aAh! Magazine Issue #3

THE FOOD ISSUE

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without the explicit permission of the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within this publication do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of Manchester Metropolitan University.

aAh.editor@gmail.com 0161 247 1951 aAh! Magazine, Manchester Metropolitan University, Geoffrey Manton Building, M15 6LL aAh! is currently distributed online. Print distribution will resume at the Manchester Metropolitan University campus soon. A wide range of advertising packages and affordable ways to promote your business are available.

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Student Media Coordinator

Natalie Carragher

Editorial

Ben Thompson Ben Townsend Bronte Schiltz Ellie Tyson Emily Jones Georgina Hurdsfield Farwa Naseer Pruthvi Khilosia Rachel Crowley Razeena Patel Sara Khaliq Shawna Healey Siddra Daud Asghar

Contributors

Akash Ali Amelia Brook Andrea Maria Petrie Ben Orgill Ellie Swindale Hannah Clark Jess Stoddard Keith Bloody Mary Lewis Finney Nerissa Cargill Thompson Nima Ebadi Maya Luthra Rose Proudfoot

Design

Sam Simpson Oskar Walin Emily Pellen Indea Lucas

Social

Sam Peckett

THE FOOD ISSUE

Welcome to the FOOD issue.

Our lovely liberal generation is also unfocused and vague. We think we know everything, which we kind of do, but mostly we don’t. aAh! hopes to present the opportunity for readers and writers to question their own ideas about the world we’ve fallen into. Each issue will interrogate one important contemporary notion as a theme running through our regular features, opinion pieces, spotlights, interviews, previews, art, poetry, flash fiction, photography and music.

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Featured Artist

Exploring Manchester with Elsa Eats

Too Good To Go

Time to GROW

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Feed the Fable: The Story of Amal

MOB Kitchen

The Simple Genius of Slovakian Sweet Meals

Food Poverty in Greater Manchester

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Nerissa Cargill Thompson

Andrea Maria Petrie

Amelia Brook & Ellie Swindale

Andrea Maria Petrie & Elsa Lee

Jess Stoddard

Andrea Maria Petrie

Shawna Healey

Ben Townsend Cover Artist: Nima Ebadi

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Let Them Eat Greggs: The Eating Habits of Britains Political Elite

Review: Heads Up: Supper Club Listings

Ben Thompson

Hannah Clark

Creative Writing

Maya Luthra

Rose Proudfoot & Ben Orgill

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Featured Artist

Featured Artist

Keith Bloody Mary

Akash Ali

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Feqtured Artist: Nerissa Cargill Thompson

“My work explores plastic pollution and the permanence of the disposable through mixed media sculpture and photography.

I cast embellished textiles and concrete in discarded food packaging, which transforms these easily overlooked, transparent and/or lightweight objects into something with substance, in-line with the seriousness of the issue. The coastalinspired textures show how this waste is becoming part of our landscape. Nature will fight back but it feels less and less like a battle it can win. I feature recognisable brand logos to connect with our daily lives to ask the question of responsibility: do we favour the big companies or our personal choices when food shopping?� aAh! the FOOD issue

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EXPLORING MANCHESTER WITH ELSA EATS

By Andrea Maria Petrie Additional words from Elsa Lee

We may become accustomed to late night kebabs and instant noodles while at university, but we don’t always realise how many student-friendly eateries Manchester is home to. One person who can steer us in the direction of good food is Elsa Lee, the owner of popular food blog ‘Elsa Eats’.

Manchester-based Elsa is a fountain of knowledge when it comes to the city’s best food.

Elsa Lee

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We challenged Elsa to recommend six eateries based on different occasions and moods with only three things in common: affordability, central location and quality.

Follow Elsa’s food journey over at www.elsaeats.com Instagram @elsaeatsfood Twitter @ElsaEats Facebook @ElsaEats

IT’S A DATE Perfect for date night or solo dining Place: Location: Elsa Says:

Must Try: aAh! Says:

Sugo Pasta Kitchen Blossom St, Manchester, M4 6BA “Finding something which is studentfriendly and fancy is tough, but Sugo fits the bill. Offering authentic pasta with a changing seasonal menu, main dishes range from £10 - £17. They offer a Friday lunch offer for £15, vegan options are also available.”

“Any main dish.”

“Dating as a student can be tricky, but Sugo offers us the best of both worlds: delicious, affordable cuisine in a relaxed but subtly romantic space. Staff steered us towards dishes on the menu that don’t change seasonally. The Strozzapreti (chicken, chilli and parmesan) tasted and smelled divine, while the House Sugo (beef, nduja pork and ragu) is ideal for spice-lovers. Plan a first date at Sugo and you’ll definitely be back for a second.”

COVID-19 Update: Order via Deliveroo.

WEIRD AND WONDERFUL Unique, wacky and Instagrammable Place: Location: Elsa Says:

Must Try:

aAh! Says:

Richmond Tea Rooms 46 Sackville St, Manchester, M1 3WF “This café has a wonderland theme and is known for its cakes and afternoon teas.

Their tea collection is extensive; they also serve breakfasts and light meals, such as club sandwiches, quiches and pies. Vegan and gluten-free options are also available.”

