Cambridge Edition March 2019

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YOUR MONTHLY FIX OF

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LOCAL LIFE

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ARTS & CULTURE 30 YEARS OF WYSING ARTS CENTRE, THE 25TH CAMBRIDGE SCIENCE FESTIVAL & MORE D E C E M B E R 2 018

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RECIPES, FIRST-EVER RESTAURANT WEEK & THE CITYʼS BEST BOOZY BRUNCHES

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Cambridge

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EDITORIAL

Editor in chief Nicola Foley 01223 499459 nicolafoley@bright-publishing.com Chief sub editor Beth Fletcher Senior sub editor Siobhan Godwood Sub editor Felicity Evans Junior sub editor Elisha Young

ADVERTISING

Senior sales executive Lee Fifield 01223 492240 leefifield@bright-publishing.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Alex Rushmer, Angelina Villa-Clarke, Cathy Moore, Cyrus Pundole, Charlotte Griffiths, Siobhan Godwood, Daisy Dickinson, Jordan Worland, Ruthie Collins, Anna Taylor, Sam Owens

DESIGN & PRODUCTION Senior designer & production manager Flo Thomas 01223 492242 flothomas@bright-publishing.com Designer Lucy Woolcomb Junior designer Emily Lancaster 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, senior designer & production manager at Cambridge Edition

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

Welcome

w

axing lyrical about the joys of springtime might turn out to be premature, given last March brought us the Arctic-style apocalypse we’ve come to know as the ‘Beast from the East’, but spring is on my mind nonetheless. Thriplow Daffodil Weekend returns on the 23rd and 24th of the month, which offers a chance to see this pretty south Cambridgeshire village blanketed in yellow blooms – pop along for vintage village fete fun including a Punch & Judy show, Morris dancing and tea and cake.

We’ve got all the details on page 25.

The month of March also sees the city flex its considerable intellectual muscle at the Cambridge Science Festival – a fortnight of mind-expanding free talks, performances and hands-on activities.

As ever, it will be asking the big questions, taking on everything from the future of medicine to the very fate of humanity, via quantum computing, artificial intelligence, the war on plastics and a whole lot more. Read our highlights on page 26.

If that inspires you to get your grey matter working, another event to check out is Sunday Papers Live: a celebration of the day of rest filled with fascinating talks, great food, Bloody Marys and comfy sofas – get your slippers at the ready and head to page 28 for the low-down.

Excitingly, the beginning of next month also sees the arrival of Cambridge’s first ever Restaurant Week, which presents an irresistible opportunity to taste your way around the best of the city’s dining scene at a fraction of the usual price (page 60).

Elsewhere in the issue, we pay homage to Wysing Arts Centre: the boundary-pushing contemporary arts hub in the sleepy village of Bourn, which celebrates its 30th birthday this year. A gallery, an inspiring workplace for artists and home to an annual music event named by Vogue as one of the best independent festivals in the whole country, this pioneering centre has an impact far beyond just showcasing art – as we discover on page 22.

If spring does turn out to be off the table and we have to endure freezing temperatures and blizzards again this March, curling up with a really good read might be the best course of action – and we’ve got a cracker to share with you in our Book Club. Head over to page 33 where we chat to author Madeline Miller about Circe: her unputdownable novel which transports you to an ancient land of gods, heroes, magic and monsters.

As ever, we’ve also got all the gigs, theatre, food news and art exhibitions you need on your radar. Enjoy the issue and see you next month!

Nicola Foley EDITOR IN CHIEF

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CONTENTS 6 l STARTERS

Top things to do and see in the city, plus our favourite social media pics

9 l ARTS & CULTURE Exhibitions, concerts and theatre highlights to enjoy in March

21 l ART INSIDER

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

22 l WYSING ARTS

In celebration of it turning 30, we pay homage to Bourn’s fizzing contemporary arts centre

25 l DAFFODIL FESTIVAL We find out what’s in store at Thriplow’s weekend-long celebration of daffs

26 l SCIENCE FESTIVAL

Get your grey matter working at the fascinating (and mostly free!) Cambridge Science Festival

28 l SUNDAY PAPERS LIVE Enjoy the ultimate Sunday with talks, relaxing and great food and drinks

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33 l BOOK CLUB

Book recommendations, special offers and author interviews

42 l COMMUNITY HUB

71 l CHEF’S TABLE

36 l AFTER HOURS

Community events, charity news and more, from your local hub

A behind-the-scenes introduction to Vanderlyle, Mill Road’s new restaurant

45 l LISTINGS

72 l BOOZY BRUNCHES

41 l COMPETITION

Our at-a-glance guide to the top events and goings-on this month

We round-up the best places to go in Cambridge for a morning feast with cocktails

50 l FOOD NEWS

76 l DRINKS TROLLEY

Comedy, festivals, gigs and more nightlife fun to seek out this month Win a luxury stay in north Norfolk worth over £600!

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All the latest news and gossip from the Cambridge culinary scene

54 l RECIPES

A selection of delicious dishes from the Flavours of England cookbook series

60 l RESTAURANT WEEK We take a look at what’s in store for the city’s debut Restaurant Week

64 l GIN THE MONEY

Meet the team behind the Cambridge Distillery, the city’s famous gin-makers

68 l MAKE THE BEST

Chef Alex Rushmer creates a decadent cheesecake with a Champagne caramel sauce

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Wine tips, cocktail recipes and our favourite local drinking dens

79 l WEDDINGS

Inspiration for planning your perfect big day, from venues to cakes

91 l BEAUTY

Daisy Dickinson rounds up the beauty products on her radar this month

92 l INDIE

We shine a spotlight on The Geographer, a deli, cafe and gift shop in Impington

95 l HOME EDITION

Property news, interiors inspiration and news on the Cambridge Home + Garden Show

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STA RT E R S

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MARCH ESSENTIAL

FLIPPING EXCELLENT This year’s Pancake Day falls on Tuesday 5 March and, if you want to get in on the fun, we recommend a visit to The Petersfield on Sturton Street. If you’ve tried their brunch, you’ll know this pub never fails to turn out perfect pancakes. They’re going all out with stacks of delicious sweet or savoury toppings, including fresh blueberries and Nutella. If you’re feeling competitive, order yourself a stack of 16: if you manage to get through this batter-y behemoth, it’s on the house! thepetersfield.co.uk

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STA RT E R S

MUM’S THE WOR D

Give your mum the mother of all Mother’s Days on 31 March – there are plenty of lovely treats to be had locally. Madingley Hall, an elegant country house set in magnificent gardens, is hosting a Mother’s Day Lunch (£30), where you can enjoy a roast dinner, plus desserts like salted caramel tart. Or, over at the Quy Mill Hotel & Spa, you can enjoy an afternoon tea with prosecco for £24 per person. If you want to really pamper her, Bedford Lodge Hotel Spa is offering a Mum and Me Spa Day package, which includes access to all heat and hydrotherapy facilities, the rooftop hot tub, experiential showers, steam room, sauna and choice of a manicure or pedicure, plus a champage afternoon tea. It’s £85 per person. Alternatively, over at The Cambridge Brew House, you and your mum can get stuck into a gin tasting with the Cambridge Distillery, which includes masterclass and a G&T (£15), followed by a Sunday roast in the restaurant if you want to make a day of it. If you’ve got kids in tow, they’ve got you covered too – upstairs, The Locker Room will be packed with games, bean bags, films and hands-on activities to keep little ones entertained.

ONE TO TRY

FLEETWOOD & FONDUE Feast on melty cheese while enjoying the genius of one of the greatest bands ever next month at Fleetwood & Fondue: a night of music, food and fun on 10 April. While your ears are enjoying hits like Go Your Own Way and Everywhere, your tastebuds will be delighted by a starter, plus a range of fondues and accompaniments, as well as some carefully selected wines and cocktails. It takes place at The Senate and is priced at £35 per person. thesenatebistro.com

PIECE OF T HE PI L A MBI NG AT W IMP OL E

Watch the new lambs frolicking about at the farm at Wimpole Estate and learn a bit about them, too, during the lambing season, running 27 April – 12 May. Each spring, Wimpole’s 300 rare breeds give birth to several hundred new additions to the flock – mostly during April so, if you’re really lucky, you might even see a new arrival being born! nationaltrust.org.uk

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The Cambridge-born microcomputer that has become a bona fide global phenomenon, Raspberry Pi has now moved to the high street, opening its first shop in the Grand Arcade. Conceived as a way to get kids into coding and put the power of computing into their hands, this tiny, affordable, single-board computer has now shifted more than 22 million units. The new shop will serve as an experiential space where visitors can try their hand at programming, as well as purchase products and discover a collaborative ‘playspace’ to create and display Pi-powered innovations – from drones to robots. The new shop will also offer a new ‘Everything you need to get started with Raspberry Pi’ kit, which includes the latest Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+, with a complete set of official peripherals and everything a beginner needs to get started with programming their PC. raspberrypi.org

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Culture Club ART EXHIBITIONS • THEATRE • BOOK CLUB • CONCERTS

RITUALIA by Scottish Dance Theatre can be seen at Saffron Hall on 1 June

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YOKO ONO

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MINORU NIIZUMA ©YOKO ONO

STEPHEN SALPUKAS © YOKO ONO.

Right Yoko Ono, Wish Tree (1996/2013), installation at Yoko Ono: Half a Wind Show, Louisiana Museum, Denmark Far right Yoko Ono, Fly (1996) billboard installed in Richmond, Virginia

BJARKE ORSTED ©YOKO ONO

An iconic artist’s work is to be celebrated across the city in a multi-site exhibition, Yoko Ono: Looking For… Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Ono’s first visit to Cambridge and her debut public concert with John Lennon, at Lady Mitchell Hall on 2 March, 1969, it’s a chance to find out more about the artist and a hidden gem of Cambridge’s social history. 50 years on to the day, a plaque will be unveiled in the foyer at Lady Mitchell Hall, where a live recording of the concert Cambridge 1969 will be played for visitors and can be heard until the end of the year.

Ono was a leading artist of the Fluxus movement and a pioneer of conceptual art, as part of the New York underground avant-garde scene in the late 50s and early 60s. She still creates thought-provoking art and music that challenges our view of the world. The exhibition will feature more than 90 early, recent and new works. Her wide body of work includes text, painting, sculpture, installation, performance, music, film and video.

Posters of Toilet Thoughts Film No. 3, from 1997, will be displayed in toilets within restaurants, pubs and elsewhere, inviting people to write their thoughts on them. A selection of word pieces, also on posters, will be in populated areas of the city, encouraging a contemplation beyond what is immediately seen. The Heong Gallery will host Sky Pieces, an exhibition within an exhibition, from June to October, demonstrating Yoko Ono’s fascination with the sky. It’s been a feature of her work since the early 60s, used as a metaphor for peace and freedom.

Performances, film screenings and a walking tour also feature within a wide-ranging celebration of the artist, running through to the end of the year. The posters and the concert recording form the main focus for the next few months.

Admission to all exhibitions and events is free. imaginepeace.com

Image Yoko Ono performing Cut Piece (1964) at Carnegie Recital Hall, New York, March 25, 1965

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HINTERLAND Hinterland, an exhibition of affordable artwork for the home, is the first to be curated by Beau Art Interiors and runs from 1 to 3 and 7 to 10 March at Fen Ditton Gallery.

The creation of harmonious interior spaces is at the heart of Beau Art Interiors’ outlook, and the exhibition features emerging and established artists, with pieces featuring paintings on canvas, framed works on paper and a selection of ceramics, furniture and textiles.

Artists and designers include Lucy Burley, Jo Davies, Oliver Hilton and Angeline Tournier. fendittongallery.com

FOOT L IGH T S Today’s crop of top talent at Footlights – Cambridge University’s finishing school for some of the best comedians, writers and actors in the country during the last 60 years – comes to the Arts Theatre on 12 and 19 March. You’ll often find Footlights comics performing at late-night ‘smokers’ at the ADC, but here’s your chance to catch them a little earlier in the day.

Presidents down the years have included Peter Cook, Richard Ayoade, Eric Idle, Sue Perkins, Hugh Laurie and Inbetweeners’ Simon Bird, with Germaine Greer, Emma Thompson and Stephen Fry just some of the many other members who’ve gone on to hugely successful careers.

And, if you’re pushed for time to get food, you can preorder a deli box from nearby Aromi to enjoy before the show. Tickets are from £13. cambridgeartstheatre.com

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N EW AT T H E A RT HOU N D The Art Hound Gallery has a couple of exclusive print releases from the artist who created the iconic album artwork for David Bowie’s Hunky Dory and Ziggy Stardust. Terry Pastor has created two variants of digital images celebrating French electro hit-makers Daft Punk. Featuring the duo’s robotic helmets, and in classic pop art style, you can see them at the Art Hound Gallery, and also online, from 1 March. arthoundgallery.com

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DANCE AT SAFFRON HALL Award-winning Saffron Walden venue Saffron Hall has unveiled a glittering programme of dance events for its spring season, including several striking new commissions and family events.

The Hall, which celebrates its fifth birthday this season, is establishing itself as a home for dance in the region, attracting world-class performers and revolutionary productions.

8 March sees Boy Blue – whose performances have been described by the New York Times as “the force of an uprising” – take to the stage with the brand-new Project R.E.B.E.L. This energetic and moving work explores social tensions and cultural identity in 21st century Britain and also features an appearance from Saffron Walden County High School students.

Scotland’s national contemporary dance company, Scottish Dance Theatre, stops by on 1 June to perform RITUALIA, a visual feast which reimagines Igor Stravinsky’s ballet Les Noces. It’s paired with a brand-new commission by worldrenowned choreographer Emanuel Gat, which has been specially created for the CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

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dance company based on his intense work with individual dancers within the troupe.

The next day, Scottish Dance Theatre presents Innocence: a magical theatrical journey designed to engage young children with the medium of dance through movement, live music and animal noises. Then, on 13 July, the National Youth Dance Company presents MADHEAD, which fuses contemporary dance, physical theatre and hip-hop.

“Establishing a home for dance at Saffron Hall is incredibly important to us, as it’s a hugely integral part of UK culture, which is something we constantly aim to offer our community to the highest standard, and I’m incredibly proud of the calibre of performers that the Hall attracts,” comments Angela Dixon, chief executive. “The inclusion of dance in our varied programme ensures that Saffron Hall continues to act as the artistic hub of East England, creating an exceptional space to enrich the community and inspire the next generation of artists.” saffronhall.com

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EASTER AT KINGS The Cambridge-based Academy of Ancient Music, an internally revered period instrument orchestra, will perform a duo of Easter concerts next month in the sublime setting of the King’s College Chapel. Easter at Kings: Bach St Matthew Passion will see conductor Stephen Cleobury join the King’s College Choir to present Bach’s musical telling of Christ’s final hours on earth, under the chapel’s famous vaulted ceiling. The iconic score for vocal soloists, two choirs and two orchestras combines drama with devotion like no other. It questions, challenges and reassures, and contains some of the most beautiful and exquisitely crafted music from a composer who excelled in both those fields. The show will run on 15 and 16 April and tickets start at £15. aam.co.uk CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

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PA PER CI N EM A : M ACBET H

A captivating silent film-esque version of Macbeth is promised by Paper Cinema when they visit The Junction on 11 March.

Shakespeare’s tragedy is vividly told with illustration, puppetry, film and a live score to create Scottish landscapes, storms, betrayal and, of course, a murderous plot. Tickets are £12.50. junction.co.uk

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T HE S TOR E ROOM Attached to the side of Devonshire Road wine shop Vinopolis, The Store Room by David Lolly Gallery is a new ‘micro gallery’ that’s promising to present a series of exciting contemporary art exhibitions over the coming months. The diminutive space, which will showcase the work of a small selection of British and Spanish artists, is run by Daniel Dunt, who was inspired to open a gallery after managing an arts magazine, Tallulah.

“An actual gallery was always the aim. So last June I set up David Lolly Gallery with some of the artists that I’d featured in Tallulah. They were artists whose work I admired and who I felt were doing something different. I began with four artists, and I was doing a lot of online promotion. There was some traction, but it was fairly quiet, so I thought: I need a physical space. I decided to stop obsessing over getting international clients and bring it back to local people who are just interested in this kind of work.”

The debut exhibition was Night Fishing, a series of bold abstracts by Gina Parr, followed by this month’s show by her photographer husband Ian Hoskin. Then, it’s over to Juan López Salvador, a Spanish sculptor working mainly with steel and wood. In addition to the initial series of month-long mini exhibitions, Daniel hopes to show work from David Lolly Gallery in other venues around the city in the future.

“I am looking to grow The Store Room as a ‘must drop-in’ in Cambridge, for art lovers, collectors and tourists alike – to have this as a central base along with an online presence.

And then from there I want to use this as a way to network and build a community of people that are interested in the arts in the city and then if I can, take some of the large-scale works and show them in other spaces. It’s not just about selling, it’s about promoting the artist and building their profile, because they’re fantastic.” davidlollygallery.com

Images (1st row, L-R) Gina Parr, Night approaches, Jim Cooke, Microscope series (2nd Row, L-R) Gabriela Messuti, Hilos apresando un reflejo, Ian Hoskin, Defaced #4060 (3rd Row, L-R) Juan López Salvador, Cliff, and Gina Parr, Clearing

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RISING FESTIVAL

Rising Festival, the one-day event that brings together speakers for thought-provoking talks and workshops, returns on 9 March, a day after International Women’s Day. More than 30 speakers at St Barnabas Church will share personal stories, tips for success and thoughts on the most fundamental issues facing women today. So take a pause from the daily grind, step back and regain some clarity.

Hipster veggie Jaspreet Kaur, Dame Mary Archer and Dr Kamel Hothi are among the speakers.

The festival is a great opportunity to leave wiser, full of ideas and with a fresh perspective, possibly with some new contacts too. Refreshments are available throughout the day, plus a nearendless supply of fruit from The Cambridge Fruit Company. therisingnetwork.com

BALLET BLACK Ballet Black, now in its 18th year, visits the Arts Theatre on 7 and 8 May with a programme that contrasts dramatic and inventive storytelling in a showcase of modern ballet. Among a triple bill of works, Ingoma, created by company dancer and choreographer Mthuthuzeli November, fuses ballet, African dance and singing. Also performed will be Martin Lawrance’s intimate duet Pendulum, and a lighthearted work by Scottish Ballet’s choreographer-in-residence, Sophie Laplane. Tickets from £20. cambridgeartstheatre.com

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EQU US Exploring the complex relationship between devotion, myth and sexuality, Peter Schaffer’s psychological thriller Equus comes to the Arts Theatre from 27 to 30 March. When teenager Alan Strang’s pathological fascination leads to the blinding of six horses in a Hampshire stable, a psychiatrist is tasked with uncovering the motive, but ends up questioning his own sanity. Award-winning director Ned Bennett creates a bold new production of the critically-acclaimed classic. Tickets from £20. cambridgeartstheatre.com

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MINUTES WITH...

