CSF Issue 2

ISSUE NO.2

CSF international

Chefs sans Frontieres

unicef a story of taste with

CHEF RENÉ MATHIEU

BANGLADESH FLOODS CLIMATE CHANGE & GLOBAL WARMING WREAK HAVOC

10

Vegtarian

Recipes

Celebration

of chocolate at Le Meridien

ALL IN A DAY'S WORK

A WORD FROM OUR PRESIDENT Chef Alan Coxon

A very big welcome to everyone and hope that you find our 2nd edition of CSF International magazine to be of use and of interest.

The aim of the magazine is basically two fold , firstly it helps with our global communication.

It offers up an opportunity to share the activities of CSF Ambassadors and members ( of which we currently have Ambassadors and members in 57 different countries around the world).

It allows us to exchange cultural points of difference and to understand better the food and lifestyle of different countries, share recipes and ideas.

It is your magazine so please do contribute and share with us a little of your life, passion, knowledge and activities.

Secondly, the magazine has been created to also help raise funds for our charity by selling advertisement space as all monies raised goes towards helping small artisan food producers that lose livelihoods caused by natural disasters, people such as shepherds, honey producers, fruit growers, fishermen , the list goes on of all those that contribute to our culinary heritage, regional and national gastronomy traditional skills and food tourism .

If you have contacts that you think may be interested in advertising, please do drop me a line, it is an incredibly cost effective marketing opportunity that gets directly to chefs, foodies, the hospitality sector, directors and the general public!.

As we all have witnessed over the past few months, this year has seen unprecedented weather with droughts across many parts of world, lakes drying up, villages with no water supplies, hosepipe bans , thousands of acres of fires across Spain, France and Portugal destroying farm land and forestation not forgetting everything in the fires paths.

Meanwhile, a little further afield, hundreds of people dying in flooding, mud slides leaving thousands homeless and small artisan food producers being literally washed away!.

Situations will not get better, the crisis and global warming according to scientists will continue to cause havoc in the months and years to come.

Whilst CSF cannot change the world, we can try to help as many food and drink producers around the world as possible, those that become engulfed in these tragic events, we can help them get back on their feet, help them to continue their trades and help them to put food on their families tables.

Like all charities we can only do this if we receive funding, so I call upon all our CSF Ambassadors to be proactive in obtaining new members, (as annual membership contributions goes directly to help others) .

I also call upon anyone reading this to drop me a line if they have contacts that may wish to take out an advert in our next (3rd magazine,) or even on our CSF website.

Working together we can make a difference.

Thank you for your support

Culinary regards

oxon C n Ala www.alancoxon.com www.csfint.com

ISSUE 02

INSIDE 11 ARTICLES 07 UNICHEF - ALL IN A DAYS WORK 16 STURGEON SLIPPING TOWARDS EXTINCTION 19 HUNTER GATHERER - A HOUSE IN THE WOODS 22 A CELEBRATION OF CHOCOLATE 25 FOOD FOR THOUGHT VANILLA

SPOTLIGHT

CLIMATE CHANGE & GLOBAL WARMING Bangladesh Floods 2022

36 MY ROOTS - CHEF RENE' MATHIEU

ANNOUNCEMENTS

49

WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING, UPCOMING WITHIN THE CSF

CONTACT ALAN COXON iinfo@alancoxon.com

25

40

EDITOR RUNAWAY MEDIA hello@runawaymedia.co.uk

RECIPES

NUTRITION

CHEF'S SHARE THEIR VEGETARIAN DISHES

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

WWW.CSFINT.COM

IT BEGINS WITH ONE GOOD DEED I want to share with this CSF Int. readers as I personally found it so touching.

It is an e-mail reply from Chef Roy Lesman a CSF Member in Indonesia when he paid more for his membership than necessary, so I contacted him to let him know, and this was his reply .

And she Answered me she said if you want help now ..just do now you cant wait until you rich .

And one is very important. when u help someone. never ask them where he is from? What is he is religion ..

Just help them .

"Dear Chef Alan I just try being human 🙏 I gave not because im rich . But i give because i know the feeling ...if we dont have anything to eat My grandma take care of abandon mental person from the roadside .

She gave him Food same like w eat .(before he was eat rubbish ) She gave Clothes because before he walking around naked Asked him to take shower everyday at the back our garden

My Father too before he died .he always tell us If u give a present for people bday .wedding give them .not too much But if someone come to u asking for help For example they are sick need some medication or food . Give them more and never ask to them to return the money .

We r not rich family .but we happy if we can help blessed people .

Thank u Chef Alan to invite me in this Great assc.

That time im still 8 years old . I asked my grandma ..

Cheers Grandma why to help him? . I know you r not rich lady . (bless her)

Roy"

for more information, visit www.csfint.com

EXCLUSIVE

"It’s this constant belief in our community that sets us apart from everyone else, our constant ethos of equality, support and fairness for ALL chefs that makes Unichef so very special and unique."

Running any large kitchen can be

their behaviour and social

daunting and challenging but running

standing within the profession,

a National Union for Chefs has its

making a better industry with

very unique challenges. With more

better employees is very much our

than 25,000 chefs to contend with

remit and we dedicate ourselves to

life can be a bit hectic here at Unichef,

providing an enjoyable and

The National Chefs Union.

fulfilling work experience for all chefs.

Unichef is totally unique and special in that we not only deal with all of the

This isn’t always easy to achieve,

issues chefs find within their

there are many hurdles along the

employment but also we act as a

way ,mostly legal and legislative,

forum for the development of chefs in

that constantly need to be

both their culinary skills and also

upgraded in an ever changing

ALL in a

day's work! environment. A day at Unichef could involve supporting a chef who has a dispute with their employer, creating ads for our Facebook site or attending to media requests. We can involve in many aspects of Catering including working with Uniform designers, job recruiters and fine dine experts. We

all those that work within the organisation at a senior level are practising Chefs mostly of substantial experience.

But how did it all start and just why did we ever decide that a Union for Chefs was the right thing to do?

We really kicked off in about 2013, just a few chefs who had been saying for many years that we needed a “Union” for chefs as all of the big Unions were simply not interested in us as a profession and that small kitchens in the middle of nowhere just couldn’t get any sort of representation.

Many of us then were senior, experienced chefs who knew of the injustices and had grown up in a system of abuse but like most chefs took it as just “part of being a chef”.

However, I was different. Over my career, I had worked with many top American Companies whose ethos was one of strong employee value, support, and a sense of team spirit. After being a boss for so long I began to realise that in fact, I was just a small part of a much more important team and that I needed to be a leader.

I was (and still am) a very lucky and successful chef, but I realised at an early stage that my success was built on the way that my teams had responded to measures that I had put in place to ensure their pay, contracts, support, wellbeing and work-life balance were all as they wanted them to be.

When Unichef first became popular as a Facebook page in 2015, we took that ethos and put it as our founding principles. Those 5 Core Principals still stand today and were enshrined in our Constitution when in 2018 Unichef, The National Chefs Union officially became a legal organisation in its own right.

also give advice to many employers on the best ways to secure good employees. We can be involved in research and development of products and work together with schools and colleges in improving the skills of chefs and their work life balance and working conditions.

