Sociology l Canon l Restaurants l Hunting l Book launch l Education l
fresh eye
Magazine
Explosive dining edition
Issue 21. September 2017 Photography Lifestyle Culture
A taste of England The Lemon Tree 14-16 Water Lane, Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire CM23 2JZ England. Tel: 01279 757788
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42 14 Contents 10 24
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l Education
Learning for life.
44 l Restaurant round-up Global dining.
l Destination
Cumbria Beautiful Britain.
l Race relations
Upward trending. l Canon 5D Mk IV
Camera upgarde.
l The Lemon Tree
English cuisine.
l Purdey & Sons
Hunting season.
l Skew restaurant
A Turkish delight. l Esqiumaux
Book launch.
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Cover photography: Feast Photography www.feastphotography.com
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Multi Cultured
Race relations brought forward by Sophie Fitzjohn.
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ulture and race have shaped society and as equality is ever growing, communities have become more diverse and open minded to a cultural mix within Britain. However, this evidently hasn’t always been the case. It was over 50 years ago that The Race Relation Act was passed which outlawed the racist discrimination that was prominently felt by migrants. It was the start of a very important journey to reduce the prejudice that ethnic minorities faced, which are unimaginable for many of us to comprehend today. No longer would shockingly discriminating signs of ‘no blacks, no Irish, no dogs’ be allowed, and one of the most important movements was that it was made illegal to refuse services, job opportunities, training, housing, education and the provision of goods and facilities to individuals from ethnic backgrounds. Peoples views, opinions and thoughts still
Illustrations by Ben Springham
feature bias traits in this day and age about this global subject, however it’s a far cry from the experiences of earlier generations. Problems, events and tragedies still occur based around this topic, and it’s still a present battle to be fought in the UK, but there has
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Nationality
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Sophie says..... nonetheless been a clear shift in the culture Visible differences which have occurred, include the promotion of black role models to light the way to success, from actors, musicians, singers, super models, athletes and people of political power. Being present and prominent reflects power and the visible shift that society has undertaken to ensure equality. Also there are more mixed friendships and families now more than ever, and many ethnic minority success stories which has resulted in a varied, interesting and richly cultured communities. Seminal moments in the UK race relations, which have come to be seen as perhaps the most important and crucial aspects in helping to forge a peaceful and fair society include… The arrival of the cruise ship Empire Windrush at Tilbury Docks on the morning of 22nd June, 1948, marked the start of modern day mass immigration in Britain. 492 young Jamaican men made the voyage across the Atlantic in search of work. 25 years later in 1973 Trevor McDonald became Britain’s first black newsreader, setting a precedent and paving the way for many others including Moira Stewart, Zeinab Badawi and Krishnan Guru-Murthy. Trevor McDonald has become a revered broadcaster and was even named as one of the top 1,000 icons of Britishness by members of the public. In other news, the Brixton Riots in 1981 was violent and anger fuelled. The inquiry of the
Race and relations moving on the upside.
event led to new practices on the law enforcers and resulted in the setup of the Police Complaints Authority. The divide between race was slowly reducing and more equality was seen within the UK. Due to this in 1987 the election of four non-white MP’s: Diane Abbott, Paul Boateng, Bernie Grant and Keith Vaz, was headline news, as the last time a black MP had been elected to Parliament was in 1922. Their purpose was to further the cause of better race relations. Another step in the right direction by 1993 when footballer Paul Ince became the first black player to captain England in its “national sport”. Then to follow in 1999 Indian-born Nasser Hussain performed the same task for England’s cricket side. It was just the start of many triumphant athletes from ethnic minorities; as success is still being celebrated today with stars such a Mo Farah, who proudly flied the flag for Britain due to his outstanding abilities. The multicultural society that Britain has become has evolved unrecognisably, however tensions between race and culture still arise. Looking back at how things have changed since the very early days, it is hopefully a reassuring account that reflects how the subject on race relations will continue to improve, acceptance grow, and the equality and peace between ethnic background and cultures to flourish and finally be met.
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Racism is man’s gravest threat to man - the maximum of hatred for a minimum of reason. Abraham Joshua Heschel Weakness is what brings ignorance, cheapness, racism, homophobia, desperation, cruelty, brutality, all these things that will keep a society chained to the ground, one foot nailed to the floor. Henry Rollins
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Canon 5D MK IV DSLR upgrade continuum.
