ZINE #619 Nov 2014
Small classes and personal attention. At the British School of Amsterdam we get to know each and every student. We provide an all-round education that develops the whole person and delivers academic success. From Early Years to Secondary School, we provide top-class British schooling for everyone from expats to locals seeking an international education. With pupils of more than 40 nationalities, the British School of Amsterdam offers a stimulating and inclusive learning environment for students aged 3 to 18. Non-native English speakers are welcome. Our curriculum leads to the respected British A-Level qualification accepted by universities worldwide. In addition to the formal academic subjects, we teach European languages including Spanish, French, German and Dutch, as well as English as a foreign language. Every day is an open day at the British School of Amsterdam. Why not come along and visit us? For more information, see www.britams.nl, or contact us at +31 (0) 20 67 97 840 or info@britams.nl.
“It’s a friendly, caring community”
TEACHING PEOPLE, NOT JUST TOPICS
Federico Age 14 Italian/Dutch
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The British Photographer in Amsterdam WEDDINGS PORTRAITS CHILDREN’S PORTRAITS EVENTS WALKABOUTS
Call 06 83 94 35 52
to make a booking and claim your exclusive Britsoc discount!
www.benjaminarthur.com
Contents
chair/ “chairman” Page 7 event/ “bonfire night” Page 10 article/ “own a poppy” Page article/ “giving blood” Page 1 article/ “football in nl” Page 20 arts/ “beth’s books” Page 22 arts/ “home is where the art music/ “texel island discs” arts/ “poetry” Page 30 arts/ “Photo lesson” Page 32 food/ “nick’s nosh” Page 34 food/ “cooking coach” Page 4
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Colophon >
e 14
ZINE
18
EDITORIAL
ISSUE #619
EDITOR IN CHIEF Alison Smith | editor@britsoc.nl
0
EDITORIAL BOARD John Richardson | webeditor@britsoc.nl Benjamin Arthur | benjaminarthur@gmail.com Andy Symmonds | asymmo@gmail.com
t is”
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ADVERTISING
ADVERTISING SALES Andy Symmonds | asymmo@gmail.com
PUBLISHING
PUBLISHED BY John Richardson | John.Richardson@me.com FLIP MAGAZINE PUBLISHING PLATFORM www.issuu.com
SUBSCRIPTIONS AND FEEDBACK Alison Smith | editor@britsoc.nl www.britsoc.nl
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Internationally Creative Our educational programme is designed to encourage young people to step outside of their comfort zone and learn to express themselves in bold and imaginative ways
www.britishschool.nl Page 6
Internationally British
chairman’s blog/ Nov 2014
Dear Members, I am sure that we are all looking back on a great summer as we dig out our warm jackets from the wardrobe. As the nights draw in, I look forward to hearty food, a glass of deep red wine and a good book, so there can be no better time than to get up and out for our biggest event—Guy Fawkes night on Sunday Nov 9th, which is only a few days away. For tickets and details, please check our ticket website www.britsocshop.nl. If we are not sold out, grab your tickets quickly. You can always take your chances and pay at the gate, so a last minute decision can still see you enjoying great food and fireworks. Our winter activities come into their own now, so please join us for squash, badminton, tennis (indoors for the season) or bridge. And, of course, our Christmas Dinner is coming up. Another Michelin star quality affair on Saturday December 13th—check the details and make sure of your place on our website. It’s sure to be an exclusive event where you can meet other members in a fine ambience. Then we have a date for your diaries….looking into 2015, our Burns’ Night celebration with haggis and whisky will be held on January 17th. Our website is, as always, the place to be to check all the details.
I look forward to seeing you all soon.
Ian Cherington Chairman chair@britsoc.nl
P.S. We are looking for volunteers for our upcoming events: Expat Fair, Nov 2 (Page 8), Bonfire Night, Nov 8 (Page 10), and the Christmas Dinner, Dec 13 (Page 12). If you would like to help, please email me at chair@britsoc.nl.
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Join BritSoc
at the ‘i am not a tourist’
expat fair
Evelyn liu
Sunday 2nd Nov at the Beurs van Berlage, Amsterdam. The “i am not a tourist” Expat Fair at the Beurs van Berlage
in the heart of Amsterdam serves the international community living, working and studying in the Netherlands and has become an annual institution, catering for newly arrived expats, long-standing residents, individuals and families alike.
Those new to the Netherlands will
benefit from a comprehensive range of services, conveniently housed together under one roof. Topics include housing, employment, banking, tax and schooling, all running alongside an entertaining programme of performances and workshops. More experienced expats and long standing residents can enjoy food, entertainment, networking sessions, informative workshops and access to a wide range of groups and clubs. What’s more, international artist Jim Collier will exhibit his work. Professional visitors, concerned with international mobility, should not miss the chance to network amongst this years largest gathering of industry professionals. Whether you are new to the expat lifestyle or an old hand, Expatica’s fair
is about easing and enriching your life abroad, providing instant access to the international community.You don’t have to take our word for it; here are testimonials from a visitor and an exhibitor: Nicola McCall (visitor)
“I hadn’t been to the fair for 5 years; I saw some familiar and some new faces and enjoyed the talks. It’s a great event and was busy even on the sunniest date I can remember! I think it actually re-energises a lot of us, stay put expats, when we meet others in similar situations, even if we’ve been around the Netherlands for a long time. For me, it was a ‘look how far I’ve moved on from when I first came moment’?”
Expat Mortgages, Henk (exhibitor)
“Thanks for a great fair and for all you hard work and efforts! It was our third attendance and we’re very pleased again!”