Unichef works with officials in Government departments as well as The Food Standards Agency and The Health and Safety Executive making sure they all understand the difficult circumstances chefs face on a daily basis and making sure that their health and safety come first. This also applies to the Culinary side of Unichef , never forgetting that

I had previously been the sole owner of Unichef but wanted to give something back to the profession and so I gave Unichef to the chefs of Britain so that they could have a true and democratic voice for their profession for all time. Through the years we have crossed many bridges and brought awareness of almost every issue you can imagine to the kitchens of the UK. Chefs now are very aware of issues such as Mental Health, bullying, sexual harassment, substance abuse. homophobia, racism and much more, and throughout it all we have never wavered or changed our stance from those very early days.

It’s this constant belief in our community that sets us apart from everyone else, our constant ethos of equality, support and fairness for ALL chefs that makes Unichef so very special and unique.

In the beginning, I was told it couldn’t be done, that we couldn’t start a Union without adhering to the present rules that governed Industry. Deep down I knew that we would have to have something new, something completely different. A Union that encompassed employers and well as employees, a Union that cared about the profession more than politics.

I had come from the era of The Nouvelle Cuisine. We had no rules, we had no computers or internet, we made changes as we went along. Chefs had completely reinvented the way we cooked and were now forming the future, a future that respected the past but had developed a new belief, and so I did this with Unichef.

Unichef is a development of that Nouvelle Cuisine. Unichef doesn’t stick by the rules, we make them, and in almost everything that we have done we have had to seek change in present formats and regulations.

Even our very existence needed recognition and change in the way Community Interest Companies we formed. Unichef was the first Community Union in the UK and we needed to pass a “fitness test” set by the Government to get approval.

Top Companies such as Barclays, Paypal, Stripe and Perkbox have all changed their systems and Algorithms to incorporate all that we do, and it took almost 3 years of constant letter writing and lobbying for The Food Standards Agency and MIND to accept us as a Professional Body.

Today, we stand strong and very proud. We have our own Lawyers, Accountants, Directors and a very loyal and strong team of advisers and professionals to advise and support the work we do, not forgetting our Chef Patrons, Paul Askew, Alan Coxon, Claire Bosi and Asma Khan who value and inspire the ethos of Unichef.

Bon Appetit!

ONLINE STORE

CSF CHEF SHOP Opening 1st October 2022 where these leather knife rolls as well as many other items will be available!

SHOP 1 OCT 22'

WWW.CSFINT.COM

Words by SHAHEDA YESMIN

GLOBAL WARMING + CLIMATE CHANGE

BANGLADESH FLOODS

areas, where majority of the population in Bangladesh still live, there were occasions when even parts of major cities like Dhaka itself would be effected. This happened in 1987 and 1988 when the country’s only international airport had to be shut down for more than a week because flood

For centuries, it was a given that in the Ganges

waters had submerged large parts of it.

deltaic region that now make up Bangladesh, large

Over time, two factors have made the situation

parts of the land would see massive seasonal

worse: first the unpredictability of its timing and

floods. These would predictably follow the heavy

second, its extent. This is primarily due to human

monsoon season when water from mighty rivers

caused global warming and climate change. With

like the Ganges, Jamuna, Bhramaputra, Meghna,

global warming, snows on the magnificent

among others, would overflow and inundate large

Himalayas, which is the primary source of our

swathes of land, causing misery and untold

major rivers, are melting at a rate faster than they

hardship to people living in the lower delta areas.

should, causing significant rise in water levels at all

Such situations would not only cause loss of lives,

odd times of the year, and, consequently flooding

it would also seriously impact on the livelihood of

large tracts of land. Climate change has led to a

the people as many homes would be washed away,

situation where one is not surprised to see heavy

livestock would perish and large tracts of paddy

showers even in the winter months, which had

would be destroyed. Although the phenomenon

traditionally been enjoyably crisp, cool and

would in most cases be confined to the rural delta

pleasantly dry.

Most of it all is now history. Summers now are long, unbearably hot and humid, spring is only a word mostly spoken but rarely seen and winters are short with its severity limited to parts of the northern regions of the country. For Bangladesh, the situation has become more severe because of a growing population having to house itself in a small piece of land. With more than 165 million people living in a territory the size of the US State of Iowa, our land to man ratio is apparently untenable. Credit to our highly creative and hardworking farmers though that even in such a dire scenario, Bangladesh is not food deficit, yet. The big question is how long can the country sustain this?

The major polluter countries, who are also the most industrialized ones, provide only lip service to the dangers of climate change and global warming while those like Bangladesh remain at the receiving end of their disastrous effects. Rising sea levels threaten the very existence of the southern coastal parts of the country and continued greenhouse gas emissions make life in the urban and suburban areas hard. Rapidly deteriorating air quality has brought with it increased health risks that pose danger even to the innocent new born.

Bangladesh belong to that group of countries that are at the mercy of the vagaries of nature and, at the same time, irresponsible behaviour of the “developed” segments of mankind. The silver lining in an otherwise debilitating situation is that there is a growing realization among the people of the need to change and adapt where they can. Use of polythene shopping bags have been slowly but surely replaced by cloth and paper ones. The challenge though remains huge. Use of nonrecyclable items like plastic is a major problem, causing pollution and water logging. Irresponsible industrial waste dumping is the other major source of worry. This is killing our rivers.

Bangladesh must focus on empowering the farmer. Through sheer hard work even in unfriendly and hostile environments, they provide sustenance to the large population. They need all

the support they deserve and must be given a voice in policy making. The farmers must have easy access to seeds, fertilisers, tools and irrigation facilities. They should also be allowed seamless access to markets where they can sell their products unhindered. Our farmers are major players in our hope for a better future. We must continue to support and empower them.

19,918 CASES WATERBORNE DISEASES "As of 3 August, all families have left the flood shelters in Sylhet and Sunamganj district. They returned home and started caring for the homesteads, which got various damages. Most of the affected families shared their immediate needs in basic household items such as cooking utensils and furniture. They also explained their struggles to access the WASH facilities and lost livelihoods. Thousands of families

THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES COULD NOT SAVE THEIR CROPS, SEEDS, AND FODDERS FROM THE SUDDEN SURGE OF THE FLOOD WATER.

could not save their crops, seeds, and fodders from the sudden surge of the flood water that stayed for days.

Many affected families are now in search of alternative earnings to manage their daily meals. Over the past two weeks, there has been an increase in calls to the Child Helpline 1098, with more than 85 per cent of the calls from flood-affected areas being related to violence against children and women (VACW).

Chef Shaheda Yesmine

Bangladeshi Beetroot Kebab

01 ingredients 500 g Beetroot 500 g Potato ½ teaspoon Roasted chili, powder 1 teaspoon roasted cumin, powder ¼ cup caramelized onion ¼ nutmeg, powder

02 method 1. Wash and clean the beetroot with running water.