“Afternoon tea, the cheapest being the Alice Tea (x2 scones and Tea) at £7.50, while the Hatters Tea (Canapé, Sandwiches, Scone and Tea) is £11.95.”

“From the idyllic sky-blue fluffy cloud painted ceilings to the Mad Hatter décor, there wasn’t a dull moment. The Alice Tea consisted of two scones (as promised), freshly baked and served warm with a delicious Lotus Rose tea. I indulged in the Breakfast Bruschetta while simultaneously wondering why my breakfast isn’t this tasty every day. This trip to wonderland certainly delivered whimsy and wonderful cuisine.”

COVID-19 Update: Dine-in and takeaway options available. aAh! the FOOD issue

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SWEET TREATS Satisfy those sugar cravings Place:

Ginger’s Comfort Emporium

Location:

Afflecks, Church St, Manchester, M4 1PW

Elsa Says:

“Ice cream and vegan sorbets with a twist, Ginger’s experiment with unique flavours like Marmalade, Toast or Rhubarb. Don’t worry, you can ask to try a bit before committing to a flavour! If you prefer traditional flavours, the chocolate and vanilla scoops are also excellent.”

Must Try:

“Chorlton Crack, aka their award-winning Salted Caramel and Peanut Butter, available with dairy or dairy-free.”

aAh! Says:

“Ginger’s proves that sometimes, strange combinations work. Elsa’s recommendation (Chorlton Crack) certainly lived up to its name. While I wasn’t the only person in the shop enjoying this flavour, I was the only one who finished it in record time – and still contemplated having another. The staff’s suggestion of Blueberry and Lemon Meringue was equally delicious, their ice creams made my day much sweeter.”

COVID-19 Update: Look out for pop-up locations on social media.

KIND TO THE WALLET Who says everything tasty is costly?

Place:

Casa Mexica

Location:

The Quadrangle, Chester St, Manchester, M1 5QS

Elsa Says:

“Selling a variety of Mexican meals for under £7, each one is full and very filling!

Students get 15% off, or a large burrito and soft drink for £6.50. Vegan options are also available.”

Must Try:

aAh! Says:

“The Pulled Pork or Vegetarian Chilli Burrito. Top it up with cactus, salad and hot sauce.”

“If you aren’t a loyal customer of Casa Mexica, then why not? The portion sizes are incredible, especially for the low-prices.

I sampled Elsa’s recommended Pulled Pork Burrito and the Vegan Chorizo Burrito, both bursting at the seams with flavourful ingredients. With helpful staff, interesting decorations and a prime location, this eatery promises to be a godsend to any hungry student low on funds.”

COVID-19 Update: Look out for meal kits, ready meals and takeaway options.

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ELSA’S TOP PICK Elsa’s all-time favourite Mancunian eatery Place: Location: Elsa Says:

Must Try: aAh! Says:

Shoryu Ramen 1 Piccadilly, Manchester, M1 1RG “The best and most authentic Japanese soup noodles in Manchester hands down!

Their signature ramen and basic vegan option (White Natural) are priced at £12.50, but currently they offer it to students with a student card for £7 Monday to Wednesday, 2pm – 5pm.”

“Signature Ramen - Shoryu Ganso Tonkotsu.”

“As Elsa’s top choice, I had high expectations, expectations which were undeniably met. The Signature Ramen can only be described as “a hug in a bowl”. The marriage of a smooth broth, soft noodles and 12-hour slow cooked pork (to name a few ingredients) were instrumental in creating this amazing dish.

Staff recommended the Halloumi Bun, which acted as a perfect companion to the ramen. Going forward, my go-to bar will always be a ramen bar.”

COVID-19 Update: Dine-in and takeaway options available.

SAVE THE PLANET Food is good, the environment is better Place: Location: Elsa Says:

Must Try: aAh! Says:

Nibble NQ 36 Oldham St, Manchester, M1 1JN “A small café serving breakfasts, lunches and cakes, they care about their food and use local, seasonal ingredients. If you’re taking things away, their packaging is ecofriendly! Students get 20% off Monday to Friday, vegan and gluten-free options are also available.”

“The Signature Salad.”

“Located amongst vintage storefronts, its hanging greenery and quirky seating made me feel cooler by just being there. Elsa’s recommended Signature Salad brought an array of fresh flavours and colours; it was like a rainbow on a plate. The staff’s recommendation of Sweet Smokey Beans on Toast was a wildcard, but the strong yet sweet taste quickly saw me finishing a dish I’d never usually pick. Nibble? I devoured.”

COVID-19 Update: Dine-in and takeaway options available.

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TOO GOOD THE APP F FOOD WAS MAGIC BA Restaurants across Manchester are faced with throwing away substantial amounts of food that failed to sell each day. This isn’t unique to the city; it’s a story that’s echoed across eateries worldwide. Combined with the unwanted leftover food from households, ten million tonnes of food are thrown away per year - a weight equivalent to 27 Empire State Buildings.

In 2015, diners at a buffet in Copenhagen saw first-hand the large quantities of

it is collected. Since its inception, the app has saved over 900,000 meals worldwide from going to waste and has been launched in 12 European countries.

