return of the muddiest fundraising event for little ones. Last year Peppa Pig’s Muddy Puddle Walk for Save the Children raised £243,000, with 160,000 children taking part.

Between 23 and 29 April, nurseries, families and kids are being encouraged to take part to raise money for the children’s charity.

For a fundraising pack full of fun activities, visit muddypuddlewalk.org

There are two sides to every tale… So what if the big bad wolf wasn’t so bad after all? In Red Riding Hood and the Wolf, at Cambridge Junction on 11 and 12 April, Little Angel Theatre presents a new take on the famous tale. Robyn reads as she tries to get to sleep, but she can’t relate to Red Riding Hood. The wolf, in fact, is rather shy. Enjoy this new version at 11.30am or 2.30pm. Tickets £10, £6 for children. junction.co.uk

LIT FEST FOR KIDS There’s a host of top events for budding bookworms at Cambridge Literary Festival this month. Former Children’s Laureate Chris Riddell presents an hour of drawing and arty adventures at Anglia Ruskin University on 7 April at 1pm; at 3.30pm, he’ll return with fellow illustrator Chris Priestley for a Goth Girl vs Werewolf Boy sketch-off. On 14 April at the Union Chamber, Lucy Worsley talks about Lady Mary, a tale of Tudor intrigue, and on the 15th, Adrian Edmondson and Harry Hill are both at Cambridge Union Society on Bridge Street. The former Young One has written Tilly and the Time Machine, while Hill has created Matt Millz, Britain’s youngest stand-up comedian. cambridgeliteraryfestival.com

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_035 (FAMILY)_FE.indd 35

35

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:34 PM

What’s On A ROUND-UP OF EVENTS IN AND AROUND CAMBRIDGESHIRE THIS MONTH

3-7 APRIL

6 APRIL

7 APRIL

QUARTET

WINE TASTING: BEST OF BURGUNDY

SHOWTIME FROM THE FRONTLINE

Enjoy wines from Burgundy (expect Pinot Noir and Chardonnay) with Cambridge Cookery chefs’ bijou dishes with flavours to match. In conjunction with Cambridge Wine Merchants.

7pm | Cambridge Cookery School | £30 cambridgecookery.com

Not many comedians would ask themselves, “I wonder if I can set up a comedy club in a refugee camp in Palestine?” But that’s exactly what Mark Thomas did. With Faisal Abu Alhayjaa and Alaa Shehada.

7.30pm | Cambridge Junction | £22.50 (£17 conc) | junction.co.uk

A charming tale of four ageing opera singers, starring Paul Nicholas (EastEnders, Just Good Friends), Sue Holderness (Only Fools and Horses), Wendi Peters (Coronation Street) and Jeff Rawle (Drop the Dead Donkey).

7.45pm, 2.30pm Thursdays and Saturdays | Cambridge Arts Theatre | from £20 cambridgeartstheatre.com

6 APRIL 5 APRIL

IAIN STIRLING

JESTERLARF COMEDY CLUB

After a summer narrating Love Island and selling out his run at the Edinburgh Fringe, Stirling returns to the stage to ponder how modern living has affected our ability to find happiness.

8pm | Cambridge Junction | £22.50 junction.co.uk

Featuring the wit of cheeky Rich Wilson, highoctane Andrew Ryan, Isac Radu – a comedy star in his native Romania – and a touch of glitz and glam from Jonathan Mayor.

7.45pm | Cambridge Junction | £13.50 junction.co.uk

8 APRIL

THE NOSE THAT NOBODY PICKED A gardener finds a living nose raised by slugs in this surreal, rip-snorting yarn for all the family with songs… and snot! Can he find a face for Little Big Nose?

11.30am, 2.30pm (relaxed performance) Cambridge Junction | £10 adult, £6 child junction.co.uk 9-14 APRIL

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST Oscar Wilde’s classic comedy of misunderstanding, romance, identity, perambulators and capacious handbags, starring Gwen Taylor (Coronation Street, Duty Free).

7.45pm, 2.30pm Thursdays and Saturdays Cambridge Arts Theatre | from £19 cambridgeartstheatre.com 11 APRIL

JETHRO TULL One of the most successful bands of their era, the group first performed in 1968 and perform a series of UK dates as part of a world tour celebrating their golden anniversary.

7.30pm | Corn Exchange | from £35.25 cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

8 APRIL

11/12 APRIL

BOOT L EG BE AT L ES The world’s most famous tribute band continues to draw plaudits for a deft recreation of the greatest songbook of all time. Expect every tiny detail to be covered.

7.30pm | Corn Exchange | from £22.75 | cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

A P R I L 2 018

CE04_036-037 (LISTINGS)_FE.indd 36

36

RED RIDING HOOD AND THE WOLF What if the big bad wolf wasn’t big or bad at all? Robyn wants to tell you what really happened in a world of make-believe about a wolf with a broken heart.

11.30am, 2.30pm | Cambridge Junction £10 adult, £6 child | junction.co.uk

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

3/16/18 3:25 PM

W H AT ’ S O N

20 APRIL

B A N F F MOU N TA IN F IL M F ES T I VA L Back after February’s first of two shortfilm programmes, don’t miss stunning and inspiring visuals and stories from incredible landscapes across the globe.

7.30pm | Corn Exchange | £15.75 cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

14 APRIL

21 APRIL

27 APRIL

IAN WAITE AND OTI MABUSE

YOU WIN AGAIN

CAMBRIDGE BAND COMPETITION FINAL

A night of Latin and ballroom routines with Strictly Come Dancing pros Ian and Oti. Both have been finalists on the programme, with Ian now featuring on the spinoff show It Takes Two. 7.30pm | Corn Exchange | from £27.75 cambridgelivetrust.co.uk 17-21 APRIL

ENGLISH TOURING OPERA ETO bring two separate shows to the Corn Exchange, with The Marriage of Figaro on 17, 20 and 21 April, and one-act operas Il Tabarro and Gianni Schicchi on 18 and 19 April.

7.30pm | Cambridge Arts Theatre | from £25 cambridgeartstheatre.com

Immerse yourself in the music of the Bee Gees, with hits from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s, plus their tunes penned for the likes of Celine Dion, Diana Ross and Dolly Parton.

7.30pm | Corn Exchange | from £18.75 cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

28 APRIL 23-28 APRIL

MARY STUART Julia Stevenson and Lia Williams star as Elizabeth I and Mary Stuart. Two queens, one in power, one in prison. A coin toss decides which actor will play who at each performance.

7.45pm, 2.30pm Thursdays and Saturdays Cambridge Arts Theatre | from £25 cambridgeartstheatre.com 25 APRIL

21 APRIL

RADIO 3 BIG CHAMBER DAY

VIEWS FROM THE ’BRIDGE

Four one-hour concerts presented by Radio 3’s Sunday morning presenter Sarah Walker, recorded for later broadcast on the station.

3, 4.30, 7 and 8.30pm | Saffron Hall from £10 | saffronhall.com

Works in progress by the region’s artists, featuring a poetry jukebox and a one-woman show about mothers, daughters and sharks.

7.30pm | Cambridge Junction | £6 junction.co.uk

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_036-037 (LISTINGS)_FE.indd 37

Six of the most promising local groups battle to be crowned the best band in the city.

7pm | Cambridge Junction | £8.50 junction.co.uk

37

SIMON EVANS: GENIUS Simon Evans has always dreamed of being recognised as a man of genius. However, despite his many attempts, it hasn’t happened.

But why? Satirical comedy at its sharpest.

8pm | Saffron Walden Town Hall | £15.75 cambridgelivetrust.co.uk 30 APRIL

FRANK TURNER & THE SLEEPING SOULS The singer-songwriter who combines universal anthems with raw emotion plays the Corn Exchange just ahead of the release of his seventh album Be More Kind, which comes out on 4 May. 7.30pm | Corn Exchange | from £30.50 cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:25 PM

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 38

16/03/2018 16:51

Food & Drink RECIPES • RESTAURANT REVIEWS • 5 OF THE BEST • THE DRINKS TROLLEY

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_039 (FOOD OPENER)_FE.indd 39

39

A P R I L 2 017

3/16/18 3:34 PM

Food News A MONTHLY ROUND-UP OF GASTRO GOINGS-ON AROUND CAMBRIDGESHIRE

CARRIAGES OPENS All aboard, there’s a new eaterie steaming into town – and we think it’s on track to be a huge success. Serving sumptuous afternoon teas, Carriages is housed in a series of luxuriously refurbished vintage railway carts on a disused train track out in Fen Drayton. Nestled among the display gardens at Bannold, the venture is the brainchild of Michael Attle, who was inspired by a visit to a restaurant located in a colonial railway station in India. When he returned from his trip, the opportunity to purchase a station platform from Oakham arose – and, buoyed on by excitement at the flourishing East Anglian food scene – he went ahead, immediately getting to work transforming the platform and station house. From the authentic signal box and Pullman style carriages, right the way through to the bone china and weighty cutlery, the attention to detail and passion that has been put into the project shines through. Capturing the romance of train travel in a bygone era, diners can soak up the oldschool glamour of the elegant surroundings while they indulge in afternoon teas, complete with freshly baked scones smothered in clotted cream and jam, gourmet sandwiches and delicate petit fours. carriagestearooms.co.uk A P R I L 2 018

CE04_040-043 (FOOD NEWS)sg.indd 40

40

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

3/16/18 3:25 PM

FO O D X&X XDXRXIXNX KX

BOTTOMLESS BRUNCH

Enjoy a Latin American-inspired breakfast feast down by the river – accompanied by endless booze – at Quayside’s Las Iguanas, which has just launched a new bottomless brunch. Offered each Sunday, guests can enjoy two courses accompanied by unlimited prosecco or Brahma beer, for £24.95 per person. Menu choices include Mexican breakfast of kings, Huevos Rancheros, plus classics like Quesadillas and Empanadas, and you can have as many drinks as you fancy for a two hour stint – sure to be a hit once the sun’s out given LI’s prime location by the river and ample outdoor seating. iguanas.co.uk

L I T T L E COOK BOX L AUNCH ES Those with little ones know that finding time to shop for and plan healthy meals can be tricky. Which is where Little Cook Box, a new Godmanchester-based company, comes in.