Boil with the potatoes in enough salted water. Drain all the water and peel the beetroot and potatoes. In a mixing bowl, grate until smooth.

2. Add all the ingredients from roasted chili powder to corn flour, mix everything together with your hand, and shape them into round patties using ¼cup of the mixture. Insert one black pitted olive in each kabab.

3. Coat with the semolina flour and ensure all sides are evenly coated. Dust of the extra semolina. Heat oil and fry the patties until golden brown. Place the fried kabab on kitchen paper to absorb the oil. Serve hot with any kind of chutney or sauce of your choice.

¼ teaspoon cinnamon, powder ¼ teaspoon cardamom, powder ¼ teaspoon kaffir lime leaves, powder ¼ teaspoon aniseed, powder 1 tablespoon green chili, chopped 1 tablespoon pitted olives 1 ½ teaspoon black salt 2 tablespoons corn flour or rice flour 1 black pitted olive for each kabab ½ cup semolina 2 tablespoons oil for frying

HELP WHERE HELP IS NEEDED Join the CSF International today and help those in desperate need

www.csfint.com

FEATURE

THE WORLDS' MOST THREATENED FISH

STURGEON Slipping towards extinction!

It has been revealed that all 26 remaining sturgeon and paddlefish species are now threatened with extinction!

A new assessment carried out by members of the IUCN Sturgeon Specialist Group (SSG) confirmed that the Chinese paddlefish and the wild Yangtze sturgeon are now on the brink of extinction , as well as raising the threat level for seven other species across the globe.

Overall, it found that almost 2/3rds of sturgeon and paddlefish species are Critically Endangered – underlining their claim to be the world’s most threatened group of species. It highlights the continuing loss of freshwater biodiversity and degradation of rivers across the globe, which are essential to people and nature.

“The world’s failure to safeguard sturgeon species is an indictment of governments across the globe, who are failing to sustainably manage their rivers and live up to their commitments to conserve these iconic fish and halt the global loss of nature,” said Arne Ludwig, Chair of the IUCN Sturgeon Specialist Group. “These shocking – but sadly not surprising – assessments mean that sturgeon retain their unwanted title as the world’s most threatened group of species.”

Despite ambitious policies to protect sturgeon species in Europe, including the Pan-European Action Plan for sturgeons, the status of sturgeons continues to worsen across the continent.

Seven of the eight European species were already listed as Critically Endangered. Now the “ Sterlet”, the smallest, purely freshwater sturgeon, has been moved to a higher threat category – and is officially classified as Endangered.

By: IUCN, WWF & World Sturgeon Conservation Society

I“Sturgeon species are bound up with our culture and cuisine. For centuries, they sustained fishing communities across the continent, but now their future in Europe hangs by a thread.

Despite the depressing overall picture, there are some slight glimmers of hope. While the sub-population of ship sturgeon in the Aral Sea has long since disappeared and populations in the Sea of Azov and Caspian Sea have plummeted, there have been a few recent sightings of young ship sturgeon in Georgia’s Rioni River. So the recent expansion of a protected area for sturgeon in the Rioni and adjacent Black Sea is now of even greater importance.

In addition, following 30 years of restocking, young Adriatic sturgeon – a species that was previously thought to be extinct in the wild – have been documented in Italy, while some incredibly rare Amu Darya shovelnose sturgeon have been found in Uzbekistan – suggesting that these populations are still breeding and could potentially be revived.

Meanwhile, there is brighter news across the Atlantic where long-term conservation efforts in North America have stabilized and sometimes even slightly increased sturgeon populations, including the white sturgeon in the Fraser River in the US. “These successes show that we can reverse the declines in sturgeon species as long as institutions and governments prioritize their conservation and join forces with communities and conservationists to tackle the threats to them and their rivers.

These successes show that we can reverse the declines in sturgeon species...

“We unanimously call on sturgeon range states and consumer countries to stop turning a blind eye to the extinction of sturgeon and implement the solutions they know can help save these iconic species,” said Striebel-Greiter. “We have a choice: create a future with thriving sturgeon populations and healthy rivers and communities, or stick with today’s failed policies and end up with dying rivers and no more sturgeon.”

HUNTER GATHERER

A HOUSE IN THE WOODS Evaldas Zaliukas CSF Ambassador for Lithuania

We bring many things from our childhood and our family. I was lucky to have my grandmothers who spent a lot of time with me and shared their knowledge that I use in personal life and in my professional field. It was them who used to take me to the garden, forestand taught how to recognize vegetables, plants, wild mushrooms and berries that ended up on the table.

Whenever time permits, I walk through forests and meadows looking for nature's goods which I collect and cook. Mostly people grill and have BBQ parties during summer, I cook outside all year round, using grills, flower pots or campfire place with firewoods.

Let me share some memories from short vacation I have spent at my father's house in the forest.

There is the garden with fresh vegetables, the forest where wild mushrooms sprout, currently full of boletus, chanterelles and other no less tasty mushrooms.

Mushroom picking – In Lithuania, it is very popular to collect mushrooms in forests, to eat them fresh and if the year is favorable and there are plenty of mushrooms in the forests, we dry them, marinate them, pickle them and use them for cooking A walk in the forest lasting a little bit more than an

hour and the bag is full of boletus mushrooms.

I clean and prepare mushrooms in the outdoor gazebo. It took me about half an hour to prepare the fire pit, cut the grass, dig a hole and build a fire pit from a few bricks, where I cooked for several days.

While the firewood is burning, I pick some fresh onions and dill from the garden, and I pick a handful of thyme at the edge of the forest.

It only remains to cut boletus and everything is placed in a heated pan.

Cooking took about ten minutes and the mushroom sandwiches are ready.

Crayfish - Aukštaitija (in English - Upper lands) is the ethnographic region in Lithuania where I come from, has its own gastronomic history and unique cuisine. Crawfish always appeared on the table in the middle of summer. Historical sources mention the use of crawfish already two centuries ago. They were cooked, made into crawfish soup, etc. I have memories from my childhood, whenever we visited relatives in the midsummer, crawfish were served as a dish for us or we went to catch crawfish ourselves.

River broad-billed crawfish (lat. Astacus astacus) have been common in Lithuania since 1992.

Narrow-billed crayfish (lat. - Astacus leptodactylus), which catching season in Lithuania lasts from July 15 to October 15, are also included in the list of animals to be protected. In the last three decades, due to climate change and human activities, traditional crayfish species have been disappearing. Another reason that their place is taken by invasive crayfish Faxonius limosus (lot. Orconectes limosus). They are less demanding on food, temperature changes and spread rapidly, displacing native species. They have no seasonal catch limit. Even three decades ago, in the river 150 m away, we used to catch local crawfish, later invasive crawfish. Unfortunately, this time our traps were empty, so we had to buy them from local fishermen.

The crawfishes were not big, about 12-14 cm long.

I also prepared them on an open fire, in the traditional way. I picked up young nettles, a sprig of thyme, dill from the garden and a few shoot of garlic.