See video: http://www.expatica.com/iamnotatourist/
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events/ event/ We’re looking for volunteers to help on the BritSoc stand. Contact: chair@britsoc.nl
Painted by John Richardson Page 9
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Britsoc Bonfire Night Sponsorship by
& Michelin star chef, Chris Naylor Dear members and friends, We are very pleased to announce that tickets have now gone on sale for our annual Guy Fawkes Bonfire Night. This year’s event will take place on Sunday November 9th at 4 p.m. at our usual location, Watersportcentrum Sloterplas. It promises to be a very special edition, with sponsorship by Marks & Spencer so we will be serving real British sausages and burgers. Our friend and Michelin star chef, Chris Naylor will be behind the BBQ so we expect top quality on all fronts again. This is a large event, but we do have a sell-out point, so please get your tickets now to avoid disappointment at
www.britsocshop.nl
We look forward to seeing you for authentic sparks and bangers! Page 11
“The Most Exclusive Britsoc Member Event of the Year”
The Britsoc Chairman’s Michelin Star
Christmas Dinner Saturday December 13th, 2014 7:30pm until midnight-ish
Restaurant Vermeer
situated on the Prins Hendrikkade 59-72 (NH Barbizon Palace Hotel) in Amsterdam Restaurant Vermeer is the scene where Michelin Star Chef Christopher Naylor will shape his culinary christmas vision. Chris will be serving all the joys of a 4 course Michelin meal, including wine and table water at a cost of
€125 for members (guests €140)
Tickets available at: www.britsocshop.nl Page 12
www.isa.nl
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Blood Swept
T
he remembrance poppy has been
a symbol of the soldiers who have
died in war since 1920. Inspired by the World War I poem “In Flanders
Fields”, they were first used by the American Legion to commemorate
American soldiers who died in that war
(1914–1918). The poet, Lietenant Colonel John McCrae was inspired to write “In
Flanders Field” by the red poppies that grew over the graves of fallen soldiers. Today they
have become a recognised memorial symbol for soldiers who have died, not only in World War 1, but in any conflict.
In Flanders Field by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae
In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.
Picture courtesy of Anneliese Hanbury-Tracy
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Lands and Seas of Red
By Alison Smith
On and around Remembrance Sunday,
Red”. The inspiration of Derbyshire-based
It is a breathtaking sight. When
annual “Poppy Appeal” when you can buy
hand-sculpted ceramic poppies are being
the idea for a ‘sea of red’ after reading
The Royal British Legion launch their
a paper poppy for your lapel and donate to a charity which helps current and
former military personnel. Poppy wreaths are also laid at the cenotaph and other war memorials around the world.
This year, being the 100th anniversary of
the beginning of the First World War, the poppy symbol has been taken to a new
ceramic artist Paul Cummins, 888,246
made and fixed to two-foot metal stalks
and planted in the dry moat of the Tower of London. It is an ongoing process
with the last poppy due to be planted on Armistice Day on November 11th
2014. Each of the poppies represents a Commonwealth soldier, sailor or airman who died in The Great War.
level at The Tower of London where a
The 888,246 poppies are for sale with 10% of
called “Blood Swept Lands and Seas of
charities and are already selling like hot cakes.
stunning art installation has been created
the price plus all sales profits going to six service
interviewed, Paul Cummins said he had the will of a Derbyshire man who joined up and died in Flanders.
‘I don’t know his name or where he
was buried or anything about him,’ said Cummins, who found the will among
other old records in Chesterfield. ‘But this line he wrote, when everyone he knew
was dead, and everywhere around him
was covered in blood, jumped out at me:
‘The blood-swept lands and seas of red, where angels fear to tread.’
Hand made in Paul Cummins’ studio,
poppies are available for £25.00 +p&p. All net proceeds plus a guaranteed 10% from every poppy sold will be shared equally amongst six service charities, which we hope will raise
millions of pounds if all poppies are
sold. Poppies will only be available to purchase throughout the duration of
the installation. The Tower Poppies are being sold by Paul Cummins Ceramics Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red
CIC with the support of Historic Royal Palaces.
https://poppies.hrp.org.uk/buy-a-poppy/ Picture courtesy of Anneliese Hanbury-Tracy
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Subject: BritSoc Event Alert | Annual Remembrance Ceremony
Remembrance Ceremony Sat 8 Nov 10:30
All Britsoc members, friends and families welcome to attend
Event Alert
Upcoming events of interest to the British Expat community of the Netherlands
Annual Remembrance Ceremony 323 Commonwealth and Allied War Graves, De Nieuwe Oosterbegraafplaats, Kruislaan 126, Amsterdam.
Sat 8th November 10:30am
You are very welcome to attendto thisattend moving event. This year marks You are very welcome this moving the 68th anniversary the end of world War anniversary two. Virtually anof event. This yearofmarks the 69th the of world two.toVirtually an entire entireend generation has War been able live a reasonably peaceful generation has ablewhich to live reasonably and prosperous life been in freedom, wasaachieved by the peaceful and prosperous life in freedom, which sublime and heroic efforts of men and women who made the was achieved by the sublime and heroic efforts ultimate sacrifice: their unfinished lives. of men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice: their unfinished lives.
The burgemeester of Amsterdam also laid a wreath last year. Wreaths are laid by members of the armed forces, local dignitaries, children from the local British school and members of the public.
323 Commonwealth and Allied War Graves De Nieuwe Oosterbegraafplaats, Kruislaan 126, Amsterdam
323 Commonwealth and Allied War Graves De Nieuwe Oosterbegraafplaats, Kruislaan 126, Amsterdam.
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Page 17
by Dave Thomas
Giving blood in the Netherlands
Photos courtesy of Sanquin
behind the scenes at Sanquin
L
ocated behind Amsterdam Sloterdijk
How can I give blood in the Netherlands?