Run by Philippa and Simon Guest, parents who know all too well the struggle of giving children a good diet, the company offers a meal kit subscription service aimed at 5-11 year olds.

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_040-043 (FOOD NEWS)sg.indd 41

41

Each kit contains all you need to make the easyto-follow recipes: fresh ingredients – peeled, washed and pre-chopped in a convenient tray – plus simple instructions. The meals can all be easily cooked in 20-30 minutes, and have been created with nutrition experts to ensure they’re full of the right stuff, and the right portion size. littlecookbox.com

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:25 PM

21

SWEETEASY

APRIL

Having closed the doors to her King Street café back in October, we’re pleased to report that Jo Kruczynska is back with another Afternoon Tease pop up, this time reviving the Prohibition-inspired Sweeteasy concept. A magnificently indulgent evening of cakes and cocktails, the event will take place on 21 April at the Cambridge Distillery’s gorgeous Grantchester home. Priced at £30 per person, guests will be treated to three cakes made by Jo, inspired by tasting notes on the gins and paired with cocktails which complement the sweat treats: think Japanese gin martini coupled with a sesame and orange brownie topped with caramel, black sesame seeds and dark chocolate and citrus ganache. Sounds like heaven to us! Stay tuned to Afternoon Tease’s Facebook page and Twitter for updates on how to bag yourself a ticket.

WINE & PLATTERS

Head to the chic little bistro at Cambridge Cookery School on 6 April for a ‘best of Burgundy’ tasting session with sumptuous sharing platters. Now a regular fixture at CCS, these events are hosted in conjunction with Cambridge Wine Merchants, and offer a chance to try some top-flight wines accompanied by perfectly matched tapas-style bites. This month’s focus is on Burgundy in France, one of the most famous wine-producing regions in the world. Expect exquisite Pinot Noirs, exceptional Chardonnays and delectable foodie treats, cooked by the café’s chef. The tasting starts at 7pm and tickets are £30. cambridgecookery.com A P R I L 2 018

CE04_040-043 (FOOD NEWS)sg.indd 42

42

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

3/16/18 3:25 PM

My Favourite Table IN THE FIRST IN A NEW SERIES, HEIDI WHITE, FOODPARK AND EAT CAMBRIDGE FOUNDER, SHARES HER TOP TIPS FOR EATING IN CAMBRIDGE l WHAT’S

YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE TO EAT IN CAMBRIDGE?

I’m still mourning the recent loss of a couple of favourite places, The Hole in the Wall and Co.!

However, I love Pint Shop for a cosy dinner – there’s always a friendly welcome, good food, and top-quality drinks on the menu. l YOU’RE

HAVING A NIGHT IN: WHERE ARE YOU CALLING FOR TAKEAWAY?

Living in a village just outside of Cambridge, this is a bit of a sore subject as many of our previous favourites don’t deliver to us! I’ve got three old faithfuls which we call on when we need a treat without leaving the warmth of the sofa: Mai Thai (one of the very few restaurants in the centre to deliver outside of the city!), Milton Spice in Milton (I love their chilli paneer), and Colala on Chesterton Road in Cambridge (the dumplings and double cooked pork in super spicy Sichuan sauce are the real deal). l WHERE

DO YOU LIKE TO SHOP FOR INGREDIENTS?

Burwash Larder, Histon Chop Shop, Radmore Farm Shop, Culinaris, and the market. l WHAT

DO YOU LOVE ABOUT THE CAMBRIDGE FOOD SCENE?

That everyone knows each other! It’s very small in that sense, and you cross paths with people who you’ve worked with before. It is also excellent for collaborations, and I love how many of those take place in the city (in particular during big events like Eat Cambridge).

In another sense, it is hard to believe Cambridge is such a small city, as the food scene is totally booming and it never gets boring!

PR A NA L AUNCHES V EGA N MEN U As the volume of vegans continues to rise, so too does the range of offerings for those following a plant-based diet. Prana, a popular curry house on Mill Road, is the latest local eaterie to embrace the trend, launching a new vegan menu. Expect flavour-packed dishes like Chana Chot Pot (spiced chickpeas with tomatoes and cucumber, with a tamarind sauce), Annans Tikka with fresh pineapple marinated in a blend of spices and mustard oil, and Aloo Gobi Jalfrezi with potato and cauliflower, pan-fried with shallots, pepper, spring onion and chilli. pranarestaurant.co.uk

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_040-043 (FOOD NEWS)sg.indd 43

43

l WHAT

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE MORE OF?

I’d love more indie wine bars to open up; little neighbourhood spots (preferably in my neighbourhood...) serving excellent wines by the glass with simple home-cooked food on the side.

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:25 PM

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 44

16/03/2018 16:51

FO O D & D R I N K FIVE OF THE BEST

NOODLES WHETHER YOU’RE INTO THE WHEAT-BASED, THICK, SLIPPERY UDON NOODLES OF JAPAN OR THE THIN, GLASS-LIKE ‘CELLOPHANE’ NOODLES MADE FROM MUNG BEAN STARCH, THERE’S A NOODLE TO SUIT ANY TASTE OR TYPE OF HUNGER – AND CAMBRIDGE IS PACKED WITH OPTIONS TO KEEP NOODLE FANS BUSY FROM DAWN TILL DUSK. WE PUT OUT A CALL FOR YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND, AS ALWAYS, YOU DELIVERED: HERE ARE FIVE OF THE BEST NOODLE DISHES AVAILABLE IN CAMBRIDGE RIGHT NOW

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_045-047 (5 OF THE BEST)_FE.indd 45

45

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:25 PM

BEST COMFORT FOOD

MEE & I No line-up of noodle bars in Cambridge would be complete without a respectful nod to the much-missed Dojo’s – which, happily, reappeared on the scene two years ago when the team regrouped halfway up Castle Hill in the form of Mee & I. A new name and location obviously brings new dishes, but it’s the old favourites that keep us heading back through their doors: number 162 (the dish formerly known as 39a) features a heaped plateful of wok-fried egg noodles, veg, chicken, duck and char siu pork all flavoured with a rich Malay satay sauce. There’s even a veggie version for those avoiding animal products. Anyone who says nostalgia isn’t what it used to be, in this case, is just wrong. Mee & I’s ramen is also worth a look: rich, lubricious and belly-warming, and everything you’d hope for from a bowl of this splendid soup.

B E S T F OERS FA M I L I

WAGAMAMA It’s hard to overstate the influence that Wagamama has had on the British dining scene since the first branch opened way back in 1992. The familyfriendly space has always offered reliably good-value food that has remained contemporary and relevant throughout its 25-year history, and the Cambridge branch is no exception.

Noodle dishes form the bulk of the menu, either fried in a wok or served in a variety of broths as filling soups.

The dish of choice is the classic Ginger Chicken Udon – a heaped plateful of thick Japanese noodles fried with ginger-marinated chicken, mange tout, bean sprouts, chilli and red onion. Be sure to top it with a drizzle of chilli oil and a sprinkling of Shichimi Togarashi – a spicy and aromatic blend known as Japanese Seven Spice – to turn these noodles into a knock-out.

A P R I L 2 018

CE04_045-047 (5 OF THE BEST)_FE.indd 46

46

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

3/16/18 3:25 PM

FO O D & D R I N K B E S T F O R G RO U P S

YIPPEE NOODLE BAR

BEST N S E L E C THI O S E IS D F O

A long-time Cambridge staple and favourite amongst the student crowd, King Street’s Yippee’s has been filling the bellies of our city’s residents since the dawn of the millennium. The menu zips throughout Asia, boasting fried noodles, soup noodles and rice dishes aplenty, so even those with enormous appetites will find happiness on the noodle bar’s long wooden benches. According to Yippee’s army of die-hard fans, the dish to go for is the generous nest of crispy noodles that’s served up with stir-fried chicken, king prawns, pork and crunchily-fresh vegetables. Yippee’s trademark punchy chilli sauce is served on the side, allowing you to add as much, or as little, spice as you desire.

HK FUSION With its epic selection of Hong Kong, Cantonese and Szechuan dishes, HK Fusion fully succeeds in its aim of bringing the full Hong Kong dining experience to Cambridge. With so much to choose from on the extensive menu it’s hard to pick just one dish – but the spicy chicken satay ho fan is definitely worth a look.

The noodles’ complex flavours are given further depth by a slight smoked taste that speaks of serious heat, well-seasoned steel and years of experience behind the stoves. Perfect for late-night eats or a cheeky mid-week treat.

B E S T FO R S P E E DY E AT S

WANT TO MAKE

C A MBR IDGE M A R K ET: A ZUM A NO RY U

YOUR OWN

PERFECT

Keen foodies will already be aware that Cambridge’s Market Square is home to an increasingly large number of brilliant independent food vendors, and the amazing smells wafting from Japanese eatery Azuma no Ryu are hard to resist.

The black miso ramen gets our vote: perfectly cooked noodles and a deep, dark, umami-packed broth topped with long-cooked pork belly, seaweed and pickled golden beetroot. Grab your bowl, hunker down on a trestle table and tuck in.

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_045-047 (5 OF THE BEST)_FE.indd 47

NOODLES? TURN OVER FOR OUR 'GINGER SPRUNION' NOODLES RECIPE

47

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:25 PM

H OW TO M A K E T H E B E S T

GINGER 2 SPRUNION NOODLES S ER V ES

RECIPE BY ALEX RUSHMER

I originally came across this recipe in an American cookbook where it was, inevitably, referred to as ‘Ginger-Scallion Noodles’.

I much prefer the word sprunion. This is probably a dish I’ve eaten more than anything else. It is the fastest and most delicious dish I know of and once it works its way into your repertoire, I guarantee your fridge will forever contain at least one bunch of spring onions and a hefty chunk of root ginger.