The meals saved by the app would have totalled an equivalent of over two million kg of CO2, if thrown away, The company celebrates the purchase of every meal, describing its customers as “waste warriors”. While to the shopper it

“Combined with the unwanted leftover food from households, this totals an estimated ten million tonnes of food thrown away per year – to put into perspective, that weight is equivalent to 27 Empire State Buildings.” food going to waste. This led to the development of an idea that would provide a second life for this seemingly ill-fated cuisine, which, after joining forces with entrepreneurs worldwide, became the food-saving app: Too Good To Go. Launched in the United Kingdom in 2016, Too Good To Go enables restaurants, cafés, supermarkets and hotels to offer up their unsold food at a reduced price. After downloading the app, users can customise their location to see which of their local eateries have signed up; they may then opt to buy a ‘Magic Bag’, of which the contents are a mystery to the shopper until 10

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may just seem like just a meal in hand, using the app means that food is being utilised rather than ending up in landfill.

“Prevention of food waste is the absolute key perk of the app, and it’s the reason Too Good To Go exists,” a spokesperson from the company said.

“Food waste is responsible for 8% of greenhouse gas emissions globally. When food is wasted and goes to landfill, it produces methane – a greenhouse gas 27 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

But the problem is much bigger than that.

D TO GO: FIGHTING STE ONE AG AT A TIME

By Andrea Maria Petrie

“When we waste food, we waste all the resources it took to produce, package and transport that food as well. It’s a really serious problem for our environment, so at Too Good To Go it’s the key motivation for doing what we do.”

Although the app is still in its infancy, it has already garnered plenty of support from hungry shoppers and environmentally conscious businesses. The app has joined forces with eateries across the UK, and while most businesses offering the service are based in and around London, there are currently 72 active stores in Manchester, a number which is growing all the time.

Chaobaby Thai Buffet, Chatime, Kettlebell

Kitchen and Yo! Sushi are just some in the city working alongside the app to fight food waste. aAh! found that significant savings are also available through the app. In dessert restaurant Hey Little Cupcake!, the standard price of cupcakes normally range between £2.85 - £4 each. However, a purchase on Too Good To Go for £3.50 a box meant that cupcakes were reduced to 70p each - an overall estimated saving of £13 on items that were fresh, tasty and would have otherwise gone to waste.

The team behind Too Good To Go said: “For our customers, the app means great food at great prices, and the knowledge

you’re playing a part in combating the food waste problem. For businesses, it’s a great way to cut food waste, recover sunk costs, and attract new customers. For the environment, it’s one less wasted meal contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.

It’s a win-win-win.”

Too Good To Go’s vision is simple: a world with no food waste. This is what they shall continue to work towards, one Magic Bag at a time.

Download Too Good To Go from the App Store or Google Play.

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TIME TO

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By Amelia Brook & Ellie Swindale

GROW

Over 50% of young people in the UK have tried going vegan, a 2018 survey revealed. Meat-free diets have grown in popularity in recent years, particularly with students looking to cut down on their meat consumption. With this market on the rise, Manchester Met’s GROW café could not have come at a more opportune time.

GROW, situated on the ground floor of Manchester Met’s Business School, launched in September, 2019 and was a long time coming for MetMunch founder and GROW co-founder Haleh Moravej, who had envisioned the idea over the past ten years.

Growing numbers of vegetarians, vegans and flexitarians alongside a university survey polling strongly in favour of more food options on campus, supported her vision for GROW. It’s a place that aims to connect people, offer a space to relax and enable diners to eat something that is “not only nutritious, but made with the highest quality of ingredients”. The team are also committed to offering reasonable prices, too - following feedback that cost is a key consideration to customers.

With veganism on the rise, however, Moravej, a senior lecturer in nutritional sciences at the university, said that some big companies are creating products that are over-processed and have made veganism into a trend rather than a healthy lifestyle: “They believe that when they see the word ‘vegan’, it has to be healthy and this is not always the case.”

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“They believe that when they see the word ‘vegan’, it has to be healthy and this is not always the case.”

“It was the first time that we had the opportunity to be collaborating outside of our own catering team, which was a big leap for us – it’s been brilliant.”

As a result, Moravej wanted to educate students and change certain views and ideas attached to the words ‘vegan’ and ‘vegetarian’. “GROW uses the words ‘meat-free’ because we didn’t want people to feel excluded,” Moravej tells aAh! Phil Rhodes, executive chef at GROW, says he was happy when Moravej and her team came to him about the café menu. “I think it’s something that has been needed to be done for a long time,” says Rhodes.

“It was the first time that we had the opportunity to be collaborating outside of our own catering team, which was a big leap for us – it’s been brilliant.”

Inside the quirky café, a range of plants adorn the vibrant tables. Many are edible, with guests invited to garnish their food, an idea which offers a very different experience to anything else on campus or in Manchester at large. The chairs are rainbow-coloured, utilising furniture upcycled from Manchester Met’s former Crewe campus and from the council chamber, with some pieces at least 20-years-old. Moravej wanted the furniture to be as sustainable as possible, and for it to add to experience for guests.

