TASTE&FLAIR SEPTEMBER 2020

ISSUE 132 DISTRIBUTED WITH THE MALTA INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY

SEPTEMBER 2020

Feed your imagination FOOD 路 DRINK 路 ENTERTAINING 路 DESIGN 路 INTERIORS

25% o all kitchens Italian, German and local custom made September only

September only

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T&F EDITORIAL

SEPTEMBER 2020

Welcome

"Crostini. Marinated Anchovy, confit cherry tomato", by Ryan Vella.

Photo by Brian Grech. See feature starting on page 19.

ISSUE 132 DISTRIBUTED WITH THE MALTA INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY

Feed your imagination

I

FOOD · DRINK · ENTERTAINING · DESIGN · INTERIORS

n our design section, we talk to the creative lead of a global interior design brand about the inspiration behind its latest collection and how the firm remains true to roots and feature the transformation of a compact attic flat into a bright and air space designed specifically for its owner. Joanna Demarco meets a couple who restructured a former Royal Air Force flat restructured and filled with furniture, art, and curios collected over the years. In our food and drink section, Andrew Azzopardi picks out wines for warm September evenings, some of which you may have tied before but are more likely to have overlooked. Ryan Vella serves up a taste of the sea with a miscellany of perfectly proportioned seafood Cicchetti. Claire Borg indulges in late summer fruit, baking plums and figs into a galette and cake, and turning a bucketful of prickly pears into an array of delightful sweet and savoury dishes. For anyone in a hurry, our salad recipes are a quick and easy meal. All you need are a few minutes, fresh ingredients, and some really good olive oil. Last but not least, our warmest welcome to baby Giulio, born only days after his mother Claire delivered her latest recipes and photos to Taste&Flair. You can see the delightful result of both deliveries on page 14.

If you missed any issue of Taste&Flair and want a copy, we may be able to help so please do get in touch with us by email, Messenger, or on Instagram.

Corinne

Publisher The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation 56 Melita Street, Valletta VLT1122, Malta Editorial Board Paul Caruana Galizia Andrew Caruana Galizia Matthew Caruana Galizia Executive Editor Corinne Vella Editorial Assistants Megan Mallia • Amy Mallia Art Director Ramon Micallef +356 9949 1418 ram@box-design.net Advertising Manager & Editorial Contributor Sean Ellul +356 7921 0705 or 21 345 888 ext 123 sellul@independent.com.mt Advertising Assistant Christine Mifsud +356 21 345 888 ext 138 cmifsud@independent.com.mt Production Manager André Camilleri Production Assistant Conrad Bondin Prepress & Printing Print It All communication about Taste&Flair magazine should be directed to Corinne Vella at corinne.vella@gmail.com No part of any issue of Taste&Flair may be reproduced without the written prior agreement of the publisher.

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Koi are associated with perseverance in adversity and strength of purpose, symbolising good luck and abundance.

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ISSUE 132 SEPTEMBER 2020

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T&F CONTENTS

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p14

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CONTENTS

14

Figs & plums Claire Borg’s bakes sweeten summer’s end

19

Cicchetti and conviviality Ryan Vella’s taste of the sea

30 p32

Undiscovered summer wines Andrew Azzopardi on what to drink this September

32

‘Forbidden’ fruit Claire Borg’s ways with prickly pears

44

Dressed for dinner Appetising, colourful salads

54

The art of not settling for less Joanna Demarco explores an eclectic interior

68

Design icon Family-run firm Natuzzi looks to the future

74

For you alone An attic apartment, transformed

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ISSUE 132 SEPTEMBER 2020

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80

The majesty of trees Megan Mallia on Jacaranda Mimosifolia

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MOB: 9989 6286 FACEBOOK GIO. BATTA DELIA 1901

T&F FRESH

Summer Salad Original, sophisticated and packed with nutrients, this salad makes the perfect lunch to beat the heat.

Serves 4

YOU WILL NEED

130g mixed lettuce • 60g walnut halves a handful of black olives • 4 radishes, sliced 100g feta cheese, crumbled • ½ spring onion, sliced 80ml extra-virgin olive oil • a little lime juice 1 tablespoon of Tarragon white wine vinegar

1. Place the mixed lettuce, half the walnuts, the

olives, the crumbled feta cheese and the sliced radishes and spring onion in a bowl.

2. To make the vinaigrette, crush the remaining walnuts and mix them with the extra-virgin olive oil, lime juice and white wine vinegar. Add salt to taste and drizzle over the salad. Serve immediately.