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xternally, barely anything has changed since the 5D Mark III, and with good reason. There’s a button for virtually every photographic function, with most settings adjusted by pressing a button and spinning the command dial or rear wheel. The touchscreen is the biggest addition, not only helping with autofocus for live view and video modes, but also speeding up menu navigation. The view through the viewfinder is relatively uncluttered by default, with illuminated exposure settings at the bottom, but there are options to show an electronic level, battery capacity, exposure, drive and metering modes, white-balance preset and various other settings overlaid across the optical viewfinder image. This means you can adjust virtually any setting without taking your eye off the viewfinder. The exception is calibrating the custom white balance, which in usual Canon fashion involves capturing a photo and navigating to a menu page to calibrate using that photo. Other cameras do the whole thing with a single click.
Features The new features read like a personal wishlist: an upgraded 61-point autofocus sensor for improved subject tracking when using the viewfinder; a new 30-megapixel sensor with Canon’s dual-pixel technology for fast, accurate autofocus in live view and video modes; 4K video capture; a touchscreen for video autofocus control; improved weather sealing; GPS; Wi-Fi; and 7fps continuous shooting, up from 6fps on the EOS 5D Mark III and 5fps on the 50-megapixel EOS 5Ds. Highlights: l Shoot captivating stills wherever you are, day or night. 30.4-megapixel resolution delivers extraordinary detail. l Dual memory card slots allow you to shoot for longer or back up your work without the need to switch cards. l Flip through menu functions and settings easily. Control your camera with a 1,620,000dot 3.2-inch touchscreen LCD. l F 61 Point / max of 41 cross-type AF points inc 5 dual cross type at f/2.8 and 61 points / 21 cross-type AF points at f/8. The number of cross-type AF points depends on the lens.
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Shutter - Soft touch electromagnetic release. Type Electronically controlled focal-plane.
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www.buckitt.co.uk
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Restaurant
The Lemon Tree won Best Fine Dining Restaurant 2016 and has recently opened its Gin Garden. “Gin has become sexy� says Luke Fishpool.
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Restaurant Exclusive...
Simplicity is key Discovering the fundamentals of contemporary English cuisine, at The Lemon Tree by Dennis Sterne.
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uke Fishpool knows his onions albeit lemons inspired the name for his restaurant of twenty one years . A ripe age to start cooking at twenty two, Luke’s culinary skills began at The Black Horse, Brent Pelham. He so loved the environment. Next post of the journey - Dickens in Weatherfield. It becomes instantly apparent that I’m speaking to a chef that has simplicity at his heart. It’s evident too in his expression of words and gesture. I asked him to recall a memorable food eating moment and he points to France, goats cheese and fresh baked bread by a river. This is a man to my own heart. I recall having the most memorable club sandwich by a river in the Lake District. All the ingredients fresh and local, the baked bread made using older and fresh dough mix. You may have heard of this culinary conjuring trick. Anyway, the result being an unforgettable sensory
eating experience with pure understated simplicity at the heart. Luke says it’s all too easy to fall in the trap of over complicating ingredients. His take on pleasurable dining is to champion the main ingredient and garnish in a complimentary way, always respecting the key meat, fish, vegetable. He says “It’s not what you put on the plate but what you leave off.” Our conversation moves to slow cook, bath cooking. Recently brought home to cooking TV fan base by Heston Blumenthal. While this method of cooking makes for tender, succulent meat enjoyment, Luke remarked on how it took away from the involvement of cooking in an active way which he very much enjoys. He also remarked on how this method allowed for greater possibility of contamination and food aging due to the slow nature of the process. Being self taught means that there’s been an allowance for feeling through the process. u
“It’s all too easy to over complicate the ingredients.” Photography: Dennis Sterne
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But Luke says “Being your own boss can mean you stop learning. New people bring ideas. It’s good to be receptive as I have with new recruits. He remarks on a chef he respects called Nico Ladenis, interestingly also self taught. He won three Michelin stars and his restaurant Chef Nico was rated ten out of ten by the Good Food Guide. Chef number two on Luke’s appreciation list is Alastair Little - Cambridge graduate and yet again self taught. Known as Alastair as one of Britain’s best self-taught chefs. He was the former head chef at Old Compton Wine Bar London, from 1974 to 1976.
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Desert Happy accidents can often spring up for artists and it appears that chefs also happen upon such discoveries as Luke did. The story goes that there was a sizeable amount
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of clotted cream left over from a party. The idea of marrying macerated strawberries and raspberries in Drambuie with shards of meringue. A flamboyant Eaton Mess if you will. Some available vanilla iced cream need padding out. Hey presto, the clotted cream was duly added creating a super creamy fruity spicy delight that quickly made its way on the restaurant menu. Needless to say very much enjoyed by the punters. A gleeful example of how cuisine creativity is expressed through a coming together of chance and the love of food and cooking. Luke conducts a cooking club on the third Thursday of given months. Upcoming event dates are September 21st and November 23rd 2017 for keen cooking club goers. The Lemon Tree delights its diners both near and far through the seasons. Look forward to another plate up from The Lemon Tree in winter edition of Fresheye magazine.