The café hopes to promote a more plantbased diet for individuals who aren’t fully vegan or vegetarian but who are keen to incorporate more vegetables into their diet and lower their overall meat consumption.

In light of recent findings which show that seven to ten pieces of fruit or vegetables a day are recommended, compared to the 3.5 pieces the average person consumes, it’s definitely a step in the right direction.

“Throughout my last ten years at Manchester Met, this has been the best teamwork experience. Everyone has played to their strengths and everyone has worked towards this one goal: high quality food for staff and students in an amazing environment,” says Moravej.

GROW works with community partners Anxiety UK to highlight the link between anxiety and nutrition, through the development of an online resource. They plan to continue working together on a regular basis due to the growing concern surrounding students’ mental health.

GROW is another step forward for Manchester Met, having already been awarded the National and International EAUC award (Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges) in 2014, which recognised its students and MetMunch for their work in improving sustainability around the campus. aAh! the FOOD issue 15

FEED THE FABLE

THE STORY OF AMAL

Photography: Rob Whitrow

It’s the late 1980s and Somalia is embroiled in a civil war. Groups are rebelling, with their goal being the downfall of a harsh and tyrannical president. Fear takes over the country’s citizens and with the constant threat of tribal rivalry, gunfire and missile attacks, it soon becomes evident that tomorrow is not promised to anyone. However, among the chaos, one young girl finds happiness in cooking and the joy that comes with the sharing of food.

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That girl is Amal and this is her story.

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A Grandmother’s Wisdom Following these events, Amal was put in the primary care of her grandmother, Khadra, whom she would remain with until the age of eight. Although her grandmother was not expressive with her feelings, she cemented a bond with her granddaughter in another way.

“She wouldn’t say: ‘I love you’ because it’s not what she was used to culturally. The way that my grandmother expressed love was through feeding you,” says Amal.

Birth and Legacy Amal Hassan was born in 1981 in Mogadishu, Somalia. Her father, Mahmud, was a colonel in the military, when Mohamed Siyad Barre was acting as President of the Somali Democratic Republic. However, as cracks started to appear in the country’s stability, Mahmud found it difficult to maintain his allegiance to Barre.

“My father was a man of principle. He saw the political situation and was unhappy, so he joined a counter movement. He knew he was doing the right thing,” says Amal.

Tragically, doing the right thing came at a very high price as he was exiled when Amal was two-years old and killed in a landmine explosion a year later.

“Knowing who my father was and the sacrifice that he made for what he felt to be worthwhile for the country that he loved, instilled in me a respect and sense of holding service in high regard,” Amal adds.

Although her story began on shaky foundations, these events would place her in the care of the woman who would change her life forever.

At lunchtime most days, hungry mouths would appear at their door, and as Amal remembers, Khadra never turned a single soul away. She believed that food tasted best when shared with others, which is why every meal at their home became an event. Even on nights when the electricity was not guaranteed, Amal’s grandmother would find ways to pass the time while cooking by lamplight.

“Electricity came and went, and we didn’t have a TV. She would tell me stories on those nights,” Amal reveals. “Storytelling is in our culture, and hearing her tell those stories was just magical.”

Greatly influenced by her grandmother, Amal treasured their morning visits to the Bakaara Market, and at eight-years-old, she had made her own solo cooking debut. Choosing to make a Dallac Bilaash (masala sauce) and a simple rice, she desperately tried to emulate what her grandmother had shown her. Amal was left with a finished dish and a sense of pride.

“I felt such achievement. Girls who were good cooks were held in high regard and I was keen to impress everyone,” says Amal.

It was clear that she had impressed, but no one could anticipate how far her evolving cooking skills would eventually take her.

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Television Debut Destined to leave Somalia, Amal moved to Yemen before finally settling in Manchester when she was 18-years-old. It was here that she met and married her husband before having two beautiful children, with whom she shares her love of cooking with.

Photography: Carolien Lesser

Although her family life was thriving and she held a stable career in the banking industry, it was only when coming across an application online that Amal decided to take a new chance on an old dream.

That application was for MasterChef 2019.

“I was a fan of the show and wanted to push myself to go beyond my comfort zone and make some connections within the food industry,” she says.

On the show, Amal’s combination of Somali cooking with hints of Yemeni and British influence allowed the judges to see her ability to marry different flavours into a potentially winning combination. Upon tasting her lamb dish, judge Dean Edwards remarked that it was one of the best things he’d ever tasted in the MasterChef kitchen, which was a high point for Amal.

“It didn’t get any better than that. Bringing Somali-inspired food to MasterChef, I felt like I was lifting a veil off of a world that I know has a lot to offer food-wise,” says Amal.

Photography: Rob Whitrow

When advancing to the quarterfinals, it seemed like Amal would make it to the final, but this dream was dashed with a shock elimination in the knockout round of the semi-finals. Although she didn’t come home with the title, Amal found something equally valuable in that television studio.

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Image: amalspantry.com With the support of her family, Amal made the decision to leave behind her banking job to chase her culinary dreams.

Appearing on MasterChef had reignited her love for cooking, as it had allowed her to share the dishes of her homeland with others and tell a story with food.