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BLU MODE ON

23561000 info.goldensands@rdbmalta.com Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, Golden Sands

T&F BAKING

SWEET SUMMER’S

END As the cliché goes, if you want something done, ask a busy woman. Claire Borg baked and photographed these gorgeous cakes, made with late summer fruit, just before baby Giulio’s arrival.

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BAKING T&F

FIG AND RHUBARB CAKE Serves 5 • Baking time: 40 minutes Late summer figs and rosy rhubarb are the perfect topping for a light crumbly, butter-free cake.

YOU WILL NEED

120g flour • 1 teaspoon baking powder • 100g sugar • 5 ml milk 5ml apple cider vinegar • 1 egg • 50ml veg oil • a few drops of vanilla essence

1. Pour the vinegar over the milk and let it stand for a few minutes.

2. Add the egg, vanilla and oil to the milk, then mix everything together.

3. Sift the flour and baking powder and mix them into the sugar, then add the wet mix and fold it in.

4. Pour the mixture into an 8” tin (it should be buttered and floured first) and top it with rhubarb and halved figs.

5. Bake the cake in a hot oven set to 170°C for about 40 minutes

or until it’s done. Let it cool for a few minutes in the tin, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool down completely.

PRUNE GALETTE WITH GROUND ALMONDS Serves 6 • Baking time: approximately 35 minutes Galette’s no-fuss simplicity means this delicious treat can be ready in under an hour, from start to finish. It’s best eaten on the day it’s baked, but if there are any leftovers they’ll keep for a day or so. Buy your pastry in a block, or ready-rolled out. I bought my block of rough puff pastry from a local village bakery.

YOU WILL NEED

puff pastry • 120g ground almonds • 120g cream cheese • 1 egg 80g sugar • lemon zest • 12 to 15 fresh plums • poppy seeds

1. Mix together the cream cheese, some lemon zest, the egg

and ground almonds until you have a smooth paste.

2. Roll out the puff pastry, or if you’re using a sheet, just unroll it. Place the pastry on a baking paper in a baking tin.

3. Spread the almond mixture over the pastry, keeping at least 2cm away from the edge. Next, spread the halved plums over the top and fold the edges of the pastry over the fruit.

4. Sprinkle the galette with poppy seeds and bake it in a pre-warmed oven set to 210°C until the pastry turns golden and the bottom is cooked well too.

5. Serve the galette warm with lemon zest grated over it.

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T&F BAKING

FIG AND RHUBARB CAKE (recipe on previous page)

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BAKING T&F

PRUNE GALETTE WITH GROUND ALMONDS (recipe on previous page)

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SEAFOOD T&F

Cicchetti A TASTE OF THE SEA

“Andar per bàcari” is a convivial way to share food and drink with friends.

Recreate the Venetian tradition at home with Ryan Vella’s seafood cicchetti.

Food: Ryan Vella, head chef at Mezzodì Photography: Brian Grech Wine recommendation: Andrew Azzopardi

Cicchetti are usually accompanied by one wine that pairs well with all the dishes served.

Txakoli, a Spanish, slightly sparkling wine, or a traditional-method sparkling wine such as Champagne, Cava or Cap Classique, will work perfectly with these seafood cicchetti.

For purer pairing, we’ve included a wine recommendation with each recipe.

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T&F SEAFOOD

Steamed bun with red mullet tempura Makes around 48 Preparation: 60 minutes, excluding dough rising and resting time Recommended wine: Greco di Tufo

Steamed buns freeze well for up to two months. You can adjust the amounts of ingredients in this recipe to suit the size of your party, or use as many buns as you need and freeze the rest in airtight bags for another time. To reheat frozen buns, place them in a steamer until they’re puffy, soft, and warm all the way through. This will take 2-3 minutes.

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SEAFOOD T&F

MOMOFUKU BUNS

585g bread flour 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon active dry yeast 3 tablespoons nonfat dry milk powder ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda 6 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon salt 7g vegetable shortening (room temperature) vegetable oil 355ml water at room temperature FILLING AND GARNISH

sliced spring onions sliced fresh chili coriander mayonnaise wakame seaweed red mullet fillets TEMPURA

100g self-raising flour 100g rice flour 300ml sparkling water

1. Stir the yeast and water together.

Add the rest of the ingredients and mix gently until a dough starts to form. This takes 8-10 minutes, if you use a mixer with a dough hook at the lowest speed setting.