My blood’s not blue it’s British!
Cancer Institute, Sanquin (pronounced
currently not permitted to give blood in the
are four basic blood groups: O, A, B and AB.
hospital, next to the Netherlands
sanqueen) is a unique three-in-one
organisation for blood: blood bank, blood research centre and manufacturer of
medicines from plasma. The name Sanquin is derived fro the French word for blood
‘sanguine’, and the Latin word for blood
‘sanguis’. The organisation employs about 2800 people (60% part-time).
Unfortunately many Zine readers are
Netherlands. If you have been in the UK for a total of more than six months between 1 January 1980 and 31 December 1996
then there is a risk you might be carrying Creutzfeld-Jakob (mad cow) disease. As
As you might remember from school there
But the number of people with each blood group differs per country. Us Brits aren’t quite the same as the Dutch. Blood group
% of Brits
% of Dutch
O
47
47
A
38
42
However, all other foreign nationals aged
B
10
8
donate blood. Donating blood is voluntary
AB
4
3
blood cannot be tested for this disease, the Dutch authorities have decided to
exclude anybody who might carry it from giving blood.
between 18 and 65 years are eligible to
in the Netherlands. Donors are not paid
for their service like they are in some other
countries. You can register on a special page
of the Sanquin website (https://www.sanquin. nl/en/register-as-a-blood-donor/). After
registration you will receive an information Blood transfusion: a British first
The British pioneered blood transfusion. In 1818 gynaecologist James Blundell performed the first successful blood
transfusion and in 1921 Sir Percy Oliver
set up the first public blood transfusion service in London. The first blood
transfusion in the Netherlands took place in Rotterdam in 1925. Through a long series of reorganisations the blood banks in the
Netherlands and the central blood research laboratory became a single organisation in 1997.
package and an invitation to attend a blood
donor health check. During this health check your blood will be tested and your blood
type determined. If the test results are good, you will be invited to donate blood at a later date. On average donors give blood 1.6
times per year. For plasma donors (the liquid without blood cells) the average number of donations is 5.9 per year.
What happens to the blood you give?
In a major logistics operation, blood from the donor centres is collected and brought to
Sanquin for testing. At a suite of labs it takes just two employees and some high-tech
equipment to screen 12,000 blood samples in scarcely 24 hours. This process is vital to
guarantee the safety of blood donated, for
example to make sure it is free from HIV and hepatitis. The blood type is also checked:
giving a patient the wrong blood type can
be fatal. Some blood types are very rare (the
ABO blood type is not the only one). Sanquin therefore has a deep-frozen supply of over 70 rare blood types that can be sent to
anywhere in Europe at a moment’s notice. The blood donated is mainly used by
Dutch hospitals but Sanquin also supplies
4000 units of blood per year to various UN peacekeeping missions around the world. The demand for blood from hospitals has
fallen in recent years. One reason is the rise in keyhole surgery where a minimum of
blood is lost during the operation. However, this does not mean that fewer donors are needed. New donors are always being
sought to replace donors who stop (about 10% per year).
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The gift of blood
Mindboggling!
Each year in the Netherlands:
Each second your bone marrow produces:
400,000 volunteer donors give blood
2 million red blood cells (carry oxygen)
300,000 people receive a blood product
1.5 million white blood cells (immune
25,000 patient lives are saved
5 million blood platelets (wound healing)
(from accident victims to cancer patients)
system)
Can you brew blood?
We have test-tube babies. What about test-
tube blood? Brewing (culturing) blood would mean no more donors are needed!
Unfortunately, culturing blood is very difficult. You need to start with the right type of cells
and have exactly the right conditions for them to grow in. And even then only small amounts can be produced at present, far short of what is needed to replace all donors. Why does Sanquin do blood research? Blood research makes giving blood and blood transfusion safer. It also helps to
find diagnoses and treatments for many
complaints such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases and anaemia. Sanquin did a lot
of pioneering research into detecting the
HIV virus in blood to make blood supplies
safe when AIDS became an epidemic in the
1980s. More recently it found a reliable test to establish if a rhesus negative mother is
pregnant with a rhesus positive child. That
has saved a lot of mothers from undergoing unnecessary treatment. Current research
includes stem cell therapy treatments for
cancer and investigating how aging affects our immune system.
Sanquin is therefore investigating how to
culture blood for a small group of people with a rare blood group but who need
regular blood transfusions. An example is
people who suffer from sickle cell anaemia. Their red blood cells have a sickle shape
instead of the normal ring-doughnut shape and so their blood cannot carry enough
oxygen. They therefore receive regular blood transfusions to replace the sickle cells with
normal blood cells to improve their body’s
oxygen supply. As people in the Netherlands with this disease originate from tropical
countries, they often have a blood type that
Blood treats a royal disease
Haemophilia is sometimes called the royal disease as so many of Queen Victoria’s
descendants suffered from it. At Sanquin,
plasma (the liquid part of blood) is used to produce 11 different medicines including
factor VIII for the treatment of haemophilia.
The medicines are proteins that are removed from the plasma by a process called
fractionation (the same sort of chemistry
as oil refineries use to obtain petrol from
crude oil, but then without the heat). This fractionation process needs pure alcohol
and a tanker full of the stuff is delivered to Sanquin each week. This makes Sanquin the biggest consumer of alcohol in the
Netherlands! At present, the big money
spinner for Sanquin is a group of medicines called immunoglobulins. These are used, for example, to treat some cancers and are being trialled for the treatment of
Alzheimer’s disease. So one day giving plasma might mean you help an aging relative suffer less from dementia.
is rare here. So finding ways to culture such
rare blood types to ensure a good supply of these makes good medical sense.