A P R I L 2 018

CE04_048-049 (NOODLE RECIPE) ljc.indd 48

48

THIS IS THE BASIC RECIPE, BUT FEEL FREE TO MAKE ADDITIONS. IT WORKS PARTICULARLY WELL WITH BROCCOLI. INGREDIENTS

noodles, of any variety – I don’t know how hungry you are; only you can determine how much you need l4 spring onions, relatively finely chopped lg enerous thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated l 50ml rapeseed or cooking oil l 1tsp caster sugar l2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely grated l 50ml soy sauce l 25ml rice vinegar l

STEP-BY-STEP

Boil the noodles in salted water.

Combine all the other ingredients to make the sauce. Drain the noodles, then mix them through the sauce. That really is it. I always keep a jar of Lao Gan Ma crispy chilli in oil in the cupboard, it is amazing and particularly fine with this. If you aren’t familiar with it, go immediately to Mill Road and purchase a jar. I hesitate to use the word ‘life-changing’ but I’m going to anyway, because it really is.

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

3/16/18 3:25 PM

© CHARLOTTE GRIFFITHS

FO O D & D R I N K

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_048-049 (NOODLE RECIPE) ljc.indd 49

49

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:25 PM

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 50

16/03/2018 16:51

FO O D & D R I N K C H E F ’S TA B L E

Waste Not, Want Not CHEF ALEX RUSHMER OFFERS TIPS ON CUTTING BACK FOOD WASTE AND SAVING MONEY

L

ast year, celebrated New York-based chef Dan Barber launched an unusual pop-up restaurant on the roof of Selfridges, Oxford Street.

The most unusual thing about this venture wasn’t the location, nor was it the glittering roster of chefs who guested at the two-month long residency. It was the food itself.

Rather than cooking with choice cuts and premium ingredients, the dishes were created solely from waste products that Barber had sourced from all over the globe. ‘Ugly’ vegetables, pigs’ feet from cured hams, fruit and vegetable pulp from juice bars, even the water from cans of chickpeas were put to good use to create delicious, and unusual, dishes to highlight the issue of unnecessary food waste.

It was this venture that inspired my own collaboration with Tristan Welch from Parker’s Tavern in March. The restaurant industry has always been notoriously wasteful.

According to the Sustainable Restaurant Association, every meal eaten out in a restaurant in the UK produces a staggering 500g of food waste through preparation, spoilage and food left on diners’ plates. A restaurant cooking for 100 people a day will easily produce an eye-watering 300kg of food waste a week.

But it also made me aware of how much we throw away in a domestic setting. According to food waste charity WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme), of the 7.3 million tonnes of household food waste produced each year, 4.4 million tonnes are completely avoidable. To put this into more relatable terms, every household in the UK throws

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_051 (FOOD COLUMN)_FE.indd 51

out about 15% of their edible food and drink purchases, amounting to just under £500 per year.

The internet is full of useful resources to help home cooks bring down this number, save money and cut food waste but I thought I’d share a few of my own thoughts as well. Strangely, I make a concerted effort to always cook too much food and over the last few years I’ve made leftovers a consistent part of my home cooking repertoire. Batch cooking and then storing two portions at a time in the freezer is a good way to make sure there aren’t little bits of leftovers that seem irrelevant. Surplus rice and potatoes go in the fridge overnight and are often used for breakfast or lunch over the following couple of days: rice fried with a little kimchee, ginger and spring onion topped with a fried egg is amongst my favourite breakfasts. Cold potatoes make an amazing quick curry or bubble and squeak when fried with leftover cabbage or greens (here is where a wellstocked spice rack and dry stores comes in very handy).

Soups and stir fries are another brilliant way to use up small quantities of vegetables growing increasingly sad in the fridge drawers, as are chutneys: fruit that is past its best can be frozen and then, when you’ve amassed enough, cooked with onions, sugar, vinegar and a tin of tomatoes to make a great homemade preserve.

Finally, meal planning and list writing when you go shopping will help limit the number of impulse purchases you make and ensure you only buy what you need.

Hopefully, by the end of the year, the bin will be a bit lighter and the bank account a little heavier. l

51

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:34 PM

R E S TAU R A N T R E V I E W

The Architect

H

alfway up the only slope in the city is a pub that’s dear to many residents’ hearts.

The Architect first emerged from what was formerly the County Arms back in 2014 after an extensive refurbishment, then was reopened by locals Luke Edwards and Stuart Tuck in late 2017, as a sister pub to their Blue Lion in Hardwick. The latest incarnation of the Architect continues the building’s mission of providing locals, students and tourists alike with a stylish and cosy spot for breaking the arduous journey up The Hill.

The creative theme visible throughout the pub’s branding and decor continues in their food offering, where diners are invited to “design their own meal” from starter through to dessert.

The pub claims (and is almost certainly correct in this) to be Cambridge’s first (only?) “fish and chip and pie and mash” bar, where all the main courses revolve around devising your own version of these classic British dishes.

We visited The Architect on a chilly night, when the warm glow emanating from the pub’s windows was exceedingly welcoming, and settled in for a feast. The hearty starters on offer included crispy whitebait, rabbit and black pudding sausage roll and pork scratchings – but it was the Scotch egg tasting board which caught my companion’s eye. This was a chance to try all three of the Architect’s eggs: a haddocksurrounded number with curry-spiced mayo for dipping; a be-falafelled egg served with tzatziki; and (my favourite) a traditional sausage-encased version accompanied by mustard. The deepfried brie with pineapple and chili ketchup also got ordered, and devoured. Diet food this isn’t – but neither of us had any issue with that whatsoever – and large glasses of viognier made an excellent accompaniment to the boards of deep-fried goodness.

Next up came the mains, and our chance to navigate the Architect’s menu to show off our creative mettle. Those choosing to plump for a pie are given the option of beef, chicken, steak and ale, a fish pie topped with cheddar mash or a roasted vegetable and lentil take on a Shepherd’s pie. This can then be accompanied with your

A P R I L 2 018

CE04_052-053 (REVIEW)sg copy.indd 52

own choice of potato – chipped, mashed, minted or fried – then smothered in a selected sauce, with options including red wine jus, mustard sauce, chasseur or vegetarian gravy.

If you’re not feeling pastry, your other option for a main is based on fish and chips, where diners can choose between haddock, cod, calamari or halloumi. You then select a batter – we went for traditional beer, but were sorely tempted by the green chilli tikka, or cajun-spiced panko – and then a side, which is the same list as sits with the pies. Buttered samphire ended up next to my beer-battered haddock, while my companion went for minted garden peas to accompany her beef shin and stilton pie.

The portions are not small by any stretch of the imagination, so make sure you turn up hungry. We battled through in the interest of research, of course, but kept remarking how we were hugely content to be in this extremely cosy pub, devouring such an indulgent feast.

Our mains were cleared, and dessert menus wafted under our noses: we doubled up and dived into a shared sticky toffee pudding, which arrived doused in butterscotch sauce and topped

52

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHARLOTTE GRIFFITHS

HEAD UP CASTLE HILL FOR AN INDULGENT FEAST YOU WON’T FORGET IN A HURRY, SAYS CHARLOTTE GRIFFITHS

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

3/16/18 3:25 PM

FO O D & D R I N K

“The warm glow emanating from the pub’s windows was extremely welcoming” with melting vanilla ice cream – and which was everything you could hope for from a STP. We sloped out into the night, sadly having to battle gravity by journeying further up the hill rather than giving up and rolling down into town – but will definitely be stopping back to try another of the seemingly innumerable iterations available on the Architect’s neat menu. I’m fairly sure that some clever sort will have calculated the total number of possible combinations on offer at the Architect, and if not, then this is definitely a challenge to take on. Over a pie and a pint, of course. l thearchitectcambridge.co.uk

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_052-053 (REVIEW)sg copy.indd 53

THE ARCHITECT WHAT:

Inviting pub with a focus on fish and chips and pie and mash. Be sure to sample the Scotch eggs and get stuck into the huge range of gins, cocktails and craft beers.

WHERE:

43 Castle Street, Cambridge HOW MUCH:

Snacks and sharing bites start at a very reasonable £1.50, while mains begin at £8.50.

53

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:25 PM

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 54

16/03/2018 16:51

FO O D & D R I N K

I

LEAGUE IN CELEBRATION OF THE IVY BRASSERIE OPENING IN CAMBRIDGE, WE CHAT TO HEAD CHEF STUART CONIBEAR AND SHARE SOME DELICIOUS RECIPES FROM THE RESTAURANT’S MENU CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_055-059 (CHEFS PROFILE/RECIPES)_FE.indd 55

55

f there’s one new restaurant which has got the city talking over the last few months, it’s the Ivy Cambridge Brasserie, which opened its doors on Trinity Street last month. An extensive refurbishment has seen the building, once home to clothing store Jaeger, transformed into a gorgeous 160-cover restaurant, complete with stunning marble floors, sumptuous leather banquettes, a glittering onyx bar, and colourful artwork adorning the walls. It’s the first outpost in East Anglia for the rapidly expanding Ivy Collection, and is open all day from breakfast through to dinner. Manning the stoves is head chef Stuart Conibear, who is no stranger to the brand. In fact, he first joined The Ivy back in 1996 when he took a job as sous chef at the original branch in London’s Covent Garden. “I worked there for four years and can honestly say it was the best career move I ever made,” he says.

“The late 1990s were a prime time for the restaurant and it was a great opportunity for me. It was the place where I was introduced to brasserie-style cooking, which has absolutely shaped my career, and I am really excited to be working with The Ivy Collection.” u

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:24 PM

From there, he went on to work at a range of prestigious restaurants, including stints as head chef at top Michelin-starred hotels and – rather impressively – as personal chef to Prince Charles at Clarence House. Stuart also picked up a number of accolades, including the Elior Chef of The Year in 2013.

For the last eight years he’s lived and worked in Cambridge, and is keenly looking forward to bringing the worldfamous Ivy brand to the city.

“I’m confident that we’ll be adding to the city’s already impressive food scene,” he says. “We’re very excited to have opened on Trinity Street, right in the heart of the city, and look forward to getting to know our local community and new neighbours.”

When it comes to his cooking philosophy, Stuart describes his style as belonging to the old school and having a commitment to quality, consistency and seasonal produce. His calling card is adding a spin to favourites in a way that redefines classic dishes, and this approach is very much evident in the Ivy Cambridge’s food offering. Combining modern British cuisine with some internationally inspired diversions, the menu features mouth-watering dishes such as chargrilled halloumi with Padron peppers, a warm crispy duck salad and The Ivy shepherd’s pie, with slow-braised lamb shoulder, beef and Wookey Hole cheddar potato mash.