2. Lightly oil a bowl, put the dough into it and turn the dough over until it is lightly coated in oil. Cover the bowl and leave it in a warm place until the dough doubles in size (about 75 minutes).

3. Punch down the dough to remove large air bubbles and turn it out onto a work surface. Cut the dough into four even pieces, then halve each quarter, then further divide each piece of dough into six evenly sized pieces. You should have 48 pieces of dough, each roughly the size of a table tennis ball.

4. Roll each piece of dough into a ball and transfer the rolled dough to baking trays. Cover them loosely with plastic and let them rise for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cut out 48 pieces of baking paper, each about 10cm square.

5. When the dough’s properly risen,

roll each piece into an oval shape, about 10cm long. Brush the dough lightly with vegetable oil and fold it over gently without sealing it.

Place the folded dough onto a piece of baking paper and place it under the plastic wrap while you shape the rest of the dough. Leave the buns to rest for 30-45 minutes.

6. Working in small batches, steam

the buns for ten minutes. Leave them on the baking paper while they cook, to avoid them becoming sticky and soggy. Remove the buns from the steamer and peel off the baking paper. Set the buns aside to cool.

7. Now, make the tempura. Mix the flours together in a mixing bowl and add the sparkling water while whisking to create a light batter.

8. Roll the red mullet fillets in

flour, dip them in the batter and fry at 180°C for 1-2 minutes.

9. To serve, place the tempura

fillets in a bun with the wakame seaweed and serve, garnished with slices of fresh chili, spring onion, coriander and mayonnaise

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T&F SEAFOOD

Tuna sashimi with grilled aubergine and burrata, puffed amaranth and wild rice Makes 16 pieces Preparation: 30 minutes Recommended wine: Spanish or Italian rosĂŠ YOU WILL NEED

8 baby aubergines 1 portion of burrata 1 portion mozzarella di bufala 250g tuna amaranth wild rice

1. Cut the sides of the aubergines and proceed by cutting

the aubergines vertically all the way through. Season with salt and olive oil and grill the aubergine halves for 2 minutes on each side or until nicely coloured.

2. Chop the burrata and mozzarella together to achieve a smooth mix. Season with salt and transfer into a piping bag.

3. Using a slotted spoon, fry the wild rice at 180°C until it puffs up. In a warm pan cook the amaranth until they start to pop. Set the rice and amaranth aside.

4. Using a sharp knife, slice the tuna into thin sashimi slices.

5. To assemble, pipe the burrata mix onto the

grilled aubergine, place the tuna slice on top, drizzle some olive oil and finish with the puffed wild rice and amaranth. Serve immediately.

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SEAFOOD T&F

Amaranth seeds and rice grains, heated until they pop and puff up, add a bit of crunch to the sashimi.

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T&F SEAFOOD

Crostini.

Marinated Anchovy, confit cherry tomato Preparation: 20 minutes, excluding marinating time Recommended wine: Riesling MARINATED ANCHOVIES

1kg anchovy fillets 1l water 300g white wine vinegar Juice of 1 lemon 80g salt 1l extra virgin olive oil CONFIT CHERRY TOMATOES

500g cherry tomatoes 4 cloves of garlic, sliced Few sprigs of thyme Salt Pepper A splash of extra virgin olive oil TO ASSEMBLE

Toasted focaccia Confit cherry tomatoes Marinated anchovies Sliced chilli

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1. Mix the water, salt,

lemon, and vinegar thoroughly until the salt is well dissolved.

Add the anchovy fillets and leave for 5 hours.

2. Drain the anchovies from the brine and pour 1l of extra virgin olive oil. Store refrigerated for up to a week.

3. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Season with salt, pepper, and thyme and bake for 10 minutes at 180°C. Take out of the oven and coat with extra virgin olive oil.

4. Place the confit cherry tomatoes on top of the focaccia, followed by the anchovies and slices of chili, and serve immediately.

SEAFOOD T&F

This makes enough topping for several crostini. Reduce the amounts of ingredients for a smaller party, or make up the full recipe and store the unused portion for another day.

The marinated anchovy fillets can be refrigerated for up a week.

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T&F SEAFOOD

Scallop spring roll Makes 4 pieces Preparation: 30 minutes Recommended wine: Grüner Veltliner HONEY AND GINGER DRESSING

250g honey 100ml sesame oil 50g sesame seeds 1 spring onion 1 chili • 1 leek 1 juice and zest of lemon 1 handful chopped coriander MISO MAYONNAISE

2 tablespoons Miso paste 2 eggs • 100ml apple cider vinegar 50g muscovado sugar 1l vegetable oil • salt to taste SCALLOP MIX

12 scallops 4 portions spring roll pastry Slices of mangetout

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1. To make the dressing, slice the

spring onion, dice the chili, and cut the leek finely. Put them in a bowl, add all the other ingredients, and stir everything together.