Amal, understanding that sometimes you must shy away from stability in pursuit of your dreams, knows that she made the right decision.

Image: amalspantry.com

Bright Future

Since leaving the show, she continues to hold supper clubs to bring people together over food and has launched a range of Basbas sauces, which she sells online and at local markets. It seems fitting that when branding herself, she chose the tagline “Feed the Fable”, in reference to her grandmother’s storytelling.

“I wanted my work and passion to align.

I wanted to create something greater than myself, a profitable business doing something that I love,” she adds.

“Feed the Fable is my vision of a sauce that gathers people around the modern ‘hearth’ to share, enjoy and rekindle the ancient marriage of food and fables.”

Amal’s goal is to showcase Somali food to honour her grandmother, father and fellow Somalis. Following the trauma that Somalia has been through, she wants to spread some positivity. No one could have predicted the journey of that little girl from Mogadishu, so make sure you watch this space, because she has more dishes to cook and even more stories to tell.

Follow Amal’s story over on Instagram @amalspantry #feedthefable

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MOB KITCHEN Sitting down in his student halls in Edinburgh, Ben Lebus was about to tuck into his freshly made Penne all’ Arrabbiata con Pollo, which he learnt how to cook in his Dad’s Italian restaurant in Oxford. But as Ben looked around to see his flatmates inhaling yet another Pot Noodle for the fourth day in a row, he realised something had to change.

Students can get a lot of flack for being lazy, unhealthy and using overly-simplistic recipes when it comes to cooking, but Ben has been fighting this stereotype ever since founding his popular blog-turned-brand, MOB Kitchen.

The 25-year-old started blogging during his time at Edinburgh University after realising that none of his flatmates could cook, but it wasn’t until the summer of 2016 after he graduated that MOB Kitchen was born.

“For me, when I was at university, I felt that there wasn’t a cool space to go to as a student that was created for me and where recipes were made for me,” Ben tells aAh! “There was Jamie Oliver and Nigella, and they are both great, but I felt they were more for families. Ultimately, I felt like I was constrained to a budget. I was limited to using boring ingredients and recipes that didn’t have any fun imagery or videography connected to them. Nothing really inspired my friends or I to cook at all,” the history student admits.

“As a result, none of my flatmates or myself were inspired to cook any exciting and new recipes. It would always be similar, samey stuff,” adds Ben. “I felt a real want to create these recipes in a format that were exciting, sounded appealing and looked enticing, as well as being accessible for anyone. The result allowed us all to get in the kitchen and we created some more exciting and healthier food.”

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Recruiting some uni friends, Ben created 20 food videos in the summer of 2016 to launch the MOB channel. There’s something so soothing about watching cheesy videos created by BuzzFeed’s Tasty, but Ben wanted to create videos of recipes that people could actually make themselves.

“The name came about because I wanted to incorporate the idea of it all being a group effort,” Ben reveals.

“The word ‘mob’ means people as well, which feeds back into our style.”

The former Deliveroo driver would hide MOB flyers in pizza boxes and message every match made on Tinder to check out the videos, but success didn’t come overnight.

After the success of MOB’s social accounts, the team launched its first cookbook Mob Kitchen: Feed Four for Under £10 with Pavilion Books in 2018.

Last year they went on to publish a second book, The Veggie MOB, featuring vegetarian and vegan recipes.

“Getting the book in my hands was an extraordinary feeling,” Ben explains. “So much goes on behind the scenes in production before we are officially allowed to say anything and release the book.

When the news dropped, it all felt delayed but then getting [the book] in my hands was an extraordinary feeling.”

Ben’s mantra appears to be cooking and creating ‘food you’ll actually eat’, whether you’re a carnivore or a vegan in a recipe rut. “We wanted to show people that you didn’t have to have any formal training to produce some tasty dishes,” he says.

“Seeing a couple of lads in the kitchen cooking up a storm makes it more accessible and real, proving anyone can whip up some tasty and healthy meals.”

By Jess Stoddard

Health expert Professor Susan Powell agrees with Ben’s comments about how a good diet and mental health are linked.

“It is likely that a healthy diet will support good mental health,” she says.

The cookbook features 60 easy and delicious recipes, all of which cost under a tenner to make. It also includes MOBapproved music recommendations to accompany your cooking and vivid photography that will leave you drooling.

“I think taking some time out of your day when you can sit down with your mates and have a meal is really important while studying,” Ben explains.

“That was something me and my friends did. We had times when we would all be in the kitchen together cooking up a meal, and then we’d sit down and enjoy it together. I think that it is so important for your mental health.”

“This in itself could lead to a better academic performance. Eating together limits social isolation and potential loneliness, so will support good mental health.”

Ben hopes the next step forward for the MOB brand is to widen his audience, as well as offering students more affordable and tasty dishes.

“Looking forward, MOB is looking into more brand collaborations with companies that are affordable and ones students actually use,” says Ben. “We are also looking into creating a special MOB Kitchen spice mix as well, to add flavour to every dish.” aAh! the FOOD issue 21

THE SIMPLE GENIUS OF SLOVAKIAN SWEET MEALS

By Ben Townsend

Looking for student eats on the cheap? Just look East.