Nigel Harman THE FORMER EASTENDERS STAR TELLS US ABOUT APPEARING IN DAVID MAMET’S RAZOR-SHARP DRAMA GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS, WHICH COMES TO CAMBRIDGE ARTS THEATRE THIS MARCH

WHAT’S GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS ABOUT?

It’s about a group of salesmen in 1980s Chicago who are in a tense sales competition. Someone will win a Cadillac, someone will get a set of steak knives and the other two will get fired, so basically their lives are in the balance. At the same time, the office gets broken into and it’s likely to have been one of our main protagonists, so it’s also a whodunnit. It’s one of the great American plays written in the last 40 years.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR CHARACTER, RICKY ROMA?

It’s a brilliant part to play and it’s incredibly challenging. Ricky Roma is very bright. He’s street smart. He presents himself as a happily married man, but he can be one of the lads too. He can be whatever he needs to

be to make a sale and he’s very good at it. Morally his compass is a long way off, but if you get caught in his tractor beam you think he’s really cool. It’s only afterwards you realise he’s probably been speaking a load of rubbish and he’s just taken 40 grand from you.

THE PLAY IS MORE THAN 30 YEARS OLD. WHAT’S THE SECRET TO ITS LONGEVITY?

I think it’s really interesting looking at it through a prism of today, because this is set in 1983 and these guys are already becoming obsolete. Their skills, their mindset, their brash demeanour; they realise everything they value is rapidly becoming less valuable. But you could also argue that the guy sitting in the White House at the moment comes from that salesman era, so it’s still so relevant…

MANY WILL KNOW THE STORY FROM THE OSCAR-NOMINATED FILM VERSION; WHAT DOES SEEING IT ON STAGE BRING TO THE STORY?

It was written as a play, so it’s designed to be live. The film is really good, but I think the play is better. Live theatre is special because you can smell it.

Literally. Every evening is unique; whatever you come in with will affect how you interpret the show. The way the audience has travelled, if they’ve had a good day at work, if they’ve had a hard day, if it’s raining outside – everything is set up for that one

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moment, that unique evening. If you get moved in the theatre it’s so much more powerful than being moved by the screen.

PEOPLE STILL RECOGNISE YOU MOST FROM EASTENDERS. WHAT WAS THAT EXPERIENCE LIKE?

It was quite a rollercoaster ride. I look back on the whole thing and I’m incredibly proud to have been a part of that show which is still doing its thing.

One day I’d like to sit down and watch an episode. I was always working, so I never watched much of it. Maybe one day I can go back and direct an episode to be part of that gang again, because they’re a really special bunch.

There are some people who think I’ve retired, just because I’m no longer in EastEnders!

WHAT CAN AUDIENCES EXPECT FROM THE SHOW?

You can expect a rollercoaster ride of a show. It’s in your face, it’s provocative and it’s evocative of the time, but it also really makes you laugh. The brilliant thing about this show is we’ll be done by 9.30pm. You can go and have a three-course meal afterwards, and still be home by 11.30pm! It’s literally my perfect theatre outing.

Glengarry Glen Ross runs 11 to 16 March at Cambridge Arts Theatre, tickets from £20. cambridgeartstheatre.com

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

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ouise Bourgeois, one of the world’s most acclaimed female artists, is currently exhibited at Kettle’s Yard until 24 March.

The exhibition draws on Artist Rooms, a touring collection of over 1,600 works of modern and contemporary art by more than 40 major artists. Also exhibited alongside Bourgeois is a collection of Julie Mehretu’s drawings and monotypes; the artist’s first solo exhibition in a public gallery in the UK, it’s inspired by pressing issues, from race riots in the USA to the war in Syria.

Bourgeois died in 2010 aged 91 and was most known for her large-scale installations – and her iconic spiders, which first appeared in her work in 1947.

The spider, as we all know, is one of the most feared species of the animal world, but its ancient symbolism has its roots in nothing to do with fear – and everything to do with creative power. Like artists, spiders ‘weave’ work. Just like Louise Bourgeois’ mother did; she was a tapestry restorer who died when Louise was 21. “I shall never tire of representing her,” she wrote about her mother in Ode – a poem published a year after her sculpture, Spider, was made. “I want to eat, sleep, argue, hurt, destroy/Why do you?/My reasons being exclusively to me/The treatment of fear.”

So what better treat than this show plus a coffee in the gorgeous Garden Kitchen at Kettle’s Yard? “My childhood has

never lost its magic, it has never lost its mystery, and it has never lost its drama,” Bourgeois once said. “All of my work of the last 50 years, all my subjects, have found their inspiration in my childhood.”

On 9 March, for International Women’s Day, there is a day of talks, workshops and pop-up performances planned at Kettle’s Yard, too – all fabulous. Check the full programme on the website.

Also watch out for Cheryl Warren’s Immersions in Landscape at Espresso Library. Impressive large-scale abstracts have long been making a name for this fantastic Cambridge artist. Warren originally trained in sculpture at Bretton Hall, before going to Goldsmiths, where she took a postgraduate mixed media course. As well as holding an MA in Art Therapy, she’s been a professional artist for 21 years. “My inspiration has long been environments, both external and internal. There’s an interaction between the two that’s long been of interest to me,” she says. You can see the influence of light, texture and scale in her work – with mesmerising presence. Don’t miss Independent Cambridge Indie Arts presents Landscapes at the Library featuring Cheryl Warren, Anne Beamish and Steve Linford, on 14 March.

Also make a beeline for Stray, a collective of artists working across a range of disciplines in Cambridge, including Rosemary Catling, Manuela Hubner, Sue Law, Alison Litherland, Judy

“My inspiration has long been environments, internal and external. There’s an interaction between the two” CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

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Logan, Jill Ogilvy and Deanna Tyson. Stray will hold its first exhibition at the Old Fire Engine House in Ely, until 31 March.

The vibrant and wide-ranging show includes painting, sculpture, textiles, drawings and handmade, limited-edition prints. “The diversity and quality of work that Stray creates is ideal for the gallery here,” says Ann Jarman, curator and owner of the Old Fire Engine House.

“Mixed shows are very popular with our visitors who appreciate a wide range of contemporary art which is exciting, challenging and accessible and we hope Stray will be a great start to 2019.”

While plotting your nights out at the Corn Exchange, look out for the work of illustrator Cecelia Wood, giving the cover of the brochure a fresh, quirky new look. Cambridge Corn Exchange has teamed up with Cambridge School of Art at Anglia Ruskin to produce a hand-drawn and created design for the cover, depicting the venue with its stunning Florentine Gothic façade dating from 1875. “I’m currently in my final year studying Illustration at Cambridge School of Art. This project was a really exciting opportunity to work on a live brief, to create an illustration of Cambridge landmarks,” says Cecelia.

Finally, those looking for a springtime lift may love the Liberty Ball at Fulbourn Lodge on 16 March, in aid of Arthur Rank Hospice, Classworks Theatre and Fulbourn Youth Theatre. With a sparkling reception, 20s and 30s dress theme, food, cabaret and games (intriguing!), this looks set to be a fantastic night out.

Classworks Theatre is one of the longest running theatre charities in Cambridge, and it’s such a fantastic cause – the company also houses amazing costumes from the 1840s to the 1950s. Contact helenkingsley1@ gmail.com for tickets. Have a fabulous springtime, all. l M A R C H 2 019

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A RTS & C U LT U R E

Artistic Triumph IN CELEBRATION OF WYSING ARTS CENTRE’S 30TH ANNIVERSARY, RUTHIE COLLINS CONSIDERS THE LEGACY OF THIS BOUNDARY-PUSHING ARTISTIC HUB AND LOOKS TO WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS

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ysing today has been 30 years in the making, but it’s also a chance to think about the future,” enthuses Jo Marsh, chair of Wysing Arts Centre. She is radiating positivity about the 30-year celebrations, which started in February this year. Founded 30 years ago as what Jo describes as an “inspirational workplace for artists” in the tranquil village of Bourn just outside Cambridge, it’s a ‘cultural campus’ set amid 11 acres.

It boasts sculptures, studios, a Grade II listed farmhouse, a music recording studio, a gallery and a critically acclaimed public programme.

The last 30 years have seen Wysing really develop and come into its own in the UK as a flagship arts organisation – pioneering risk, experimentation and the exchange of ideas.

“That original mission remains today, it just gets activated in different ways,” explains Jo. “Two of the four original founders of Wysing Arts Centre are still on our board and are very much the heart and soul of the organisation. They are still there at the centre of what we do – along with the artists.”

The anniversary is also a crucial chance to look at the highlights of the organisation’s 30 years. “We are taking a leadership role in terms of diversity and

inclusion – a lot of arts organisations can struggle with this. But Wysing has forged ahead with how to programme artists from different ethnicities and genders – marginalised voices,” continues Jo. You can see this reflected throughout the centre’s programming, team and operations. Wysing’s annual music festival is no exception, navigating that interdisciplinary line where art and music meet. Feted last year as one of the UK’s ‘most valuable’ music festivals by The Guardian, it’s programmed a fiercely

diverse range of international art – with help from the likes of guest curator Camae Ayewa, aka Moor Mother. In 2014, it championed female talent, making women the primary focus of the festival.

Wysing’s celebrations kick off with The View From Behind The Futuristic Rose Trellis, an immersive multimedia opera by Ravioli Me Away – a trio with a distinct, subversive edge. The production is on tour before a second performance of the opera at Wysing on 30 March – which is unfortunately already sold out – but you

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can see the associated exhibition up until 14 April.

Over the summer, an expanded alumni exhibition is being planned across the whole site, which is going to bring back some of the amazing artists Wysing Arts Centre has worked with over the years.

“It’s incredible when you look at the alumni, but we aren’t here to make claim to that, we celebrate how they go into the world,” Jo adds.

An artist archivist residency is also being planned with Helen Cammock, a winner of the Max Mara Prize for Women, plus a residency with curator Taylor Le Melle which will present a series of symposia in May focused on revisiting questions posed by Wysing around urgent issues facing society from their 25th year.

“The things that concern us are not just in our own country – they are issues that also have a far-reaching impact. We were born out of a turbulent era; it shapes us.

We aren’t in a vacuum and I’m proud of how Wysing has become a place of refuge for artists,” Jo explains.

Wysing Arts Centre was the first arts organisation to offer a Safe Haven residency as part of the ARTISTS at RISK

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(AR) network, offering refuge for artists being persecuted in their own countries.

“Unless you take steps, we won’t have a diverse artworld,” Jo adds.

Instrumental to implementing the vision of Wysing Arts Centre has been director of 13 years, Donna Lynas – an inspiration to many. “She has been absolutely pioneering this work. Donna has always been clear Wysing is an organisation that values difference.” Jo continues: “I think, in a world that seems to increasingly fear difference, the work we do at Wysing is even more relevant and vital than ever.”

As an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation, Wysing Arts Centre is also part of Plus Tate and chair of the East Contemporary Visual Arts

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Network (ECVAN), whose pioneering project, New Geographies, invited the public to nominate often overlooked locations across the east of England for site-specific public art commissions. “It’s clear it’s acting outside the commercial gallery system. It’s not about commercial intent, product – it’s about production.

It has influence on artists at a key time in their careers,” says Jo. As space for artists to work becomes increasingly hard to find, Wysing’s offer only becomes more crucial, thirty years on. With plans to launch a new patrons scheme, Producers Circle, to help support the centre, there’s scope for people to help ensure its work continues to grow, too. Much deserved – as Jo says, “it’s an incredible place.” l

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DA F FO D I L XFXEXST X XI VA X X XL

Flower power

WORDS BY CYRUS PUNDOLE

WITH THRIPLOW DAFFODIL WEEKEND POISED TO RETURN WITH A FLURRY OF COLOUR AND FUN, WE SEE WHAT’S IN STORE

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he blooming marvellous Thriplow Daffodil Weekend, one of the biggest community and charity events in the area, returns on 23 and 24 March. Around 14,000 people are expected to descend on the picturesque south Cambridgeshire village for the spectacle, which will see the whole area go car-free for the weekend.

The spring flowers bring warmth and colour after the long winter, and the dedicated team of 350 volunteers from the village and surrounding areas will be crossing their fingers for fair weather.

Last year was a little challenging, with snow over the weekend following the end of the Beast from the East shortly before the event. It was the coldest daffodil weekend for 50 years. Nevertheless, there were still thousands of visitors, meaning that charities benefitted to the tune of at least £18,000.

The nominated charity is Rosie Maternity Hospital, with Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust keen to raise funds for essential equipment needed by the Acute Neonatal Transport Service (ANTS) and

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the neonatal intensive care unit, to help support newborn and vulnerable babies across the East of England.

Visitors park up just outside Thriplow to stroll briefly through the lanes (often with sheep and lambs heard bleating in the background) before getting to the heart of the village, full of stalls, rides and tasty eats. This year there are 15 new heritage varieties among the 100 types of daffodils – with organisers confirming the first buds were spotted by early January.

Expect to see dog agility displays, Morris dancing, steam engines, classic cars, face painting, traditional crafts displays, animal displays, live music and all things street food at the Taste of Thriplow, with everything from curries and tapas to cakes and tea.

There are also events and stalls in a marquee next to the school, which is where you will find the arts and crafts stalls and a children’s area.

Grab a programme to help you find the various different areas of the festival. In the Country Thriplow section, drive mini Land Rovers and watch a dog hay bale

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run, a family dog show and (Sunday only) a gun dog scurry. There will also be birds of prey and you can try your hand at archery. Live music can be found at The Green Man pub, there’s a tea room in the village hall and you can find blacksmith demonstrations in The Smithy (where else!).

If you’re on the lookout for alcohol, the beer tent is at Taste of Thriplow, where, as well as food stalls, there are school recitals and more music, too.

As well as volunteering, many residents take the opportunity to open their gardens to the public too, so visitors can enjoy a stroll around the village.

Organisers take care to ensure that the stalls throughout the village, whether it’s crafts, gifts, food or things for the garden, offer a broad appeal for all ages and tastes.

A family day ticket, for two adults and two children, costs £20 with adults £7.20 and children (5 to 16) £3.60 – prices include a 10% discount for buying your tickets in advance via the website. l thriplowdaffodils.org.uk

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CA M B R I D G E S C I E N C E F E ST I VA L

Here comes the science!

RETURNING WITH MORE THAN 350 EVENTS, CAMBRIDGE SCIENCE FESTIVAL CELEBRATES ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY

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WORDS BY CYRUS PUNDOLE

his year’s Cambridge Science Festival is celebrating its 25th anniversary – the same year the periodic table turns 150 and Cambridge Philosophical Society, the city’s oldest science body, turns 200. The festival will run for two weeks across a range of venues from 11 to 24 March, and the broad theme is ‘discoveries’. Find out how the next 25 years may pan out on our precious planet, with more than 350 events that examine the issues affecting us today – from climate change to mental health in teenagers and young people, to improving healthcare. You can expect big questions to be posed about the cutting edge of technology, such as: how will quantum computers change the world?

As ever, there will be debates, talks, exhibitions, workshops, activities, films, comedy and performances in lecture theatres, museums, cafes and galleries throughout the city. Some of the biggest names in science will be there, including the Astronomer Royal, Professor Lord Martin Rees, 2018 Nobel Prize-winner Sir Gregory Winter and THIS Institute director Professor Mary Dixon-Woods.

Quantum computing, AI, big data and the effects of technology on our well-being

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all come under the spotlight. Quantum computing is tipped to revolutionise the world, with huge amounts being invested in making it a reality. Should we be getting excited about it? Dr Ulrich Schneider from the Cavendish Laboratory considers the claims in Quantum Computers: the Ultimate Tools for Discovery, on 18 March at Jesus College. In What Will My Quantum Computer Do For Me? PhD student Mithuna Yoganathan answers the simple question most of us don’t understand: what is a quantum computer?

On 23 March, you can catch Making Alexa Smarter – AI at Scale, which features Dr Craig Saunders, head of applied science at Amazon Alexa Knowledge, discussing the ‘brains’ behind the groundbreaking virtual assistant at the Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences.

For those with younger children, one of the main events, offering a one-stop experience across numerous areas of study, are the hands-on days at the Guildhall.

From 10am to 5pm on 16 March, and 12pm to 4pm on 17 March, there will be a wide range of things to try, guess and find out about. There’s chemistry in the home, CSI: from Fingers to Footwear, the Secret Lives of Cells (Saturday only), genomics (Sunday

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only), exercise and energy, how muscles work, ageing, bacteria and much more.

Being able to decode the entire DNA sequence and determine mutations that can cause rare genetic diseases and cancer has been perhaps the biggest breakthrough of recent years. Dr David Bentley, chief scientist at Illumina, and professor Mark Caulfield, chief scientist at Genomics England, consider the potential benefits in 100,000 Genomes Project: Transforming Precision Healthcare, on 13 March. “The Genomic Medicine Service is the first of its kind where genomics will be embedded into a national health system, and it will transform routine healthcare in the UK,” Professor Caulfield says.

Also celebrating an anniversary this year is the Pentacle Club, commemorating 100 years. Founded by eminent mathematician WW Rouse Ball, it was originally for members of Cambridge University interested in magic. Members met to learn techniques and perform playlets at the annual shows in the ’20s, which included a golfer having his leg sawn off and a patient being decapitated, with the severed head smoking a cigarette. These days, most of the membership comes from Cambridge and nearby. The club has teamed up with the festival for a magical, family friendly journey through science discovery on 17 March at Cambridge Junction. It aims to show magic is out there through a mindbending journey featuring breakthroughs made at the university.

There are also several events considering climate change; the stark realities, latest findings and political solutions. In Climate Change: An Evening With James Lovelock, CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

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CA M B R I D G E S C I E N C E F E ST I VA L

HIGHL IGH T S WITH SUCH A HUGE RANGE OF EVENTS (MORE THAN 350) THROUGHOUT THE FORTNIGHT, WE RECOMMEND A LOOK THROUGH THE PROGRAMME, BUT HERE ARE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS IS TECHNOLOGY MAKING US MISERABLE?

11 March  Jesus College Despite being always on, are we any better off and are we better connected?

PUT TING RADIOACTIVITY IN PERSPECTIVE

12 March  Mill Lane Lecture Rooms Could research outcomes reset attitudes towards the risks of radiation?

THE UNIVERSE OF BLACK HOLES

13 March  Babbage Lecture Theatre Professor Christopher Reynolds describes how future research into the most powerful forces we know of may change our view of reality.

THE LONG-TERM PERSPECTIVE OF CLIMATE CHANGE

“Find out how the next 25 years may pan out” the doctor widely regarded as the father figure of our current climate concerns talks with Professor Chris Rapley and scientist and TV presenter Dr Helen Czerski about pressing issues – including whether humanity can hope to fix the problem. Similarly, Abigail Burns, from the UN Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre, explores global agriculture and conservation in Farming of the Future: Alternative Options for Agriculture and Conservation on 21 March.