There are recipes in historical sources where cooking in beer is described, this time I used local

apple cider, ratio 1:1 with water. Herbs are added to a pot, water is poured and I wait for water to boil then it is salted, lastly crawfish are added to the boiling water.

Depending on the size, it is boiled for 15-25 minutes until they change their dull color to bright red.

People often go to buy premade products for a BBQ party at a supermarket, light the grill, pour charcoal produced on the other side of the world. Most of vegetables come from large farms in Netherlands, Spain, beef from Argentina, Scotland, poultry from large farms in around the European Union and sauces, spices from various sides of the world.

During this stay, I cooked almost all of my food outdoors, in the campfire near the forest. I cooked pancakes, buckwheat porridge with boletus, grilled meat, cooked soups, jams, baked bread from local flour grounded in a mill nearby.

I grilled cottage cheese, which we ate for dessert with a comb of fresh honey, just taken from the hive in the backyard.

The cheese I made myself from the milk of the neighbor's cows, the chicken was bought from another neighbor.

Tea were brewed from herbs collected in the forest and the surrounding meadow: mint, lemon balm, thyme, St. John's wort, oregano, etc. Clean water from the well in the yard. Except for buying milk, chicken, flour and crayfish, it was all bought from local farmers no further than 2 km from home.

Collection of all other products was limited to no more than 50 meters from the house.

This week was spent ‘slowly’ enjoying nature, its cultivated wealth, the smoke of the campfire and the beautiful sunrises and sunsets. This is the shortest possible path from the garden, field, forest to the plate.

Celebration

OF CHOCOLATE

at Le Meridien

BY PASTRY CHEF VIVEK CHAUHAN, CSF MEMBER IN INDIA

DELHI A chocolate soiree was organised on World

fruity flavours, nuts, and liquor chocolates, the

Chocolate Day 2022 and saw an array of

cakes on display were rather mainstream in

chocolaty inspirations on display.

terms of flavours as well in shape.

A day all about chocolates is a day all about

Executive chef Davinder kumar president of

happiness. Commemorating special days is all

Indian culinary forum and Executive pastry chef

about celebrating the essence of it which

Vivek Chauhan along with the patisserie team

otherwise gets mixed in the daily hustles. On

organised the world chocolate day.

World Chocolate Day, i.e. July 7, we got a chance to explore a wide variety of chocolates that no

Chef Vivek elaborated on the process of curating

foodie would ever imagine.

the menu.

Le Meridien, Delhi hosted a Chocolate Soiree on

He said, “Everyone comes with their own ideas,

July 7 in a bid to celebrate everything and

we do trials, keep an eye on what’s happening

anything related to chocolates.

around, what we can blend and finally present to our head chef who further enhances it.” It is a

The Chocolate Soiree had a wonderful display .

month’s hard work and creative exercise of

There were different varieties experimented with

brainstorming and experimenting with flavours.

different flavours.

It took almost 6-8 days to complete the dishes on the menu.

While the chocolates had a wide range from

The hotel has a special chocolate room designated for

There is no doubt that the soiree had a good

chocolates as it requires a certain temperature to be

range and well-experimented flavours but

maintained under. Weather conditions also have an

maybe some chocolates mixed with spices or

impact on the procedure of making such delicacies. The

some other ingredients that are not too

chef further said that it takes almost 7-8 days to carve the

commonly found could have been explored.

chocolates to get the desired shapes and give some time

More variety of flavours would have enhanced

to settle on the moulds and acquire the structure thus

the exquisite menu a little more.

planned.some time to settle on the moulds and acquire the structure thus planned.

The team at Le Meridien had moulded chocolate into intricate and unique shapes like – a chocolate chess board, a chocolate piano, high heels chocolate, cakes, flavoured

...A day full of chocolate is a day full of happiness!

macarons, chocolate lollipops and so much more.

Apart from the variety of chocolate-based delicacies that were offered, there was a live counter where one could DIY Profiteroles ! Fun for all .

Food

for thought words: Hollie Scorer

With plant-based diets now being linked to reduced menopausal symptoms, nutrition experts “free Soul” have analysed the most unexpected ways that going vegan could support women experiencing menopause.

Key Findings: Doctors are claiming that treating menopause as a hormone deficiency and over-medicalising the condition can increase anxiety and stress in women.

Recent research also found that negative expectations of menopause increased the likelihood of women experiencing distressing symptoms.

Over 75% of menopausal women report their symptoms, with almost a quarter describing them as severe and although many women achieve reduced symptoms from hormone therapy, changing diet and regular exercise can also relieve symptoms.

Six key medical organisations, including the British Menopause Society and Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, have drawn up 11 new standards for menopause care which focus on lifestyle advice and dietary modification.

Adopting a plant-based, soy-rich diet has been proven to reduce moderate-to-severe hot flushes in menopause by 84%.

A recent study has uncovered that menopausal women who followed a vegan diet with no other restrictions lost more weight at a higher rate overall than those following a low-fat restricted diet.

5 Ways That Going Vegan Could Help with Managing Menopause Symptoms

Minimising Hot Flushes Night sweats and hot flushes, also known as vasomotor symptoms, impact 80% of women during menopause. However, adopting a vegan diet can dramatically reduce these symptoms, with the Women’s Study for the Alleviation of Vasomotor Symptoms revealing that a combination of a strict plant-based diet combined with half a cup of soybeans each day resulted in moderate-to-severe hot flushes being reduced from nearly five per day to fewer than one per day.

Overall hot flushes, including mild ones, also decreased by 79%, emphasising the undeniable fact that a vegan, soy-rich diet Is the way to go when it comes to controlling those dreaded hot flushes and night sweats.

Maintaining a Healthy Weight Often during menopause, women experience weight gain due to declining oestrogen levels, age-related loss of muscle tissue and lifestyle factors such as diet. This internal body fat, also known as visceral fat, whilst unproblematic for many, can encourage insulin resistance and lead to health issues such as type 2 diabetes. Therefore, during menopause, it’s important to opt for a balanced diet including wholefoods, fruits and vegetables.

A recent study has uncovered that menopausal women who followed a vegan diet with no other restrictions lost more weight at a higher rate overall than those following a low-fat restricted diet, indicating that a balanced vegan diet could help to support a healthier lifestyle for those concerned with weight gain during menopause. When managed correctly, a vegan diet promotes weight loss, reduces the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol, lowers the chance of getting certain cancers such as colon cancer and manages diabetes by lowering AC1 levels.

As with any diet however, sensible choices must be made and important nutrients must be incorporated. Protein-rich foods such as tofu, edamame, soy, chickpeas lentils and nutritional yeast should always be included in a vegan diet, with vegan protein powder also a popular choice for supplementing protein intake. It’s also important to maintain vitamin B12 levels, which can be found in fortified cereals and rice to promote muscle repair and energy.

Essential fatty acids from greens and whole grains, iron and vitamin D to boost cognitive function and mood.