And if you’re squeamish don’t worry. A lot of the research is high-tech rather than bloody. For example, using advanced microscopy techniques and computer animation one research group is trying to find out how
blood cells can pass through a blood vessel to reach an inflammation in your body. The images made can look quite surreal.
Passing on the elixir of life
Art in the laboratory must inspire
Sanquin’s work reaches beyond the Dutch
how much good art hangs there. I found out
to more than 30 countries, medicines
van Lochem) was a keen art collector
programmes to improve blood bank services
organisation. Gallery Joghem is now open
also help to combat blood-related disease
and 16.30. You should report to the main
haemophilia in Indonesia.
When I visited Sanquin I was surprised by
borders. It supplies blood testing reagents
that one of the former directors (Joghem
from blood to 10 countries, and training
and acquired many good works for the
in developing countries. Sanquin employees
to visitors on weekdays between 08.30
elsewhere in the world, for example,
reception to gain admittance.
Find out more
Sanquin has an extensive website in English:
www.sanquin.nl/en
Page 19
Football in the Neth As the year slowly heads towards the end, so our sporting series also winds down, but not without touching on the most popular sport in the Netherlands:
J
supporters, but at least they consistently get further in the finals than any of the
British sides have since 1966. They did win the European Championship in 1988 but
they have played in many more finals and semi-finals over recent years, and lost.
Underpinning the national side is a vibrant club scene still including the famous
names in the Eredivisie but also extending down through many divisions to a healthy grass roots level of clubs for players of all abilities and ambitions. The Dutch
leagues extend from the 38 professional clubs down through seven levels of
amateur leagues. This means that across
udging by the crowds that arrived
The performance and achievements of
Saturday and Sunday for the weekends
games from the World Cup this
orange kit with their even more distinctive
3,000 club teams playing against each
shades of the same colour, are known
eclipses the levels of participative interest
game against Spain and seeing the
naturally higher as well. If you are looking
enough to fan the flames of excitement
choices across the country and you should
the Dutch to a new level of excitement.
requirements and level without too much
at the Museumplein to watch
year, football is dear to the hearts
of many. Football was introduced to the Netherlands in 1879 when the
Haarlemsche Football Club was founded. The bigger clubs like Amsterdamsche
Football Club Ajax, Feyenoord Rotterdam and PSV Eindhoven have all been playing
for more than 100 years, although football did not see the establishment of the professional game until 1954.
the Dutch national side, in their distinctive
of the football season, there are nearly
supporters decked out in many (bright)
other across the country. This comfortably
around the world. Watching the opening
in any other sport, and the support is
majestic header from van Persie was
to join a football club then there are many
even for expatriate supporters, and sent
be able to find a club that matches your
The final result was wearyingly
investigation.
predictable, but not without a few more surprises on the way to Germany once again taking the title this year (the 1-7
result for Brazil against the champions
being a major shock on the global stage). With some of the talents available to the
As ever with sports in the Netherlands,
why they have not yet won the football
more passive, observing approach, there
tradition of doing well but not winning.
appears to be well served with field
the boys in orange miss five penalties
the city looks to be pretty similar.
Dutch national side it is a mystery as to
if you want to participate or enjoy a
World Cup. They have developed a rich
are many options available. Amsterdam
Having sat in the Arena and watched
hockey clubs, and the situation outside
against Italy in 2000 and having been the only person wearing an orange shirt in a bar in Bucharest for the 2010 final, I can
empathise with the long suffering oranje
Page 20
herlands
sports/
By Andy Symmonds
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Beth’s Book Review | NOV 2014 By Beth Johnson
The short list for the Man Booker prize of 2014 has been announced and all six novels are worth the read, whoever ultimately wins. This crop of stories is exceptionally good. See here for the list: http://bit.ly/YsQzwU
R
ichard Flanagan’s powerful book was treated last month.I have just completed Karen Joy Fowler’s We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves and am so impressed by the flow of her scientific and psychological analysis and the narrative that loops back upon itself time after time, that I want to know more about this author. Turns out she writes science fiction, fantasy and produced in 2004 the highly successful novel The Jane Austen Book Club. Her latest is a tale of an unusual family which explores a new way of bringing up children and ends with two of the three children disappearing from the life of the youngest, our heroine, Rosemary. Except that things are not quite what they seem. This clever work is tragic, funny, and committed to a better world. Quite exceptional, and one of the first American authors on the now broader Man Booker Prize list.
S
trangely enough, Ian McEwan’s new book, The Children Act, did not make the Man Booker shortlist but the author demonstrates yet again the diversity of his range. After the suspense, the twists and the ultimate trickery of Sweet Tooth, this latest addition to his oeuvre is to all appearances measured, disciplined and reserved as befits a story about the esteemed judge, Fiona Maye, who presides over London’s family court. But still waters run deep and the crisis in her private life brings emotions to the surface which have repercussions on her carefully balanced professional image. Using complex cases from the children’s court, McEwan explores the fabric of the law, respect for the parties involved, understanding of the way reason can be swayed by deep beliefs and temporary felt needs. He is one of the few authors I know who can truly crawl into the skin of a woman and portray her multiple-faceted lines of thinking. A moving and impressive masterpiece. Another of my favourite recent reads is the new book by Anthony Doerr who always receives outstanding reviews yet has not quite penetrated to the consciousness of the general reader. All The Light We Cannot See deserves everyone’s attention, and indeed has just been selected for the National Book Award long list. A young French girl grows up in the
Beth Johnson is the owner of Boekhandel Van Rossum (Beethovenstraat 32 in Amsterdam) which sells a wide range of Dutch and English books. Page 22
Museum of Natural History where her father is the master of locks, until they are forced to flee the Nazi invasion of Paris. A young German orphan becomes fascinated with radios and his repair skills later destine him to track Resistance cells across Europe. Doerr twines these two stories together in prose so detailed and so poetic that you will look at the world with new eyes. Both suspenseful and beautiful - and essentially very compassionate, this is one of those lovely, special books you won’t want to miss. Get to know Anthony Doerr! Jenny Nunn, translator and volunteer in the bookshop, has provided the following recommendation:
Marie Phillips
The Table of Less Valued Knights
Author Marie Phillips released her debut novel, Gods Behaving Badly, in 2007. The comic tale follows Apollo, Aphrodite and their fellow Greek heroes who, now living in a squalid flat in London, face a 21st century world in which no one believes in them. Their powers are dwindling, there’s rarely any hot water and family tensions are rife. Things come to a head when two mortals become unknowingly entangled in the godly action. With witty dialogue, vivid characters and great originality, this is a hugely enjoyable read. Phillips’ second book, The Table of Less Valued Knights, appeared in August this year and promises another serving of historical comedy.