“Meat consumption is on the rise, driven by increasing populations and the rise of affluent diets – contributing to catastrophic climate change. On the flip side, climate change is increasingly impacting on agricultural production,” she explains.

Sport seems trivial by comparison, but if you’ve ever wondered how to take the perfect penalty or where to go for the best chance to set a world record, Dr Tom Crawford advises on how to use maths to up your game in Maths vs Sport, on 23 March at Cavendish Laboratory. l Booking is now open. You can download the full Cambridge Science Festival programme at sciencefestival.cam.ac.uk

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14 March  Department of Geography, Downing Place A panel of experts considers the challenges faced when applying research to the policy-making process.

CAMBRIDGE GRAVITY LECTURE: SIR GREGORY WINTER

18 March  St Catharine’s College The molecular biologist’s research has led to antibody therapies for cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis.

POLAR OCEAN: THE DEAD END OF PLASTIC DEBRIS

19 March  The Polar Museum Dr Clara Manno explores current research and the existing situation in the polar regions.

RELUCTANT FUTURIST

19 March  Babbage Lecture Theatre Mark Stevenson asks how we can reinvent ourselves for the next 30 years.

MAKING ALGORITHMS TRUSTWORTHY

21 March  Mill Lane Lecture Rooms How do we check the algorithms that are increasingly making judgements about our lives?

ON THE FUTURE: PROSPECTS FOR HUMANITY

Images The 25th Cambridge Science Festival promises to be an exciting two weeks, with plenty of activities for everyone

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22 March  Babbage Lecture Theatre Professor Lord Martin Rees argues that our future on Earth and in space depends on us taking a different approach.

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S U N DAY PA P E R S L I V E

Sunday Best

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ENJOY THE ULTIMATE DAY OF REST WITH FOOD, DRINK, TALKS AND ENTERTAINMENT AT SUNDAY PAPERS LIVE THIS MONTH

ow do you build the perfect Sunday?

There would be tasty food, of course, and a couple of drinks – perhaps a Bloody Mary or a large glass of red. There would be slippers, sofas, strolling and leisurely leafing through piles of Sunday supplements. Sound like heaven? Turn your feet to Cambridge Wine Merchants’ bar at the University Centre on 24 March for Sunday Papers Live: a totally indulgent day filled with feasting, fascinating talks and fabulous performances.

The event, which started life in London, comes our way courtesy of My Little Festival, the first-class local event hosts known for Wild Wood Disco and family festival Rumpus, as part of this year’s Science Festival. The big idea is to bring the Sunday newspapers to life, section by section, performance by performance, while you relax and enjoy some quality downtime.

“Programming the Cambridge Science Festival edition of Sunday Papers Live is always a joy,” says Alex Ruczaj, marketing director for My Little Festival. “There is such a wealth of talented and fascinating speakers, it’s hard to narrow down the list so it fits into one day! But we have, once again, got an incredible line-up. It will be such a varied day and there will be plenty of mimosas, Bloody Marys and beanbags to help you relax and soak up all the fascinating information.”

Holding court will be some of the city’s most engaging speakers, including Emma Liu, research fellow in volcanology

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at the University of Cambridge, who’ll be discussing her pioneering dronebased work in Papua New Guinea, which is helping scientists predict the timing of future eruptions. Viren Swami, psychology professor, will be on the stage too, recounting his experience of postnatal depression in Dad’s Get Sad, Too, while biological anthropologist SarahLouise Decrausaz invites you on a tour of the human skeleton, looking at what it can teach us about people living in the past and today.

Foodies should seek out Charlotte Payne’s talk, where she’ll discuss how insects could be on their way to becoming a staple part of our diets, plus how and why groups of people living in central rural Japan get together to hunt down nests of giant hornets – the deadliest creature in the country – and how they cook (and drink!) them afterwards.

There’s more creepy crawlies chat with Ed Turner, curator of insects at the Museum of Zoology, who’ll be considering why wildlife has declined dramatically in the UK countryside, but thrives in pockets of urban green space. He’ll also be arming you with the know-how to turn your garden into an outstanding miniature nature reserve. There’s travel,

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NEED TO KNOW WHAT:

A chance to see the Sunday papers brought to life while you relax and enjoy geat food, drink and hands-on activities.

WHEN:

24 March WHERE:

Cambridge Wine Merchants bar in the University Centre, Granta Place HOW MUCH:

£15 per adult, £5 for ages 12-18, free for under 12s (but the event is geared towards older ages).

Tickets can be purchased online at via Ticket Tailor and sciencefestival.cam.ac.uk

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too, with writer Tim Moore, bringing tales of globetrotting on bike, foot and, most recently, a 93-year-old Ford Model T – his bone-shaking steed on a journey across the Trump heartland. His route took him exclusively through Donald-voting counties, meeting the everyday folk who voted red along the way. The culture pages are taken care of by Ross Sutherland, award-winning performance poet, who’ll be regaling us with his highly entertaining, ‘slightly’ scientific poems. Plus, you can make spring wreaths with Cambridge Edition columnist Anna Taylor, who runs Anna’s Flower Farm in Audley End. An ideal Sunday needs a good walk, and you’ll be able to join in a guided amble with Cambridge on Foot, learning where key scientific discoveries were made and by whom.

The all-important food will be provided by local burger legends Steak & Honour, who’ll be opening the hatch of their vintage Citroën van to serve perfect patties. To drink, Cambridge Wine Merchants is serving a range of top-notch wines, craft beers and spirits. If you fancy really indulging, you can also choose to go bottomless on Bloody Marys or prosecco. Bottoms up! l mylittlefestival.uk

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BOOK CLUB CAMBRIDGE EDITION

Book Club BRINGING YOU TOP NEW FICTION PICKS, AUTHOR INTERVIEWS, DISCOUNTS AND LOTS MORE BOOK CHAT, THE EDITION BOOK CLUB IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH CAMBRIDGE LITERARY FESTIVAL AND HEFFERS

INTERVIEW BY CHARLOT TE GRIFFITHS

CIRCE BY MADELINE MILLER THIS MONTH’S BOOK CHOICE IS A MODERN RETELLING OF THE STORY OF CIRCE, THE SORCERESS WHO BEWITCHES ODYSSEUS IN HOMER’S ODYSSEY

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hether it’s Neil Gaiman’s gods navigating modern life in America, or Thor and Loki swooping into action alongside their fellow Avengers on the big screen, it sometimes feels like these days you can’t turn a corner without bumping into a character from ancient myth, rebooted and retold for contemporary audiences.

Madeline Miller’s latest work Circe brings us a revised hero from classical

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history, the demigod sorceress Circe, best known for her appearance in Homer’s Odyssey where she bewitches the travelling Odysseus and turns his sailors into pigs. Following in the footsteps of Miller’s debut novel Song of Achilles, which won the Orange prize and saw the American high-school teacher receive well-deserved international acclaim, Miller’s tale follows this fascinating woman more closely, filling in the gaps to create a fully-rounded, believable and

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powerful protagonist who you simply can’t look away from – and a stunning book that you never want to finish.

Despite the sorcery, and being set in ancient Greece, in the world of cruel gods playing with the lives of mortals, Circe’s hopes, fears and struggles feel deeply familiar and extremely human.

“I think that’s part of what makes myths so appealing: they speak to those huge feelings that we have always had, throughout history,” Miller says via u

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BOOK CLUB Skype, from her home in Pennsylvania. “I wonder if in moments where people feel more out of control, and more powerless in their own lives, that they reach for these stories about powerful beings: in the Aeneid, Virgil does this wonderful job of creating all these super-powerful gods who are causing all these problems, but then suggested within that is the idea that for gods we could substitute political leaders: they are making these decisions for us, and our lives are affected by it but we don’t have control to change or stop it. Myths can capture those feelings: those powerful forces that we can’t resist, but also the fantasy that… what if we could?

What if we could take on the power and become Wonder Woman, someone who stands up to the gods?”

Miller finished the final edit of Circe in 2017, after an astonishing seven years spent working on this second book.

“I started writing in 2010, when I had finished Song of Achilles,” she says.

“When writing that book I was teaching in high school full time so I would binge write: huge chunks on the weekends or holidays, or the summer. But teaching is very incompatible with things like a book tour, so I ended up leaving my job to tour Song of Achilles, and after that I wanted to try writing full time. It was wonderful to get to live in Circe’s world, but also kind of harrowing – it’s a frightening world, it’s an exciting world – but I’ve loved the Greek myths for so long that it felt like a privilege to spend so much time there.”

Miller had always been fascinated by Circe’s power and mystery, by the strong impression she makes in the Odyssey.

“She’s a witch who turns men into pigs, and then she becomes Odysseus’s lover, and he stays on Aiaia [Circe’s island] for a year and he doesn’t want to leave – and her island is the only place that he doesn’t want to leave on his whole trip home. So the mystery around that: Homer doesn’t give us any clues about her psychology, or why she’s turning men to pigs: why does someone start doing that?”

Circe is a self-made woman: born a lesser goddess with no power, she literally invents witchcraft to give herself tools with which to make sense of her world.

“It’s a source of a power that has nothing to do with her divinity: it’s something she

does, rather than something she was born with – I loved that,” Miller says. “And usually women who have power in the myths are punished for it at the end of their story, but she is not.”

Many authors talk about letting a story unfold while they write, and not knowing how the tale would end when they start: working with a character from myth – and one drawn in so many different ways, by so many different artists – presented challenges for Miller to overcome. “I knew the ending I wanted: my problem was I didn’t know where the beginning was,” she says. “For the last quarter of the novel I was inspired by a lost epic called the Telegony – but I ended up pushing back against that and changing a key thing that happens in that myth. For me, it isn’t a conscious choice: which details do I want to include or not? It’s always an emotional, intuitive choice: what am I drawn to, what am I gripped by? Homer describes Circe as ‘the dread goddess who speaks like a human’. He doesn’t really explain what that means, but it’s literally one word in the Greek that ended up animating so much of the book. For me that meant so much: she’s a character caught between worlds, with a piece of her in the god world and a piece in the mortal world, but is an outsider in both.”

Miller sought out interpretations of Circe from all sorts of creators

“What if we could become someone who stands up to the gods?”

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LOOK OUT FOR THE CAMBRIDGE EDITION BOOK CLUB STICKERS IN HEFFERS & GET MONEY OFF OUR MONTHLY PICK

Heffers is located at 20 Trinity Street, Cambridge. blackwells.co.uk

throughout history, and carried out a vast amount of research on material culture from the time – which is why the book is so deeply textured and grippingly immersive. “About 1% of what I researched made it into the book,” she says. “I like to have a really full picture, then I choose details that will be evocative without being overwhelming.

Research should be like an iceberg: the reader sees just the piece above water, but as the writer, you need that whole underwater part. Any time there’s a little piece of jewellery or an ornament in the novel, it is inspired by an actual artifact.”

This richly rendered world coupled with the feminist retelling of Circe’s legend makes Miller’s book a captivating read. There’s an entire pantheon of gods, apoplectic sea monsters and intoxicating spells and sorcery: but there are also cruel parents, the difficult choices presented by adulthood and bearing your own children, and what it means to forge your path in the face of adversity – plus breathcatchingly beautiful domestic details of Circe’s everyday life on her island. Circe is to be ordered immediately and savoured, then read over and over again: an instant – and yet ancient – modern classic. l CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

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C AT H Y M O O R E , D I R E C TO R O F C A M B R I D G E L I T E R A RY F E S T I VA L , O N C I RC E Circe is Madeline Miller’s sparkling feminist take on The Odyssey, in which she joyously, boldly and intimately reimagines Circe, daughter of Helios, for a #MeToo generation. The long-awaited follow up to her debut, the Orange prize-winning Song of Achilles in 2011, Circe is more than worth the wait. It is a gripping read which ravishingly evokes gods, monsters and mortals and dazzles with its brilliance. Madeline Miller’s rehabilitation of Circe from a god to an independent woman who faces life, love, heartbreak, loneliness and motherhood with an immensely relatable humanity is nothing short of genius.

EDITION BOOKSHELF

MORE TOP READS CATCHING OUR EYE THIS MONTH N EMESIS

BIG C AT

BY RORY CLEMENTS

BY EMMA LAZELL

T H E FA MI L I A R S

BY STACEY HALL

Fans of Robert Harris should look out for this, the third book in a Cambridge-set pre-WWII thriller series created by author Rory Clements that sees Tom Wilde, history professor and spy aficionado, unravelling a multi-stranded international conspiracy.

Littler readers will enjoy this debut by local author and illustrator Emma, who graduated from the Cambridge School Of Art with distinction in 2018. This surreal romp is reminiscent of children’s classics from the 1970s, with splendid humour and beautiful illustrations.

A gripping debut from the former books editor at Stylist magazine, which follows the misfortunes of 17-year-old Fleetwood Shuttleworth, who is accused of witchcraft after helping a young midwife deliver a baby, and ends up involved in the infamous Pendle witch trials of 1612.

UP NEXT MONTH

T HE L A NGUAGE OF BIR DS

BY JILL DAWSON

Lord Lucan, suspected of the murder of his children’s nanny, disappeared in 1974. Jill Dawson, Orange prizenominated author of Fred & Edie and The Crime Writer, retells the story from the point of view of Mandy River, the 26-year-old nanny. She arrives in London hoping to escape a troubled past, and finds work looking after the children of Lady Katherine Morven, a wealthy society woman in the midst of a separation from her enigmatic husband, ‘Dickie’. Mandy’s new surroundings seem grand and glamorous compared to her own working-class background, but as she tries to protect her young charges from their parents’ imploding marriage, she soon realises that life in the Morven household isn’t as charmed as it first seemed.

THE LANGUAGE OF BIRDS CAN BE PURCHASED FOR £18.99 IN HARDBACK. READ ALONG AND TWEET US YOUR THOUGHTS @CAMBSEDITION, WITH THE HASHTAG #EDITIONBOOKCLUB FOR A CHANCE TO FEATURE IN THE NEXT ISSUE.

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NIGHTLIFE

After Hours

NOW BOOKING

THE NIGHTLIFE EVENTS NOT TO MISS THIS MONTH

T EL EM A N 23 APRIL, JUNCTION, £17

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Crafters of exquisite, synth-laden guitar pop, Teleman are in Cambridge next month to play hits from Family of Aliens, Briliant Sanity and Breakfast.

MARCH

HAYSEED DIXIE Hayseed Dixie began when John Wheeler and Mike Daly discovered the musical crossroads of Hank Williams and AC/DC during a day’s drinking back in 2000. A first album of ten AC/DC songs reimagined as a hillbilly rave-up soon followed. Now, 14 albums later, with their own rockgrass sound, they’re a must-see. Catch them at Cambridge Junction on 16 March. Tickets are £19. junction.co.uk

SOP H I E EL L IS -BE X T OR 2 JUNE, CORN EX, FROM £33

Disco queen Sophie Ellis-Bextor stops by the city to perform songs old and new with a full orchestral accompaniment.

SHAKIN’ STEVENS

SUN RECORDS A night of rock’n’roll treats from the legendary record label that made stars of Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins and more comes to the Corn Exchange on 17 March, capturing the Sun Sound in all its glory. Tickets £28. cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

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With 33 hits, including four UK No. 1s, Shakin’ Stevens drops in to the Corn Exchange on 12 March on a tour that promises hits, covers of his favourite artists and tracks he hasn’t played live for a decade or two.

Tickets are £38. cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

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YONA K A 3 JUNE, THE PORTLAND ARMS, £11.25

Heavy riffs, catchy melodies and a formidable live show combine to make Yonaka ones to watch. Catch them before they go stratospheric.

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NIGHTLIFE

Gig Guide JORDAN WORLAND FROM LOCAL MUSIC WEBSITE SLATE THE DISCO GIVES HIS TOP LIVE MUSIC PICKS FOR THE MONTH AHEAD

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he schedule for March is a busy one, with an eclectic mix of artists and an unusual number of American acts (not that we’re complaining).

Here are our top picks...

Our must-see new act this month are New York art-punks Bodega, who are bringing their bolshy and sexy sounds to The Portland Arms on the 27th. Their debut record, Endless Scroll, dropped last year and is a riot of snappy and spirited lo-fi belters. Other Portland Arms-based treats this month include the dreamy psych pop of She Drew The Gun (6th), The 55 (8th) and The Bluetones (13th).

Going down as the most unique show of the month is Our Girl and their appearance at the Unitarian Church on the 9th. The trio is performing tracks from their breakout record, Stranger Today, in an intimate and stripped-back performance. The band’s wonderful Bill Ryder-Jones-produced debut album channels shoegaze, grunge and psych-rock. Their fresh textures and identity make them one of the promising new bands on the UK guitar scene.

There’s a couple of real gems at the Storey’s Field Centre this month. First, renowned for her work with college rock legends Throwing Muses, Kristin Hersh brings her latest solo release along with a full band to town on the 14th. Then on the 16th, with 20 years of unhinged lunacy on their side, Dub Pistols make a welcome return to Cambridge.

The Blue Moon hosts Jeremy Tuplin on the 10th: expect a velvet voice and witty, otherworldly songs, drawing comparisons to Bill Callahan and Leonard Cohen. At the same venue, we have Camisayo bringing their beautiful vocal harmonies and sweet instrumentals on the 8th and the melodic riffs of Bouquet of Dead Crows on the 30th.

MOBO-nominated street star AJ Tracey has spent the last couple of years cementing his place as one of the UK’s premier grime exports, and he plays the Junction on the 19th, promoting his recently released debut album.

Other Cambridge Junction nights out that are well worth your time are KT Tunstall on the 14th, Hayseed Dixie on the 16th and Gentleman’s Dub Club on the 29th.

SONGS & S TOR IES

Cambridge-based Dan Wilde’s observant songs and engaging storytelling, combined with intricate guitar work, have already featured on three albums, with a fourth on the way. This latest Songs and Stories gig, on 5 March, also features Sam Lewis, a country-soul artist from Nashville. Tickets are £11.50. junction.co.uk

MI K E A N D T H E MECH A N ICS Mike Rutherford’s band have chalked up an impressive list of hits, including The Living Years, Over My Shoulder and All I Need is a Miracle. Now featuring singers Andrew Roachford and Tim Howar, they play at Cambridge Corn Exchange on 7 March. Tickets from £38. cambridgelivetrust.co.uk CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

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NIGHTLIFE

GENTLEMAN’S DUB CLUB The club that brings the party to crowds of all ages keen for a dancefloor workout returns, promoting new album Lost In Space at The Junction on 29 March. Expect a blend of reggae, ska, dub and jazz in search of the ultimate bassline. Tickets £19.50. junction.co.uk

S T R AW BER R IES A N D CR EEM

BIG 10

Get ready for a stomp with local ska favourites Big 10 headlining a night of reggae, rocksteady and dub at Cambridge Junction, with support from The Dekkertones, The Becconians and DJ Jesse James on 30 March. Tickets £12.50. junction.co.uk

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Girl power comes to Strawberries and Creem this year, with London-based rapper Stefflon Don and throwback star Ms Dynamite topping the bill at Cambridge’s independent one-day festival – a celebration of all things urban and dance on 15 June.