5. Continue to gradually add the

remaining oil, whisking continuously.

Season with a pinch of salt, if needed.

6. Cut the scallops into small

cubes. Add ½ of the dressing to the scallops and mix well.

2. Next, make the mayonnaise.

Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl, then add the miso and the sugar and whisk together.

7. Divide the mixture into 4 portions and use it to fill the spring rolls.

3. Gradually add about half the

8. Heat some vegetable oil to 180°C

oil, very slowly at first, whisking continuously for around 3 to 5 minutes, or until thickened.

4. Once you’ve added about half the oil, whisk in the vinegar. This will loosen the mixture slightly.

and fry the spring rolls for 3 minutes.

9. Brush with the honey and

ginger dressing, top with slices of mangetout and serve with a dollop of miso mayonnaise.

SEAFOOD T&F

The miso mayonnaise will keep in the fridge for up to one week, if stored in a closed, sterilised jar.

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T&F SEAFOOD

Shrimp crudo in parmesan shells Makes around 4 Preparation: 30 minutes, excluding cooling time Recommended wine: MuscadetSèvre et Maine

FOR THE SHELLS

250g grated parmesan cheese FOR THE CRUDO

350g peeled and shelled shrimps 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil salt to taste 1 tablespoon chopped chives

1. Place rounds of the grated cheese

on a tray lined with a baking paper and bake for 10 mins at 180c.

2. Take the tray out of the oven and while the baked cheese is still warm and pliable, roll it around a cannolo mould, or any other mould to create the shape you need. Allow to cool.

3. To make the filling, roughly chop the shrimps, add the rest of the ingredients, and stir everything together.

4. Fill the parmesan shells with the shrimp mixture and serve at once.

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T&F WINES

UNDISCOVERED SUMMER WINES

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Knowing that a number of hot and clammy, September summer evenings are on the way, Andrew Azzopardi’s picked out some satisfyingly refreshing yet relatively undiscovered white wines. get asked way too many times which my favourite wine is. My answer hasn’t changed in years. It all depends on where I am, who I’m with and what I’m eating. I only have a favourite wine for that particular moment. The wine needs to work with the experience. Wines are so complex and different that I simply cannot choose one.

In summer our dishes tend to be lighter, simpler, and with fresher flavours so, the wines should complement the same character of crunchy, juicy and often linear and precise style. The blazing hot sun requires invigorating and thirstquenching wines with low alcohol to avoid heaviness and the risk of dehydration. However, this does not mean we need to stick to that unexciting, one-dimensional white wine that we would find in every convenience store or supermarket aisle.

There are so many underrated, refreshingly good and juicy wines for us to discover. The best part is that, unlike winter reds, most white wines do not exceed €15.00 a bottle.

Now really is the time to be seduced by bright, cheerful, and charming whites that need not break the bank. It’s also the perfect time to discover grapes and wines that we often overlook. I have chosen five wines that tend to be neglected or simply wrongly perceived but are worth considering for the last few days of summer.

Riesling

Classic German and Alsatian Rieslings can be rather offputting with their long, technical Germanic wording on the bottle but trust me on this one, you’re missing out if you never drink Riesling wine. One of my favourite grape varieties of all time, Riesling is refreshing, mineral and multi-faceted, and pairs well with most light Mediterranean dishes. When in doubt, choose a dry, Kabinett style Riesling and you will not be disappointed.

Look for Kabinett or Trocken on the bottle for a dry style wine, or the less common Spätlese which refers to late-harvest and is therefore sweeter. Spätlese wines have the perfect sweetness to accompany salty dishes such as deep-fried goat’s cheese with a raspberry coulis or dishes such as salads that include summer fruits like strawberries or peaches. The slight sweetness is often fantastic with green fruits, herbal or floral components, and high acidity.

The drier style young Rieslings are usually linear with floral aromas and often show mineral and sometimes a “slate” or “stony” flavour. Classic origin Rieslings from Germany and France tend to have apple, pear, lemon or lime fruit flavours that are perfect with our typical Mediterranean delicate fish dishes such as grouper, rockfish or bream. The newer world Rieslings tend to have more tropical fruit flavours of pineapple or peach but are equally crunchy and refreshing. It is not uncommon to find Kabinett and even Auslese Rieslings as low as 8.5% alcohol, which makes them perfect for our hot summers and light dishes.