For a touch of non-fiction, a long-time customer and friend, Frieda Jacobowitz, has kindly offered to review Naomi Klein’s new book This Changes Everything, Capitalism vs. the Climate.
Naomi Klein
This Changes Everything
Naomi Klein’s newest book, This Changes Everything, is a masterful and logical addition to and continuation of her impressive line-up of books. Since her influential debut with No Logo in 1999 about branding and sweatshop conditions in the Americas and Asia and most recently with The Shock Doctrine in 2007, she’s been a steady presence as an author, speaker, anti-globalism activist and journalist. This Changes Everything sheds new light on many aspects of pressing global climate issues by showing the dire necessity of the world’s current neoliberal take on capitalism to change in order for us all to have a chance to maintain a livable world. “Time is running out quickly” is her message, as well as that of many researchers who are quoted in the book. Despite this she describes a possible scenario with glimmers of some hope for being able to lower emissions and develop renewable energy techniques further. She suggests that we can perhaps even achieve much more than that on a global, humane and democratic level as well, if large (fossil fuel) corporations, among others, can be forced by world citizens and governments to bring an end to hundreds of years of very profitable “extractivism”. This Changes Everything is a well-researched, thoughtful, timely and muchneeded common sense treatise on what we still can, and indeed must, do in order to avoid the destruction of life as we know it on our planet by making it difficult, or impossible, for purely market mechanisms to determine the course national and global energy policies will take from now on. A must-read!
www.boekhandelvanrossum.nl Page 23
British Language Training Centre
bltc
English & Dutch Courses Teaching English (TEFL) www.bltc.nl Tel. 020 622 3634
Page 24
ISA campus, main entrance
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
Setting the stage. At ISA, we believe that great facilities can set the stage for great learning. ISA is housed in a space specially designed for international education. And inspiration. Our facilities include a four-floor library/media center, a 400-seat theatre, science labs and specialist studios for music, art, and drama. More than 400 computers are joined in a school-wide, online network. Students work with laptops and iPads in the classroom. Two state-of-the-art gyms, discovery oriented playgrounds and adjacent playing fields are large, well equipped and secure. ISA’s campus is not a luxury. It’s where ideas are born.
Exciting and developing young minds Sportlaan 45 - 1185 TB Amstelveen - The Netherlands - Tel. +31 20 347 1111 - www.isa.nl
Taste Life!
Kingsalmarkt, the world-famous foodstore! We are known for our wide range of products from countries all over the world. ‘Taste life’ is what we call that. Visit us for your favourite American cornflakes, brownies and soups, British jams and honey, Mexican tortillas, Spanish tapas and ham, Italian coffee and pasta and French cheese. Of course you can pick up the rest of your groceries too.
Rembrandtweg 621, 1181 GV Amstelveen-noord, tel. 020 643 37 51 www.kingsalmarkt.nl info@kingsalmarkt.nl Easily reached by car (free parking) and public transport (5 or 51 tram to Kronenburg) Opening hours: Monday to Friday: 9 am – 6 pm Saturday: 9 am – 5 pm
Page 25
M
y wife did this painting and gave it to me for
I like it because it gives a homely and warm feeling
Valentine’s Day when we had been courting
but cannot be pinned down to a specific geographic
for just a few weeks. It has always hung in
location.
our lounge.
Page 26
HOME IS WHERE THE ART IS By David Thomas
If you have a piece of art in your home with a story attached, please feel free to sent it in to our editorial team. editor@britsoc.nl
Page 27
Texel Island Discs
TEXEL Island Discs comes this month from Benjamin Arthur, the British Photographer in Amsterdam and BritSoc’s resident expert. His choices take us on an emotional journey from melancholia to romantic bliss and 14 minutes down Telegraph Road. My two favourite bands of all time – The Beatles and Radiohead – are unrepresented because it would be invidious to try and pick one of their songs. 1.
Barry White. You’re The First, The Last, My Everything. My wife & I picked this as our first
dance on our wedding day. It’s not even my favorite Barry White number but as I’m dying on that
Texel Island I’d want a rich, vivid reminder of the woman I love and this provides it.
Page 28
Benjamin’s beats: 2.
Bob Dylan: Like a Rolling Stone. In spite
of its tragic-comic bitterness, it somehow
always brings me up and makes me feel better
7.
about life. Maybe I’m just a really bad person!?
3.
of 2010. Just under 4 minutes of absolute pop
incredible Stones numbers to pick from, but longing for another place in it, I feel it’d be a
perfection.
8.
great TID! A close call with “Angie” mind.
4.
of pop perfection, this Scottish talent was a
melancholia I need something to make me feel
will float into your life and, once in, you’ll
good about life again and this does the trick
never want it to leave. Apparently it is “one of
every time.
recorded”. It’s been the #1 most played on my iTunes for more than 5 years now.