Also on the bill for the event are Sean Kingston, playing his first UK show since 2010, and Kevin Lyttle. Rising star of the R&B scene Mahalia, Jumanji rapper B Young and London collective WSTRN are among the fresh new talent. The event began as a party organised for 800 people in 2014 and is now one of the biggest music events in the county, with 15,000 festivalgoers set to descend on the venue near the M11. So, if you’re a fan of afrobeat, dancehall, UK rap, hip-hop, R&B, garage, grime and more, snap up a ticket (they’re £47.50) ASAP. strawberriesandcreem.com

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CO M P E T I T I O N

WORTH OVER

£600!

Win a minibreak in North Norfolk!

WE’RE GIVING AWAY A LUXURY THREE-NIGHT STAY AT THE COAST FOR UP TO SIX PEOPLE

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orth Norfolk Escapes is offering one lucky Cambridge Edition reader the chance to get away to the unspoilt north Norfolk coast in one of its four-star self-catering cottages in September, October or November 2019. The prize includes a three-night break, from Friday to Monday, staying in Beachcomber Cottage.

Found in Overstrand, near Cromer, the cottage enjoys sea views and is a short stroll to the local beach and village centre.

It’s a super-sized beach hut with all the mod cons! This lovely detatched cottage has bags of light, space and comfort and provides accommodation for up to six people. There are three bedrooms: a super king, a double and a twin room with two bathrooms/shower rooms, plus parking for two cars. With its lofty ceilings and big glass windows, this delightful cottage

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provides a bright and airy retreat to relax and unwind in.

There are lots of things for family and friends to enjoy during their visit, from seal trips to birdwatching, beautiful beaches and award-winning restaurants or exploring the many villages and towns across north Norfolk, including the beautiful Broads.

Don’t fancy cooking? North Norfolk Escapes can also provide the option to ‘heat and eat’, providing a delicious range of locally sourced and home-cooked meals and cakes to tempt your palate, which can be ordered in advance and will be ready for your arrival. l To be in with a chance of winning this fantastic prize, head to cambsedition.co.uk and hit the Competitions tab. northnorfolkescapes.co.uk

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T&CS

Competition open to adults aged 18 years and over. A postal address is required at the time of booking. Accommodation subject to availability at time of booking for a weekend in September, October or November 2019. Up to one dog allowed subject to prior agreement. No cash alternative will be provided. No hen or stag parties. The chosen weekend is subject to availability and is nontransferable. No alternative dates will be available once booked.

Competition closes 30 April.

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CO M M U N I T Y H U B

TIME BANKING

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ooking to get more involved with your community?

Check out Timebanking, a way for communities to come together to help each other with a variety of tasks.

Participants ‘deposit’ their time in the bank by giving practical help and support to others. They are then able to ‘withdraw’ their time when they require assistance with something – one hour of time given gains you one hour of ‘credit’.

Locally, the Cambridgeshire housing association and social enterprise, CHS Group, has recently been awarded £50,000 by The National Lottery Community Fund (formerly The Big Lottery Fund) to support

Community

HUB

SALLY ANN’S MOVES

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t was a sad day for Mill Road when Sally Ann’s, the quirky Salvation Army shop, closed its doors, but the charity has now popped up in new premises just around the corner on Tenison Road. Selling clothing, toys and household items, the new shop also features an expansive barn selling furniture, musical instruments and LPs. Major Martin Cordner, who leads The Salvation Army in Cambridge along with his wife Major Leanne, said: “Our charity shop is a really important part of our work here in Cambridge. Not only does it raise vital funds and offer affordable clothing and household items, it is a community hub, offering compassionate support, a listening ear and practical help for people in need.” The charity shop is open Monday to Friday 9.30am to 5pm and Saturday 10am to 1pm.

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“Our charity shop is a really important part of our work here in Cambridge” 42

its Timebank schemes in both Littleport and Cambourne.

CHS Group has been coordinating Timebanks in these locations for five years now, and the new funding will enable the group to continue running these, as well as growing the scheme in new locations around Cambridgeshire.

Particular goals include encouraging a greater number of older people to get involved, to strengthen the befriending scheme, and to increase the number of volunteer hours in both existing Timebank communities, as well as provide support to three more communities hoping to develop Timebanks. chsgroup.org.uk

YMCA SLEEP EASY

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MCA Trinity Group has announced the venue for its 2019 Sleep Easy event in Cambridge to raise awareness of sleeping rough and raise funds to support young, homeless people across the city. The Sleep Easy event will take place on 29 March at St Catharine’s College Sports Ground. In partnership with the Howard Group, the aim is simple: participants spend a night challenging themselves to sleep rough, raising money to help change the lives of vulnerable young people, and in doing so raising awareness of the issues around homelessness. All money raised goes directly to supporting YMCA’s accommodation services in Cambridge.

Starting at 7pm, the night will involve activities that replicate what it’s like to sleep on the streets, but participants will receive hot refreshments and materials to make a shelter. Adult tickets are £10 and you can sign up via Eventbrite.

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XXXXXXXX

RADIO GAGA THE HOSTS OF CAMBRIDGE 105’S BREAKFAST SHOW SHARE THEIR MONTHLY LOCAL FINDS

“I

t’s 7am, welcome to Cambridge Breakfast: I’m Julian Clover and I’m Lucy Milazzo...”

There’s something unnerving about national breakfast radio hosts talking about getting up at 3.30am in the morning.

OK, leafy Surrey isn’t quite the same as CB1, and no doubt they have a driver rather than a bicycle but all of a sudden, a 5.30am alarm call doesn’t feel quite as bad.

And while John Humphrys is about to step down after 30 years at the helm of the Today programme, we only started on Cambridge 105 Radio in August, though we have just clocked up 100 editions of the show. Each morning we start at 7am – we present our mix of news, travel, entertainment and most importantly, Cambridge conversation – and finish at 9.30am.

Back in the early days of commercial radio, teams of radio presenters would descend on their new city in the weeks before their first broadcast, desperately trying to learn how to pronounce local place names (in the case of Cambridge it would be Magdalene Bridge, for example) and find out about the local pub scene. However, as true locals, there are no such problems for us. Cambridge is the place we call home,

so when we say we’ve been to a pub/event/ wine bar, we mean it (although maybe not so much on a weekday these days as we now have the sleep patterns of a toddler).

It will come as no surprise that one of our favourite features is the Friday Foodclub, when we invite local foodies into the studio to talk about their restaurant, bar, or the latest food trends. We also end the week with Jukebox Friday, the listeners’ chance to dictate the music selection.

Over the next few months we plan to

use this column to tell you about our favourite discoveries, and some of the events we’re looking forward to attending.

We like to think Cambridge Breakfast is uniquely Cambridge, with an appeal to those who live and work in the city, rather than a particular age range decided by marketing types.

Join Julian and Lucy for Cambridge Breakfast, weekdays from 7am to 9.30am, and listen out for some Cambridge Edition input on the local events scene!

CAMBRIDGE CLASSICS IS MOVING! CAMBRIDGE PRIDE

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he first ever Cambridge Pride is set to take place this summer on Jesus Green, offering a day of music, stalls and food on 9 June. A free to attend community event, the organisers plan to present a main stage, a pride parade, marquees for local acts to perform, local charity and community group stalls and street food trucks, creating an accessible and fun celebration for the community.

Search Cambridge Pride on Facebook for more info.

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specialist in traditional window and door replacement and refurbishment, Cambridge Classics has been a treasured local independent for the past 19 years. From casement to sash windows, period front doors to charming stable doors, the team is able to replace or restore these cherished, important features that make many older houses so

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appealing. Looking ahead to a new chapter, the company has secured a 25-year lease on what will become their new office and showroom at 105 Cherry Hinton Road. Doing what they do best, the team is enjoying the process of transforming the space into a beautiful new home for the company, with renovations well under way and the move scheduled for 1 April. cambridgeclassics.co.uk

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W H AT ’ S O N

What’s On YOUR AT-A-GLANCE GUIDE TO EVENTS AROUND CAMBRIDGE THIS MONTH

1 MARCH

6 MARCH

9 MARCH

JESTERLARF

BRENDAN COLE: SHOW MAN

THE RISING FESTIVAL

Cambridge Junction’s regular comedy night Jesterlarf returns with a jam-packed night full of laughs, featuring stand-up comics including Eddy Brimson, Diane Spencer and David Johns.

8.30pm | Cambridge Junction, J2 £13.50 | junction.co.uk

The first winner of Strictly Come Dancing is joined by fellow dancing pros, singers and a live band to highlight the superb choreography and dazzling performance that kept him on the show for 15 years.

7.30pm | Corn Exchange from £23 | cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

Celebrating International Women’s Day, mark the celebration of womanhood in the company of inspirational women from business, the media and more. Several workshops, speed networking and veggie lunch from The Wandering Yak. From 9.30am | St Barnabas Church £52.50 | cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

3 MARCH 7 MARCH

1959: THE YEAR JAZZ CHANGED

CAM LATES – PACIFIC LATE

Award-winning Cambridge-based saxophonist Dan Forshaw and his sextet pay homage to the 60th anniversary of a pivotal year for jazz. Expect cuts by Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Dave Brubeck and Miles Davis.

7.45pm | Cambridge Arts Theatre from £20 | cambridgeartstheatre.com

A celebration of all things Pacific, from Polynesian dancing to a Pacific Currents display that highlights its wide-ranging Oceanic collections. Tickets include a complimentary drink, with cocktails available.

7pm | Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology | £10 cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

10 MARCH

THE TIME SEEKERS A time-travelling adventure for ages three to eight and their families, featuring ice-cream dinosaurs, talking pyramids and dancing robots from the future.

11.30am, 2.30pm | Cambridge Junction £10 adults, £6 children | junction.co.uk 10 MARCH

MATT HAIG: NOTES ON A NERVOUS PLANET How do we stay human in a technological world? Notes on a Nervous Planet is a personal, vital look at how to feel happy, human and whole.

7.30pm | Corn Exchange £20 | cambridgelivetrust.co.uk 11-16 MARCH

GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS A razor-sharp revival of David Mamet’s Olivier and Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece, never before seen in the UK. Featuring Mark Benton (Waterloo Road) and Nigel Harman (EastEnders, A chorus of disapproval).

7.45pm, also 2.30pm Thursday and Saturday Cambridge Arts Theatre from £20 | cambridgeartstheatre.com

10-17 MARCH

FOOT L IGH T S

13 MARCH

Two Sundays to catch the world-famous university comedy troupe, which began the careers of numerous big names, among them Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie and Sue Perkins.

Various times | Cambridge Arts Theatre | from £13 cambridgeartstheatre.com

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THE BLUETONES Mark Morriss and the band appeared just as the Britpop boom was waning. Debut album Expecting to fly hit the No 1 spot, and now the band’s tour reaches Cambridge.

7pm | Cambridge Junction £23.50 | greenmind.co.uk

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W H AT ’ S O N 14 MARCH

AN EVENING WITH THE HAIRY BIKERS A night of foodie conversation with national treasures Si King and Dave Myers, the bighearted, down-to-earth cooks.

7.30pm | Corn Exchange | from £22.50 cambridgelivetrust.co.uk 14 MARCH

ALAN CARR A work-in-progress show, catch the BAFTAwinning ‘chatty man’ try out new material in a 45-minute set, with support from Kelly Convey.

7.15pm | Saffron Walden Town Hall | from £14.50 | cambridgelivetrust.co.uk 15 MARCH

THE ELVIS YEARS Charting the highs and lows of Elvis Presley’s amazing journey from truckdriving teenager, through to the army, Hollywood films and the Las Vegas concerts. It features more than 50 of his hits.

7.30pm | Corn Exchange | from £23 cambridgelivetrust.co.uk 19 MARCH

COLLABRO The world’s most successful musical theatre group met in 2014 for their first rehearsal, performing a month later for Britain’s Got Talent judges at the Hammersmith Apollo and going on to win the competition.

7.30pm | Corn Exchange | from £22.50 cambridgelivetrust.co.uk 19-23 MARCH

THE MIRROR CRACK’D Adapted by Rachel Wagstaff, Agatha Christie’s tale of Miss Marple unravelling a tangle of lies, stars Susie Blake and Simon Shepherd.

7.45pm, also 2.30pm Thursday and Saturday Cambridge Arts Theatre | from £20 cambridgeartstheatre.co.uk 20 MARCH

BEST OF BE FESTIVAL Featuring a daredevil, an illusionist and a juggling-computer-musical genius, catch three 30-minute shows in one exhilarating evening.

7.30pm | Cambridge Junction | £12.50 junction.co.uk

2 MARCH

N EON MOON: CLU B CIRQU E A thrilling world of glamour, glitter and imagination, featuring DJs playing vintage tunes, cabaret, circus and burlesque performers.

Over-18s only.

9pm-3am | Cambridge Junction early bird tickets £22.50 | junction.co.uk

23 MARCH

27 MARCH

THE STRANGLERS

NICOLAS ALTSTAEDT PLAYS HAYDN

Expect new material alongside classic tracks and lesser performed numbers from the band’s extensive catalogue of dark aggression mixed with effortless cool.

7.30pm | Corn Exchange | from £30.50 cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

Making the cello sing with baritonal warmth, Altstaedt brings out all the colours of the instrument in this latest concert from the Academy of Ancient Music.

7.30pm | West Road Concert Hall from £15 | cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

26 MARCH 20 MARCH

JASON MANFORD It’s been a while since Manford’s last tour, but fans of his Absolute Radio show will know that he hasn’t changed a bit. He’s featured on QI, Have I Got News for You and 8 out of 10 Cats among other shows.

7.30pm | Corn Exchange | from £30.50 cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

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GABRIELLE One of the UK’s most successful singersongwriters, Gabrielle has racked up two number one singles, a number one album and five million record sales since her 1993 debut. Now she’s coming to Cambridge as part of her Under My Skin tour.

7.30pm | Corn Exchange | from £28 cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

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31 MARCH

THE BOOTLEG BEATLES The premier Beatles tribute band on the planet continues to draw critical acclaim for their recreation of the greatest songbook of all, complete with costumes and witty banter: just like the real thing.

7.30pm | Corn Exchange | from £25 cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

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Food & Drink N E W O P E N I N G S • D R I N KS • R E C I P E S • B O OZ Y B R U N C H E S

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

LOVE FOOD AT BURWASH MANOR

Burwash Manor in Barton welcomes back its annual celebration of gastronomic delights this month with Love Food, a foodie festival that’s fit to burst with delicious delicacies to try and buy from a range of great suppliers. Returning over the weekend of 30 and 31 March, the event sees more than 30 top suppliers come together under one roof, with samples and tastings galore, plus cookery demonstrations, great giveaways and street food vans. Runs 10am to 5pm both days.

Search ‘Burwash Love Food’ on Facebook for details.

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FO O D & D R I N K

NEW LOOK FOR THE GREEN MAN Exciting things are happening over in Trumpington, where The Green Man pub has undergone an extensive refurb and unveiled a stylish new look. The space inside the building, which dates back to the 17th century, has been completely refreshed, while still paying homage to historic original features.

An Instagram-worthy botanical wall is the perfect backdrop for a snap of your cocktail (ours is a candyfloss martini), but the most impressive addition is the stunning new private dining room, which would make a splendid location for a special meal.

The food offering has had an overhaul too, and we can vouch for the fact they’ve done a fantastic job with the new menu.

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scallops, lamb koftas, pies, pizzas, steaks and more, all of which are beautifully presented and generous in size.

For dessert, we recommend checking out the House Sharer: a cornucopia of homemade treats that includes a scrumptious chocolate brownie, baked cheesecake, meringue mess and, the crowning glory, a bourbon vanilla ice cream cookie sandwich!

At the other end of the scale, for those watching what they eat, there’s also a range of high protein, low calorie dishes, as well as a vegan menu with dishes like lentil falafel and coconut curry.

In winter, there are cosy crackling fires to curl up by, but in warmer weather, there’s a lovely outdoor space that begs to be relaxed in, pint in hand. thegreenmantrumpington.com M A R C H 2 019

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FO O D & D R I N K

GIN & PANCAKES Celebrate Shrove Tuesday with a flipping delicious evening of pancakes and gin at Cambridge Wine Merchants’ Cherry Hinton Road branch. A special edition of CWM’s Gin Club, guests will get to try four fab gins, accompanied by tasty, freshly cooked pancakes from the kitchen (including one gin-themed number!). Tickets are £15 from Eventbrite. cambridgewine.com

A N E V EN ING W I T H T HE H A IRY BIK ER S An epic night of cooking and conversation is in store when national treasures Si King and Dave Myers arrive at the Corn Exchange for An Evening with the Hairy Bikers.

They stop by in Cambridge on 14 March, halfway through a mammoth 37-date tour, their first since 2013, and their irresistible enthusiasm is sure to make it a great night out. The hirsute duo – known for their big hearted, down-to-earth style – have been cooking treats to savour for more than 20 years. They have created haute cuisine dishes with Michelin-starred chefs and travelled the world in pursuit of great food, plus unknown-to-them dishes across the British Isles.

They have starred in several TV series – including The Hairy Bikers Cookbook: Best of British and Mums Know Best – and they’ve written more than 20 books, from how to make perfect pies or great curries, to four diet books. A brief star-turn from Dave on Strictly Come Dancing did nothing but cement their popularity. Tickets start from £22.50. cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

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NATURE’S LARDER THE TEAM FROM THE GOG ADVISE ON THE SEASONAL PRODUCE TO SEEK OUT THIS MONTH

The end of the season for Vacherin Mont d’Or, a gorgeous little cheese, is upon us. This funky little fellow is one you’ll have come across if you were fortunate enough to have made it away to the Swiss slopes this winter. It’s made in small batches by individual farmers from September until March from the milk of cows that have been brought down off of the mountain to shelter in warm barns for the winter. In the summer, the same cows produce milk that is used to make gruyère.

It’s easy to forget the primary difference is gruyère is made from the milk of cows that are eating fresh mountain grass; while for the Vacherin, they’re consuming plenty of cut, moist silage. This is what gives the almost-liquid interior hints of farmyards and meadow flowers. The aromatic spruce bark that surrounds the cheese (holding it together) gives a suggestion of wood.

While spooning directly from its wooden box is perfectly acceptable, cutting open the top of the rind, pouring in a little white wine and baking for 30 minutes makes for a completely irresistible bread-dipping session.