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Riesling is capable of aging up to 10 or even 15 years and the sweeter versions can hold for much longer. The wine often develops beautiful honey and marmalade flavours and typical “petrol” aromas. loved by many a wine aficionado.

Txakoli (Pronounced cha-ko-lee)

I discovered this slightly sparkling Spanish gem while on a typically youthful holiday, roughing it out in sleeping bags on roundabouts and 10-hour bus rides, when one of my closest friends and I decided to relax for a few days in the Basque region of San Sebastian before making our way down to Barcelona.

We discovered the local wine Txakolina, or Txakoli as the locals called it, during our daily gourmet tapas-barhops. The bars served bite-sized, miniature meals which they referred to as pintxo instead of tapas, which are usually served on a slice of bread.

Txakoli is a dry, light, low alcohol white wine with an ever so faint sparkle. The predominantly Hondarrabi Zuri grapevariety in Txakoli works so well because the high acidity in the wine, from the prevailing cool Atlantic winds, produces a crisp and refreshing wine. The low alcohol of around 9.5% keeps the wine light and enjoyable during the hot summer evenings and the slight sparkle cleanses your palate after each bite.

Unfortunately, Txakoli is not such an easy wine to find, but if you do, make sure to grab a bottle. There aren’t many wines that can work with virtually any dish, and this is one of them.

Grüner Veltliner

It took a while for me to warm up to the fact that Grüner Veltliner can be exciting and charismatic. I was sure Grüner Veltliner couldn’t offer much more than the bland and boring, single dimensional wine I had tasted a few times, but I soon realised how wrong I was when I embarked on a mission to find premium quality Grüner Veltliner. It didn’t take me long to find some great bottles of spicy and incredibly interesting wines.

These are generally unoaked and aged in stainless steel casks producing crispy and tangy food-friendly wines. Grüner Veltliner means “green grape from the village of Veltlin in the Tirol” but it may also be produced in Hungary, Slovakia and Czech Republic, besides Austria. Being such a great wine with food, Grüner Veltliner should be found in any well-designed restaurant list, but it is still unfortunately rather underrated in Malta.

Most Grüner Veltliner wines show off white pepper, lentil and even celery notes with a mainly mineral character that make it ideal with summery vegetable dishes, fish, and salads.

Very few of these wines are made for the long-term, but there are a few with honeyed notes that can be exciting. When oak is integrated as part of the aging process, the wines can adopt Chardonnay-like characteristics, which while not particularly great for alfresco summer dining, could be enjoyable on one of the cooler evenings.

WINES T&F

Muscadet-Sèvre et Maine

Greco di Tufo

I love the gorgeous burst of salty-sea flavours from fresh A wine that is not really undiscovered, and actually found oysters, especially when they’re washed down with the right on several wine-lists across the islands, there is still much wine. Both Champagne and Chablis are fantastic choices due apprehension around choosing Greco di Tufo, when there to the salinity from the Kimmeridgian soils found in Burgundy shouldn’t be. The name is derived from the tiny town of Tufo and Champagne. However, both come at a cost, especially if in Avellino, Campania where the Greco grape is grown. Tufo you choose a Premier Cru or Grand Cru. is derived from “Tuff”, the soft, volcanic soil that makes up A super alternative is Muscadet-Sèvre et Maine which most of the subsoil of the region which imparts a substantial is not only found at a fraction of the price of Champagne, and particular minerality to the wine flavour profile. The but is also considered a perfect pairing with oysters and wines are usually deep in colour. Similar to the Muscadet, shellfish. Made from a single grape variety called Melon de they are not particularly fruit forward, but citrussy with Bourgogne and planted in Southern area of Loire-Atlantique, undertones of stone fruit flavours, most notably peach.

Muscadet-Sèvre et Maine is one of the I personally enjoy a Greco di Tufo most underrated white wines around. that has been aged a little bit (up to 5 Pinxtos The plantings of Melon de Bourgogne or 6 years) and which has developed On those tapas-barhops in San have reduced in size to around 8,000 more medicinal and herbal overtones.