Quality of Sleep Unfortunately, sleep disorders plague 39-47% of pre-menopausal women and 35-60% of postmenopausal women, with the most common issues being hot flushes, insomnia and sleep-disordered breathing according to Sleep Foundation. Not only has the power of plant-based diets been proven to mitigate hot flushes to a large extent, but vegan diets may also lead to increased levels of the amino acid tryptophan which can lead to increased imelatonin and serotonin, thus enhancing sleep quality and quantity.

Tryptophan can be found in kale, bananas, mushrooms, peas and almonds, all of which can be easily integrated into your vegan diet and can support a great night’s sleep.

Alleviating Anxiety It seems that a staggering number of women suffer mental health symptoms as a result of menopause; a 2020 study conducted in Brazil uncovered that 58% of women aged 45–55 who were experiencing perimenopause had anxiety symptoms. In the same study, 62% experienced symptoms of depression.

Interestingly, the brain doesn’t use the amino acid tryptophan to support good sleep alone; it also uses it to provide feelings of happiness and positive mental well-being through serotonin production. In fact, those with a vegan diet reported less stress and anxiety than omnivores in a study investigating the effects of both diets on mood.

To encourage ideal levels of tryptophan and reduce anxiety during menopause, your vegan diet must include a combination of plant proteins along with complex carbohydrates such as fruit, vegetables, whole grains and legumes according to the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine.

Healthier Hair and Skin Due to reduced oestrogen production, hair can start to thin and many women can also experience drier skin. Luckily the magic of a plant-based diet also extends to improved health for both the skin and hair.

Naturally, when done correctly, a plant-based diet should increase your intake of whole foods and reduce your intake of harmful processed foods that can negatively impact health.

However, when it comes to hair health, a study has shown that a plant-based diet can help to reduce the risk of androgenetic alopecia, proving that going vegan can prevent hair loss to an extent. In addition, a vegan diet is far more likely to promote a healthy scalp and in turn create a healthy environment for hair follicles to flourish.

When it comes to maintaining skin health, a recent narrative review of 20 studies on plant-based foods shows that the beneficial effects on skin include improvement in hydration, wrinkles, and elasticity. Using soy extract and drinking soy beverages (equivalent to 15 grams to 25 grams of soy protein per day) can also boost skin hydration during menopause and beyond. It is therefore clear that capitalising on the incredible benefits of these foods as part of a balanced vegan diet rich in fruit and vegetables could help to counteract the effects of menopause such as dry skin.

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By Koppert Kress & FRANCK Pontais Ambassador to UK North East.

VANILLA VANILLA VANILLA Vanilla planifolia Tlilxochitl (the Aztec word for vanilla) originally grew only in ancient Mexico. The original inhabitants, the Totonaks, were exceptionally good farmers and were the first to cultivate the now better-known vanilla planifolia, a 15-meter-long climbing vine with fleshy stems and aerial roots. The fruits of the planifolia contain sweet marrow that the Aztecs added to a cocoa drink to make it less bitter. Perhaps this was the original chocolate milk recipe.

Vanilla is a complicated product to produce, mainly due to the pollination of the flowers. It can take up to 3 years for a vanilla plant to give its first flowers and in nature the vanilla orchid is pollinated by a tropical bee, which is only found in Central America. When the Spanish conquistadors (conquerors) first brought vanilla to Europe, they were unable to grow it due to the absence of the insect. It was not until the French took the vanilla plant with them to the island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean that the odds changed. There the slave boy Edmond Albius managed to pollinate the vanilla flower with a bamboo stick. This innovation made Réunion the world's largest producer of vanilla within 50 years. After pollinating the flowers, the ovaries swell into long green pods containing thousands of

plants in our jungle garden for years and now we have managed to grow these in larger volumes. In the past, the vanilla beans ripened on the plant itself, but this had some drawbacks. The longer a pod hangs on the plant, the more likely it will be damaged by adverse weather conditions, such as typhoons. They then fall off the plant and can no longer be used. Theft is also a problem: the pods are regularly stolen due to their high value. For

“Growing vanilla is by no means an easy job.”

these reasons, the beans in production countries are actually picked too early. They are just not fully ripe then and that's how you get those thin dried sticks that you buy in the supermarket. We wanted to do better, so we started producing vanilla in Dutch greenhouses. Only in this way can you simulate the ideal growing climate all year round without the risk of unpleasant natural conditions, so that we can optimise production.

Growing in a greenhouse is slightly more expensive than in the open field, but in return you are guaranteed high quality, without pesticides or other chemicals. The result? A beautiful, rich and fat vanilla pod.”

tiny black seeds. It is these pods that turn black after a lengthy drying and treatment

It is no surprise to gastronomy that products

process (curing); the colour that makes us

with real vanilla can be recognised by the black

immediately recognise vanilla as such.

dots. If there are no black dots in it, but it does taste like vanilla, then the taste is an unnatural

A FASCINATION FOR YEARS

and chemical product. To make it even more

Growing vanilla is a completely different

confusing: sometimes particles are even added so

process from the fast-growing cresses that

that it is almost indistinguishable from the real

Koppert Cress is known for. Rob Baan says

thing. Rob: “The vanilla flavour vanillin, which

enthusiastically: “I have been fascinated by

can be found in, for example, vanilla custard, is

vanilla for years. We have had a row of vanilla

chemical. It is cheaper, but made from

fpetrochemical products. We want to achieve true pricing by producing our own vanilla; the product has to be right.”

THE EARLY BIRD...

As a result, Koppert Cress had had the ambition to put vanilla on the market for years, but lacked the understanding of cultivation, the patience and the space to achieve this.

“Growing vanilla is by no means an easy job.” says Bart van Meurs who's lived in Westland all his life, of the vanilla project team. “That's why good cooperation was an absolute must. We found a partnership in the experienced and patient experts from another family business, a third and fourth generation grower of cut orchids. The first plants were purchased in 2017 and the family has continued to cultivate the vanilla from 2018 onwards. The rest is history.

We now have quite a few meters of vanilla plants. The total process is one of a lot of patience and working with very skilled people. The technology is completely new and it was always a matter of looking for the right plants and testing and testing again.”

As mentioned before, the pollination of the flower has to be done by hand due to the absence of the tropical bees and, what many people do not know, is that the plant only blooms for a few hours; from sunrise to a little before noon. Bart: “That means that in February you have the time to pollinate from about eight to eleven o'clock in the morning. You only know how many flowers will appear the day before. It could be a few, but we once had to pollinate about 8,700 flowers in one morning. It is easy to imagine that this is a major challenge in terms of employment, because you do not know how many people you will need.

In all the projects we've done so far, plant health and labor had been the breaking point that stood in the way of successful cultivation. Fortunately, we have been able to overcome both so far.”