“Our menus are all-encompassing, serving everything from breakfast, coffee and light bites to lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and weekend brunch,” says Stuart.

“We also have a set menu option available Monday to Friday from 11.30am to 6.30pm, with two courses priced at £16.50 and three courses at £21. We’re open seven days a week from dawn until dusk, offering all-day dining for all occasions, whatever the time of day. Although reservations are encouraged, we ensure a number of tables are held back each day for walk-ins, ensuring passers-by can pop in for a coffee or quick bite to eat at their leisure.” l LIKE THE IVY CAMBRIDGE ON FACEBOOK/THEIVYCAMBRIDGE

A P R I L 2 018

CE04_055-059 (CHEFS PROFILE/RECIPES)_FE.indd 56

56

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

3/16/18 3:24 PM

FOOD & DRINK

APPLE & STILTON SALAD

2

SE

RVES

INGREDIENTS

120g blue cheese sauce 8 pieces of endive leaves 70g 1cm chopped red endive 30g soaked golden raisins 20g 3mm angle-sliced celery 30g Pedro Ximenez dressing 10g caramelised crushed hazelnuts 40g 3mm sliced Granny Smith wedges 30g crumbled stilton 2g baby watercress FOR THE BLUE CHEESE SAUCE

400g crumbled stilton 200g crème fraîche 200g sour cream Weigh 400g of crumbled stilton into a bowl and add 200g of crème fraîche and 200g of sour cream. Blend until smooth.

FOR THE PEDRO XIMENEZ DRESSING

8g Pedro Ximenez vinegar 22g olive oil Pinch salt Pinch cracked black pepper STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

1

Place 70g of 1cm chopped red endive, 30g of soaked raisins and 20g of 3mm angle-sliced celery into a clean bowl. Dress with 30g of Pedro Ximenez dressing and gently mix to coat salad with dressing.

2

Spoon 60g of blue cheese sauce onto each plate and, using the back of a spoon, spread up and downwards. Place four prepped white endive leaves onto each plate, slightly overlapping, alternating direction of leaves.

Spoon over the dressed salad mix. Add 15g of crumbled stilton per plate, ensuring the stilton is evenly spread over salad. Add 5g of chopped caramelised hazelnuts per plate and place five Granny Smith apple wedges onto the salad per plate.

3

Spread the apple wedges out so they cover all of the salad. Scatter over 1g of baby watercress and then drizzle a further 5g of tomato dressing around the salad, per plate.

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_055-059 (CHEFS PROFILE/RECIPES)_FE.indd 57

57

A P R I L 2 017

3/16/18 3:25 PM

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 58

16/03/2018 16:51

FO O D & D R I N K

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE INGREDIENTS

7 eggs (separated) 240g caster sugar 240g butter 240g dark chocolate 80g cocoa powder ½ tsp sea salt

10 SERVES

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

1. Whisk the egg yolks with 180g of sugar for 10 minutes until the mixture has tripled in volume. Gently melt the butter and chocolate, remove from the heat and mix in the cocoa powder.

2. Whisk the egg whites with 60g of sugar and the salt until soft peaks form. Fold the chocolate mix into the yolks and then gently fold the whites, trying to keep as much volume as possible.

3. Pour the cake mix into a baking tray and bake in a pre-heated oven at 150 degrees Celsius for 25 minutes.

6

SERVES

THE IVY SHEPHERD’S PIE ½ tin (200g) chopped tomatoes 300ml veal stock (you can buy veal stock from good quality supermarkets. If you can’t find it, you can use beef or chicken stock) 1 tbsp tomato purée 1 tbsp plain flour Sunflower oil for frying Salt & freshly ground black pepper INGREDIENTS

200g lean rib of beef mince 200g lean lamb mince 2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped 100g button mushrooms, brushed off and finely chopped 1 medium-sized carrot (approx.

100g), finely chopped 3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed 3 sprigs fresh oregano, leaves removed and chopped 100ml (½ glass) red wine 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_055-059 (CHEFS PROFILE/RECIPES)_FE.indd 59

FOR THE TOPPING

1kg King Edwards or Maris Piper (preferably) 50g unsalted butter Salt & white pepper STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

1. Lightly oil both the lamb and beef mince.

Heat a frying pan until smoking and cook the meat, mixing continuously, for about five minutes until the meat is a light brown colour. Pour off the excess liquid and put in a dish to one side until the rest of the ingredients are ready.

2. In the same pan, heat a little oil and

59

gently sweat the shallots, thyme, button mushrooms and carrots for about eight minutes. Add the mince and mix in the tomato purée and cook for about five minutes; add the chopped tomatoes, red wine and reduce for about 10 minutes.

Add flour and mix thoroughly. Add the Worcestershire sauce and stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper; add more Worcestershire sauce if required and then the oregano. Keep to one side.

3. Preheat the oven to 180°C / gas mark 4.

4. Peel and cut the potatoes into even-sized pieces. Cook in boiling salted water for around 15 minutes until soft; then drain and return to the pan over a gentle heat to remove any excess moisture. Using an old-fashioned masher or a potato ricer, thoroughly mash the potatoes and mix them with butter and season to taste.

To assemble and serve, put the meat mixture into an oven proof dish. Top with the mashed potato (you can pipe this if you have the time), put into the oven and bake for around 30 minutes. It should turn a nice golden colour.

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:25 PM

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 60

16/03/2018 16:51

FO O D & D R I N K

Nature’s Larder THE TEAM FROM THE GOG, OUR AWARD-WINNING LOCAL FARM SHOP, BUTCHERY, DELI AND CAFÉ, GIVE THE LOW-DOWN ON THE SEASONAL PRODUCE TO SEEK OUT THIS MONTH

T

he expert team at The Gog are committed to bringing the best of local, seasonal produce to the tables of Cambridgeshire, and with spring just around the corner, there’s a whole host of delectable flavours ready to tantalise your taste buds!

April is an exciting time for foodies as it sees an abundance of new produce coming into season so we were hard pushed to pick a few products to focus on, but with The Gog greengrocers bringing the juiciest Portobello mushrooms direct from Norfolk we just had to use these as the centrepiece for this perfect spring recipe.

When choosing your mushrooms, loose ones are best so you can inspect the cap; good shrooms will have a smooth appearance and not be dried out or slimy. Avoid washing them as they can lose some of the delicious flavour; a gentle tap or wipe over with damp kitchen roll should suffice to deliver the tastiest meat alternative.

Team them with award-winning Stilton from Colston Bassett, the Nottinghamshire home of traditional Stilton. It’s at its most flavoursome at room temperature, and be sure not to cut off the rind as this variety has the most delicious nutty flavours – yum! You can buy mini versions or freeze larger amounts to preserve the flavour, which is at its height around 12 weeks old. A very versatile cheese and a hero on a cheeseboard, it’s equally great in a salad or partnering chocolate and ginger sweet treats.

Did you know that cheese laws state that a Stilton cheese must be pasteurised to be given the name? The unpasteurised version is called a Stichelton – the name derived from the old English ‘stichl’ meaning style and ‘tun’ meaning village or hamlet – and is equally as tasty.

Top these delights with the East Anglian Large Black succulent bacon, lovingly cared for by our in-house butchery team. These pigs are a slow-growing breed, which live an entirely natural life to deliver bacon with a tastier flavour through a better fat ratio and being served with the rind on. Reared in a traditional way but with a modern twist, these pigs produce bacon that is much drier than supermarket equivalents as it hasn’t been exposed to water – we think this combination makes for a flavoursome taste sensation. Don’t just take our word for it, try it for yourself – it’s a sure-fire winner for a quick and easy supper!

Our other top picks for April include celeriac, rhubarb, spinach, watercress and tasty new potatoes, all sourced from local suppliers. Join us next month when we’ll be focusing on British Asparagus and Sutton Hoo slow‑grown chicken. l thegog.com

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_061 (NATURES LARDER) ljc.indd 61

HOW TO EAT IT PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS WITH STILTON & BACON INGREDIENTS

2 Portobello mushrooms 2 garlic cloves, chopped 2tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped 3tbsp olive oil salt and freshly ground black pepper 85g Colston Bassett Stilton 3 rashers of Large Black back bacon 6 walnuts, crushed TO SERVE

few sprigs fresh parsley STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6.

2. Place the mushrooms on a non-stick baking sheet, sprinkle over the garlic and parsley and drizzle with oil. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

3. Transfer to the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the mushrooms start to soften.

4. Fry the bacon until cooked and slightly crispy on the edges. Set to one side.

5. Remove the mushrooms from the oven and place equal amounts of Stilton, bacon and crushed walnuts onto each.

Return to the oven for another 3-4 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.

6. To serve, place the mushrooms onto serving plates and garnish with parsley.

61

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:34 PM

Drinks TROLLEY THE

I K N OW T H I S G R E AT L I T T L E P L AC E ...

1815 Union Bar A LOOK AROUND SOME OF CAMBRIDGE’S HIDDEN DRINKING DENS. UP THIS MONTH, THE 1815 UNION BAR Slap bang in the city centre but concealed from view, there’s every chance you’ve not happened across 1815, a vintage-feel bar tucked behind the historic Round Church on Bridge Street. Part of the Cambridge University Union – but open to all – it’s housed in a spectacular Victorian Gothic building which dates back around 160 years, and is open all day every day, serving coffees, alcoholic drinks and light bites.

There’s a real old-school glamour about the place inside, with chandeliers, polished wooden floors, cosy leather

A P R I L 2 018

CE04_062-063 (DRINKS TROLLEY)sg.indd 62

Chesterfields – plus a lovely garden to sit out in if the sun’s shining.

The walls are lined with photos of some of the bar’s famous visitors, and drinks specialities include the River Cam Iced Tea with dandelion and burdock and the house-infused plum vodka and goji berry gin. They also serve one of the cheapest pints of beer in the city at just £2.50 (currently the 61 Deep Pale Ale from Marston’s Brewery, but it’s updated regularly), and a range of gloriously gooey grilled cheese sandwiches.