Sebastian, the bar tenders used to hectares from 15,000 hectares, but These go well with summery dishes pour Txakoli wine into a tumbler this is not because of the quality of that include some more powerful from an extravagant height the wines. Actually, I would consider flavours such as deep fried fish or even which seemingly highlighted the Muscadet-Sèvre et Maine to be one of plain grilled fish with aubergines or a effervescence, as well as showed the best-value wines. They are usually pesto crust. The wine has a beautiful off their pouring skills. As you can between ten and fifteen euros a bottle, acidity that keeps it light and crisp, imagine, the showmanship, gourmet but exude a finesse one would expect but a texture and herbal character that food and refreshing tipple was a from a bottle of wine at double or even can stand up to richer summer dishes dangerous combination for foodies triple that price. or even barbecued food. However, do like myself. One needn’t pour the Typically crisp, low alcohol, and with beware of more mature vintages of wine from such excessive heights, a searing mineral salinity reminiscent of Greco di Tufo especially if they have and nowadays I’d probably prefer a the Atlantic Ocean, Muscadet-Sèvre et not been stored properly. wine glass to the tumbler allowing Maine has a creamy, mouth-coating, Try the younger, fresher versions me to better enjoy the mineral, citrus lager-like texture that that goes so well of Greco di Tufo with cooked Italian and stone fruit flavours typical of with oysters and shellfish. The high cheeses such as ricotta or even fresh this wine. acidity cuts through the fattiness of the cheeses such a creamy Mozzarella di The bite-sized, miniature meals shellfish leaving you begging for more.

Bufala. They are also fantastic with which they referred to as pintxos Similar to most Champagnes, the wine artisan-made Burrata cheese. included the more touristic Spanish is often aged on its lees, usually labelled Greco di Tufo is one of those wines delicacies such Jamón (dry-cured as sur lie, an aging process of leaving that, due to its incredible value, is ham, usually aged) and tortillas the wine in contact with the dead yeast often the saving grace on many of the (classic Spanish omelette) and particles (known as lees) which gives limited wine lists on the islands. It’s sometimes the not so typical touristic the wine a wonderful yeasty, creamy often the most charming, food-friendly dishes such as angulas (baby eels), texture. and characterful wine in the list, so rabo de toro (bull’s tail), manitas de The Melon de Bourgogne grape is next time you come across it, don’t cerdo (pig’s trotters) and the famous often labelled as neutral tasting. True overlook it. n deep-fried criadillas (bull’s testicles), to its reputation, it doesn’t show off any which I remember were particularly flamboyant fruity flavours, but focuses delightful. The beauty of these typical more on the minerality, salinity and Basque tapas is that each bite-sized texture. There may be citrus or apple portion is a gourmet-prepared dish and pear notes, but they are usually in itself, each one an explosion of not obvious and will definitely not Andrew Azzopardi is a wine flavours so different to the last. overpower the rush of delicate flavours specialist certified by the Wine of oysters, lobster or crab. and Spirit Education Trust.

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T&F IN SEASON

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IN SEASON T&F

Fruit OF many Colours Served sweet or savoury, to eat or drink, colourful prickly pears are one of the most versatile fruits.

Food and photography: Claire Borg Beautiful, plentiful, and covered with little spines, almost as though they are a forbidden fruit, prickly pears are fiddly to pick and peel. Use thick gloves to harvest the fruit, then soak them in a bucket of water for a couple of hours before peeling. The soaking will soften the spines, making the fruit easier to handle.

When foraging, please do not trespass into private property. Prickly pears do grow wild, but the cactus plants they grow on are in someone’s field. Before picking the fruit, always ask for the owner’s permission.

I picked a bucketful and here is what I came up with.

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T&F IN SEASON

Vanilla and Cream Cheese Cupcakes Makes 12 Baking time: 15-20 minutes FOR THE CUPCAKES

200g plain flour 170g soft butter 30g cream cheese 200g eggs - approximately 4 2 teaspoons baking powder 200g sugar a few drops of vanilla essence FOR THE TOPPING

cream cheese prickly pears

1. Preheat the oven to

170°C and line a cupcake tin with paper cases.

2. Using the whisk attachment on your mixer, whisk together the butter, cream cheese and sugar until they are light and fluffy.

3. Add the vanilla and the eggs one by one, whisking all the time.

4. Add the sifted baking powder and flour and gently fold them into the cake batter.

5. Divide the batter

among the cupcake cases and bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until done.

6. Remove the cupcakes

from the baking tin and allow them to cool down completely. Just before serving, decorate each one with a dollop of cream cheese and half a prickly pear.