But, to give you the heads-up, when these things mature, that farmyard smell sure can travel! There’s only 150,000 produced per season, which, considering they’re shipped all around the world, is not many. So, if you haven’t managed to squeeze one in yet, you’ve still got time – just.

The chaps at The Gog cheese counter will sort you out with a fabulous last-of-the-season cheese, all without the need for that return flight to Geneva. thegog.com

NEW AT AMÉLIE

Head upstairs at The Grafton and you’ll find Amélie, an indie eaterie that’s been delighting the tastebuds of Cambridge with its crispy, melty flammekueche since opening last summer. In case you’re not familiar with this cafe’s speciality: it’s a traditional dish from Alsace that dates back to the 14th century, comprised of a dough base, a good smothering of crème fraiche with sliced onion, bacon and gruyère cheese. A pizza-like treat that can be adorned with all sorts of toppings, sweet and savoury.

Now’s a great time to pay a visit as there’s a new menu to sample, featuring updated varieties of flammekueche including salmon, spinach and ricotta; Moroccan lamb; goats’ cheese with roasted pine nuts and honey, plus banana with caramel and roasted almonds. amelierestaurants.co.uk

BU TCHERY COU R SES

Experience the art of traditional butchery in a relaxed hands-on Butchery Skills Masterclass at The Gog farm shop. Learn where meat comes from, how to get the most from each cut and different styles of cooking, as The Gog’s expert butchers promise a fun, informative evening. On arrival there’s a drink and snacks, and after the class there’s a homemade meal with wine and beer. Masterclasses are on 6 March and 3 April, at 6pm, and the event costs £128. eventbrite.co.uk

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Flavours of England A SELECTION OF RECIPES FROM CHEF GILLI DAVIES THAT SHOWCASE DELICIOUS FLAVOURS AND INGREDIENTS FROM AROUND THE EAST OF ENGLAND

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FOOD & DRINK

COCK L E A N D S A M PHIR E F ISHC A K ES SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS 100g cockles, freshly steamed 300g white fish fillets, cod or haddock 100g samphire, fresh or lightly steamed and chopped into small lengths 1 egg, beaten 100g soft breadcrumbs 1 tablespoon mayonnaise 1 teaspoon French mustard 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon Cajun spices 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped Butter and oil for frying STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE Finely chop or process the white fish into small chunks. Combine with the cockles and samphire.

Mix with the egg, breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, French mustard, Worcestershire sauce, spices and parsley.

Divide into small patties and place on trays. Cover with greaseproof paper and refrigerate for two hours or overnight.

Deep or shallow fry until golden brown. Serve with lemon wedges and tartare, tomato or herb sauce.

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FO FO OO D D& &D D R IRNI N KK

CRASTER KIPPER KEDGEREE SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS 2 smoked, undyed kippers 450ml boiling water 25g butter 1 onion, finely chopped 1 teaspoon mild curry paste 225g long grain rice, cooked Salt and ground black pepper 4 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled and quartered 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

Place the kippers in a dish and pour over the boiling water. Leave for 5 minutes then drain. Remove the skin and bones carefully from the kippers.

In a large heavy-based frying pan or casserole, fry the onion gently in the butter for five minutes.

Add the curry paste and cook for a minute, then add the rice and seasoning and heat right through.

Add the flaked kippers and arrange the mixture in a serving dish with the hard-boiled egg quarters on top and a good scattering of parsley.

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ROAST BELLY PORK WITH SAGE, SOMERSET CIDER AND CARAMELISED APPLES SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS 2kg belly pork, boned, skin on 2 cloves garlic, crushed A handful of sage leaves, chopped 1 lemon, grated rind 2 teaspoons ground all spice Salt and ground black pepper 4 red eating apples, quartered, cored and sliced thickly ½ pint cider 1-2 tablespoons quince paste or damson/plum jam STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE Preheat the oven to its hottest temperature.

Open out the pork with the skin side down and scatter over the garlic, sage leaves, lemon rind, all spice and seasoning. Roll up and tie, then rub salt into the skin.

Roast the pork for 20 minutes to crisp the crackling, then turn the heat down to 160°C/325°F/Gas 3 and cook for a further 1.5 hours, adding the apple slices for the last 15 minutes of cooking time. Leave the pork to rest for 20 minutes before carving.

For the sauce, drain off the excess fat from the roasting tin and pour in the cider. Bring to the boil and add the quince paste with seasoning and continue to reduce to a good consistency. Serve with the pork.

NOTE

For the best crackling, use dry pork skin.

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BUY THE BOOK! England is not a country that is well known around the world for its gastronomy; when we think of great food, it’s more likely that countries like France, Italy or Greece spring to mind. But actually our country has a wonderful history of great regional cooking, with a wealth of delicious, diverse cookery traditions that use ingredients native to our island.

This month’s recipes are from the Flavours of England series by Cordon Bleu chef Gilli Davies. Published

by Graffeg, these cookbooks offer a fresh take on a range of traditional regional English delicacies, while still honouring simple and locally sourced ingredients. “After years of bad press, today England boasts a top drawer culinary culture with cooks and chefs that celebrate the range and diversity of home grown ingredients,” says Gilli.

Anyone interested in the food heritage of Cambridge and the surrounding area will be interested to discover that among the wide range of recipes, specialities from the East of England are heavily featured. With recipes including Spiced Aylesbury Duck, Cockle and Samphire fish cakes or Cromer Crab Tartlets, Gilli Davies gives the reader an overview of Cambridgeshire and Norfolk’s rich and diverse culinary heritage. The first four books in the series – Soups & Starters, Roasts, Fish & Seafood and Vegetarian – are published this month, with new volumes – Puddings, Baking and Pies & Pasties – coming out in July 2019.

The series is a must-buy for any home cooks interested in widening their repertoire to include dishes from all across England.

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LOVE CAMBRIDGE

Restaurant Week DINE WITH A DISCOUNT AT TOP EATERIES AROUND CAMBRIDGE AS THE CITY’S FIRST-EVER RESTAURANT WEEK ARRIVES IN APRIL

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ttention foodies! The inaugural Love Cambridge Restaurant Week is landing next month, bringing a week’s worth of discounts on top dining experiences around the city from 1 to 7 April. The event is organised by Cambridge Business Improvement District (BID), an organisation funded by businesses in the city to deliver a range of projects that enhance and promote Cambridge to locals and visitors alike.

Aimed at encouraging residents to explore the city’s vibrant food scene and find new gems, Restaurant Week sees the city’s eateries serving special set menus at £5, £10 or £15 – a great opportunity to snap up feasts at a bargain price.

“People will get value for money and the participating restaurants will get an increase in footfall. We hope it will encourage people to dine in places they haven’t been to before,” explains Kristian Foreman, marketing and communications executive at Cambridge BID. “If it can get people into the city who would not normally come, then it should also help

other sectors in Cambridge, too. Similar festivals in the UK and beyond have already been very popular, and we are hopeful it will have the same success in Cambridge.”

The line-up of participating restaurants is sure to tempt visitors, with everything from discounted gourmet burgers at Steak & Honour on Wheeler Street and £5 lunches at Novi to a slap-up three-course sample menu for just £15 at the gorgeous Tamburlaine Hotel.

You can take off on a global culinary adventure with all the different cuisines on offer, exploring Italian fare at De Luca Cucina & Bar, authentic Mexican eats at Nanna Mexico, Spanish chorizo at Tabanco and French flammekueche from Amélie at the Grafton Centre, to name just a few. As well as all these beloved local independents, various big brands are getting in on the Restaurant Week fun, including Jamaica Blue, which is offering a £15 set lunch menu, and the restaurant at the Hilton DoubleTree on Mill Lane, where you can enjoy one course for £10, or two for £15.

To claim your discounted meal, visit the Cambridge BID website, see what tickles your fancy and then download the relevant voucher, which you’ll need to bring along when you eat. Then, you’re all set to grab a fork and get ready to explore and celebrate the city’s thriving restaurant scene: we’ve got a taster of what offers you can get where on the next page – happy eating!

WIN! In addition to enjoying special menus during Love Cambridge Restaurant Week, there’s also a chance to win a Love Cambridge Gift Card loaded with £100! Launched by Cambridge Business Improvement District (BID), the card’s credit is redeemable at shops and attractions across the city, ranging from big brands such as John Lewis, Topshop and YO! Sushi, to local indies including Millers Music, Aromi and Podarok. To enter the giveaway, simply redeem an offer in one of the participating restaurants from 1 to 7 April and share your experience on social media by uploading a photo and using the hashtag #LoveCambridgeRestaurantWeek. You will be contacted if you win. Good luck!

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N EED -TO K NOW WHAT:

Love Cambridge Restaurant Week is seven days of discounts and offers at eateries across Cambridge organised by Cambridge BID. WHEN:

1-7 April HOW MUCH?

Restaurants taking part offer a special menu priced at £5, £10 or £15.

Images (clockwise from top) Hilton DoubleTree, Steak & Honour, Cambridge Brew House, Bridges and The Tamburlaine

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To view the menus and download a voucher to redeem the offer, visit cambridgebid.co.uk/ restaurant-week

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FO O D & D R I N K CAFÉ ABANTU, HOBSON STREET

A cheerful, bright and airy tearoom serving delicious homemade bakes plus ciabattas, fresh salads and hot food.

Restaurant Week Offer: £10 lunch menu (coffee/tea, lunch and cake).

AGORA AT THE COPPER KET TLE, KINGS PARADE

Agora at The Copper Kettle is one of the oldest restaurants in the city and serves delicious Mediterranean cuisine.

Restaurant Week Offer: £5 menu (lunch), two courses for £10 (lunch), two courses for £15 (dinner).

AMÉLIE FLAMMEKUECHE, THE GRAFTON

Found upstairs in the Grafton Centre, the family run Amélie serves a range of flammekueche: a pizza-like delicacy from the Alsace region on the French-German border.

Restaurant Week Offer: £10 food and drink offer (any Flammekeuche plus a golden ale).

BILLS RESTAURANT, GREEN STREET

A vibrant, colourful café in the heart of the city centre, Bill’s is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and everything in between.

Restaurant Week Offer: Bills burger and Bills beer for £15.

BREAD & MEAT, BENE’T STREET

A popular independent eaterie in the city centre that’s famed for its Gourmet sandwiches, roast meats, poutine and home cooked food.

Restaurant Week Offer: Set menu for £10.

DIN ING DISCOU N T S 1-7 A PR IL FITZBILLIES, TRUMPINGTON STREET

A true institution, Fitzbillies has been part of Cambridge since 1920 and is most famous for its syrupy buns but also serves lunches, brunches and more.

Restaurant Week Offer: £15 lunch and afternoon tea menus available.

HILTON DOUBLETREE, MILL LANE

A stylish hotel located next to the River Cam, also home to the Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill.

Restaurant Week Offer: One course £10, two courses for £15.

JAMAICA BLUE, LION YARD SHOPPING CENTRE

Jamaica Blue offers tasty coffees and food with coffee beans from the Jamaican Blue Mountains, and delicious snack options made from fresh ingredients.

Restaurant Week Offer: £15 set lunch menu (Only Mon – Fri).

LA RAZA, ROSE CRESCENT

A subterranean bar known for its great cocktails, tapas and music nights.

Restaurant Week Offer: £10 lunch menu (Sandwich, a side & a hot or soft drink)

BRIDGES, BRIDGE STREET

Open since 1996, Bridges has a passion for freshness and a menu which spans pastries for breakfast, baguettes, soups and Chinese food, plus low sugar treats.

Restaurant Week Offer: £10 menu.

BUTCH ANNIE’S, MARKET STREET

Exceptionally tasty burgers and craft beer served in a laidback setting right in the heart of the city centre.

Restaurant Week Offer: Set menu for £15.

CAMBRIDGE BREW HOUSE, KING STREET

Eclectic decor combined with a micro-brewery and a great menu that’s packed with tempting British tapas and sharing platters makes this pub one of the city’s favourites.

Restaurant Week Offer: Two course menu for £15.

DE LUCA, REGENT STREET

A modern Italian restaurant offering great quality food at affordable prices. Perfect for a quick lunch, a romantic evening or group night out: don’t miss the upstairs cocktail bar.

Restaurant Week Offer: three dishes for £10 lunch, two courses for £15 evening (evening service available Mon – Thurs only).

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OLD TICKET OFFICE, CAMBRIDGE RAILWAY STATION

Embracing the building's historic charm and conveniently positioned just outside the train station, OTO provides the perfect place to drink, eat, meet or wait.

Restaurant Week Offer: Two course menu for £15.

PUNT YARD, QUAYSIDE

A relaxed Quayside venue specialising in tasty pizzas, posh kebabs, quirky cocktails and craft beers.

Restaurant Week Offer: £5 and £15 food offers available.

REVOLUTION, DOWNING STREET

Cocktails, fresh food, and premium spirits, wines, beers and ciders, Revolution also boasts a rooftop bar.

Restaurant Week Offer: £15 food and drink offer.

ROYAL CAMBRIDGE HOTEL, TRUMPINGTON STREET

Located on the edge of the city centre, The Royal Cambridge Hotel is a great base for visitors exploring the city plus boasts an in-house restaurant and bar, 6 Scroope Terrace.

Restaurant Week Offer: Two courses and a drink for £15.

STEAK & HONOUR, WHEELER STREET

The bricks and mortar premises of one of the city’s best-loved food trucks, Steak & Honour are famous for their perfect patties and delicious sides.

Restaurant Week Offer: £10 food and drink offer.

LAS IGUANAS, QUAYSIDE

Offering a slice of Latin America on the banks of the Cam, Las Iguanas is ideal for bottomless brunch with friends, sunny day cocktails, or cosy date.

Restaurant Week Offer: Two course menu for £15.

MICHAELHOUSE CAFÉ, TRINITY STREET

The Michaelhouse Café serves locally sourced food that is cooked fresh every day can be hired for multiple uses by the community.

Restaurant Week Offer: £15 menu (Any main course, plus cake, plus drink).

NANNA MEXICO, ALL FOUR LOCATIONS

Delicious and authentic Mexican eats including burritos, enchiladas and tacos with locations at Petty Cury, Regent Street and Fitzroy Street, plus Norwich.

Restaurant Week Offer: £5 food offer.

NOVI, REGENT STREET

Coffee drinking and brunch by day, and thoughtful dining, craft beer and cocktails by night – all served in a sleek setting.

Restaurant Week Offer: £10 dinner menu.

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TABANCO, GREEN STREET

Exquisite tapas, craft beer, churros and hot chocolate plus Spanish inspired brunches can be found at this classy Green Street eaterie.

Restaurant Week Offer: Set menu for £15.

THE BULL AND BASS, DOWNING STREET

The in-house restaurant at the Hilton Cambridge City Centre hotel, this modern restaurant is open for hearty breakfasts, afternoon teas, and sumptuous dinners.

Restaurant Week Offer: Two course set menu for £15.

THE TAMBURLAINE HOTEL, STATION ROAD

This luxurious 4-star hotel oozes style and sophistication. The restaurant, where a stunning marble bar takes centre stage, serves seasonal, modern dishes.

Restaurant Week Offer: Three course sample menu for £15.

More restaurants are due to sign up before April.

If you are a local restaurant and want to get involved, contact Cambridge BID. For diners, book directly with the restaurant in advance to avoid disappointment. Visit the website for up-to-date details on participating restaurants, menus and Ts&Cs.

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IN THE

WORDS BY CHARLOT TE GRIFFITHS

WE MEET THE DUO BEHIND THE CAMBRIDGE DISTILLERY, THE LOCAL GINMAKERS PUTTING OUR CITY ON THE MAP

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fter a conversation in a field while walking their much-loved Labrador Darcy, Lucy and Will Lowe decided to quit their jobs, start making gin, and set themselves up as the Cambridge Distillery. At the time Will was working in London as an educator in the wine trade, while Lucy worked at the Judge Business School in central Cambridge: but despite their 9 to 5 careers the couple were confident they’d eventually get round to creating a business for themselves. “We always knew that we’d end up powered by our interests,” says Lucy. “Ever since I was little I’d wanted to do my own thing: I always hugely disliked routine, and didn’t want to be at a desk from 9 to 5, and I loved the opportunities and freedom offered by working for yourself.”

The couple started out by distilling gin in their living room in Histon, which certainly was one of the UK’s smallest distilleries if not the tiniest (a shed in Scotland also claims to be in the running for the crown). The lack of available space played a part in their choice to approach distillation via vacuum, rather than large, hot, splashy copper stills, but it also gave Will and Lucy fine control over the process, and enabled them to extract

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maximum flavour from even the most delicate of botanicals. Each is distilled individually, in volumes of less than two litres at a time, to ensure that the freshest possible characteristics of the plant, flower, spice, fruit or berry – or whatever – are preserved: it’s not the fastest route to creating gin, but it does guarantee something rather special at the end of the process.

“We were working every evening and weekend at the start: it was exciting – it was this little secret we had,” Lucy says.

That same year, the couple presented Will’s father with his very own gin as a birthday gift, created specifically to challenge his long-standing complaint that no gin was dry enough. The couple gave their creation the fitting name “Professor Lowe’s Raspingly Dry Gin” – and it was this spirit which caused the moment when the Lowes realised they’d struck on something special. “Will’s uncle was staying with Will’s father, and they’d run out of the gin we’d made,” Lucy explained. “They offered Will’s uncle any one of all the many other gins in the cupboard but in the absence of ours he refused, choosing a beer instead: that’s when we knew...”

First came the tailored gins: created (as the ‘Raspingly Dry Gin’ was) specifically for individuals to meet their unique tastes and requirements. Tailoring clients

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FO O D & D R I N K sit down with Will to sample different botanical distillates while he works slowly towards blending the client’s perfect gin – a service which they still offer to this day, to some extremely high-end businesses including British Airways, many Cambridge University colleges and the House of Lords, as well as discerning individuals looking for the ‘pinnacle of spirits personalisation’. The couple are steadfastly discreet about which particular famous faces have come through the Distillery’s doors, but will reveal that Olympians, actors and “national-treasure-status” TV presenters are amongst their alumni.

After tailoring, came the Seasonal Gins: biannual, limited edition spirits first exclusively stocked by London’s Selfridges, created from botanicals harvested in the preceding six months.

Lucy and Will had been collecting seasonal botanicals to use in the creation of their clients’ tailored gins, but realised these distillates had additional potential as sapid recordings of the passing years. u

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“Cambridge will soon be known for world-leading gin” Despite their relatively low profile (“We had a Twitter account for the distillery, and I think this was around the very early days of Instagram, so nothing was happening there yet – and we had a website, which Will had built himself – but that was basically it,” says Lucy), the sheer quality of the spirits being created by this duo was starting to attract national attention, and it was clear that the couple would have to make some changes.