1815-bar.co.uk

62

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

3/16/18 3:24 PM

D R I N KS

“This timeless classic shows why this local distillery’s Japanese Gin wins gold in every competition it enters” JAPANESE MARTINI RECIPE Cambridge Gin Laboratory shares a recipe for an elegant martini, shaken with dry vermouth and apple cubes, and served in a chilled martini glass.

YOU WILL NEED:

50ml Japanese Gin 5ml Dry Vermouth One apple, cut into cubes, reserving three small slices to garnish METHOD:

Put ice into martini glass and set aside to chill Pour the vermouth and Japanese Gin into a shaker Add the ice and cubes of apple and shake well Pour out the ice from your martini glass from earlier To garnish make a small cut in the middle of three slices to create a fan on the side of the martini glass

F E E L I N G T H I RS T Y?

Austrian Artistry ELODIE CAMERON FROM LOCAL DRINKS SHOP THIRSTY TALKS AUSTRIAN WINE Austria is a country of two halves.

We may think of mountains and skiing, but mainly the mountainous areas lie to the west, while in the east lie the hills, rivers and lakes of the wine regions, amongst which is nestled the beautiful city of Vienna.

Vienna is full of culture, history and sophistication, classical music and museums, and the wines reflect this elegance and heritage. Austria is a small country that produces topquality wines mainly from family-run vineyards, many of which have been there for hundreds of years.

The majority of wines are white, emanating from the region north of Vienna. Here, GrÜner Veltliner rules; expect racy freshness with green, herbaceous flavours that tend towards green beans and celery with a tingle of white pepper and a zing of citrus. This makes GrÜner Veltliner a fantastic food wine. A great alternative to sauvignon blanc, it marries perfectly with sushi or Mexican dishes, and is equally great with a classic schnitzel. GrÜner Veltliner also shows intriguing development. When aged or oaked, it can take on characters akin to a Burgundian chardonnay and fuller, richer, honeyed notes emerge.

The other white variety of note is Riesling. GrÜner may rule in terms of being the most popular grape but Riesling is king here in terms of pedigree. Perhaps less known than its German counterparts (partly due to a fairly small production which they like to keep for themselves), this is nonetheless a

world-class wine. Austrian Rieslings are often fuller than German styles yet steelier than those from Alsace.

Full of herbs and fruit coupled with great minerality, these wines are usually bone dry and they work fantastically with food: Asian cuisine with a hint of spice, or sashimi, as well as being a great match for freshwater fish and even pasta – just what we need for spring.

I was intrigued and enthralled when I first discovered Austrian reds, which surprisingly account for over 30% of production and emanate mainly from regions south of Vienna with great examples from an area in the east around Lake Neusiedl. Fresh and juicy with light tannins, these wines surprised me with their fruit flavours, elegance and sophistication.

Zweigelt is usually a fruit bomb of cherry, at times with a touch of oak, so if you like the juiciness and soft tannins of gamay and beaujolais wines this will be right up your street. Great with pasta or charcuterie, but these versatile wines will take you right through summer; they are perfect slightly chilled with a barbecue or with fish cooked in wine or tomatoes.

Sankt Laurent definitely warrants some attention. It’s interestingly named after St Laurent Day (10 August) when the grapes begin to change colour. This grape is related to Pinot Noir and its high-class genetics are evident; these wines are velvety, herbal and expressive with light tannins and a little spice.

THREE TO TRY GRÜNER VELTLINER, RENNER, ALLRAM 2015 £21.50 RIESLING, HEILIGENSTEIN, ALLRAM £22.80 PURE ST LAURENT, ARTISAN WINES 2014 £11.50

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_062-063 (DRINKS TROLLEY)sg.indd 63

63

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:24 PM

ARIEL SEQUIN JUMPSUIT

£199, Monsoon, Sidney Street

LEXI SEQUIN SWEATSHIRT IN BLAZE

£145, rosabloom.com

CLUB L SEQUIN MINI DRESS

£65, Topshop, Grand Arcade

SPRING BLING Think sequins are just for Christmas? Think again. The SS18 catwalks were awash with the glittery goods, from the showstopping Studio 54-esque numbers by Tom Ford to the sequinned evening gowns at Marc Jacobs, not forgetting the entire show dripping in sequins at Gucci.

Sequins are poised to make the transition from festive favourite to spring wardrobe must-have.

SEQUIN CAMI DRESS

£98, Oasis, Grafton Centre

Glitterati THE

Glitzy glamour was the order of the day on the spring/summer catwalks, a trend which the high street has enthusiastically embraced. From elegant embellished evening gowns to a touch of sparkle on daywear, expect to see sequins everywhere this spring!

A P R I L 2 018

CE04_064-065 (FASHION) ljc.indd 64

STARBURST JEWELLED ZIPTOP CLUTCH

£30, Accessorize, Petty Cury

SEQUINNED MINISKIRT

£29.99, Zara, St Andrew’s Street

64 3/16/18 3:24 PM

FAS H I O N

HOW TO WEAR IT

It’ll take some gumption to rock this trend in the office, but there’s plenty of ways to add a subtle sparkle to your outfit.

A sequin cami under a relaxed blazer offers a tasteful nod to the trend, or bling up your accessories with a sparkly clutch bag. For a night out or party you can go all out, dousing yourself in shimmering embellishment: we adore this Margarita Jumpsuit from Free People, and cult label Rosa Bloom’s full sequin sweaters, which come in a range of colours and could be straight off the Gucci catwalk.

MARGARITA JUMPSUIT

£288, freepeople.com

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_064-065 (FASHION) ljc.indd 65

65

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:24 PM

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 66

16/03/2018 16:51

1

FAS H I O N

Picks from the Indies

23 GEOMETRIC NECKLACE

£25, Ark, Peas Hill

TASSEL BAG IN LEATHER IN SAND & VINTAGE SUEDE

£100, Cambridge Satchel Company, St Mary’s Passage

STRIPED BOW TIE STRAIGHT LEG TROUSER BY CLOSET

£68, Lilac Rose, Bridge Street

GRAND ARCADE STUDENT NIGHT

25 APRIL

Grand Arcade is hosting a special shopping evening geared towards students this month, offering discounts, DJs, freebies and other entertainment on 25 April. Taking place 3-8pm, the evening is open to all sixth form, college and university students in the area – just make sure you bring along your student ID. Neighbouring nightclub Lola Lo’s will be mixing up drinks and spinning tunes to make the event go off with a bang, and there will be goodie bags to grab and games to join in with. Special offers confirmed include 30% off at Levis, 15% off at Hollister, 20% off at Topshop and Topman, 20% off at Office and Schuh, and 20% off at River Island. If you need to refuel, eateries Ed’s Easy Diner upstairs and Carluccio’s downstairs will both be offering special discounts too. grandarcade.co.uk

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_066 (FASHION-FINAL PAGE)ljc.indd 67

67

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 4:38 PM

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 68

16/03/2018 16:51

B E AU T Y

the

BEAUTY bible

I

’ve enjoyed getting my nails done for years now. I love the whole process of picking out a colour and having a bit of pamper time. It’s just you and your nail technician against the world – and an hour later, off you go feeling a little bit brighter and shinier. But if you’re looking to take things into your own hands and get a little more creative at home, investing in a UV or LED lamp and a couple of quality polishes could help you to save the pennies you’ve been spending on those gel manicures.

I’m all for pushing boundaries and expression when it comes to beauty and make-up, and so getting creative with nail art really appeals to me. If you’ve seen the trends for chrome and holographic nails, as well as the latest ‘flakies’, you’ll know what I’m talking about. If not, read on!

Most salons in Cambridge will now offer a stunning mirror-like shine by brushing fine pigment powders over gel polish before adding a top coat and curing. This process results in the most beautifully reflective nails. Much like when GHD hair straighteners became available out-of-salon, you can now invest in your own pro-nail products too, and the fact that gel polish lasts for a solid two weeks plus without chipping is another win in my book.

Head to justbeauty.co.uk and you’ll find an awesome selection of gel polishes and chrome powders, but first you’ll need a lamp and a few other essentials. The Mylee Black Convex Curing LED Lamp Kit with Gel

Polish Essentials (£42.99, justbeauty.co.uk) includes pretty much everything you need to get started. There are two main types of top coat; traditional, and no-wipe. For the former, you’ll also need a prep-and-wipe solution to remove the sticky layer left after curing, but for no-wipe top coat – as the name suggests – this won’t be needed. For nail powders, like mirror-effect ones, it’s essential to use a no-wipe top coat.

Salons use a mix of LED and UV lamps to cure gel polish, and both are readily available. Using LED technology is an effective way to quickly cure gel colour in as little as 30 seconds. UV will take a little longer at one minute, and while currently there’s no conclusive evidence as to the negative effects of UV exposure in this type of use, LED is deemed risk free. Whichever lamp you go for, make sure to follow any instructions, and while applying base coat and layers, be careful not to apply too liberally, flooding the cuticles, which can lead to polish lifting off prematurely.

If the reality is that you just don’t have the time, patience or steady hands for such a task, then fear not – Cambridge has plenty of great places to get a mani. Finn Jordan offers a luxurious OPI gel manicure (from £43) and Lash & Glo on Newmarket Road always do a fab job of catering to my glitter and chrome needs! (£30).

“I’m all for pushing boundaries and expression when it comes to beauty and make-up” CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_069 (BEAUTY)sg.indd 69

69

THE ONE THAT I WANT

With over 350 different shades across 15 finishes of gel polish, sassy website lovecandycoat.com has recently launched a monthly subscription box. The Sweet Little Something package costs £15 per month and features three Candy Coat gel colours, and a handful of other treats all packaged in a cute box. Polishes otherwise cost £8 to £10 each, so it’s a bit of a bargain too. The site also offers a Candy Cure 60W Studio UV lamp for £79.99.