David Bowie: Port of Amsterdam. My
9.
U2: City of Blinding Lights. Barack Obama’s
2008 election theme song. Each time I hear
it I am reminded of that singular moment of [political] hope for the world. Regardless of
favorite solo artist singing about my adopted
what has subsequently transpired, what bliss it
hometown in the most gut wrenchingly honest
was to be alive on the morning of his election.
way imaginable. What’s not to love?
6.
Amy Macdonald: This is the Life. Speaking revelation when I first heard her. After all the
Coldplay: Strawberry Swing. This song
the most psychologically relaxing songs ever
5.
Albarn’s a genius. And Gorillaz is his finest creation. This was the sound of the summer
Rolling Stones: Wild Horses. So many this one just has so much heartache and
Gorillaz: On Melancholy Hill. Damon
Dire Straits: Telegraph Road. It goes on
for 14 minutes. It is a journey. It seems forever
The Doors: The End. Finally a song to 10.
just get blitzed to. Oedipal, haunting, awful,
brilliant. The Doors’ finest 11 minutes.
and yet it is absolutely impermanent. It’s about life.
Would like to suggest your own Texel Island Discs? Please contact editor@britsoc.nl Page 29
poets
corner 68 North Street a house taken from a child’s drawing square frame, trapezoid roof, chimney with smoke arched recess with red front door rectangular windows, metal frames off-white front garden a model of perfection trimmed privet hedge, wrought-iron gate lawn mown with cricket field stripes roses without a single petal displaced back garden an artist’s palette scarlet strawberries merge into straw-coloured gooseberries grey shoddy garage abuts brown potato patch black brambles lost in long lime grass front door only opens on special occasions back door’s never locked inside 1950s fireplaces, no central heating bakelite sockets and light switches crinkly Izal toilet paper in downstairs loo whirligig in a room the child’s long left 68 North Street, West Butterwick even the bridge to nowhere passed it by
© Dave Thomas 2014
Dave Thomas & John Richardson Page 30
poetry
You can’t You can take the apple from the tree but you can’t put it back I threw it on the ground a discarded rewind a mistake uncorrectable It melted slowly into nourishment for the seed to feed the miracle sculpted by the wind of butterfly wings it grew with no fear its circle unbroken loss became gain you can take the apple from the tree but only the apple can put it back again
© John Richardson 2014
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BritPhotShot of the Month
“St.Paul at the Rijksmuseum�
Technical details: Nikon D700. AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm, f/3.2, ISO 3200 @ 1/25th seconds
Britsoc Photo Lesson #6: Absorb your surroundings to construct your shot
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November 2014, Amsterdam
R
embrandt’s masterful self-portrait “Self-portrait as the Apostle Paul” which hangs in the Honor gallery
in the Rijksmuseum, became the focus of this shot, which I took during the Pritzker Architecture Prize Dinner over the summer … an event where I was the official photographer. I was inspired by the shot of President Obama looking at the painting earlier this year. Rembrandt’s gaze can easily be interpreted as pitiless. What did he make of Obama? What, indeed, would he make of this elite dining in fine style in this place? The picture has one important lesson in it for any aspiring photographer; it is crucial to be aware of your surroundings as you look for an original image. What can you use to construct your shot that other people might not think of? This might look obvious but it only looks that way in retrospect.
Benjamin Arthur The British Photographer in Amsterdam.
If you like this image please email me for rates to hire me for your next party, special event, congress, conference or Christmas festivities. Email to: benjaminarthur@gmail.com.
www.benjaminarthur.com Page 33
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NICK’S NOSH
Britsoc food correspondent Nick Nugent Reporting from the four corners of the Amsterdam kitchen Foyer - pop up restaurant. Kosebasi. Surya. Meetup Dining Clubs Page 35
Dining Clubs
I
don’t know whether you have noticed the huge rise in new Restaurants in Amsterdam recently. It’s amazing given that we are supposed to be in hard economic times with the ECB just lowering interest rates to an unprecedented 0.05% (basically zero) to stimulate the economy. I find it surprising that so many people want to try their hand at opening a catering business, which is probably the most challenging type of business, with the worst failure rate of any business group. If you, like me, are interested to find new places, then having a list of 2,300 restaurants to choose from (admittedly a lot are fast food and late night kebab places, but nevertheless it’s an impressive number) means you are in a constant battle to find the best of this or the most delicious that. I have taken to creating vast lists in Excel to cope with this issue. I currently have all Indians, Michelin stars, Sunday opening and breakfast/brunch places listed separately from my main target list which changes as I eventually knock each one off the list. In recent months it has become more difficult to tick off those in my target list. I think I have only managed one in about 6 months. The reason? It is all these bloody new ones which keep popping up! Recently I went to Kosebasi (http://www.kosebasi.com/en) which is an excellent Turkish chain restaurant and on the way there I spotted about 3-4 new restaurants on Ceintuurbaan. What is a food critic to do? Well, one solution I have found is to join one of the extremely popular and rapidly expanding