“In 2012 Will went part time with his job in London: I was first to give in my notice, so I could do all the admin behind the scenes,” Lucy said. “We needed Will for the tailorings, of course, and then I did everything else around that – the bookings, invoicing and so on – and even distilling while he was still working. I remember giving in my notice and I was shaking, because it was such a big step for us: and my manager just went: “Oh, that’s a shame, but best of luck” – it was such an anti-climax!” Lucy laughs.

In 2014 the Seasonal Gins were followed by Japanese Gin, the first in this now hugely popular sector, created from delicate Japanese flavours that were extractable via vacuum distillation and had been previously uncapturable in gin form – and then came their classic Cambridge Dry Gin, created from botanicals found in the couple’s back garden, and the fields and hedgerows

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where they walked Darcy. There’s also a gin made from ants – one of the world’s most expensive gins – a truffle gin designed as a digestif and a never-ending line of monthly experimental spirits in the form of their limited-edition Prototype series: looking at their list of creations, it’s fairly straightforward to understand why the distillery’s been named threeconsecutive times as the most innovative spirit-makers in the world.

The days of churning rotary evaporators burbling happily in the Lowes’ living room are long gone: nowadays the couple head up a team of 30 across two sites: the Cambridge Gin Laboratory in the centre of our city, which teaches keen gin enthusiasts about the spirits they create, how to taste gin like a professional and even blend their very own bottle; and the Grantchesterbased showroom and distillery itself.

Lucy now heads up the branding and marketing side of the business while Will leads on product development and works closely with his sales team, developing relationships and introducing new clients to their ever-growing range of exceptional spirits – all still distilled, bottled and sealed by hand back in Cambridge.

So, what’s next? “We’ve got big plans,” says Will. “Collaborations with names such as Cambridge University Botanic Garden and Cambridge Satchel Company

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Images Will and Lucy have expanded the business from its beginnings in their sitting room to encompass the Cambridge Gin Laboratory on Green Street and the showroom and distillery in Grantchester

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are helping us speak to new audiences, all the while communicating the message of how we achieve previously impossible quality standards: fresh botanicals, individually distilled and expertly blended. We’re proud of our beginnings in the living room at home but, whilst we’re a local company, we have truly global aspirations. Cambridge has always been an international benchmark for academic quality: it will soon be known for world-leading gin, too.”

As you might expect, building a business together as husband and wife does mean it’s tricky to keep work and home life separate. “We do have regular meals out together, and we try our best to keep Sunday as a family day,” Lucy says, “with big roast dinners and long dog walks – they’re as sacred as they can be.” But no matter where the next few years might take this Cambridge-grown success story, there’s one thing that’s certain: they’re still both happiest where the business began, out in the fields with Darcy, watching the seasons change. l

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75 French Cheesecake H OW TO M A K E T H E B E S T

ALEX RUSHMER ADDS A DELICIOUS, BOOZY TWIST TO A LEMON CHEESECAKE WITH CHAMPAGNE CARAMEL SAUCE

The French 75 – a mix of gin, lemon juice, sugar and champagne – earned its moniker for its ability to do almost as much damage as the notoriously powerful 75mm field gun. Having been on the end of a barrage of French 75s, I can attest to this! Here, I’ve used the same flavours to create a delicious twist on a classic lemon cheesecake.

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SERVES 6-8 INGREDIENTS

l 3 20g digestive biscuits l 1 60g unsalted butter l 5 0g demerara sugar l 4 00g cream cheese l 7 5g icing sugar

l Z est and juice of two lemons l P inch salt

l 4 0ml dry gin

l 2 00ml double cream l 2 00g caster sugar

l 7 5g unsalted butter

l 1 50ml champagne or other dry sparkling wine

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

l L ine a 24cm spring form tin with two layers of cling

l

l

l l

l

l

film. Dice the butter and add to a small saucepan with the demerara sugar, then melt over a low heat.

B reak up the digestive biscuits and blitz to a coarse powder in a food processor. Once the butter has melted, gently pour into the food processor and combine with the biscuit crumbs. Press the biscuit mixture into the bottom of the tin and press down firmly with your fingers. Leave to set in the fridge.

B eat the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the icing sugar, lemon zest and juice, salt and gin, and mix well. Add the cream and continue to mix until the mixture begins to thicken. Test for a balance of acidity and sweetness. If it needs more acidity, add lemon; more sweetness, add sugar. Take care not to over-mix or the cream will begin to split.

S poon the filling onto the base and set in the fridge.

F or the champagne caramel, add the sugar to a heavy-bottomed saucepan and place over a medium heat. Add the champagne to another pan and bring to the boil. Reduce until you have about 100ml of liquid. Cook the sugar until it melts and begins to caramelise – if you have a thermometer, you’re looking for a temperature of 160-170°C. O nce it reaches a dark caramel, remove from the heat and whisk in the butter. Once fully combined, slowly pour in the champagne – be careful as it will bubble up. Whisk to combine, then allow to cool.

D rizzle the caramel over the cheesecake and serve.

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© CHARLOTTE GRIFFITHS

FO O D & D R I N K

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

INTRODUCING VANDERLYLE ALEX RUSHMER SHARES THE STORY OF HOW HIS NEW MILL ROAD RESTAURANT, WHICH OPENS THIS MONTH, CAME TO FRUITION

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ay back in October last year, it was with some degree of trepidation – but mostly a significant level of excitement – I announced I would be opening a new restaurant on Mill Road.

The timeline of the project actually goes back further than that, with ideas being thrown around ever since I returned from Switzerland at the end of 2017.

The genesis was an amorphous mass of swirling plans hooked on the briefest of concepts. Watching it evolve and take shape ever since has been an adventure in and of itself and, after a lengthy and sometimes difficult gestation, those feelings of trepidation and excitement are swelling up once again as we get ever closer to opening the doors.

For so long, Vanderlyle was nothing more than an idea. It swam around in a small but collective conscious, devoid of mass and meaning outside our own thoughts. Some time after, it became renders on a screen and printouts on pages and pages of A3 paper – the core ideas providing a central hook on which to build a truly exciting and wholly contemporary restaurant space.

Our first designs were scrapped after we began peeling off the layers of what had once been the franchise of a global sandwich company. Underneath the laminate flooring, yellow and green liveried fascia and plastic-clad walls was the shell of something far more exciting, with a historical relevance we did not expect. I came to Cambridge too late to personally experience Barney’s but, having sought out tales of its significance – and seen ghosts of its past gradually reveal themselves as we stripped out the trappings of the sandwich shop – we completely changed our design plan to incorporate as much of the previous inhabitant of 38-40 Mill Road as possible.

Below a thick layer of cement was the original terrazzo tile floor. Beneath beige tiles was a wall bearing graffiti, smoke damage and signage saying ‘merchandise in this store is protected’. Once the illuminated shop sign was removed, the CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

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Alex and Lawrence Butler, his restaurant partner

outline of the original name was revealed in an evocative shadow. These, more than anything else, provided context for why we so desperately wanted to be a part of Mill Road’s wonderful community and why we – a firmly independent business – felt it was the perfect place to create a small restaurant.

Although we have been relatively transparent about what Vanderlyle is, we’ve been slightly reticent about exact details. More than anything, Vanderlyle is about delicious food. We have spent months seeking out wonderful local and independent suppliers, farmers, growers, producers and artisans. The restaurant is, above all else, an opportunity for us to showcase the work of committed and hard-working individuals.

The menu is comprised of five courses that ebb and flow with the seasons, wholly dependent on the produce delivered to us every morning by our suppliers. Rather than being led by the kitchen, we allow the fields and farmers to set the direction the menu takes each day. This represents a significant but important shift from the way in which most restaurants work. The main restaurant space will seat 22, with four

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more seats available as countertop seating at the pass, with a view directly into the open kitchen. This represents another shift; in most restaurants, the kitchen space is completely separate from the dining area. After spending years hidden away from the people I was cooking for, with only brief interactions, it was a central pillar of the plan that Vanderlyle avoids that separation.

In order to facilitate a genuine balance between work and home for our staff, we are opening for four evenings a week.

Built into this is the time and space to create unique one-off events over the course of the year. We may open for the occasional bank holiday brunch or be tempted to cook a roast on a few Sundays a year. The welcoming and open kitchen is the perfect place to host cookery lessons or private parties. The space is a flexible one we want to share with you in as many ways as possible once we open the doors. We can’t wait to see you there soon! l M A R C H 2 019

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COCKTAILS& CAPPUCCINOS THERE’S NOTHING MORE INDULGENT THAN A BOOZY BRUNCH: HERE’S WHERE TO GO IN CAMBRIDGE FOR A LATE MORNING FEAST WITH ATTITUDE

MILLWORKS Perched on the edge of the Mill Pond, MillWorks is part of the Cambscuisine collection of restaurants which includes favourites like the Chop Houses and The Cock at Hemingford Grey. Get your brunch off to a flying start with Sweeney Todd’s Bloody Mary, which can be tailored with your choice of spirit, or get stuck into a steaming pot of Hot Numbers coffee. The brunch menu includes a behemoth of a full English breakfast, with smoked streaky bacon, sausages, black pudding, fried eggs, grilled mushrooms and toasted sourdough – plus a helping of MillWorks’ lavish, pulled meat BBQ beans. There’s more slow-cooked, meaty joy to be had with beef brisket on toast, plus stateside-inspired pancakes with bacon or chicken waffles with maple syrup.

BEST FOR: BARBECUE LOVERS

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C A F É FOY

With a prime location on Quayside, Café Foy is a lovely spot for brunch with a gaggle of friends, especially on a sunny day when you can snap up a table outside overlooking the river. It may only have been open since last spring, but this pretty cafe has become a favourite with foodies for its epic toasties and luxury Scotch eggs. For brunch, you can keep it virtuous with home-made granola, or indulge with a grilled ham and cheese croissant. There’s also scrambled eggs on toast with sausages from Radmore Farm, plus smashed avocado on toast with grilled halloumi. A mimosa will set you back £4, or there are Bloody Marys for £6 a piece. Those in possession of a student card can take advantage of a brunch for £10 deal which includes eggs on toast with salmon or eggs on toast with bacon and sausage, with either a Bloody Mary or a mimosa.

BEST FOR: RIVERSIDE FROLICS AND PEOPLE WATCHING

T HE PE T ER SF IEL D There’s a lot to love about The Petersfield, with its cosy decor, welcoming atmosphere, abundance of board games and suntrap courtyard. From 11am to 4pm, Saturdays are all about brunch and bubbles – with the option for adding bottomless prosecco to your brekkie dish of choice for £19.95. Foodwise, tuck into smoked salmon bagels, poached eggs on English muffins, bubble and squeak with haddock – the stacks of buttermilk pancakes are unmissable too.

There’s usually a lively atmosphere at this Sturton Street pub come Saturday afternoon, so you’ll be tempted to stay and continue indulging but if you’re after a change of scenery, mosey up the road for a pint at Calverley’s Brewery.

BEST FOR: DAY TIME PROSECCO SESSIONS

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FO O D & D R I N K

C A M BR IDGE COOK ERY Airy and laid-back with a Scandinavian vibe, Cambridge Cookery has been picking up fans with its excellent weekend bistro nights. But did you know it also does a mean line of brunches? The menu takes inspiration from around the world – from Swedish platters of pickled herring, dark rye and Västerbotten mature cheese, to Turkish-style poached eggs in hot chilli butter with homemade sourdough bread. There’s also porridge adorned with seasonal fruits, pancakes, French toast and all sorts of freshly baked pastries to be enjoyed. Drinks include fizz, Aperol Spritz and Bloody Marys.

BEST FOR: SOPHISTICATED FOOD IN A RELAXED SET TING

BEST FOR: A CELEBRATORY CITY CENTRE BRUNCH

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FITZBILLIES

Part of Cambridge life since 1920, Fitzbillies is a local institution most famous for its cakes and legendary sticky buns. But have you heard that the original Trumpington Street cafe is also an in-the-know brunch gem? Pull up a chair in the cheery cafe and feast on fluffy pancakes dripping with maple syrup, (or Chelsea bun syrup if you’d rather!), minute steak with eggs and caper salsa or steaming bowls of spicy shakshuka. The Full Fitzbillies – with its plump sausages (sourced from Mill Road Butchers), thick slices of sourdough toast, smoked bacon and chunky hash browns takes some beating, plus there’s veggie and vegan options. Wash it all down with mimosas, bellinis and Bloody Marys.

Brunch is served from opening until 4pm.

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FO O D & D R I N K

S I X AT T H E VA R S I T Y For sheer wow factor, the sixth-floor restaurant at The Varsity Hotel is hard to beat.

Slurp on a spiced Bloody Mary or a Breakfast Martini (with marmalade!) while you admire panoramic views of the Cambridge skyline through floor-to-ceiling windows. You might even be lucky enough to snap up a seat on the balcony in summer. Either way, you’ll dine in style at this gorgeous eaterie, where the brunch menu is served on weekends until 2pm. The bestseller is the smashed avocado with poached eggs and chilli flakes on sourdough.

BEST FOR: BRUNCH WITH A VIEW

PA R K ER ’ S TAV ER N

The Parker’s Tavern website proclaims: ‘A good breakfast is the jewel in the crown of British feasting’.

We couldn’t agree more. It’s no surprise they go to town on the brunch offering at this swanky city centre hotel, but the good news is you don’t have to be a guest to join the late-morning fun.

Full English, waffles, pancakes, porridge and more can be enjoyed in the old school cool of the restaurant, with Bloody Marys and Buck’s Fizz to slake your thirst.

BEST FOR: A SPECIAL OCCASION BRUNCH

R EL E VA N T R ECOR D C A F É

Buzzing with brunchers every weekend, Relevant Records Café on Mill Road welcomes those in search of food, drink and good music. Tuck into the zingy sriracha Eggs Relevant or try the warming, chorizo-studded Mexican brekkie. Prosecco is served by the bottle or glass and, post-brunch, you can make your way downstairs and have a pootle around the retro-style record shop.

BEST FOR: VINYL FANS AND ROMSEY TOWNERS

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Drinks TROLLEY

New location for 1815 Bar Slap bang in the middle of the city centre but completely concealed from view, there’s every chance you’ve not come across 1815, a vintagefeel bar tucked behind the historic Round Church on Bridge Street. It’s housed in a rather spectacular Victorian Gothic building which dates back around 160 years, and is open all day every day, serving coffees, alcoholic drinks and light bites. Originally open only to the Cambridge Union Society and its members, the bar opened its doors to the public in 2016, becoming popular for its cheap pints of beer, music events and good coffee. 1815 is now entering a new era, having moved into the building’s historic

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Dining Room, which was traditionally used as the location for dinners before debates – consequently it’s had a number of impressive visitors including Professor Stephen Hawking and the Dalai Lama, to name just a couple. The new bar lets customers immerse themselves in the rich history of the Union by opening this space to the public for first time ever. The claret walls are lined with photos of former debaters, observing you as you sip on beers, wines, great gin and tonics and tasty cocktails. There’s fair trade Union hand-roasted Peruvian coffee too, plus savoury snacks and sweet treats.

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D R I N KS

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

CARDAMOM AND BLACKBERRY SOUR THE TEAM AT 1815 BAR SHARE A ZINGY COCKTAIL RECIPE WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• 25ml Crème de Mûre (Blackberry Liqueur) • 25ml gin (We like to use Cambridge Dry) • 40ml fresh lemon juice • 2 dashes of Cardamom Bitters • Egg white HOW TO MAKE IT

Slowly and carefully separate the egg white from the yolk. Add all of the above ingredients and use a shaker to mix everything together. Give it a good shake over ice, discard the ice from the shaker, and give it another – what we call in the business – dry shake. This will help the egg white emulsify and give the cocktail a nice, silky, frothy texture. Strain the now ready mixture into your favourite glass (we recommend either a martini/coupette glass, or a nice tumbler), and garnish with some blackberries and/or lemon peels. Voila!

“A fresh, zingy combination of berries and gin, this is the perfect cocktail for spring” CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

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Grapes of Wrath SAM OWENS, OWNER OF DRINKS SHOP THIRSTY, ON WHAT BREXIT MIGHT MEAN FOR THE WORLD OF WINE

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t the time of writing, no-one knows what will happen to the UK after 29 March. Will it be off the cliff with no deal, will the government keep kicking the can down the street, or will politicians miraculously seize victory from the jaws of defeat?

I’m not here to talk politics, but I can tell you for sure that a no-deal Brexit will have significant consequences on the drinks business, and consumers will end up paying more for their tipple. Most of the wine we drink comes from across the Channel. At present, as part of the EU, the UK uses the EU’s Excise Movement and Control System (EMCS).

This enables a supplier in one country to log a shipment electronically and for it to pass pretty seamlessly across borders to the end destination. This will all stop if we exit the EU without a deal – and probably even if we somehow manage to cobble together an agreement.

Couple that with the likelihood of a further fall in sterling (making everything

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from abroad more expensive to buy), the introduction of tariffs and general gridlock at ports on both sides of the Channel, it seems a sensible idea to stock up on your favourite drops now.

We’ve always been very Europe-focused with our range of wines at Thirsty. I used to live in France and still own a wholesale distribution business in the Alps so I have a fondness for it. Here’s a trio of fantastic European wines on the shelves at Thirsty this month, including at our fab new site Thirsty & Hungry on King Street.

Bruno Bouche Etre a l’Ouest 2017 – a fresh, juicy Chardonnay from the foothills of the Pyrenees, this one is unoaked, unfiltered, unfined and unbelievably tasty (£15).

Principio Moristel Somantano 2016 – a delicious red from indigenous Spanish variety Moristel, with only 12.5% ABV (£12.20).

Arndorfer Handcrafted Gruner Veltliner 2017 – a funky white from Austria, also unfiltered and unfined, with the juice being left in contact with the skins to add texture to the wine (£16.40).