Restaurant
The Lemon Tree won Best Fine Dining Restaurant 2016 and has recently opened its Gin Garden. “Gin has become sexy” says Luke aFishpool.
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“Being your own boss can mean you stop learning. New people bring ideas. It’s good to be receptive.”
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Hunting season
Above: Audley House, 57-58 South Audley Street, W1K 2ED James Purdey & Sons For 203 years since 1814 , James Purdey & Sons has been synonymous with the unrivalled craftsmanship of the world’s best shotguns and rifles. Every Purdey and Woodward owner carries a piece of our history with them. Heritage While every gunmaker wants to provides its customers with the best service and build guns using the finest materials, no-one can replicate ‘The Purdey Way’. The process, which is followed by each Purdey craftsman, takes around two years to complete. First stop is either the West London Shooting School – Purdey has been taking its customers there since the 1930s – or the iconic Long Room at Audley House for a session with the try gun to collect stock dimensions. Customers select their stock while at Audley House and also have the chance to meet the craftsmen at the factory in Hammersmith. Once the gun is completed, around 800 manhours later, customers join the likes of Queen Victoria, W.G. Grace and Charles Darwin by having their gun’s details entered in the Dimensions Books dating back to 1816, as well as having their gun presented to them in the Long Room. Nigel Beaumont completes the Purdey red book that accompanies each finished gun but it won’t be the first time the said gentleman will have seen one of its components. How so? Part of Nigel Beaumont’s job is to source only those walnuts from Turkish wood yards that meet Purdey’s strict stock specifications, all of which achieve their high gloss finished via a secret Slacum oil recipe held only by a single craftsman. While unafraid of innovation – see its Damascus shotgun from 2009 – Purdey prefers to stay true to its roots, especially on clothing. Purdey has crafted a clothing range with the same consideration as their fine guns and rifles to establish an authentic, functional range blending into nature. It works. British craftsmen make the majority of the range and new pieces follow a seasonal timetable rather than the f-word – fashion. A former engraver for the Bank of England is one of two in-house craftsmen currently working their magic on the guns, and opportunities exist to engrave glassware and personalise leather goods to customer’s specifications, echoing the bespoke nature of the brand.
James Purdey & Sons shotguns and wears. Sponsored by
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Gun shop
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“Within ten years James Purdey was being spoken of as the finest gunmaker in London.
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Gun shop Above: Hand crafted twin set shotguns. Above top centre: Ladies hat embelished with game feathers. Above top right: Wool and canvas hunting vests. Above right: Leather gun case.
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See in-store for an impressive collection of accessories from gloves, hunting wear to hound couch as seen above.
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Gun shop Top left: Close up of branded decorative wooden case. Top centre: Staff member posing with shot gun in hand. Above: Old ledgers documenting gun sales and ownership. Left: James Purdey the Younger Above right: The greatest shots of the past two centuries have visited the Long Room, and many are immortalised here through portraits and memorabilia.
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James Purdey the Younger apprenticed to the firm at the age of 14 At the age of 30 he took over the running of the company from his father..
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A taste of the Med Skew restaurant sets the standard for high class dining in green belt.
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he ancient southern Turkish city were Ali Delidogan grew up is on the legendary silk road, and would have been a stopping point and meeting place for traders in silks, spices and other goods on their journeys between East and West. It is famed for it’s hospitality and it’s cuisine and is recognised by UNESCO when it was named one of the world’s top cities of Gastronomy. A welcome arrival then of such influence and heritage to showcase in East Hertfordshire at a time when Bishop’s Stortford is experiencing development via new openings in it’s town centre. The ground floor main dining area is an impressive space seating 100 guests. Retro interior notes and flood lit by naural light during the day. The atmosphere is modern and relaxed. An experience of calmness eccentuated by the view of the River Stort. Food takes centre stage here with an extensive menu of Turkish dishes, some with French and Moroccan influences. The Karisik Sis mix chicken and lamb shis kebab comes highly
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recommended. Beautiful creamy light rice on the side with hint of almond. Salsa like source with hint of chilli all combined to make for a memorable shish dish that’s worth noting. Oyster bar A glass staircase leads up to the mezzanine Champagne and oyster bar. An appropriate use of the word ‘vibe’ here denotes once again retro influence. Bar frontage is back lit giving off a message of have yourself a good time. Friday nights create a great spot to enjoy the music too with lively company. This first floor also accomodates a private dining room seating 20, discreetly tucked away behind sliding glass doors. Menu highlights Featuring cold and hot mezze; traditional Turkish charcoal cooked dishes that are served with salad, minted yoghurt and chille sauce such as Tavuk Sis (marinated cubes of chicken) and Pirzola (tender lamb chops seasoned with thyme); and a good selection of fish dishes that include seadbass, fresh king
Dining
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“ I would very much like for Skew to become the people’s choice destination Turkish restaurant.” - Ali Deligogan -
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Dining
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prawns and baked lemon sole stuffed with Cornish crab meat and herb butter. House specialities include Kleftiko (slow cooked lamb shank) and Islim (minced lamb wrapped in parcels of aubergine served with a home made sauce). Bakla takes top spot on a a desert list that also includes a rice pudding with fig and pistachio biscuit. The wine list features both old and new world wines to suit every taste and budget including a couple of Turkish wines, chosen by Ali, for diners who would like to sample the region’s drinks as well as its food.