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:34 PM

DOWN TO GRAND DESIGNS WE TALK TO LOCI, THE INTERIOR DESIGN COMPANY PUTTING ITS IMAGINATIVE, STYLISH STAMP ON CAMBRIDGE

W

hen you visit a restaurant, hotel, shop, school or office, do you ever wonder who created the design? If you’re asking that question here in Cambridge, the answer may well be Loci Interiors. A prolific local design consultancy, you can see their work all over the city, from the steampunk styling at Smokeworks to the impressively grand Great Hall at The Leys; they’ve been putting their imaginative stamp on buildings in Cambridge and beyond since 2004.

The company was founded by designers Jonathan and Rivka Furbank, who met whilst studying at Brighton University and have spent the intervening years building Loci into one of Cambridge’s most exciting creative companies, bringing together a team of architectural and design consultants,

and completely transforming all kinds of buildings.

The team, made up of seven, are currently working on a diverse crop of projects including the Cavendish bar and rooms at Homerton College, a boarding house at The Leys school, and offices at One Station Square – but undeniably one of their most fruitful partnerships has been with local restaurant group Cambscuisine. This collaboration has included Millworks, a restaurant which sits on the edge of the Mill Pond, housed in an old water mill. Loci gave this historic building (which is mentioned in the Domesday Book) a vibrant new lease of life, re-energising it into a handsome modern brasserie which salutes the history of the building while bringing it right up to date. Among the most striking features of Loci’s refurbishment are the cement booths for seating, and – most

“Unique design is the hallmark of a Loci project” A P R I L 2 018

CE04_070-071 (BUSINESS)_FE copy.indd 70

70

impressively – the restoration of the old watermill wheel and glass apertures in the floor, which allow guests to see the water rushing past underfoot. Over at Smokeworks, which now has branches on Station Road and on Free School Lane, there’s a neon-filled, steampunkmeets-Americana vibe, while the Crown & Punchbowl, another Cambscuisine/ Loci pair-up, brings a fresh take on a traditional pub, with clever lighting, warming gold and terracotta hues, plus a sumptuous private dining area.

Each very different in character, Loci listened to the stories the buildings themselves had to tell, and used them to inform the design.

“Unique design is the hallmark of a Loci project,” explains creative director Jonathan. “Every project we do is individually crafted for a client and we create original and distinctive design schemes. We also take inspiration from detailed research, individual locations, architectural elements, and the client’s ambition.”

The team all have different favourite elements from the projects they’ve

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

3/16/18 3:24 PM

B U S I N E SS

BUSINESS P I TC H P E R F E C T

Blossom & Bow NEW LOCAL BUSINESSES GIVE US THEIR SALES PITCH

WHAT’S YOUR PITCH?

worked on. For architect Mandy, it’s the dinky switches you flip for service at Smokeworks, while for designer Will Mayes, it’s the bespoke linear LED lights at Bluestone. There are plenty more innovative flourishes to come, with works scheduled in the coming months including a beauty salon, a golf course club house, an iconic cafe, a restaurant and a bespoke garden studio. And when it comes to future ambitions, there’s a few Cambridge buildings they’d love to give the Loci treatment. “Two stand out,” says Jonathan. “The former Central Cinema and Gala bingo hall. This Art Deco gem was built in 1936 and retains many original features. It is in an historically interesting location, too, something which we love to reference when creating our designs. Millers Yard on Mill Street is another fantastic place which we’d love to work the Loci magic on. Once home to a brewery, this historic industrial area offers endless design possibilities within a great central location.” l

Blossom & Bow lets you pop-up a beautiful, fun and hassle-free party in minutes. Our online shop stocks stunning children’s partyware, sourced from British and European suppliers, that you won’t see on the high street.

Our ‘one-click’ ready-to-go themes include superkids, dinosaurs, unicorns, pirates, fairy tales and more. Or use our bespoke option to fill your own party in a box. From plates, cups and napkins to decorations, masks and cupcake kits, we have everything you need to set the scene for a super-stylish party. Just add food and get your party on!

WHAT’S YOUR BACKGROUND?

We are sisters who grew up in Cambridge, moved away for university and work, but returned to raise our families. Rachel studied theatre and set design at Central St Martin’s and is also an illustrator. She will be adding a range of hand-drawn invitations and thank-you cards to our offering this year.

Jessica’s background is in publishing and event organisation. We’ve put our skills together to style and plan perfect parties in a box!

WHAT MAKES YOU UNIQUE?

We are the first company doing party kits in Cambridge right now, so in that sense we are unique, but also as young mums we are living in the world of children’s party planning ourselves, and understand how stressful it can be! We aim to bring fun, excitement and style back to party planning by removing any unnecessary stress when trying to find everything you need, and perhaps giving busy parents the confidence to believe that they can create a beautiful and memorable party – wherever it is.

WHERE DO YOU WANT THE BUSINESS TO BE IN FIVE YEARS?

We see ourselves bringing out party kits for a wider range of themes, and creating our boxes for other events such as baby showers, hen parties, Christmas parties and more – the options really are endless! We are already starting to collaborate with other Cambridge businesses, also in the party industry, to offer packages including entertainment and catering. Get in touch if you would like to collaborate – we are open to suggestions! Let’s get this party started! blossomandbow.co.uk

01223 352222 LOCIINTERIORS.CO.UK

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_070-071 (BUSINESS)_FE copy.indd 71

71

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:24 PM

INDEPENDENT OF THE MONTH

Millers Music THIS LANDMARK MUSIC SHOP HAS BEEN IN CAMBRIDGE SINCE THE 1800S, BUT ITS MODERN AND FORWARD-THINKING APPROACH IS ENSURING ITS FUTURE IS AS EXCITING AS ITS PAST, FINDS SIOBHAN GODWOOD

M

illers Music is believed to be the second oldest independent music shop in the country, and was founded in 1856 when the Miller family were forced to sell their piano in order to keep open the bonnet shop that was the family business. The sale was so successful that they decided to go into selling pianos, which was big business in those days as the piano was the entertainment system of the Victorian age. As time went on the business moved with the times, selling gramophones and radiograms, and moving into radios, televisions and other home entertainment

A P R I L 2 018

CE04_074-075 (INDIE)_FE.indd 72

products. In the early 90s Millers sold the home entertainment side of the business to Granada and became purely a music store, selling sheet music and musical instruments.

Over the years, Millers Music has become a central feature of Cambridge life, and has also played an important national role, providing gramophones for soldiers in the First World War trenches and demonstrating Cambridge’s first working television in their store.

“Cambridge is probably one of the most musical cities in the world,” says Simon Pollard, the managing director and the man who bought the store from the founder’s great, great grandson in 2012.

“We have some fantastic music venues, such as the Corn Exchange, but we also have some of the most musically knowledgeable scholars in the world here in our university’s colleges.” Millers is closely involved with the musical life of the university, organising musical events such as last year’s 21 Pianos, providing tuning services for many of the colleges’ instruments, renting musical instruments and equipment when the May balls come around each year, and providing for the sheet music requirements of the many musical societies and ensembles. “There’s

72

such a high demand for sheet music here in Cambridge,” explains Simon, “which is why we have recently expanded our sheet music department to have a larger selection and repertoire. We’re hoping that it will attract people into Cambridge to see it, too.” It might be surprising that there is still such a big market for sheet music, and Simon concedes that much of the market, when it comes to popular music, has moved online, with digital sheet music being widely available. The classical side of things, however, is still very secure. “With classical ensembles and orchestras, and it’s often a requirement, or just more practical, to have the real thing,” he explains, “and we still sell a huge amount.”

The internet has affected other aspects of the music business, too, and Millers Music has moved with the times to reflect the changing shopping habits of the nation. “The internet is really important for engaging customers and showing them what we’ve got and what we can do,” Simon says. “Again with sheet music, we can show a much wider selection online than we can in-store, so customers can research what they want and then order it from us. In terms of instruments, people want to see pictures and often even videos, which is why we’ve moved our whole web operation out to Barnwell Business Park so that we can really focus on upping our game on that side of things, while devoting more space on Sussex Street to housing physical instruments, demonstration rooms, and holding more events, making the store a musical destination.”

The website has been updated to become an integral part of the operation.

“Customers now shop differently,” says Simon. “They research online, visit in store for a demonstration, maybe go back home to discuss options, and then buy on the website. There are a lot of things for retailers to consider and adapt to, but we’re committed to delivering the highest levels of service.” Customers can now buy and rent instruments on the Millers website, see photos and videos of instruments in use, apply for finance for big purchases like pianos, and book service and tuning jobs too.

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

3/16/18 4:39 PM

INDEPENDENT OF THE MONTH

The shop itself, though, remains the heart of Millers Music; people are always going to want to come in and touch, try and hear musical instruments. “People want to research online and get more information, of course they do,” says Simon. “But for anyone who is buying any instrument that isn’t a boxed item like a keyboard, I would always say that the best thing to do is to come in and try the instruments for yourself. Otherwise you can’t understand the differences between the sound, the feel of the instrument, how comfortable you are with it: the store is a crucial part of that.”

Central to the success of the store and its popularity with musicians in Cambridge and from all over the country is the in-house team of dedicated experts.

“We want to make sure that when people come into our shop they get an experience, and we have knowledgeable teams that we literally send around the world to visit piano and guitar factories, so that they understand the instruments and can pass that knowledge on to our customers. We hope our store is an environment that is engaging and inspirational, so that people will want to play the instruments.”

Millers has experts in every area of music, from drums and keyboards to guitars and saxophones. “Whether it’s brass, woodwind, strings, ukuleles, accordions or melodions. Most people on our team can turn their hand to just

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_074-075 (INDIE)_FE.indd 73

“Millers Music provided gramophones for soldiers in the First World War trenches, and also demonstrated the first television in Cambridge” about any instrument, and want to pass on their passion and knowledge to our customers.” Millers understands the value of their dedicated staff, and invests a lot of time and money in helping to fund team members to learn more about different musical instruments and even attend concerts and gigs.

Anyone who wants to try out an instrument, whether they have lots of experience and want to upgrade to something new, or are completely new to music, is welcome to pop into the store at any time to chat to a member of staff and have a look – and a listen – at what’s in the store. And what people may not be aware of is the instrument rental service that Millers offers: perfect for those taking

73

up an instrument for the first time, and for parents worried about paying for instruments for their children to learn with.