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IN SEASON T&F

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T&F IN SEASON

Makes about 8 jars Cooking time: 40-60 minutes YOU WILL NEED

800g fresh figs, washed and chopped with skins on 500g fresh plums, stones removed, and chopped 12-15 pressed prickly pears (pips removed), pulp only 6 apples, peeled, cored and chopped 1.2 kg white sugar 1 litre white wine vinegar 3 medium onions, finely chopped 30g yellow mustard seeds 8 bay leaves 2 teaspoons turmeric ½ teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon garam masala 20 cardamom pods ¼ teaspoon cinnamon 2 tablespoons salt

1. Mix all the fruit and

onions in a large wide pot. Add the spices, salt, sugar and vinegar and mix them together.

2. Bring the pot to a vigorous boil, then reduce the flame till the mixture reaches a steady medium simmer. Be careful and keep an eye on the chutney, stirring it often.

3. Let the mixture cook until the chutney thickens, but not too much as it will set once it cools down. This will take approximately 40 minutes to an hour.

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4. When the chutney reaches the right consistency, immediately pour it into hot sterilised jars and seal them. This should be enough for the jars to seal completely. The lids should pop during cooling and this will be a sure sign that they have closed hermetically.

5. Leave the chutney to

mature for at least 2 weeks before opening the jars.

Left uopened, they will keep well for a couple of years. Once opened, keep the chutney in your fridge.

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T&F IN SEASON

Sicilian Inspired Salad Assemble this salad just before serving. It will get soggy if prepared ahead.

Serves 2 Preparation: 5 minutes YOU WILL NEED

green leaves (I used songino) prickly pears ricotta salata or cacio cavallo crushed pistachios olive oil and balsamic dressing

1. Wash the

salad leaves and shake them well to remove excess water.

2. Peel and chop the prickly pears and grate the ricotta or cheese.

3. Pile the salad leaves onto serving plates.

Top the leaves with chopped fruit and scatter the grated cheese over the top.

4. Sprinkle the crushed pistacchios over the salad, drizzle with the dressing and serve at once.

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T&F IN SEASON

Prickly pears in Speck Serves 2-4 as an appetiser Preparation: 5 minutes YOU WILL NEED

4 prickly pears 8 slices speck

1. Peel and halve the prickly pears.

2. Roll each half in a slice of speck and serve immediately.

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IN SEASON T&F

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T&F IN SEASON

Strawberry and Prickly Pear Cocktail Serves 3 to 4 • Preparation: 5 minutes YOU WILL NEED

10 frozen strawberries • 6 prickly pears • 4 shots tequila or rum (optional) 3 limes • ice cubes • 2 small bottles ginger ale • mint leaves

1. Blend the strawberries and prickly pears together.

Run the liquid through a sieve and keep the pulp.

2. Distribute it among 3 or 4 glasses. Add lots of ice cubes and the alcohol (optional).

3. Squeeze a couple of wedges of lime into each glass and top up with ginger ale and fresh mint leaves.

Serve with lime wedges.

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Freedom of Wellbeing Rich in whole grains and cereals

No Added Sugars

Lactose and egg free

Rich in fibre

With seeds and superfoods

T&F SALADS

Dressed F 44

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FOR

SALADS T&F

Dinner

It takes just a few ingredients and only a thin slice of time to make up colourful salads as a light meal or appetiser.

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SALADS T&F

Tomato with herbs Tomato salad needn’t be boring.

Use a variety of tomatoes and herbs, add seeds for crunch and a sprinkling of lemon zest. Vary this recipe by substituting the basil with parsley, and dressing the salad with red wine vinegar and warm anchovy vinaigrette made with chopped anchovies, garlic, olive oil, and lemon zest.

Serves 4 Preparation: 20 minutes 1kg large tomatoes in various colours 250g cherry tomatoes in various colours 1 loose handful fresh green basil leaves 1 loose handful fresh red basil leaves 1 handful parsley leaves, roughly chopped 1 tablespoon nigella seeds extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated sea salt flakes

1. Wash and dry the tomatoes. Cut

the large ones horizontally into thick slices and halve the cherry tomatoes.

2. Arrange the sliced tomatoes on a platter and top with the cherry tomato halves. Scatter with the chopped herbs and nigella seeds and sprinkle with lemon zest.

3. Serve at once, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with a couple of pinches of salt flakes.

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Beet and radish Crunchy beetroot, hot radish, sharp tomato, and fresh mint, sweetened with seasonal prickly pear juice. Simple but satisfying.