During the week dining is restricted to adults and children over the age of 12 while Sunday is a dedicated family day when all are welcome. Summer is here and the south facing ground floor terrace doors are open. Stew restaurant really is an authentic taste of the Mediterranean. Step inside and enjoy it’s well put together cuisine, interior and ambience. Friday evening is party evening at the oyster bar with DJ and live music. Skew 4 Adderley Rd, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3AE
Hertfordshire’s biggest, most contemporary luxury Turkish restaurant by a country mile. www.skewrestaurant.com
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Book Launch Photography: Dennis Sterne
The Esquimaux is a historical literary novel set in and around Nantucket in the early 19th century. It is based on the true story of John Sackhouse, a native Greenlander.
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Esquimaux
A long time in waiting and now it’s here.
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om Tivnan is Features and Insight Editor of The Book Seller. You would imagine that there’s a book in a journalist who works on a book magazine. You’d be right and here it is. Available on Amazon and in good book stores no less. Having been to one previous book launch this one was much more in keeping with what I would expect. Top floor of an old pub, Dickensian in feel as I encountered ample wooden flooring and panels on my upward climb. Sufficient Baroque framing, quirky painting and imagery too. I enter the bar to meet a healthy throng of book launch revellers and the hum of chatter that denotes something new to offer in literary world. I approach some familar faces and comment on how novel it all is. Only to realise my own unintended pun. Needless to say it was well received. The atmosphere is cheary, optimistic and somewhat youthful due to the fact that a new arrival is indeed being celebrated. There is certainly an amount of good that goes with the business of putting out an item of print that is imparted to enrich, feed, inspire and entertain. I decided before arrival to invest in a copy
and duely have it signed by the author, save me buying it elsewhere. Putting a proper stamp on the book and a occasion if you will. Inspiration Tom was in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh and was struck by the smallest painting in a room full of Georgian high heid yins in the room. The man depicted was wearing sealskins, clutching a harpoon, and was the only person of colour in the collection and, apart from the occasional foreign-born aristo, certainly the only non-Scot. Who was this guy? Turns out, someone extraordinary, though only the bare bones of his story are known. Eventually known as John Sackhouse, he was a native of Disko Island off the coast of Greenland who was born around the turn of the 19th century and in his late teens John stowed aboard an Edinburgh-bound whaler. Arriving there he became a sensation — a performer of wildly popular kayaking and harpoon demonstrations in Leith Harbour who was taken up by the city’s beau monde and intelligentsia, including his great friend the painter Alexander Nasmyth, whose portraits of Rabbie Burns and John now hang a few feet from each other in that Edinburgh gallery.
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World Class Restaurant Round-up Fresheye goes global in its search for the best places to dine in the world. If proof is in the pudding then give way to abandon and order desert.
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New York Eleven Madison Park, New York, USA When you’re visiting the City that Never Sleeps, you need to eat. And this year it just happens to be home to the best restaurant in the world. Eleven Madison Park has been making its move up the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, debuting in 2010 at no. 50 and hovering in the top 10 since 2012, moving from 5th place in 2015, to 3rd place last year to top honers in 2017.
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Italy Osteria Francescana, Modena, Italy Voted the second best restaurant in the world 2015 (#1 in Italy), and consistently ranked at the top of Best Of round ups, not to mention the bucket lists of countless foodies
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Spain El Celler de Can Roca, Girona, Spain The contemporary Catalan classic in the making is perhaps best known for its “Rainy Forest” dish. Unsurprisingly, the Roca brothers’ restaurant has been ranked number one twice before.