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http://www.kosebasi.com/en dining clubs which can be found on sites like Meetup. This at least removes two issues: no more dining alone and of course your food choice is made for you. The one I chose to attend was organised by the AMS connected Meetup group, which regularly organise Sunday Brunches around the city and have begun to do evenings as well now. This one was at one of my favourite Indian restaurants Surya (http://www.suryarestaurant.nl/). I will not comment too much on the food in this review, as although it was pretty damn good, I want to concentrate on the concept of the Dining Club. However, just to let you know what we had, I have included our menu choices below: Mixed starters/veg starters Butter Chicken Chicken Bhuna Masala Gurkha Lamb Momo Surya Dal Makhni Veg Balti Salad, Rice, Naan, Garlic Naan This was a set menu for 22.50 euros including a welcome drink. This particular night really attracted one hell of a lot of British, who like me are pining for a decent curry, which is what we got on the night. I am sure other restaurant choices would have attracted a much wider variety of nationalities. We occupied the long bench seat on the right hand side of the restaurant which meant that your conversation was restricted to the 5 or so people surrounding you for the majority of the time. Inevitably the topics of conversions all hinged around expat topics of what to do for fun, best restaurants (which is always my topic of conversation), who else we know and other
expat events. On my table there were 3 guys, 2 of which were new to Amsterdam and single, the other was a veteran of a few years and knew many people in this group. We were 3 Brits and one Fin, for the record. I certainly got the feeling that quite a few people who were attending were here to see if there was a chance to get a date in future. The mix of boys and girls was fairly even so this was a good possibility, but the sexes did seem to stick together on this occasion. Nevertheless the event provides a really relaxed environment to give you a good chance to get to know people quite well and decide whether you are compatible. I was also able to organise a pool session in the future with some of the members of my table! I think these clubs will flourish, but it does really depend on keeping the mix of venues they choose fresh. If there is new and exciting food they really need to go there rather than going for the best deal they can get. Maybe I will see some of you at one of the next events. Nick Nugent
http://www.suryarestaurant.nl Page 37
Foyer - pop up restaurant
I
like pop up restaurants as it gives a budding restauranteur the chance to open up and test their concept before they give it a real go. Great recent examples have been Lovefood HQ, which Jason Hartley tried to extend and make a go of it, but ultimately couldn’t . The Foyer is another recent example which opened in May and will continue until the end of the year. It is promising to see modern Dutch food in an interesting location. They do have a superb venue, which is the foyer (hence the name) of the Felix Meritis Museum on Keizersgracht, but of course the question is can they deliver food to match? The menu concept is also interesting in that they deliver a menu with a list of ingredients for starter, in between, main and cheese and/or dessert, which are seasonal. They promise that they will make a really good dish, based on your meat, fish or vegetarian preference out of those listed ingredients. So we picked vegetarian and meat for both starter and main. We also chose to take the in between and the cheese platter. I did ask where the cheese was from, and a relatively funny conversation ensued. The response was that it was cheese from the street. I had a fairly good idea that what she was trying to say was that the cheese was from around the corner at Kaaskamer (a pretty good cheese shop if you are interested) Being from Liverpool, which means having to make a joke out of nearly everything, I couldn’t help myself, so I asked “so it’s street cheese? What’s that?”, which got a pretty big laugh from the table next to us. The situation was clarified a few moments later once the laughing had died down. We ordered it, whatever this street cheese would turn out to be. The next choice was the wine, which proved to be more tricky. The assembled wine list is very
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*** much to the taste of the owners and reflected that, particularly in the reds, as it seems they have a palette for very soft reds with no body, legs or length. Typically there was a lot of Merlot, Fleurie and Gamay. The choices of heavier reds were a very heavy Bordeaux and a Bourgueil which was 100% Cabinet Franc. The waitress suggested a bottle which was 80% Merlot 20% Cabernet Franc. I asked her if she was really sure based on what I told her I liked. We got the bottle, it was decanted and, after the first taste it was pretty flavourless with no body, legs or length, just as predicted. I said I would let it breathe for a bit to see if it developed, but no. The waitress saw my distress after the second try and asked me whether I liked it. I told her no, and she changed it without fuss to the Bordeaux, which was ok, but was a 2006 and so had a fairly hefty price tag. So what about the food? I shared everything with my dining companion so I can give you the benefit of more than half the menu. Starters: Artichoke Dish This was very nicely presented with artichokes mostly hiding under some baby gem lettuce. There was a nice cauliflower puree, sliced radish, turnip and carrot. It was nice, a fresh way to start, but overall it was only ok. Beef Dish This was the standout starter. The beef was cooked beautifully and sliced really thinly on top of the vegetables and apple sauce. I don’t really care for endive but even that was ok with the sweetness of the apple to take away the major bitterness.
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In between
Munster – a pretty good soft cheese
Mozzarella
Roquefort – so ripe it was trying to climb off the plate
This was a slice of mozzarella served with an aubergine puree, sweet peppers and a basil oil. Everything was nicely cooked on the plate, but the mozzarella was not really that good an example. Mains: Mushroom Dish This was the standout dish of the two. The perfectly cooked sautéed mushrooms were liberally sprinkled on top of a fine mashed potato, with pumpkin crisps, boiled pumpkin strips, cabbage and parsley oil. This was a real taste of autumn on a plate. Pork (or Pig as it was written) Dish We had pork neck and belly served. The neck was a really fine piece of cooking and was moist and very tasty. The belly was very much over cooked and had dried out quite a lot, but maintained a pretty good flavour. I think part of the problem with the belly is that some of the fat had been removed. The celeriac puree was silky smooth, the sauerkraut was correctly balanced for acidity and the veg were green beans and turnip tops and the gravy was fairly tasty. It was pretty nice but I sort of said ho hum to myself. It was an ok piece of bistro cooking. Cheese Platter: Aged Gouda – ho hum it’s Old Gouda.