“A violin, flute or oboe can be a daunting investment for parents who don’t know if their child will take to music or not,” says Simon. “We offer a rental service so that people can feel able to change their minds about what they want to learn to play, can upgrade to a higher-quality instrument if they decide to stick with it, or can go from a small instrument to a bigger one as their child grows. Millers is all about music, and part of that is encouraging as many people as we can to give music a go, and bring music into their lives.” l Millers Music, Sussex Street, Cambridge millersmusic.co.uk | 01223 354452

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 4:40 PM

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 74

16/03/2018 16:51

E D U CAT I O N E D U C AT I O N S P OT L I G H T

Life outside the classroom EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES CAN TEACH SKILLS AND BROADEN INTERESTS THAT WILL SERVE PUPILS WELL IN THEIR FUTURE LIVES, SAYS MARTIN PRIESTLEY, HEADMASTER OF THE LEYS, CAMBRIDGE

I

n an increasingly target-driven, results-orientated educational world, many valuable things can find themselves squeezed out of the school curriculum. While academic attainment is of the first importance, there simply are no exams to measure pupils’ development of qualities such as self-confidence, teamwork and service to the wider community.

At The Leys we call it the Wider Curriculum, reflecting our conviction that it is not some bolt-on programme but an intrinsic and valued part of what we offer. Encompassing all non-academic fields of endeavour, it is crucial in balancing out this potential deficit. In my experience pupils flourish when they can recharge their brains by engaging in activities which, whilst not exclusively academic, offer other challenges and opportunities. I would argue that they can improve academic performance as well.

Life skills such as public speaking, time management, teamwork and analytical thinking are boosted by the Wider Curriculum.

At The Leys, such activities are integrated into the school week, with three afternoons, the early evening period on every weekday and significant sections of later evenings and weekends devoted to it. Our Director of the Wider Curriculum oversees the programme, helping busy pupils manage their activities. The school offers more than 100 activities every week, from rowing to street dance, from musical theatre performance, orchestras and choirs to experimental science, improvisation groups and creative writing.

If a pupil suggests an activity not on offer, we look to see if there is a gap in our provision. Gymnastics, trampolining and skills for building computer games were all introduced in this way.

Outdoor education is also important to us. All our pupils can develop outdoor skills through walking expeditions, canoeing, climbing and sailing. These allow pupils to acquire greater independence

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_075 (ED SPOTLIGHT).FEindd.indd 75

“Pupils flourish when they can recharge their brains” and self-confidence, gain awareness of their individual strengths, weaknesses and potential, and the ability to lead and to work as part of a team. The Combined Cadet Force (CCF) and the Duke of Edinburgh awards provide a structure for many mental and physical challenges beyond the classroom – over the years, countless pupils have had the satisfaction of achieving their Bronze, Silver or Gold awards. Our army and navy sections give pupils from Year 10 the chance to be trained in outdoor pursuits, leadership, and practical and military skills.

Sport is an obvious opportunity for developing physical skills; exercise is a valuable counterbalance to academic life, and competitive sport can inculcate a mindset in which pupils are willing and able to step outside their comfort zones

75

and learn how to cope with winning or losing. We have well-developed pathways to excellence in all areas of the Wider Curriculum, but of course, participation, recreation and having fun are crucial components, too.

Life outside the classroom can also serve to foster good citizenship. Our pupils from Year 10 to Lower Sixth undertake a variety of volunteering roles through our Personal Development and Leadership scheme.

On Wednesday afternoons they are to be found tackling all sorts of tasks, from helping out in charity shops to landscape conservation work.

I am proud of the Wider Curriculum we offer and I am convinced that it plays a crucial role in ensuring that young people develop into young adults equipped to flourish in the world beyond school. l

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:34 PM

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 76

16/03/2018 16:51

Home Edition ©DEBENHAMS

TOP INTERIORS TRENDS TO TRY THIS SPRING • EDITION LOVES •ASK THE AGENT

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_077 (PROPERTY OPENER) ljc.indd 77

77

A P R I L 2 017

3/16/18 3:34 PM

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 78

16/03/2018 16:51

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 79

16/03/2018 16:51

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 80

16/03/2018 16:51

INTERIORS

Home truths FROM JEWEL TONES TO MUTED PAINT COLOURS, THERE’S SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE IN THE LATEST INTERIORS TRENDS FOR 2018.

WHAT’S MORE, IT’S NEVER BEEN EASIER TO UPDATE YOUR HOME WITH THE NEW KEY LOOKS

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_081-093 (INTERIORS) copy_FE.indd 81

81

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:23 PM

CROWN JEWELS

I

t’s time to go bold and banish the grey – the latest colours for the home are vibrant and rich.

When it comes to furniture – such as sofas and statement chairs – it’s all about gem shades to give a shot of colour.

Sofa Workshop’s Coco chair, for instance, comes in the appealing-sounding Seduction: a shimmering emerald green.

It works gloriously with Andrew Martin’s vivid velvet cushions – choose from zingy orange, bright pink or peacock.

You don’t have to buy something new to have impact.

Consider re-upholstering a favourite piece of furniture in one of Vanessa Arbuthnott’s velvets, which come in the most dreamy colours such as mustard, marigold and cornflower blue.

From turquoise glass vases to brightly woven rugs, Kaleidoscope has tapped into the trend for its new season collection. Lucy McGilvray, homes expert at the company, comments: “Jewel tones are a great way to bring the wow factor and add some sparkle into your living space in an inexpensive yet impactful way.”

The trend isn’t all about bold, flamboyant touches, however. Even lovers of minimalism can give a nod to the theme in the smallest ways. In an all-white kitchen, for instance, you can add a talking point with a beautifully-crafted statement pendant, such as Vita Copenhagen’s Asteria. This hovering halo light, with inbuilt LED lights, is sleek and architectural, and available in a range of bright hues such as saffron yellow, ruby red and petrol blue. u

Previous page Vanessa Arbuthnott This page Clockwise from top right: ‘For the Love of Rose’ curtain fabric, £52 per metre; traditional chair, from £1500, upholstered in Rose Velvet, £58 per metre, all by Vanessa Arbuthnott. Vita Cophenhagen’s Asteria light in Ruby, £179. LSA Coro tealights, £18 for four, from Kaleidoscope. Coco chair in Seduction, from £885, from Sofa Workshop. Velvet Pelham cushions, £49, from Andrew Martin

A P R I L 2 018

CE04_081-093 (INTERIORS) copy_FE.indd 82

82

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

3/16/18 4:39 PM

INTERIORS

Above Retro chair upholstered in Vanessa Arbuthnott’s Honey velvet, £58 per metre

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_081-093 (INTERIORS) copy_FE.indd 83

83

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:23 PM

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 84

16/03/2018 16:51

INTERIORS

HOW TO BE BOLD ELENI PORTCH, OWNER OF NISI LIVING, AN ONLINE HOMEWARES BOUTIQUE, GIVES HER THREE TIPS

Be brave and transform a bedroom by painting the walls and ceilings in a rich amethyst tone. It will be totally cocooning.

Add luxurious throws and copper accents to make the room feel truly decadent.

Above Walls in Benjamin Moore’s Silver Marlin, from £20.50 for 0.94L Below Red Palla Pitcher, £40, and amber and amethyst glasses, £7 each, from Nisi Living.

If you’re not sure about painting a whole room in a bold colour, then opt for a statement piece of furniture, like a velvet sofa, in a rich fabric, and add clashing jewelcoloured cushions for an opulent finish.

LIGHT & DARK Long gone are the days of ‘Natural Hessian’ being the neutral paint colour of choice. We’ve also moved on from the myriad shades of grey we all went mad for in the past few years. Instead, there’s a whole new palette of warmer tones that look fresh and modern. Soft ice-cream shades such as chalky whites, pastel pinks and ‘dirty’ lilacs give a pretty effect, and call to mind a Miami vibe.

Helen Shaw, marketing director at paint specialists Benjamin Moore UK, gives her expert view: “The best way to use a pale palette is to ensure that the tones you use aren’t ‘weak’, they must be a strong neutral – that is able to sit beautifully against any darker tones throughout the home. The trend for integrating more textures within our interior schemes also lends itself beautifully to a paler palette.”

The Paint and Paper Library has long understood the importance of contrasting tones: u

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_081-093 (INTERIORS) copy_FE.indd 85

A quick and easy way to brighten up a space is to display an eclectic mix of primary-coloured glassware – they will look beautiful placed on a console table beside a window so the light shines through the glass.

85

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:23 PM

INTERIORS “Use mid-strength colours at opposite ends of the spectrum to create a strong, contemporary contrast of light and dark tones,” says marketing director Ruth Mottershead. “The contrast of light and dark within this combination creates a gentle tension within the scheme.”

Drenching your space with light will also enhance the muted shades. Klöeber’s anthracitegrey bi-fold doors give a wonderful contrast and a modern touch, not to mention giving a seamless connection to the outdoor space.

These softer new neutrals also work particularly well against glamorous dark woods – especially when it comes to flooring. Amtico’s Scorched Timber, for instance, looks aged and as if it was salvaged from a period mansion – but is made contemporary when contrasted with a pastel wall.

“Dark woods add a feeling of warmth and depth to a room,” says Jenna Kane, marketing manager at flooring company Kersaint Cobb. “Rustic oak flooring has become increasingly popular over recent months, with customers embracing the simplicity and natural beauty of the darker tones available – many of which give a vintage feel.”

For those who won’t be swayed from carpet underfoot, don’t worry – Brintons’ ‘New Neutrals’ range of muted colours is just the thing to give a timeless finish and keep a room cosy and warm. u

This page From top: Amtico’s Bureau Oak flooring, £50 per square metre. Pure linen Maldives cushion, £39, from Brissi. Sea blue velvet cushion, £54, from Oka. Brintons’ Moonstone, Mineral, Pumice and Smoke carpets from the New Neutrals range. Kersaint Cobb’s Duo Living Oak antique flooring, £73.99 per square metre Opposite Main wall painted in Squid Ink Pureflat emulsion, from £46.50 for 2.5L, from the Paint and Paper Library

A P R I L 2 018

CE04_081-093 (INTERIORS) copy_FE.indd 86

86

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

3/16/18 3:23 PM

INTERIORS

“Rustic oak flooring has become increasingly popular over recent months, with customers embracing the simplicity and natural beauty of the darker tones available – many of which give a vintage feel”

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_081-093 (INTERIORS) copy_FE.indd 87

87

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:23 PM

INTERIORS

STOCKISTS

WABI-SABI The Japanese art of beauty in imperfections may be an ancient philosophy, rooted in Buddhism, about accepting the imperfect and transient nature of life – but it is also being reflected in our homes.