Evening rolls over the Little Carpathians, a lush mountain range that stretches across Slovakia, and a small group of people, including myself, sit around a dinner table. Tucked away deep in the forest, we eagerly await our first taste of the menu for a fullboard, English-teaching summer camp.

We’re in for a surprise.

The words ‘sweet meal’ echo quietly around the dining room.

The faces of about 80 kids begin to light up, but a cold sense of despair moves through the local adults. They know something we don’t. The plates are served up, and finally the full force of rural Slovak cuisine is revealed to us all.

When it comes to sweet meals, ‘Sladke jedlo’ or simply ‘Dezert’ in Slovak; the clue’s in the name. There’s no savoury starter, main or side dish included - just dessert for dinner, or pudding for tea.

According to the campers, they hit the kitchen table at least once

a week. For us (international staff) however, the concept was completely new, and horrific.

Slovakia is often mistaken for Slovenia (much to the anger of its citizens), but the country’s cuisine is barely acknowledged by the international community either, let alone the sweet stuff. A quick Google search will lead you nowhere.

The country is landlocked in Eastern Europe, and therefore has a culinary history that’s tied closely to its Slavic neighbours.

Self-sufficiency was key back in the day, which meant that staple foods like milk, grain and potatoes were essential for the locals – ingredients that survived year round through all weather conditions.

Luckily, for students on a budget, these ingredients are really cheap. And thanks to the Slovaks, there’s a delicious way to prepare them, with a heap of sugar and just a pinch of guilt.

So, here’s a handpicked selection of the most interesting (and traditional) sweet meals, all the way from the candy land of Eastern Europe, coming soon to a kitchen near you.

Krupična kaša

Široké rezance/Slíže

Plnené pirohy

It’s a bit like porridge. Simply cook milk and semolina flour in a pan until it’s thick (improvise the ratios). Once finished, add chocolate powder, butter and sugar perhaps some fruit too, if you’re feeling adventurous. It makes for a delicious breakfast.

A.K.A sweet spaghetti - the sort of meal that raises serious eyebrows. Traditionally, the noodles are made by hand, but we’re too lazy for that. Instead, boil up some spaghetti and chuck into a pan with lots of butter, honey, icing sugar, or all three.

Toppings are up to you, but the most common on camp was chocolate-powder.

Nuts and poppy seeds are traditional throughout the country in general.

These little dumplings, or ‘pies stuffed like Grandma’ as one Slovak site calls them, might be the most technical dish that I’ve listed, but that doesn’t make them difficult.

Peel a handful of potatoes and cut them into cubes, before boiling them. Once they’re soft, mash them with some butter and leave to cool. Then, add water, flour and an egg or two to make a thick dough.

Roll out the mixture and cut into squares.

Dollop some jam or sweet spread of your choice in the centre, then fold them up into triangles. Wet the edges if they don’t stick.

Finally, boil them until they rise to the top of the water. Eat some, freeze the rest.

Dukátové buchtičky There’s some speculation as to whether this dish is Czech or Slovak, but nonetheless, it’s easy to make. You only need two ingredients: custard and sliced bread, and hey presto - the floating islands of sweet meal delight.

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Dobrú chut’ (enjoy your meal!)

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Food Poverty in Greater Manchester

By Shawna Healey

Manchester is the ‘Powerhouse of the North’, owner of the biggest economy outside London and dubbed the ‘Best UK City to Live in’ by the Global Liveability Survey in 2018. Manchester boasts over 1.3 million people in employment and a gross total value of goods and services estimated at over 62 billion pounds. Yet, this only begs the question: Why are so many people in the city struggling to put food on the table?

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The non-profit organisation Greater Manchester Poverty Action group have estimated that 620,000 people in the Greater Manchester region are living in poverty and struggling to feed their families, including 200,000 children.

The Department of Health defines food poverty as ‘the inability to afford, or have access to, food to makeup a healthy diet.’

But food poverty constitutes more than this. Sustain, the alliance for better food and farming, stresses that food insecurity is “being driven by both the affordability and availability of a healthy diet” and has “multiple negative impacts on individuals’ health and wellbeing”.

Currently, there are over 150 food banks in the Greater Manchester region. The Trussell Trust provides 54 distribution points in Greater Manchester and many more local groups distribute emergency food such as faith organisations, community centres and charities.

One of the main organisations in Greater Manchester helping those in need is Manchester Central Foodbank, working as part of a nationwide network of food banks, supported by the Trussell Trust, to provide three days of nutritionally balanced emergency food and support to those referred.

Tom Skinner, director of the Greater Manchester Poverty Action said, “We must widen and improve access to healthy affordable food in neighbourhoods that lack this and address the underlying causes of food poverty through wellpaid work, adequate benefits and wellresourced social services that offer people a wide range of support.”

Over 1.6 million food parcels were given out by the Trussell Trust in 2018, a 22% increase from the previous year, and almost a 75% increase from 2012. In the North West region alone, the Trussell Trust helped 220,000 people, including 83,000 children.

Changes in the benefits system are most commonly blamed for the increase in usage of food banks in the UK. The switch to Universal credit means that people are waiting for a minimum of five weeks before they receive payment. This has led to acute financial hardship, including destitution, housing security, and debt, alongside having detrimental effects on mental health and food security.