So, if you find yourself around this area and fancy decent bistro style food then it’s definitely one to give a try, unless, like me, you like full bodied but fruity red wine then you won’t be satisfied with the choice. This was partly responsible for only 3 stars for this place. I actually think the food was a bit better than that, but taking the whole experience then I ended up with a 3. It’s pretty good and I don’t think you will be disappointed, but the price is also quite high. 3 courses is 27.50 each and with a fairly pricey wine I did not get change from 160 euros for 4 courses for 2 with tip. Also a reason it only gets 3 stars. Service was attentive and I gave some points for changing the bottle but also not enough to breach 4 stars. Anyway, try it yourself and if you spot any other popups then I would be interested to give them a try. You can contact me at nicksnosh@hotmail. com. Nick Nugent
Felix & Foam, Frame, Foyer & Friends Keizersgracht 324, Amsterdam Tel: +31 (0)6 2831 0403 http://foyer.fm/ http://www.foam.org/felix-foam/ https://www.facebook.com/foyerfm Restaurant Foyer opening hours Mon/Tue 11 am - 7 pm Wed - Sun 11 am - 1 am
http://foyer.fm Page 41
One Pan Practical Pork Chops in Half an Hour
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food glorious/
Karen Vivers
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K
aren Vivers, originally from Scotland, has lived here in Amsterdam since 1997, and has set up the Cooking Coach to help inspire people to get back into the kitchen. The basis of the cooking lessons are easy, tasty, healthy recipes. Each course starts with a free introduction session, to make sure that you only cook what you like to eat. As well as cooking lessons, Karen offers Culinary Tours in Amsterdam, is a passionate Food Blogger and works freelance as a Culinary Consultant, specialising in small and medium businesses, helping them get started, grow and deal with commercial challenges.
One Pan Practical Pork Chops in Half an Hour I’ve been feeling very efficient lately. I think it has something to do with workload. Lots of bookings for Culinary Tasting Tours in Amsterdam and Cooking Lessons have certainly made me focus my priorities. It’s made me decide what’s really important, of course that goes for my business, but also for my food. This recipe is a very recent addition to my ever-growing (at the last count almost 500) recipe list. I’ve published it not only on my own blog but on others too and it has had a great response, so I thought I’d share it with you. The whole thing started when I bought some pork chops at the French Butcher on the Albert Cuypstraat in Amsterdam. I got them home, unwrapped them and started thinking about the flavours I like to eat with pork. I started thinking about apples, sage, mustard, honey. The list goes on. Then I started thinking about sauces, how to combine all these flavours. I wanted it all, I didn’t want to compromise and use only some flavours. I looked at the clock, I heard my stomach growl. This would have to be quick. The thought of different sauces in different pans and the pork cooking at the same time was just all too much. Not to mention all that washing up! So, I got out the roasting pan and this is what happened... Page 44
Preparation Time: 7 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 to 25 minutes (depends on the size and thickness of your chops) Serves: 4 people
Ingredients
4 x pork chops 1 x large white onion sliced into thin rings 3 x apples sliced thinly with the skin on (I like to use Elstar) 2 x garlic cloves chopped finely 5 or 6 sage leaves chopped finely 3 x tsps Dijon mustard 4 x tsps honey 1 x tbsp olive oil Juice of a lemon Salt and pepper
Method
1. Pre-heat your oven to 200°C / 400°F 2. Line a roasting tin with some aluminium foil. 3. Layer up your ingredients in the bottom of the tin, firstly the onion, then apple, sprinkle over the sage and garlic. 4. Place your pork chops on top. Drizzle over the lemon juice. Spread about a tsp of mustard over each of your chops (if they are large you may need more than is stated above), then drizzle the honey and the olive oil over the chops as equally as you can. Sprinkle some salt and grind some black pepper over them too. 5. Put your chops in the oven and roast for about 10 to 15 minutes. The chops are ready when they are nice and crisply brown and the meat is no longer pink. I check this by inserting a knife into the thickest part of the thickest chop to look inside – you can always disguise this by pulling a little of the mustard over your cut.
Tips and Variations • •
I love to serve this with some green beans and oven roasted chips with sage. If you feel that your chops are getting a little too much colour without being cooked through or that you think they are drying out –you can cover them with some aluminium foil for some of the cooking time.
food glorious/ Karen’s COOKING BOOK “Love Food, Live Healthy” now available on Amazon. http://amzn.to/1rcOpYa
Learn How to Cook the Healthy, Tasty Meals you WANT to Eat!
Karen has recently published her first book ‘Love Food, Live Healthy’ ,which is ideal if you want to eat more consciously or lose weight without compromising on flavour or your enjoyment of food. A very achievable, common sense approach to healthy eating and cooking. With over 150 no-fuss, contemporary recipes suitable for cooks of all skill levels. As well as the recipes in the book showing you what to eat, there is lots of information about how to eat to stay healthy.
This book started life as a collection of recipes used by Karen to lose over 40kgs. Karen was diagnosed with a Binge Eating Disorder (B.E.D ) in 2003 and had lost and gained 100’s of kgs over her teenage and adult life. Karen realized that she had to face her fear (and her great love) – food - and take a whole new approach. This became the start of her successful and sustainable weight loss and the inspiration for her business “The Cooking Coach”. The book can also be downloaded to kindle and other E-readers and is compatible with tablets and smartphones as well as laptops and PCs.
The Cooking Coach Love Food, Live Healthy www.thecookingcoach.eu Mobile : 06 1424 0009 Email: karen@thecookingcoach.eu Page 45
TH
E
Sunday, 23 November 2014 12:00-16:00 The British School of Amsterdam Fred. Roeskestraat 94a
There's fun to be had by the whole family! The Wintermarket will include: • 2nd hand toys/books/dvds • Kids’ Zone activities • Craft Room
• Vendors • Kids’ Craft Market • BBQ & food stalls
To be a vendor, please contact Jacqueline Ruesink: ruesink@yahoo.de To have a food stall, a table in the Kids' Craft Market or to help with the general organization of the Wintermarket, please contact bsa.poec@gmail.com
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