THREE KINDS OF VANILLA Inspired by the different stories, we close the door of the greenhouse behind us and drive back to Koppert Cress. There we meet Bart and Rob to explore the product/marketing strategy of the product. Bart: “We used the first modest yield of last year, a few thousand pods, to test the processing and taste. A vanilla pod is often still green when you pick it off the plant. Only by 'curing' the pod turns black. This is an enzymatic process in which the sugars from the pod are converted into vanillin and other substances that give the vanilla its characteristic smell and taste. We do this under the influence of moisture and temperature. We went through this process in several ways to find the best way. Culinary experts such as Hidde de Brabander and Onno Kokmeijer played an important role in this. Because what makes good vanilla, good vanilla? We were very curious about the expectations of our customers and whether we could possibly exceed them. At the moment that seems feasible.”

Rob: “All in all, we have decided to supply three types of vanilla products. Those three types actually evolved over time. In the beginning, it was our dream to grow traditional Planifolia.

While working on that product we realised we could also introduce a red and green variant, which is not possible via the traditional route.

First of all, the green pods that chefs, pastry chefs, ice cream makers, bartenders and other

"And because nature has much more to offer, we hope to be able to continue to bring surprises to the culinary world in a sustainable way."

professionals can cure themselves, because what could be more fun than experimenting with your own processing process? Then you can start working on adding other scents. In addition to the green pod, we are introducing the black variety, which we cure in special ripening cabinets. And the third type of vanilla, we ripen on the plant; a vine-ripened vanilla, as it should grow naturally. This offers whole new possibilities, because by letting the pod hang on the plant longer, it gets an even better flavour profile. Vanillin is still the main flavour, but we have also found a number of side flavours.”

CULINARY VERSATILITY Master Patissier and SVH Master ice cream maker Hidde de Brabander has been closely involved in the development of the vanilla and was a regular in the kitchen of Koppert Cress to taste the different vanilla harvests. Hidde: “Vanilla is also known as the black gold or the caviar of the patisserie. And for a reason, if you zoom in on the seeds in the vanilla pod, you'll see the same shimmer as caviar, but much finer.

It is truly the most classic, exclusive and luxurious aroma maker in pastry.” Vanilla is

often known as an ingredient for, for example, ice cream, custard or crème brûlée, which almost made it feel like a commodity.

Hidde explains: “At one point, vanilla was like salt and pepper, it was used almost everywhere. Until prices started to rise due to shortages due to bad harvests, after which the use of vanilla started to be revalued. The added value of vanilla is now not only in the aroma, but mainly in the re-evaluation of the position of vanilla: where do you add it and in what quantity? If you serve vanilla with scallops, the dish may seem sweeter, but it actually becomes rounder. Vanilla is a real friend to everyone and makes something sweet, but it is also luxurious.”

Yet we still wonder: what makes Koppert Cress vanilla so special, except that it is grown in the greenhouse? Hidde continues: “It's about the complexity of the aroma components. The pod is very fresh and therefore has an extra bit of green. I can best compare the taste to grapes; this vanilla is like a semi-dried muscat grape. It's not a raisin yet, it's much more than that. The plant-aged vanilla, the red one, is certainly out of this world. Basically it is grown exactly the same as the black variety, but by picking it much later, the taste is different. It's like chocolate: everyone is used to the simple, dark chocolate, but now you get a super exclusive chocolate that contains many more layers of aroma.

These pods symbolise how vanilla should be naturally; they are fresher and fatter and therefore much less dried out, as we are often used to.”

IT'S THE INSIDE THAT COUNTS As soon as we grab a black vanilla pod we feel what Hidde means, the outside is still soft and you see the glint of a layer of moisture. Not what you expect from a vanilla pod. Hidde: “The jacket that contains vanilla is normally a bit dull (and though the outside of a vanilla bean isn't used most of the time) it is only when you open the jacket that you come across something beautiful. Some producers inject their vanilla pods with a substance that makes the pod appear thicker. If you cut that pod open, the content is extremely disappointing. So just like we say about humans: it's the inside that counts. And with the Koppert Cress vanilla you get what you see. A nice, full, thick bean with a lot of marrow, a lot of aroma and a high glucovanillin content.”

Meanwhile, the entire kitchen smells of the sweet scent of the Mexican product. We are suddenly aware of the world journey that vanilla has made over the years and how it has now ended up in the small country of The Netherlands. A beautiful plant, loved by many, with a surprising history. And because nature has much more to offer, we hope to be able to continue to bring surprises to the culinary world in a sustainable way.

Website: www.koppertcressvanilla.com Instagram: @koppertcressvanilla

If at first glance, my vegetable cooking project could seem opaque for some, they were quickly lit by some common sense observations. First, why the multiple current debates on ecology, climate or animal ethics do not include the plant in their perimeter itself? It seems quite logical that by organically participating in earthly life you can at least think about it. Second justifying this interest: the personal relationship that I maintain with plants, vegetables and flowers since my childhood, I perceive it as a rich heritage, a gift from my ancestors that I try to maintain and transmit to our youth today as a treasure. "Complexity" requires tenacious research in order to find the appropriate solutions to challenges. Just like the scientist or the alchemist of the Middle Ages, who was looking for the philosopher's stone. But behind all these achievements hide the concepts of health and emotions.

Vegetable cuisine is for me a language through which I can express myself fully.

It allows me to escape through the simple biological need that is that of eating, of a human achievement which could be both in the field of art and of science. This is why when we linger a little on the different elements that make up the language of my cuisine, many of them refer to art.

In conclusion, this vegetable cuisine for me embodies a passion, a desire, a joy and a story of taste. My instinct guides me, makes me grasp qualities and faults, sometimes brings new flavours to my knowledge.

The composition of a plate must be very constructed, readable, singular, and I strive to find the way to both move and give pleasure. It is for me a human cuisine that requires humility on the part of the cook as the one who tastes the dish. For me "the" kitchen is my escape, awake and wonderful dream that never leaves me and always takes me further. It is never dogmatic, it is in motion, it travels in a perpetual renewal, a dynamic sphere, it is life! She is born in me freely from the mysterious and incessant marriages of the magic of the aromas, my memories and my emotions of every moment.

Every day, she offers me an opportunity for communion and sharing these creations with others.

I like to be, for them, a kind of "Merlin the enchanter"

Chef RENÉ MATHIEU Michelin star, “Best Vegetable chef in the World” title in the “Green Guide” .

LA BETTERAVE SUSHI DE BETTERAVE belle betterave crapaudine en ciblant des racines d’environ 250gr / 2kg gros sel gris 150gr de riz a sushi 4cas de vinaigre de riz/ 1 cuillère de gingembre fermente hache très fin ou de la racine de berce 3cas de tamari 1 c a s de crème de raifort 1c a the de sel 50gr de graines amarante 2cl d’huile d’olives au citron 1 cuillère a soupe jus de betterave Cuire 10 minutes dans une eau salé ensuite les égoutte et ajouter l’huile et le jus de betterave et réserve Bien rincer les betteraves Sous un filet d’eau, en lui préservant sa peau, la toiletter délicatement avec une brosse souple, de façon à évacuer tous les reliquats de terre. Sur la lèchefrite, créer un socle de sel gris très épais afin de faire aux betteraves une belle assise puis l’ensevelir dans une pyramide de gros sel gris. La racine doit être complètement recouverte, ne pas hésiter à être généreux avec la couverture de se Cuire les betteraves dans un four préchauffé à 160 °C (th.5) pendant 2 heures. En sortie de four, laisser tiédir la racine dans sa croûte de sel pendant 1a 2 heure.