Families are being pushed into poverty because there isn’t enough money coming in to cover the costs of essentials. It is not right that people should have to resort to a foodbank to feed themselves and their families. Universal Credit should be part of the solution, however, the five-week wait to receive benefits means that people are going hungry. We need to urge the government to end the queue for Universal Credit, to create a system that stops people from entering poverty and create a society free from food banks.

For more information about projcts and local food banks in your area visit: greatertogethermanchester.org To support Manchester Central Food Bank visit: manchestercentral.foodbank.org.uk Samaritans Manchester also provides a free 24/7 hotline at 116123.

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When they’re out on the campaign trail, politicians aspire to be just like the rest of us. This often involves visiting places they’d never usually venture to, speaking to people they’d never normally give the time of day and eating food that they’d usually turn their noses up at.

Although this is done to appear relatable to voters, it more often than not has the opposite effect.

When Theresa May was out on the campaign trail in 2017, her approach to eating a cone of chips raised a few eyebrows. The former Prime Minister was in Mevagissey, Cornwall, sampling the traditional seaside lunch when photographers snapped some unflattering pictures. Needless to say, she didn’t come off as a ‘chip-lover’.

One person on Twitter summed up the mood of the nation when she tweeted, ‘How does Theresa May manage to look so constantly annoyed, I mean she’s eating chips there, chips are happy food, come on’.

So, why does this matter?

Politicians rely on image, and over the course of the 2017 campaign, May’s image became that of a socially awkward recluse who hid away from public interaction and could barely relate to anybody. You couldn’t get this from the photos alone, but they helped to build up a broader consensus – Theresa May doesn’t eat chips when she’s at the sea-side like the rest of us, therefore she isn’t like the rest of us.

The Guardian ran this story under the headline ‘Theresa May awkwardly eating chips could be 2017’s ‘bacon sandwich’’.

To somebody not versed in modern British politics, this headline would have been very confusing. But those who follow the ongoing circus in Westminster knew exactly what was being referred to.

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Ed Miliband’s mauling of a bacon sandwich was one of the more interesting moments of the 2015 general election (a simpler time, huh?). A day before the election, The Sun slapped the picture of Miliband’s gaffe on the front cover, alongside the headline ‘Save Our Bacon’. Apparently, Miliband’s inability to chow down on a bacon sandwich without looking repulsed was relevant to his leadership qualities – the newspaper went on to declare, ‘This is the pig’s ear Ed made of a helpless sarnie.

In 48 hours, he could be doing the same to Britain’.

Food is more than a source of nutritional support. It’s a marker of culture, an instrument for forging community and a source of comfort.

Admittedly, few people look attractive while eating. But these images of people who are running to lead our country were used to rally opposition to them – without taking their politics into consideration.

Food is more than a source of nutritional support. It’s a marker of culture, an instrument for forging community and a source of comfort. And yes, in many ways, food is a political tool. In defending multiculturalism, advocates will point to the diverse array of food eateries available in Britain as evidence that the country benefits from immigration.

When criticising the Conservative government’s austerity measures, activists and campaigners will shine a light on the increasing numbers of Britons forced to use food banks. Critics of Islam will shout about the cruelty of Halal slaughter from the roof-tops. Animal rights activists will take this a step further, and slam the entire meat industry as inhumane and barbaric.

The consumption of food is universal, and therefore something we all have a vested interest in. Rightly so – it’s of interest to all of us, regardless of political affiliation, that people don’t starve and that animals bred for slaughter are treated humanely.

Whether or not the politicians vying to be Prime Minister share my eating habits is of little interest to me. I hardly expect Jeremy Corbyn or Boris Johnson to nip down to Pound-Bakery on a regular basis, so why should they when there’s an election to be won?

If politicians want to utilise food in their politics, they can do one better than a meaningless show-case of “I eat food just like you!”

Perhaps an acknowledgement?

“I’ve never had a problem putting food on the table, but I want to help. I’m all ears.

What does the government need to do to help people in your situation?”

By Ben Thompson

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The debut novel from Manchester Writing School graduate, Lara Williams, is peppered with tips and instructions from the narrator, Roberta, on how to prepare a variety of foods. From kimchi to sourdough, these dishes invariably involve setting something to rot and waiting for time and labour to transform it into a delicacy. “Be patient,” Roberta insists when making kimchi, “The rot is still working its way through.” This advice serves as a metaphor for most of the characters in this sharply observed, darkly comedic novel, Supper Club.

The women dumpster dive for ingredients, using Roberta’s resourceful know-how and creativity to devise themed menus.

They take over dilapidated places such as closed down restaurants and turn them into beautiful, wild and free spaces for one night. They feed each other, celebrate their naked bodies, raise their voices and dance until dawn with the free abandon of true liberation. In many ways, Supper Club represents a messier version of the ideals of female friendship that pop-culture has been feeding us for years – think Sex and the City but for wild women on a budget!