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WEDDINGS

PLAN YOUR DREAM CAMBRIDGE

Wedding

FROM THE DREAM VENUE TO A SHOWSTOPPING CAKE AND JAW-DROPPING FLOWERS, SIOBHAN GODWOOD HAS ROUNDED UP ALL YOU NEED FOR THE PERFECT CAMBRIDGESHIRE WEDDING

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WEDDINGS

The perfect setting WHETHER YOU’RE DREAMING OF A RURAL IDYLL OR A CHIC CITY WEDDING, CAMBRIDGE AND THE SURROUNDING VILLAGES HAVE SOMETHING TO OFFER EVERYONE

TUDDENHAM MILL A stunningly converted historic watermill set in a picturesque location on a millpond, Tuddenham Mill is close to both Newmarket and Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, and it isn’t far from Cambridge, either. For smaller weddings, the restaurant – with its traditional beamed ceiling and view over the millpond – or the Terrace private dining room are both perfect choices, while for bigger gatherings you can have exclusive hire of the entire venue. tuddenhammill.co.uk

HO T EL DU V I N

Hotel du Vin’s Trumpington Street building used to be part of the university and has a wonderfully traditional ambience. The hotel’s interior has been recently refurbished and has two several stunning options for your big day. Choose between the Lombard – a room packed with period details and a bespoke mural covering an entire wall – or the Library, which is an informal and relaxed setting filled with comfy sofas. Whether you want a five-course wedding breakfast, a casual buffet or a bespoke dining experience created just for you by your dedicated wedding planner and sommelier, Hotel du Vin is the perfect chic location for a stylish city wedding. hotelduvin.com/locations/cambridge/weddings

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T HE GR A N A RY ES TAT ES In the charming village of Woodditton, just 15 miles outside Cambridge, the 18th-century Granary Estates offers the perfect setting for a relaxed and intimate wedding day – providing space, flexibility and plenty of originality and character. With two barns licensed for civil ceremonies, the barns can accommodate up to 175 guests and are surrounded by picturesque cornfields and beautiful woodlands, with an idyllic courtyard nestled in the centre.

The Granary Estates barns have flint walls and exposed original flint beams throughout, to give a classic yet contemporary feel. There are three original barns, linked by an open glass walkway, with a stunning private CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

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courtyard, which has been beautifully landscaped and features original farming antiques to complement the setting.

The award-winning team at The Granary Estates is experienced in helping couples organise their special day, from the early booking stages until the last guest leaves.

The venue also offers on-site accommodation in the form of two Granary Cottages, located down a quiet driveway and surrounded by peaceful fields. They both have three double bedrooms, fully equipped kitchens and private gardens. Meadow Cottage also boats an impressive make-up lounge, which is the perfect location for bridal parties when getting ready. thegranaryestates.co.uk M A R C H 2 019

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SHEENE MILL Sheene Mill is a picturesque, 16th-century, Grade II listed watermill is on the banks of the River Mel, with gorgeous views over the millpond and beautiful landscaped gardens.

The building is packed with original features, including open fireplaces and exposed beams, and the banqueting rooms are truly luxurious, making it a really special place for big parties or more intimate gatherings. You get exclusive use for your big day, and there are in-house caterers and a team ready and waiting to help you plan your perfect wedding.

Sheene Mill is running a wedding fair on 16 March – the perfect opportunity to view the venue and find out more. sheenemill.com/weddings

HO T EL F EL I X

A beautiful, statuesque Victorian mansion two miles from the centre of Cambridge, Hotel Felix has a variety of locations for the ceremony, including a romantic outdoor gazebo. You can enjoy a delicious sit-down meal either in the hotel’s Graffiti restaurant or in one of the private dining rooms, then spill out into the gorgeous orangery and onto landscaped gardens, which make a dream backdrop for wedding photographs. hotelfelix.co.uk

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Blooms & bakes FIND OUT WHAT’S IN FASHION FOR FLORALS, FROM VINTAGE-INSPIRED BOUQUETS TO CASCADING CHANDELIERS OF FRESH FLOWERS, AND DISCOVER HOW THE HARRY-AND-MEGHAN EFFECT IS IMPACTING THE LATEST WEDDING CAKE TRENDS

T HE C A M BR IDGE F LOW ER SCHOOL Wedding flowers are important for any couple – whether it’s arrangements at the ceremony, bouquets for the bride or buttonholes for the groom. The blooms you choose might be your favourite flowers, or something that blends in with a colour scheme or expresses your personality. Sarah Clerke, from The Cambridge Flower School, gives us her insider info on the what’s big in bouquets for 2019: For the last few years the vintage bridal trend has been going strong, and that doesn’t seem to be changing. The flowers vintage brides tend to ask for are big, loose, blousy arrangements.

If anything, bouquets seem to be getting bigger and looser for 2019!

There’s often the idea that a loose arrangement might be cheaper – you get brides asking for flowers that look ‘as if they’ve just been picked out the garden’. But prices are based on the effort and time that goes into design, arrangement and the cost of each flower, and it takes a lot of work to make flowers look natural and wild.

BIG AND BLOUSY:

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TRAILING FLOWERS: Shower arrangements – which are long, trailing bouquets – are coming back into fashion and, again, they tend to be getting bigger and bigger.

BRIGHT AND BOLD: One thing that has changed a bit is the colours brides are going for – we’re starting to move away from the very muted pale pinks towards more oranges, red, pinks and lime green.

HANGING GARDENS: Arrangements for venues go through fashions just as much as bridal flowers do. Right now, we are seeing lots of hanging floral designs: chandeliers of cascading flowers and moongates, which are like archways covered with flowers for people to stand under. Again, the fashion for these is all very loose and natural looking.

THE CAMBRIDGE FLOWER SCHOOL:

Sarah and her team can organise flower arranging courses for bridesto-be and bridal parties. They also hold career courses for bridal floristry – the next one is 20 to 24 May. thecambridgeflowerschool.co.uk

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WEDDINGS

TAKING THE CAKE Just like dresses and flowers, there are trends in wedding cakes, too. We spoke to Jessica Baines from One Part Love Bakery and Gemma Whiting from The Linton Kitchen to find out more about what’s big in baking, exciting in icing and current in cakes.

MINIMALIST STYLING: “Semi-naked cakes are still a big trend,” says Jess. “Naked cakes have no icing at all, and semi-naked ones have just a fine covering of buttercream. This trend has been around for a couple of years now and we are still seeing lots of couples choosing it.”

© LINTON KITCHEN

CAKESCAPES: “Weddings are very expensive, so one thing couples can do is go for a ‘cakescape’, which combines the cake and the dessert course in one,” explains Gemma. “This set-up is ideal for a more informal wedding, especially for couples who have chosen food trucks for the catering. It often includes a traditional cutting cake – to keep the parents happy – but also features towering brownie mountains, stacks of shortbread or oozing caramel bundts.”

KEEP IT FRESH: “Fresh flowers are still a really big trend,” says Jess. “Couples can coordinate the look with their bouquets and table settings, and a bonus is that it’s a lot cheaper than having sugar flowers on your cake.”

THE HARRY-AND-MEGHAN EFFECT: “Since the royal wedding last year, I’ve had lots of requests for lemon and elderflower cake,” says Jess. “No one ever asked for it before! It’s now on my list of flavours.

Anything lemony is really popular now and it goes very well with buttercream.”

CAKE TABLE STYLING: With Pinterest, Instagram and wedding hashtags, there are lots of photo opportunities at a wedding. “At The Linton Kitchen, we don’t just deliver a cake – we style it and place it in its setting,” says Gemma. “For example, the couple can choose an item that’s special to them – like a grandmother’s dressing table – and, in collaboration with Anna’s Flower Farm, we style the cakes in situ.”

CHANGING SHAPES: “Although most people go for round cakes, occasionally a couple will request a more quirky tall, square cake”, reports Jess. “What we have noticed is that cakes are getting taller and thinner – still with three tiers but with each tier being higher.

This can look really striking.”

© ONE PART LOVE

CLASSIC CAKES: “The vintage wedding trend is still going strong,” says Jess, “and a classic Victoria sponge works really well with this kind of wedding, so it’s becoming a very popular choice. However, we get virtually no requests for old-fashioned fruit cakes any more. Sometimes, a couple will get a mini fruit cake to please a relative who wants something traditional, but it’s never the main cake flavour any more.”

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FROM THE GARDEN: “Inspired by foraging, my love of gardening and seasonal ingredients, in 2019 I’ll be heading to the garden to see what’s looking and tasting good for the season and using flowers and herbs to delicately flavour The Linton Kitchen bakes,” predicts Gemma. lintonkitchen.co.uk | onepartlove.co.uk

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Put a ring on it STEVEN COLLINS, HEAD OF JEWELLERY, SILVER AND WATCHES AT CHEFFINS, EXPLAINS HOW TO FIND YOUR DREAM ENGAGEMENT RING AT AUCTION

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uying at auction allows you to find rings at amazing prices, far below new prices or even prices in second-hand jeweller’s windows. Of course, you may not have the widest range of choice at auction, but if you do find a ring you like, you’re onto a winner financially. Also, many people like the idea of an antique ring; something that has a story to tell and is different to the new rings found in the shops. Often, old-fashioned cuts and settings can have a certain je ne sais quoi, which may not be found with a new or second-hand option. With many jewellers seeing markups of up to 300%, auction houses can often be places to find pieces by some of the world’s most prestigious jewellery makers. Think names like Kutchinsky, Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and so on, which usually would be out of most people’s price ranges.

A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE

Remember, this ring may well be on your fiancée’s finger every day for the rest of her life, so be mindful of longevity.

Some gemstones are far stronger and more resilient than others. Diamonds are the hardest natural substance on Earth, so it’s no coincidence they are the most popular stone for engagement rings. Next on the scale of hardness is a mineral called corundum. Most people have never heard of it, until they realise

blue corundum is sapphire, and red corundum is ruby! Again, this means it’s no coincidence ruby and sapphire follow close behind diamonds as favourites for engagement rings. It is for this reason the ‘softer’ gemstones, such as opal, pearl and turquoise, are rarely used in engagement rings.

BANG FOR YOUR BUCK

It’s worth setting your budget before you attend the auction. Don’t forget to factor in additional costs, such as buyers’ premium and VAT. Buyers’ premiums vary between different auction houses – we usually charge 22.5% – so it’s worth bearing this in mind when you are bidding for an engagement ring.

COMPLEMENTARY COUNTERPART

Next to bear in mind is there is a good chance this ring will be worn against a wedding ring. It’s important the two rings sit well together, so definitely keep that in mind when looking at different designs.

When visiting the auction, ask for a wedding ring to try on together with the engagement ring and see how they look next to one another. Remember, you will be looking at this combination for the rest of your life, so if it bugs you now, it’s unlikely you will get used to it.

THE PERFECT FIT

Keep in mind that there are 52 ring sizes.

So the chances of you finding a ring you like that fits is one in 52! Ensure the ring style is suitable for altering to your finger size. Most rings can be altered easily, but some can’t, so make sure to establish this before committing to the ring.

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FOR A FIRST-TIMER

If you are a first-timer, don’t forget someone at the auction house will be willing to help you on the day. They can even bid on your behalf if you would like.

Similarly, if you aren’t able to attend the sale, don’t forget you can bid online or over the phone.

SIMPLY THE BEST

Go for the very best you can afford – this may sound like a sales pitch, but the value and beauty will be remembered long after the price has been forgotten!

The next jewellery, silver and watches sale at Cheffins in Cambridge takes place on 11 April. The company’s gemmologists can also assist and advise on the valuation of jewellery, silver and watches. cheffins.co.uk/fine-art

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B E AU T Y

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BEAUTY I

’ve been colouring my hair since the ’90s, and while my style has improved, the long-term use and build-up from dyeing has definitely taken its toll on my locks. Colouring your hair is one of the easiest ways to shake up your style, but harsh chemicals can, of course, be damaging. If you colour your hair, are considering it, or if your barnet could just generally do with a little TLC, read on for my favourite rescue remedies for a vibrant, shiny mane.

Haircare for me absolutely has to start with a great shampoo and conditioner. If you’re colouring, it’s well worth investing in one that’s either designed to prolong your hue or doesn’t add extra chemicals. Tints of Nature Sulfate-Free Shampoo (£6.99, tintsofnature.com) is free from skinirritating sulfates, salt and silicone, making it perfect for sensitive skin.

I’m really into shampoo bars at the moment in the fight against plastics, and Procoal’s new range of botanical bars (which promise to do the job of three 250g bottles of traditional liquid shampoo) are eco-friendly and vegan (£6.95, procoal. co.uk). Pop into Superdrug and you’ll find vegan brand Noughty’s Colour Bomb Shampoo and Conditioner (£6.99 each), or Blondie Locks for blondes. They smell amazing, are a decent price and keep your colour popping.

A colour extender is a great way to add life in-between salon trips. Christophe Robin’s Shade Variation Care range (£41, Space NK) is ammonia, paraben, silicone and oxidant free. Pop it on as you would a mask and get a hint of colour and

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tone, which lasts for around three to five shampoos. For something a little less spendy, but with great colour options, try OSMO Colour Save (£7.30, feelunique. com). Infused with avocado oil, it’s ace for fighting the fade! And for insane shine, Rita Hazan True Colour Ultimate Shine Gloss (£21, selfridges.com) offers five shade revivors that can be applied in-shower for a speedy makeover.

One of the biggest banes of coloured hair is heat styling, particularly the prolonged use of tools like hairdryers and straighteners, which can leave hair dull and lifeless – far from the vibrancy you’d want after changing or enhancing your hair.

Remington has launched the Advanced Colour Protect range at Boots, with a dryer (£79.99), straighteners (£99.99) and curling wand (£44.99). Designed to help preserve colour vibrancy, all three products feature intelligent sensors that continuously regulate the temperature of the tools to prevent overheating, reducing the hair damage that can cause colour fade. If you have been unfortunate enough to suffer the ill-effects of heat styling, try to reduce the time you use electrical tools and use a good protectant like VO5 Heat Protect Styling Spray (£4.39, Superdrug).

And when all else fails, smother your locks in a nice thick mask. Why not try a restorative one, like the Moroccanoil Intense Hydrating Mask (£21.99, additionallengths.co.uk)? l

“I'm really into shampoo bars in the fight against plastics” CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

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WORDS BY DAISY DICKINSON

THE ONE THAT I WANT

Living Proof is my new favourite haircare brand for simple, effective products. The latest to hit the shelves is the Perfect hair Day (PhD) Body Builder (£23, livingproof. co.uk). I first used this during a stay in New York to revive winter-worn hair and was impressed with its ability to boost body and bounce. The clever little nozzle makes it easy to control the amount of product you use, dialling up to ‘M’ for more volume and down to ‘L’ for less.

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INDEPENDENT OF THE MONTH

The Geographer ONLY A SHORT HOP FROM CENTRAL CAMBRIDGE IS THE PRETTY VILLAGE OF IMPINGTON. THERE YOU’LL FIND THE UNIQUE CAFE, DELI AND SHOP, THE GEOGRAPHER. SIOBHAN GODWOOD FINDS OUT MORE

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he people of Cambridgeshire are extremely blessed to have a city bursting with character and culture – but we are also very fortunate in the county’s many picturesque and vibrant villages. A lot are within very short distance of the city and often feature fantastic pubs, restaurants, delis or cafes.

Impington is one such village and is home to The Geographer: a cafe, deli and shop run by husband-and-wife team, Caroline and David Child.

“We have been here for just over five years,” says Caroline, “and prior to that we ran Norfolk Street Deli in Cambridge. We made the move to Impington because we lived in the village, our children went to school here and, at the time, we felt that a cafe would fit in really well with the community”.

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Caroline and David kept their eyes open for a suitable venue and, luckily, a building became available that had been a travel agent previously. “David and I did a round-the-world trip about 15 years ago, and when we were in Malaysia we visited a cafe we really loved called The Geographer.

David also studied Geography at university and loves everything to do with maps and travel, so that was the main inspiration behind the name and the theme. But then when we found this location and it was full of old maps, it seemed a bit like it was meant to be!”

The theme of the cafe has been quite useful for deciding on decor and stock, as Caroline has used lots of maps on the tables and the walls of the cafe – and they sell travel-related gifts and cards, too.

“Even if people don’t like geography,” says Caroline, “we’ve discovered everyone likes maps – so it’s been really fun to base our business around that idea, and it gives The Geographer its own unique character.”

The cafe offers a range of snacks, breakfasts, lunches and sweet treats, including sandwiches, baked potatoes, hot meals, salads – and, of course, lots of cakes. “One thing we’ve noticed in the last couple of years is the rise in the number of customers looking for dairy-free, glutenfree or vegan cakes,” explains Caroline.

“When we first opened, we never had anyone asking for vegan food, although we always had one vegan cake. Now we have at least three vegan cakes every day and

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three different non-dairy milks for tea and coffee. That change happened really fast, and it’s good that people are more health conscious – although, luckily for us, they still eat a lot of cake!”

As The Geographer is family run, it’s easy for David and Caroline to adapt what they do, change the menus and run specials in response to what their customers want, or to reflect changing food trends. They make about half the cakes themselves, and half are more specialised items they buy in from local suppliers. “We use a lot of local suppliers, including Calverley’s Brewery, Cobs Bakery, owned by Fitzbillies, for some of our bread, and Cambridge Wine Merchants,” says Caroline. “We also sell local honey, jams and pickles, as well as apple juice from Cambridge Juice Company. Our coffee comes from a fantastic ethical roastery called Nude, which is based in London.”

As well as the fantastic food offering, The Geographer is a deli and shop, with a range of meals which can be bought from the freezer pre-prepared and served at home, and a wide selection of gifts, wine, stationery, cards, toiletries, ceramics and pottery. As people become aware of their plastic consumption, a recent initiative that has proven popular is The Geographer’s ethical refills: customers can bring their own container and purchase toiletries and cleaning products at a discounted price.

Caroline and David have always liked the idea of a business that fulfils more than

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one purpose, and it fits particularly well into village life, where people might want to pick up cards and gifts while they eat their lunch, or pick up a snack when they’re browsing for something for their home.

“The other plus,” adds Caroline, “is even if we’re not busy, the fact there’s lots to look at and do means there’s always a good atmosphere here. Over the years, we’ve become a really central part of village life, with lots of loyal regular customers we’ve got to know really well.” The Geographer is no more than two miles from Cambridge city centre, so it’s within easy strolling or biking distance – as well as being very close to the guided busway for city dwellers who fancy a jaunt into the country for some coffee and cake.

David and Caroline also regularly open the doors in the evenings to run special events or courses, such as watercolour workshops, cake making, wine tasting and flower arranging. They’re planning an extension to the building so they can expand this side of the business – and it will give them the space for more seating in the cafe, too. So, now spring is well on the way, why not venture out the city and make a trip to Impington? You can be sure there’ll be a warm welcome, a mouthwatering slice of cake and a fantastic coffee waiting for you at The Geographer if you do. l The Geographer, 103 Station Road, Impington, Cambridge CB24 9NP facebook.com/TheGeographerDeli 01223 233228

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E D I T I O N LO V E S • CA M B R I D G E H O M E + GA R D E N S H O W • I N T E R I O R S T R E N D S

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A new era for Cheffins O

ne of the city’s most ubiquitous firms, Cheffins has been part of Cambridge life since back in 1825. Initially a small family business, the company has grown into market-leading local property advisers and auctioneers, with offices in Cambridge, Ely, Haverhill, Newmarket, Saffron Walden, Sutton and London.

You might know it best as an estate agency, but in fact the business has multiple, diverse strands. In addition to residential and commercial sales and lettings, Cheffins also has a regional fine art and antiques auction house, plus auctions agricultural machinery – a side of the business which sees the team selling hundreds of tractors each year all around the world.