Découper en fine tranche dans le sens de la longueur la betterave crapaudine badigeonner les avec l’huile de citron et réserver au frais Rincer abondamment le riz pour la proportion Une tasse à thé de riz pour une tasse à thé d'eau pour la cuisson du riz cuire à feux doux 18 minute Votre riz doit sentir un parfum lacté assaisonner avec le tamari, le raifort et le vinaigre de riz et la berce fermente.

Graines Amarande 50gr de graines amarante 2cl d’huile d’olives au citron 1 cuillère a soupe jus de betterave Cuire 10 minutes dans une eau salé ensuite les égoutte et ajouter l’huile et le jus de betterave et reserve Fermented milk 250ml de lait battu ou ribot 2 citron vert Dans un bol ajouter le lait battu le citron le sel et le poivre Dressage Fleur de mauve, prunes pickles et feuilles amarante sèche RACINE DE BERCE OU GINGEMBRE Dans une grande assiette placer une belle quenelle les prunes pixels surmontée sur le riz harmonieusement de 3 belle tranche de crapaudine. (Pour un amusebouche 1 pièce suffit et comme entre 3pieces par personnes) Ajoutez un trait d’huile de citron surmonter d’une belle feuille sèche d amarante une cuillère de graines d amarante terminer par une belle fleur de mauve ensuite deux belle cuillère de lait fermente et quelque trait d’huile de betterave et servir sans attendre DEVANT VOS CONVIVE VENIR RAPER LA RACINE DE BERCE

Tél: +352 621 301 328 / +352 621 210 030 Email: info@myroots.lu

Restaurant Ma Longue Sourit Luxembourg

by Cyril Mollard ( 2 Michelin Star )

Confiture carotte clémentine

Siphon carotte

Carotte 1kg Clémentine jus 600g Sucre 500g Citron 1 pièce

Carotte 1kg Crème 2l Agar 4g/l Xanthate 4g/l

Mariner les carottes en morceaux avec du sucre, du jus de citron, pendant 24h.

Réaliser la mousseline de carotte.

Ajouter la crème , agar agar , la xanthate.

Mettre en siphon . laisser à température ambiante.

Cuire ensuite comme une confiture avec le jus de clémentine.

Une fois cuite, égoutter les morceaux de carottes.

Puis mixer en ajoutant doucement le jus de cuisson, réserver.

Mettre en poche.

Fond de tarte foncé à blanc ( pâte feuilletée piquée) Finition Cumin ou poudre d’estragon Disques de carottes blanchis

Mousseline carotte Carotte bio 1kg Eau de cuisson 200g Huile de citron bio 100g Xanthate 3g Cumin 1g Cuire les carottes à l’eau salée.

Ensuite les mixer avec l’eau de cuisson.

Ajouter l’huile de citron, le cumin et le xanthate.

Réserver puis mettre en poche.

MA LANGUE SOURIT 1 rue de Remich L-5331Moutfort - Luxembourg Tel. : +352 26 35 20 31 mls@mls.lu Ouvert du mardi au samedi Service de : 12h00 à 16h00 19h00 à 00h00

ALGERIAN

Couscous

Coucous is an ancestral dish, traditional from the great Maghreb to North Africa.

According to historians and experts, the origin of couscous is Berber, and dates back to the 202-148 BC, where they found remains of pottery and utensils that resemble those used for the preparation of couscous, in tombs that go back to the region of the Amazigh king Massinissa.

Couscous is a dish of both the poor and also that of the rich due to its variety of preparations and presentations It represents a culinary heritage of the great Maghreb and In 2020 couscous was granted the title of « Intangible heritage

BY CHEF WIDED CHERDOUDA of humanity », a common heritage between the Maghreb countries.

In Algeria we have more than 100 varieties of couscous dish.

The name Couscous is from the word Keskesu or Sekesou,( meaning to work the seed of semolina and to roll it ) Couscous is based on a semolina seed and rolled before it is steamed.

Each region across Algeria has a different way of presenting and serving.

It can be served with milk, or just butter and sugar.

Also as sweet and savory with raisins and

In most regions of Algeria it is drizzled with spicy sauce and garnish with meat and vegetables.

DIRECTIONS Add oil to the couscous with the salt then steam it for 15 min, After 15 mis, sprinkle it with 1 liter of boiling water and let the seeds swell in a large plate .

After it swells, add a spoon of oil and a little butter and stir well to blend before putting it back over steam A a little more butter and wrap it in cling film .

For The Sauce We put a spoon of sunflower oil, chopped onions, salt and pepper and brown , add the vegetables and canned tomato, simmer for 10 min and add two litres of boiling water, cook for one hour over medium heat.

To serve We sprinkle the couscous with the red sauce , then transfer it to a large plate and garnish with the vegetables on top with a little thickened broth .

Vegetarian Couscous

It can be served with a white, yellow or red sauce prepared with either vegetables ( courgettes –carrots- potatoes- chickpeas – pumpkin…). With different meats (chicken, camel, mutton or veal) , also dried meats or fish.

INGREDIENTS 500g fine couscous 1 tsp of salt 3 tbsp sunflower or olive oil 50g of butter Ingredients for the sauce 4 courgettes 4 carrots 150g of chickpeas 2 grattes onions 3 medium potatoes Green pepper 2 tbsp canned tomatoes Spices salt and pepper water 2 tbsp oil

By Alan Coxon

Savoury Couscous INGREDIENTS 175g cous cous 20g butter 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground cumin 2 tsp brown sugar ½ tsp salt 15g sultanas 175 ml chicken stock 1 tsp coriander [freshly chopped] 1 shallot [chopped] 4in – 5 in cutter/mould to place the cous cous in

DIRECTIONS melt the butter and add the chopped shallot add the spices and stir well add the cous cous and sultanas… stir well add the chicken stock and bring to the boil stirring continuously add the fresh coriander…cook for 2 3 mins and remove from the heat cover and keep warm for 5 mins serve

Jewelled Couscous

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

250g Couscous (easy cook)

Heat the oil in a pan and add the curry

150g dried apricots (chopped)

past. Take the pan off the heat and

100g Pistachio nuts (shelled)

add the couscous and combine with

100g Sunblush tomatoes (cut

the curry paste.

into diamonds)

Add the stock, cover the pan and

Small bunch of spring onions

allow to swell (takes about 5 minutes).

(finely chopped)

Fork through to separate the grains.

Bunch of coriander (chopped) 2-3 teaspoons of curry paste

Add the apricots, sunblush tomatoes

(madras)

and the spring onions. Combine and

400ml of chicken stock (boiling)

fork through again, add the coriander

2 tablespoons of oil

and sprinkle with nuts before serving.