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France Mirazur, Menton, France Argentine Mauro Colagreco serves up innovative takes on Mediterranean food at his restaurant on the French Riviera. The menu’s fresh, produce-heavy dishes have helped seal its stellar reputation.
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Peru Central, Lima, Peru The top-ranked Latin American restaurant this year, Central aims to explore Peru’s biodiversity. Chefs Virgilio Martínez and Pia León are a husband-and-wife team clearly achieving an ecologically-inclined work-life balance.
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Spain Asador Etxebarri, Axpe, Spain Victor Arguinzoniz’s rural restaurant is as flavorful as it gets. Wondering what to order? Crunchy corn with sea urchin is a specialty.
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Thailand Gaggan, Bangkok, Thailand This is the third consecutive year that chef and owner Gaggan Anand’s restaurant has been named Asia’s top restaurant. Its modern take on Indian cuisine is phenomenal, but its emoji-packed menu is also quite a crowd-pleaser.
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Peru Maido, Lima, Peru Peru and Latin America’s second restaurant on the top 10 comes in at number eight. Chef Mitsuharu Tsumura was born in Lima and then studied in both the U.S. and Japan. Maido’s tasting menu gives a colorful tour through Tsumura’s vision of Japanese cuisine today.
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Austria Steirereck, Vienna, Heinz Reitbauer’s Steirereck. Its area of expertise is modern Austrian dishes such as ºfreshwater mountain fish cooked at the table in hot beeswax.
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Spain
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Mugaritz, San Sebastian, Spain Flowers may not sound like the most appetizing earth-grown item to evoke on a menu, but Mugaritz’s “dried hydrangea of cocoa” should change that. Still not impressed? Andoni Luis Aduriz’s Basque restaurant serves guests 20 courses in any given meal.
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Iconic Steve McCurry is arguably the most influential photographer of the 20th century. His most famous picture, Afghan Girl Peshawar, Pakistan, 1984. (right), became known worldwide after being featured on the National Geographic’s cover - confirming his incredible talent as significant reporter of our times.
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- Steve McCurry -
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Socio Education
A school of educational thought, by Fiona Snailham.
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o quote Nelson Mandela: ‘education is the most powerful weapon’ but is it really powerful enough to ‘change the world’? As individuals, it is note the improving power of education. Those who remain in education to degree level are expected to earn an average salary of £31,000 in 2017, nearly £10,000 more than nongraduates. On a national scale, studies suggest a relationship between higher numbers of graduates and national economic growth, benefiting the country as a whole. In England, there is also a clear relationship between lack of education and inhibited social progression. Data provided by HM Chief Inspectorate of Prisons notes a correlation between low educational attainment and time spent at her Majesty’s pleasure. A 2013 study revealed that the vast majority of young offenders had been excluded from school (86% of males, 100% of females interviewed). A similar correlation is evident amongst adult offenders, with 46% of the 2015 prison
population considered ‘functionally illiterate’ (possessing literacy levels at or below those expected of an 11-year- old). Victor Hugo’s suggestion that ‘he who opens a school door, closes a prison’ remains pertinent even today, with recent studies suggesting that improving education is a key policy tool in reducing crime (Machin et al, 2010 and 2012). Internationally, the picture is clearer still. The Global Partnership for Education (GPE), which supports 65 developing countries to ensure that every child receives a ‘quality, basic education’, contends that education has the power to shape the futures: both for individuals and the societies in which they live. The GPE asserts that education is vital in the attainment of each of the United Nation’s 17 golden goals for sustainable development and stresses the power of education to boost income, reduce poverty, increase political participation and lead to improved health and well-being. Put like this, it is difficult to deny Mandela’s claim that education can ‘change the world’.
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‘Education is the most powerful weapon’. - Nelson Mandela Photography- Dan Videtich
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British Beauty The Lake District - Cumbia (or Lakeland, as it’s commonly known round these parts) is by far the UK’s most popular national park. 15 million people pitch up to explore the region’s fells and countryside and it’s not hard to see why. Sponsored by
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Experience
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Lake Windermere Ever since the Romantic poets arrived in the 19th century, its postcard panorama of craggy hilltops, mountain tarns and glittering lakes has been stirring the imaginations of visitors.
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The Lake District It’s awash with outdoor opportunities, from lake cruises to mountain walks, but many people visit for the region’s literary connections: among the many writers who found inspiration here are William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Arthur Ransome and, of course, Beatrix Potter, a lifelong lover of the Lakes, whose 150th birthday was celebrated across the national park in 2016.
iPhone 7 image stabilization. Apple says it’s the best singular camera on any device yet.