Sheridan Australia’s watercolour print bed-linen is casually pretty. “The ancient Japanese worldview centres on impermanence and imperfection,” says the brand. “A simple way to achieve the wabi-sabi look is through an imperfectly made bed, which lends a relaxed air to your bedroom. Limit the colour palette to one or two shades to avoid the look becoming too messy.”

You can also achieve it with irregularly-shaped handmade crockery, stacks of well-thumbed books and non-symmetrical lighting, such as Christopher Wray’s Chopstix pendant. It’s all about embracing those well-loved and imperfect things which have meaning, to gain a feeling of wholesome satisfaction. l

A P R I L 2 018

CE04_081-093 (INTERIORS) copy_FE.indd 88

Amtico 0121 745 0800 amtico.com

Klöeber 01487 740044 kloeber.co.uk

Andrew Martin 020 7225 5100 andrewmartin.co.uk

Made + Good madeandgood.com

Benjamin Moore 01753 575756 benjaminmoorepaint.co.uk Brissi 01225 319 058 brissi.com Brintons 0800 505 055 brintons.co.uk Christopher Wray 020 7013 0180 christopherwray.com Handpicked

by Kate handpickedbykate.com

Top Jarrett bed linen set, £99, from Sheridan Australia. Above Christopher Wray Chopstix pendant, from £1,595

88

Kaleidoscope 0333 200 8018 kaleidoscope.co.uk Kersaint Cobb 01675 430 430 kersaintcobb.co.uk

Nisi Living 01275 390521 nisiliving.co.uk Oka 03330 042 042, oka.com Paint and Paper Library 0845 880 5844 paintandpaperlibrary.com Sheridan Australia 01925 453 410 sheridanaustralia.co.uk Sofa Workshop 0808 231 1096 sofaworkshop.com Vanessa Arbuthnott 01285 831437 vanessaarbuthnott.co.uk Vita Copenhagen, vitacopenhagen.com Weaver Green 0844 414 2155 weavergreen.com

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

3/16/18 3:23 PM

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 89

16/03/2018 16:51

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 90

16/03/2018 16:52

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 91

16/03/2018 16:52

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 92

16/03/2018 16:52

INTERIORS

VITA ASTERIA LIGHT IN SAFFRON

£175, vitacopenhagen.com

AQUA BULLET VASE

£45, nisiliving.co.uk

NAVY AALTO CUSHION

JAIPUR WOOD BOWL

£75, handpickedbykate.com

from £22, brissi.com

EDI T ION

LOVES

IRINGA BASKET

from £20, oggetto.com

HANNAH BOULD SLIM VASE

£89, toast.co.uk

NOMAD TARIFA FOOTSTOOL

£187, weavergreen.com

BERBER RUG

from £45, kaleidoscope.co.uk

TUPELO TABLE LAMP IN TOURMALINE

£395, oka.com

MUSTARD WAFFLED LINEN THROW

£160, oggetto.com

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_081-093 (INTERIORS) copy_FE.indd 93

93

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:24 PM

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 94

16/03/2018 16:52

INTERIORS S TO R E O F T H E M O N T H

Granite Transformations

w

ith its wide range of granite, natural quartzite and recycled glass options, Granite Transformations’ agglomerate surfaces are ideal for home-owners looking to update their existing kitchen worktop without the upheaval and mess of starting from scratch.

Since 2004, the company has had a franchise in Trumpington, Cambridge, but it was originally started by an Australian entrepreneur in 1996. The genius ‘top that fits on top’ concept captured the imagination of homeowners and the franchise model was soon rolled out across Australia, then to the US, and came to the UK in 2002.

Peter Morrison, owner of Granite Transformations in Cambridge, reveals more: “The majority of options, when it comes to updating a kitchen worktop, will involve complete removal of the surface – this can damage tiles and cabinetry. The simplicity of overlaying the surface with our product means the work can be done quickly (mostly in one day) without any mess. We also offer a lifetime ‘materials warranty’, as well as a complete solution service, including installing new sinks at the same time as having new worktops.

“Over the past eight years, our door replacement service has also grown, to complete the transformation solution. It offers customers a ‘middle-way’ option instead of having to invest in a complete new kitchen,” he says.

With kitchen styles changing dramatically since launching the company in 2004, one main difference Peter has noticed of late is the trend towards lighterhued materials. “Over the past couple of years, there has been a complete switch from the majority of customers choosing black surfaces – a top-seller since we

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_097 (STORE OF THE MONTH)_FE.indd 95

“There’s a growing trend towards lightmarbled finishes” started – to opting for pale whites and greys,” he comments.

“There’s also a growing trend toward light-marbled finishes, and our Portland concrete-finish products are also proving increasingly popular. When it comes to cabinet doors, cream is out and grey is in. The traditional Shaker style remains a classic choice, but the sleek look of handle-less designs, in a high gloss finish, is the style of choice for lovers of contemporary design.

“Whether you opt for Italian granite or eco-friendly recycled glass, all our agglomerate surfaces are bonded together with a small percentage of polyester resin,” Peter reveals. “It’s one of the hardest and most durable of modern polymers and creates a tough and durable material.

Diamond polished, they have a layered depth and complexity – with each surface as individual as a snowflake.”

95

The company also offers a range of glass mosaics, created exclusively by the brand’s sister company, Italian tile-maker Trend. Hand-crafted, using traditional artisan techniques, they come in a myriad of colours. As well as a wide choice of worktops and cabinet doors, the company also offers a complete installation service, using highly experienced workshop and installations staff.

“There’s a lot of talk about the local high street having a tough time at the moment,” continues Peter. “The challenge for modern businesses is to strike the balance between providing information online, but also tempting people to come and see your product ‘in the flesh’. I believe if you have something unique, people will always want to come and see it.” l Granite Transformations, 53 High Street, Cambridge CB2 9HZ | 01223 853913 | granitetransformations.co.uk

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 3:34 PM

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 96

16/03/2018 16:52

P RO P E RT Y A S K T H E AG E N T

Garden Variety SAM COOKE, PARTNER AT LOCAL AGENT COOKE, CURTIS & CO, CONSIDERS WHAT WE REALLY WANT FROM OUR GARDENS

A

bashful as a nation and perhaps the way we lay our gardens out is a symptom of that.

When you think about it, it’s arguably grumpy, unfriendly and unnecessary. Isn’t it nicer to see people? To know your neighbours? To be part of your community?

We all need different levels of social interaction to maintain our mental wellbeing. I very regularly want to be by myself, but equally I quickly feel lonely if I don’t see other people.

In this country we used to meet in pubs, but we’re drinking less than we were and pubs are declining. Coffee shops are the modern alternative, but there are only so many flat whites you can drink (oat milk with mine, please) before you get the shakes and/or run out of money. We love to meet people who share our hobbies at golf clubs or knitting circles or Warhammer conventions, but in the streets we live on we’ve made it difficult for ourselves to interact with our neighbours.

But things are changing. Visit some of the new developments in Trumpington and their continental influences are immediately obvious. They do mostly

aah, spring. Season of the garden. Here’s a conversation I’ve had more than once with someone moving out from London: “I’m after something with at least an acre.”

“OK, great, do you have a horse or something?”

“Nope. I just want a big garden.”

“An acre is pretty big, are you sure you want that much?”

“Yep. I want an acre.”

“OK, here’s one with an acre.”

“Woah, that’s a bit big, maybe I could actually make do with half an acre.”

In their minds people are really into having a big garden, but often they don’t know why, and when presented with what they think they want it turns out they don’t want it at all. A third of an acre takes a serious amount of upkeep, never mind an acre. There are, of course, plenty of specific needs people have that require land – animals, vehicles, vegetables, athletic children – but for many people, what they actually want from a big garden is just privacy. Distance from neighbours. To be able to be in their house without folk being able to peer in and see what they’re up to. Many agents (mainly ones who like made-up words) will champion the ‘unoverlooked garden’, but it’s not actually being seen in the garden that most people are bothered about. Usually it’s the pants-and-bra dash from the bathroom to the bedroom they’d rather keep private. So what they want from their 130ft garden is 260ft between them and their neighbours behind, not a massive lawn to mow.

It’s not like this in other countries. In sunny Iberian nations there are plenty of houses that don’t have private gardens at the back; folk sit out the front and chat to their neighbours as they walk by. Alpine chalets don’t surround themselves by 6ft fencing, the most they have is a usually a 2ft wall or a postand-rail fence just to mark their boundary. We’re famously

CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

CE04_097 (PROPERTY COLUMN)sg.indd 97

“It’s not so lovely sitting out the front if there’s a constant stream of traffic” have their own gardens, we’re not quite ready to lose that completely, but the areas also have central squares and public spaces. Some of them are also very carefully designed to help us shift away from our over-reliance on cars. It’s not so lovely sitting out the front if there’s a constant stream of traffic speeding by, but with limited parking, lower speed limits and streets designed to favour pedestrians and push bikes over cars, these developments really do feel different.

They don’t suit everyone. If you need a massive van for work or are a four-car household they’re wholly impractical, but if your lifestyle enables you to get about on foot or on a bike or on public transport, they’re potentially really appealing.

We still get plenty of resistance from traditional buyers to this type of design, but I’m a believer. A believer that more interaction between people can only be a good thing, that loneliness is a bad thing and that people being able to see into your house or garden isn’t actually the end of the world.

But then I have been running a fair bit recently, so I look pretty good in my pants and bra. l

97

A P R I L 2 018

3/16/18 4:41 PM

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 98

16/03/2018 16:52

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 99

16/03/2018 16:52

CE ADS_APRIL 2.indd 100

16/03/2018 16:52