EGGPLANT SALAD

by Chef Vince Mallorca

Ingredients •1 ½ pounds (680grm) eggplant, about 3 Chinese or Japanese variety.

1 cup chopped tomatoes, about 130grms. ½ cup thinly sliced red onion, ½ sml size. ¼ cup (64grm) vinegar ½ cup fresh pomegranate 2 teaspoon sugar 1 tablespoon virgin olive oil Black pepper to taste Birds eye chillies optional Green herbs parsley, lemon mint leaves, coriander cilantro.

Method Chop the tomatoes and drain excess liquid.

Slice the onion thinly and separate the layers.

Finely chop the chilies and parsley.

Pierce the eggplant with a fork several times so the steam can release as it cooks.

Arrange them on the grates on top of the burner and grill them over a medium-high heat depending on the size of the eggplant.go with medium heat if the eggplant is too big to given them enough time to cook on the side.

Turn the eggplant every few minutes using a pair of tongs.depending on the size of the eggplant, this may take about 10minutes.

It's ready when the skin is all burnt and flaky, and the flesh is so soft when pierced with a fork.

When the eggplants are cool enough to handle, peel the blackened skin. Use a spoon to remove any burnt bits left on the flesh, as an option you can gently rinse the under running water.

Cut up the grilled eggplant, and chopped into a small cubes.

Place in a bowl and mix with a tablespoon.

Add the tomatoes, onions, chilies, vinegar, fresh pomegranate, sugar, extra virgin olive oil & black pepper powder.

Combine them well. Taste and adjust add salt if necessary.

You can refrigerate for a cold salad or have it right away.

Garnish with crispy baby eggplant, lemon mint leaves and fresh pomegranate, molasses, olive oil.

Muhammara Ingredients 2pcs red bell pepper 4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (divided) ¼ lb shelled toasted walnuts 1 garlic cloves roughly chopped 2 ½ tablespoon tomato paste ¾ bread crumbs 2 tablespoon pomegranate molasses 1 teaspoon aleppo pepper ½ teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon sumac (red flower) ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional

Method Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Brush the bell pepper with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and place in a lightly oiled oven-safe safe pan or cast iron skillet.roast the peppers in the 425 degrees F.heated oven for 30minutes or so.turning them over ones or twice.

Removed from the oven and place the peppers in a bowl.cover with plastic wrap for a few minutes.this traps the steam from roasted peppers, making them easy to peel, when cool enough to handle, simply peel the peppers, remove the seeds and slice the peppers into small strips.

Now in the bowl of a large food processor, combined the roasted red peppers, strips with 3 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, walnuts, tomato, bread crumbs, pomegranate molasses, aleppo peppers, sugar, sumac, salt and cayenne.blend a smooth paste.

Transfer to a serving bowl.you may cover the “Muhamara” and refrigerate, but be sure to bring dip to room temperature before serving.

When ready to serve, top the dip with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and garnish with walnuts and fresh lemon leaves, if you like.serve with pita bread or chips .Enjoy!

Announcement

Bakers & Juniors David Mizon - World's leading baker becomes CSF Ambassador I am delighted to announce that David Mizon, One of the world’s leading bakers has become a CSF International Ambassador representing both Bakers and also Junior members.

David would like to bring chefs and bakers closer together and to bridge the current gap between the two.

David will aim to unite and bring new baker members to join the CSF global family.

Additionally as David has many connections and works closely with in education and universities, he has kindly agreed to look after and develop our Junior arm of membership.

We all know and appreciate that interest for our next generation entering the food industry is on the downturn, many chefs are suffering the effects of being under staffed.

Whilst CSF International main aims and objectives are to support the artisan food producers in difficulty and to retain culinary heritage, cultural gastronomy and traditional skills, we also have the opportunity to stimulate the younger generation in these activities, to harness their youth, enthusiasm, value their ideas, input and contributions.

By the same token, the young generation will have the opportunity to work alongside leading culinary figures and representatives of our great industry, meet top talent, gain experiences and contacts along the way.

An opportunity to unite for a common cause.

If anyone has any under 25 `s please do invite them to our family.

To sponsor a junior the annual fee is only 30 EU . David would also welcome anyone that would be interested in also possibly becoming a mentor ?

For more info or to discuss further please contact David Mizon .

In the meantime please give a special welcome to our first junior members sponsored by David Mizon.

..a special welcome to our first junior members sponsored

by David Mizon

Mariia Khrystych , Diploma chef/Pastry Chef studying BA Hotel and restaurant business working with Guy Savoy Paris Oleksandra Kratiuk BSc Food Tech Msc Restaurant Technology currently assisting with humanitarian aid for Ukraine and Lliia Yartsev, College Diploma Chef / Pastry Chef Currently studying BA Hotel & Restaurant Business and in Ukrainian Volunteer Army at Medic Supply Centre ‘Battalion Hospitalier’ A big thank you also goes out to Fei Woeung Wong for recently sponsoring 3 more new juniors .

Announcements & DIARY EVENTS

A big "THANK YOU" to those that are holding events and raising funds for the small artisan food producers!!

What's on...

1/ September 2022 Website .

The launch of our updated CSF Int. Website is to take place September where a new “chefs shop” will open its doors!.

It will start of low key and gradually build its offerings.

A small % of profit from sales will go toward the CSF charity, and is a perfect window for producers of chefs equipment, food produce, clothing and much more.

The page will also allow us the opportunity to include adverts and as such an opportunity to increase funds for the charity.

Please have a look www.csfint.com 3/ October ( date tbc) 2022 : Lithuania The CSF Ambassador to Lithuania Evaldas Zaliukas is putting together a CSF gala dinner to raise funds with all the Lithuanian CSF members , should be a fantastic evening .

More details to follow via social media Instagram chef.ssansfrontieres facebook CSF (via Alan Coxon) and twitter alan coxon 4/ November 2022: Southampton UK. A four handed French/Asiatique dinner with our CSF Ambassadors Daren Liew and Daniel Galmiche will take place at the Blue Jasmin restaurant in Southampton UK . £5.00 from every guest will be donated to the CSF charity.

For bookings contact Blue Jasmin restaurant 023 8063 6387 https://www.bluejasmine.co.uk/

5/ November 2022 : CSF Art auction.

As I write this the plans are still in progress however we aim to hold an Art exhibition with some of the finest artists in China, with our very own CSF artist members Jacques Schneider from Luxembourg and Pascal Niau from France taking part.

The exhibition is being put together by artist Zee Woo in collaboration with the Marie of Porte Ste Foy. More details will be released nearer the time via social media, however if you are interested in getting involved, please do drop me a line.

Info@alancoxon.com A big “THANK YOU” to those that are holding events and raising funds for the small artisan food producers.

If anyone is interested in holding a fund raising event please do not hesitate to let me know.

Culinary regards

oxon C n a Al www.alancoxon.com www.csfint.com

CARNE / JULY 2019

o ur

ME E T GLOBAL AMBAS S A D O R S

make the difference Chefs sans Frontiere's