Now just six years short of its 200th

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anniversary, Cheffins is entering a new era, having unveiled a major rebrand including a new logo and corporate colours, plus a new website. The big idea was to create a smart, recognisable new visual identity for this historic firm – remaining true to its heritage while refreshing the brand and bringing it right up to date. The overhauled website, meanwhile, now provides a much smoother, more user-friendly experience, which Cheffins hopes will enable it to increase its online presence and improve communication with clients.

“Cheffins has built a strong reputation following almost 200 years in business in the local area. However, our market research confirmed that evolving our corporate identity and updating our logo was the appropriate strategic move for

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us,” comments company chariman Bill King.

“This is an exciting time for our business and we feel confident our new logo, website and colours will ensure our brand is easily recognisable – enabling us to communicate the Cheffins message with renewed impact, while capturing the essence and personality of the firm.”

He adds: “This two-year project is indicative of our significant investment in the firm and commitment to Cheffins’ continued growth, alongside our confidence in our business regardless of today’s volatile markets. The comprehensive project has involved a complete revamp of all signage, advertising and key messages, allowing Cheffins to stand out against the competition as we head towards our 200-year anniversary in 2025.” l cheffins.co.uk

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The Cambridge

HOME& GARDEN SHOW AS THE CELEBRATION OF LOCAL DESIGN TALENT RETURNS WITH A WEEKEND OF INSPIRATION, WE REVIEW WHAT’S IN STORE

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esign lovers and interiors enthusiasts are in for a treat when the Cambridge Home + Garden Show makes a return over the weekend of 30-31 March. It’s the second outing for this event, which enjoyed a bustling debut in September 2017 and returns to the Guildhall this month to showcase the very best in home and garden design, with a Cambridge focus. Serving up an abundance of inspiration, visitors can expect a packed exhibition hall, plus talks, professional advice and a pop-up café to relax in.

From creating a beautiful floral tableau to making a lampshade, there will also be hands-on workshops to enjoy over the course of the weekend.

The show is the brainchild of Jennifer Chong, who spotted a gap in the market for an event which highlighted the local design industry. “As someone with a passion for interiors and having worked in the industry for a while, I have always enjoyed live experience events to pick up design inspiration and find out about new ideas and products. Until recently, these were almost entirely based in London but when I noticed regional events being held all over the country, I started to wonder why we didn’t have anything like this in Cambridgeshire, or even East Anglia,” she explains. “It felt like Cambridge needed an event to celebrate the design talent in the region and showcase the fantastic local businesses we have.”

If you’re planning a project in your home or garden, from a design update

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MEDIA PARTNER

or a new piece of furniture right the way through to a complete renovation, there’ll be plenty to admire among the stands, which will showcase everything from fabric to flooring ideas. Though diverse, the carefully curated exhibitors all share one thing: a commitment to providing first-rate products and services.

“I look for people and businesses who are experts in their field with a genuine passion for what they do,” says Jennifer.

“These values are inherent in independent businesses which is why I’ve placed such a strong focus on independents when curating the event. I haven’t excluded bigger brands, but I’m careful who to include to ensure that those who are involved will offer the same care and attention to customers and clients. I believe it’s the businesses that make up our local design industry that make the event unique.”

Building on the winning formula of 2017’s event, this year’s show will include a main exhibition hall, plus a pop-up café from Novi, who’ll be serving delicious

drinks and tasty treats throughout both days. Not to be missed this year is the Victorian room created by main sponsor Cambridge Classics, which will give visitors a chance to see some interiors fashions from history on the main stage.

EXHIBITOR HIGHLIGHTS

If you’re looking for completely unique new furniture for your home, check out Andrew Goyder, a Cambridge craftsman who creates elegant, bespoke chairs and other pieces that celebrate the beauty of real wood. Another local furniture maker sharing his work will be Adrian Parfitt, who has been a woodworker for the past 50 years, during which he’s created pieces for Oxford and Cambridge Universities and countless individuals. If you’re keen to learn the art of woodwork yourself, he also offers one-to-one tuition, suitable for both beginners and those at a more advanced level. Call by at his stand to find out more.

The Art Hound Gallery, usually found at Burwash Manor, will be showing off u

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Images (Clockwise from top) Philip Clay Designs, the exhibition hall at last year's event, Art of Flooring, Philip Clay Designs, Art of Flooring, David Hall Kitchen & Furniture Makers (Next page) Philip Clay Designs and AZ Interiors

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some of its collection, which focuses on Pop, Abstract and Urban art, plus Cheryl Warren will be showing her own large oil paintings, which are ideal for adding wow factor to your walls.

Cambridge Classics, a local business now in its 19th year, supplies wooden double-glazed windows and doors for your property, as well as renovation packages and hardwood window/door shutters, while Art of Flooring will be on hand to show you round its range of top-quality carpets, vinyl and solid wood flooring.

For those looking to refresh the design of their home and in need of a helping hand, AZ Interiors is an award-winning interior design studio which specialises in creating an interior to suit a client’s lifestyle. From layout to lighting, they’ve got years of expertise in helping clients unlock the full potential of their living spaces. You can also imagine the high tech possibilities of your home with Customised Home Technology, a company that creates Smart Home solutions which can give you control your lighting, security, TV and more at the touch of a button.

If you want to bring a bit of the outside in, new Cambridge company Small and Green will be on hand to tempt with hand-made terrariums and exquisite plants in beautiful pots, or to take a bit of the inside outside, check out the Cambridge Garden Studios stand, where you can learn more about their bespoke, luxury garden rooms, studios and offices.

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TALKS

There’s a busy line-up of speakers over the course of the weekend, including a look at how to increase light and space in your home with local company Go Glass, and a talk on how decluttering can heal your life, with Suzzy Smith from Suzanne Designs. Those seeking to add some art to their interiors will be spoiled for choice with talks from Natasha Dawn from The Art Hound Gallery, plus Cheryl Warren and Beau Brady from Beau Brady Interiors. For expert advice on designing a sustainable small garden, keep an ear out for Ben Cijffers from Cultivate Gardens Ltd, and for tips on avoiding common interior design mistakes, seek out speaker Alicia Zimnickas. A hit at the last event, Ask Me Anything returns to give visitors the opportunity to take part in a free 30-minute design consultation with a local professional, so be sure to take along all your burning design and interiors questions.

WORKSHOPS

There will be four workshops running over the course of the two days, including two dedicated to creating a colour wheel.

Hosted by Philip Clay Designs Ltd, these sessions offer a chance to explore colour with husband-and-wife design team Philip and Keighley, a furniture maker and textile designer. You’ll find out about the history and psychology of the colour wheel, then have the chance to paint your very own, creating a beautiful piece of art of your own to take home. You can

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N EED T O K NOW WHAT:

Weekend-long home and garden design show featuring a packed exhibition hall, expert speakers, hands-on workshops and a pop-up café from Novi.

WHEN:

30 and 31 March.

HOW MUCH:

Free, but tickets can be reserved online for speedy entry.

Details at camhomeshow.com

also make yourself a gorgeous lampshade with the help of The Cambridge Fabric Company, who invite you to join them for a workshop that’s ideal for beginners.

Wild Rosamund, the renowned Cambridge floristry company run by Bridget Davidson, will also be leading a session on creating a stunning miniature tableau using flowers, foliage, vintage containers and props. Booking for all is open now at the Cambridge Home + Garden Show website. l

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How does your

GARDEN GROW?

ANNA TAYLOR, OWNER OF ANNA’S FLOWER FARM IN AUDLEY END, SHARES WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE GARDEN THIS MONTH

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arch has always been a pivotal month. With the vernal equinox, the days and nights are of equal length, tipping us over into spring. In the Roman calendar, March was the first month of the year, and in Britain until 1752, Lady Day on 25 March was the beginning of the legal year. It seems far easier and more productive to make new year resolutions now than in dark, cold January.

The most changeable month, March is almost always windy. ‘In like a lamb and out like a lion, in like a lion and out like a lamb’ is an old saying that tends to be true – strong west winds bring rain, eastern northerly ones bring cold, while a southerly wind will dry out and warm the soil. Conditions will dictate what we can start doing in the garden. The tasks must wait if it is very wet and the soil sodden – otherwise, you can get out there, weed, prepare the ground, cut the grass and plant. Whatever the weather, the days lengthen, the sun is higher in the sky and March is one of the busiest gardening months of the year.

While I am desperate to sow seeds, there are very few I do sow until later in the month or April. Hold off and I promise you will have bigger and better plants to enjoy in the summer.

Remember those dahlias from my first column in November? Now we can get them out and start potting them up. We look for ‘eyes’, little growth points, and cut off all the tubers – if we don’t, they’ll come to nothing.

Then we either pot up in large pots of multipurpose compost under cover (out of the frost to start growing before planting out in late May) or grow on to take cuttings. This is such a satisfying job and really marks the beginning of the growing season for us. To make lots of new plants from the precious tubers we loved from the previous year is so satisfying, and you can do this with your newly bought tubers as well.

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those growth points. We use heat benches (heat cables running through sand boxes) to encourage faster growth, as we want to create as many plants as possible, but you can do this on your windowsill inside.

When you see a good, healthy shoot, you need to slice it off with a little piece of the tuber, then pot it, pressed into the side of a pot, to grow on. Don’t water too much and allow roots to drive down, creating strong new plants. These tiny cuttings will perform far better than last year’s tubers. Find a tutorial for this technique on our website and YouTube channel.

In the studio, we will be using our first bulbs: narcissus, early tulips, ranunculus, anemones and fritillaries. Our fruit trees are blossoming, and new growth enables us to create fresh arrangements with our bounty.

The availability of flowers and foliage to cut will from now on only get more bountiful.

Welcome to spring. l

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THIS MONTH

Anna’s at Cambridge Distillery on 30 March, running workshops on making hand-tied bouquets and jam jar posies (for children age 5+). You can also order gin and flower bouquet packages for Mother’s Day. annasflowerfarm.com

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INTERIORS

INTERIORS TREND REPORT: S

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WHETHER YOU'RE PLANNING A COMPLETE OVERHAUL OF YOUR HOME OR A SUBTLE REFRESH, ANGELINA VILLA-CLARKE HAS INSPIRATION AND ADVICE ON THE HOTTEST INTERIORS TRENDS FOR THE NEW SEASON

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here’s something invigorating about the start of spring that makes us want to overhaul our homes. Whether you are embarking on a major renovation or just after a tiny refresh, the latest new trends will give you endless inspiration.

The colours we choose to live with are one of the most important aspects of home décor. Last year, it was ‘millennial pink’ that had its moment in the spotlight, while grey, of course, has been our neutral of choice for the past few years now.

For 2019, things are looking brighter and bolder. Firstly, colour experts Pantone has announced that Living Coral – “an animated, life-affirming shade of orange, with golden undertones” – is its colour of the year.

While a bold, flat orange can look oldfashioned and harsh, coral, on the other hand, is a more gentle shade inspired by the beauty of coral reefs. Crown Paints’ ‘Dance Fever’ is perfect for accent walls or for making small areas ‘pop’, while the more subtle ‘Powdered Clay’, also by Crown Paints, gives more of a pared-back, organic look.

“Coral is an animated and optimistic shade,” agrees Sue Kim, senior colour designer at paint experts Valspar. “Our ‘Flamboyant Flamingo’ paint colour can add a sense of warmth and joy to any room in the house. Reminiscent of the natural world under the sea, it is a vibrant colour which will mesmerise in any area.”

Carrying on the oceanic theme, deep blues, such as dark teal and bold navy, are also on the horizon when it comes to on-trend colours.

Joa Studholme, colour curator at Farrow & Ball, has the ultimate eye for colour and gives her expert advice: “’De Nimes’, like the workwear fabric it is u

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Previous page Valspar Paint’s ‘Velvet Curtains’, from £28 for 2.5L Left Crown Paint’s ‘Mustard Jar’ and ‘Teal’, from £14 for 2.5L This page, clockwise from top Crown Paint’s ‘Dance Fever’, £13 for 2.5L, Valspar Paint’s ‘Flamboyant Flamingo’ and ‘Simply Brilliant’ colours, both from £28 for 2.5L

NEW HUES VANESSA ARBUTHNOTT ON HOW TO USE THE LATEST COLOURS IN THE HOME CORAL

A lovely Mediterranean terracotta will make a room instantly welcoming.

DUCK-EGG BLUE

This is a calming shade for a living room and works well with yellow.

YELLOW

From deep mustard to bright gold, yellow is such a versatile colour, and is wonderful mixed with cobalt blue or dark grey.

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INTERIORS Below Alba Chair in House Velvet Turmeric, £539, from Sofa Workshop Right: Farrow & Ball’s ‘De Nimes’ paint colour shown on walls, from £46.50 for 2.5L

named after, straddles a barrier; it is ultimately fashionable but always feels grounded. A complex blue, it is perfect for those who are wary of moving into a world of colour because it still has a familiar underlying grey tone.”

Meanwhile, a pop of sunshine yellow is the perfect way to lift darker colours and bring a feel of summer into the home. It is also a shade that works remarkably well with many other colours. “There’s been a real shift of people moving towards brighter colours with a clean-cut finish,” continues Valspar’s Sue Kim. “Sunny shades of yellow can work on almost any wall, and, when paired with a crisp white ceiling and skirting boards, the effect is fresh, while remaining current.”

As well as painting walls or using interesting wallpapers, such as Andrew Martin’s yellow ‘Wychwood Provencal’ lacquered wallpaper, designed by Kit Kemp, you can also introduce colour with accent pieces of furniture, such as the Alba Chair in Turmeric Velvet from Sofa Workshop. Window dressings are also perfect for adding a burst of brightness.

“Incorporating tones of coral, yellow and blue allows you to create a focal point in a room while retaining a tasteful aesthetic,” says Mark Carter, director at Shutterly Fabulous. “Shutters have many practical benefits, and opting for a bold hue will work with the light to inject colour in an effective and controlled manner.”

Another trend on the rise is the reflection of nature in our interiors: tropical prints, botanical wallpapers and foliage patterns that are inspired by the great outdoors.

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“Introduce colour with accent pieces of furniture” Bringing a sense of the exotic, Sainsbury’s new ‘Urban Paradise’ collection consists of faux succulents, ceramic tableware in leafy palm prints, and decadent barware with rainforest motifs, all at affordable prices.

With its jungle wall murals and palm lightshades, Love Frankie is another treasure trove for finding pieces that reflect the trend. Helen Price from the company gives her view: “The tropical trend features the bright colours of the natural landscape, while leaves and animals provide a key focal point for wallpaper, prints and lampshades.

Tropical patterns and tones help to freshen up a home, and give it a fun, modern twist.”

Meanwhile, Little Greene’s latest wallpaper collection (London Wallpapers V) features a range of feathery friends and is based on authentic heritage designs.

‘Carlton House Terrace’, for instance, is a u

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DOOR S T EP F IN DS WHERE TO SHOP THE TRENDS Sea green recycled wool blanket, £30, from Something Nice Marine blue velvet cylinder stool, £79, from Catesbys Chunky oak stools, from £96, from Providence

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INTERIORS

“Opt for fish-scale tiles in hues of sea green or deep blue” flamboyant peacock feather design, while ‘Brodsworth’ features striking birds and floral motifs, and is based on early 18th century French textiles.

Meanwhile, reflecting the organic shapes found under the sea is another trend cropping up. Inspired by the deep blue, ocean motifs are seen across tiles, home accessories and furniture – think fish-shaped bottles, mermaid accessories and mother-of-pearl adornments. For a striking design, perfect for kitchen splashbacks or showers, opt for fish-scale tiles in hues of sea green or deep blue, while furniture with elegant scalloped shaping harks back to the Hollywood era.

Artisanna London’s range of curvy statement chairs gives a subtle nod to the trend. “Featuring elegantly undulating curves, scalloped furniture has had a resurgence over the last year, “ says Jessica Pownall, founder of Artisanna London. “Feminine in design, this style beautifully echoes the glamorous Art Deco era and effortlessly adds a touch of grace to a room.”

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Finally, with homeowners wanting more sustainable homewares, there’s a rise in demand for artisan pieces that will add a touch of individuality. New for Spring 2019 is French Connection’s recycled glass collection. Vases and drinking glasses come in an array of speckled, smooth, iridescent and metallic finishes. Each piece is unique and handfinished by glassware artisans. Meanwhile, Toast’s new House & Home collection features hand-thrown ceramics by Pip Hartle and tactile linen and wool blankets and throws.

Cassie Davies, director of Room 356, an online store which features independent homeware brands, comments: “Along with their sustainable values, discerning customers are also passionate about buying beautiful, unique and handmade homewares from creative artisans. They are interested in the back story behind the products they are buying. They love to hear about the maker behind the product and the influences that shape their collections.” l

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STOCKISTS Andrew Martin 020 7225 5100 andrewmartin.co.uk

Artisanna London artisannalondon.com Burleigh Pottery 01773 740740 burleigh.co.uk Catesbys 01572 812186 catesbys.co.uk Crown Paints crownpaints.co.uk Farrow & Ball 01223 367771 farrow-ball.com French Connection 0333 400 3284 frenchconnection.com Little Greene 020 7935 8844 littlegreene.com Love Frankie 01803 866399 lovefrankie.com Providence 01223 264666 providenceuk.com Room 356 07985 634 529 room356.co.uk Sainsbury’s 0800 636 262 Sainsburys.co.uk Shutterly Fabulous 0800 970 0800 shutterlyfabulous.com This picture Little Greene’s Brodsworth Empress wallpaper, £97.50 per roll Above right Blue shutters

by Shutterly Fabulous, prices vary Above left Sainsbury’s Urban Paradise collection is a good source of natureinspired home accessories

Something Nice somethingnice.shop Toast 0333 400 5200 toa.st/uk Sofa Workshop 0808 149 9250 sofaworkshop.com Urban Collective urbancollective.com Valspar valsparpaint.co.uk Vanessa Arbuthnott 01285 831437 vanessaarbuthnott.co.uk Woven Form wovenform.com

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PALM JUNGLE WALLPAPER LAMPSHADE

from £40, lovefrankie.com

AQUA AND AMBER BELT VASE

£45, nisiliving.co.uk

BRASS MERMAID BOTTLE OPENER

£15.95, thegiftedfew.com

EDI T ION

LOVES

CINNEBAR PAINT

from £25 for 1L, mandlpaints.com

NATURE WALL ART BIG LEAVES PRINT

£80, sue-parkinson.co.uk GREEN GLASS FISH CARAFE

£26, anewtribe.co.uk

LUXE GREEN SMALL GLASS

£4, frenchconnection.co.uk

SNOW TALL BEAKER

£17.50, room356.co.uk

CORAL COTTON POM POM BLANKET

£95, yonderliving.com

TEAL VELVET SCALLOPED COCKTAIL SOFA

£795, audenza.com

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