The narrative flips between Roberta’s disconnected and unhappy time at university where she failed to make friends and taught herself to cook as a consolation, and a decade later as she navigates the worlds of work and romance, edging ever closer to thirty years old. Like so many women, Roberta feels marginalised within her own skin. A loner desperate to connect with people but feeling unable to do so, Roberta has drifted through her twenties, maintaining steady yet dreary employment. It is a conundrum that many readers will relate to with sympathy and compassion; many of us can often feel like a young person seemingly trapped in a bubble during the years of our life that we are told should be our best.

Outside of Supper Club though, Roberta still struggles with the same issues she has always faced, mostly around selfacceptance and the destructive influence of men in her life. Williams deftly navigates the experiences of her characters with empathy and courage. Yes, most of the men in the book are abhorrent, but none of the experiences Roberta has with them ring false. Quite the opposite. From the extremes of sexual violence, which Williams handles with supreme emotional depth and delicacy, to the seeming minutia of navigating male-entitlement at a coffee shop, Williams spoonfeeds her readers believable accounts of the trials faced by women today.

However, things change for Roberta when she meets the wild-eyed, fantastically dressed Stevie, an art school graduate who is similarly floundering in the ‘real world’. Their friendship is immediate, vital, all-consuming and transformative, and Williams handles the emotional impact of this impeccably, drawing the reader closely into these young women’s worlds.

Roberta and Stevie, looking for ways to fit their passions for cookery and art respectively into adult life, decide to start a secret society for women who are hungry (in every sense of the word), that they call Supper Club. Stevie and Roberta interview each attendee, asking them all the same question: “What are you afraid of?”

While the idea of women reclaiming their bodies by deliberately gaining weight in order to take up space may not be quite as revolutionary or subversive as the novel would like us to believe, it is nonetheless a poignant story of female friendship and understanding that demands the reader’s full attention and may leave you longing for a second helping.

By Hannah Clark

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People’s History Museum, the national museum of democracy, holds the largest collection of political material in Britain.

Explore the PHM’s collection through 15 short films made as part of the Citizens project, charting the history of liberty, protest, rebellion and reform.

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she shall be called woman some fruit had been rotting in her head since the snake in old man’s clothing had whispered those ugly words and made her do those things refusing to eat was her only tiny sway over him and so eve began to starve herself after the shame of the apple a mouth too sinful to eat her small body wore guilt as if it were a leaf or a rib she shrunk to bones just bone

Left page: photo by Jaimie Phillips Right page: Photo by Amber Kipp on Unsplash

By Rose Proudfoot

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Three Meat Calvary Summer is gone and she went with it.

Both went before my beach body could arrive.

Custom delays at the border. Brexit.

Now I’m only ever cold or tired, mostly both.

Always hungry.

Thirty third takeaway in as many days. A new indulgence challenge.

I think I’m winning.

Tonight, I’m being healthy, a curry.

It’s healthy.

I eat hunched and all a-ghoul in my desk chair.

Engorged, I install the new madras municipal pool in the fast food necropolis of brutalist and brutalised polystyrene apartment blocks, the harbours of sunken soda vessels, the sparse rib boneyards, the stale potato marshlands…

City flies come from all corners to trade shares in kebab juice.

They’re lively, but they’ve never been the same since the peri peri crash of last Tuesday.

Recovery, takes time.

To think, under this thriving waste- a desk!

To think, under this fattening corpse- a lover!

Alienated to such a degree my own gut feels foreign to me, I take to my bed in a glucose stupor.

I imagine ghosts of chicken nuggets playing in squalor.

Next morning, I wake to the scream of a cockerel I watch him like I watch my delivery apps tick, he smokes a cigarette whilst he inspects his chlorine-bleached body in the mirror.

Next night, I sleep on a pillow of 2am burger wrappers. Again.

I wake up in thick meat sweats.

A cow stands on my chest and shits.

The alarm goes off.

I cry, and the carpet is a jury of mocking pig faces.

They have stripped my work shoes of rubber.

I come home under a full moon and I know the flat is evil.

Midnight strikes and I know the flat is alive.

The cockerel dances out of the shadows, six feet tall in a muscular humanoid body.

Ejaculates blood from a beakless gape, tugs at its comb with manic glee.

Pigs lounge on every surface, limbs missing from a barely contained cannibalism.

They clap their chipped trotters, squealing.

A bellowing cow lurches towards me from the kitchen on her hind legs.

She rips my apron from around her neck, revealing an open caesarean wound.

The pigs push me backwards over the hobs, bending my arms over the sides, slamming the oven door against my shins until it snaps shut.

The cockerel plucks the hair out of my head and pierces a chicken wire crown into my scalp.

The cow forces chewed and vein-bare udders down my throat.

I drink a milk the taste of rot, the texture of gag.

A thermometer is speared between my ribs.

I’m drowning, I’m dying, now the gas is turned on.

I sigh a little, I sear a lot.

In the heat, in the death, the lights are turned out.

I sigh out Life, I’m served in a pot.

I give up my flesh, and I know that I am one with these spectres, as they are one with me.

All is a din of animal celebration.

By Ben Orgill

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KEITH BLOODY MARY

FEATURED ARTISTS:

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AKASH ALI

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Issue 3 Summer 2020