Serves 2 Preparation: 10 minutes YOU WILL NEED

2 medium-sized beetroots 6 small radishes 1 handful red cherry tomatoes 1 loose handful fresh mint leaves DRESSING

prickly pear juice extra-virgin olive oil rough sea salt flakes

1. Pour the juice into a small pan

and set it on a low heat to reduce.

Stir it occasionally to stop it sticking to the pan. Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside to cool.

2. Peel the beetroots and thinly slice them across. Wash the radishes, wipe them dry, and slice them very thinly. Wash and dry the cherry tomatoes and slice them up. Wash the mint leaves and pat them dry.

3. Assemble the salad on individual plates. Place the beetroot slices in an overlapping layer. Scatter the cherry tomatoes, radish slices, and mint leaves on top and sprinkle with a pinch of salt flakes.

4. Serve drizzled with the thickened juice and olive oil.

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Mint and mozzarella 50

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SALADS T&F

Serves 4 Preparation 15 minutes YOU WILL NEED

4 portions of buffalo mozzarella 3 large beetroots 2 loose handfuls flowerfree fresh mint tips 4 handfuls baby spinach leaves and baby rucola leaves freshly ground black pepper extra virgin olive oil lemon zest lemon slices

1. Wash the salad leaves, shake off

the excess water, and spread them out on a cloth to dry. Wash the mint leaves and lightly pat them dry. Peel the beetroots and grate them roughly.

2. Assemble the salad in layers in individual plates. Mix the rucola and spinach leaves together, divide them among the plates and spread them out. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with lemon zest.

3. Add a layer of mint leaves, then spoon the grated beetroot into the centre. Slice up the mozzarella and place it on top of the beetroot.

Season with freshly ground black pepper, drizzle with olive oil, and serve at once with slices of lemon.

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Fig and feta The combination of sweet figs and salty cheese is irresistible. Choose figs that are ripe but still firm enough to hold their shape when cut up.

Serves 4 Preparation: 15 minutes YOU WILL NEED

10-12 small fresh figs, unpeeled • 200g feta 400g cherry tomatoes • 6-8 medium-sized tomatoes 1 loose handful small fresh basil leaves or thyme leaves DRESSING

wild thyme honey • extra virgin olive oil

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1. Wash the basil

leaves, shake of the excess water, then spread them out on a clean cloth to dry.

2. Wash the figs thoroughly to remove any sap and wipe them dry. Cut them vertically into quarters and then cut each piece into two.

3. Wash and dry the tomatoes.

Cut the cherry tomatoes into halves and slice up the larger ones. Arrange the large slices on individual plates and top them with the cherry tomatoes and fig slices.

4. Crumble the feta cheese and sprinkle it over the salad, and dot the basil leaves on top.

Whisk four tablespoons of olive oil with two teaspoons of honey, drizzle the dressing over the salad and serve it at once.

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A HISTORY. THE LAND. A PROMISE. FOR TRADE ENQUIRIES

GOZITANO AGRICULTURAL VILLAGE MGARR ROAD, XEWKIJA GOZO E: info@abrahams.com.mt T: (356) 2156 3231 FERRATON PERE & FILS CAVEAU

13 RUE DE LA SIZERANNE 26600 TAIN L’HERMITAGE WWW.FERRATON.FR

T&F COLLECTING

The art of not settling for

LESS A former Royal Air Force residence in Ħal-Farruġ is now filled with furniture, art, and curious collectibles picked up over the years from auctions, flea markets and antique shops.

Photos and text: Joanna Demarco

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T

he ethos which led Christian Grech and Kassandra Calleja to do up their home in a personal way is to never settle for a piece which doesn’t draw them in.

Their spacious and high-ceilinged apartment, filled with eclectic ornaments, furniture, and select pieces of art, comes as a surprise, given the building’s functional nature and history as a military residence.

It all began with a photograph. Some years ago, Christian inherited a large collection of old family photographs from his aunt Maria. They ranged from portraits of unknown ancestors from a time when cumbersome cameras were only to be found lodged at a photographer’s studio, to holiday snaps taken a few decades later when the camera had become an affordable and portable item.

Sifting through a set of pictures from Maria’s vacation in Paris in the 1950s, Christian and Kassandra found one that was taken in a Parisian café. A particular detail caught their eye – not the younger-looking, stylish, Aunt Maria, but the wall she was standing beside. It was made up of rectangular bricks of irregular sizes.

They were so drawn to that wall that they made it their mission to construct an identical one in their then-new home. They took the photograph to a Maltese craftsman, who succeeded in creating a replica of the wall, which is now the prominent main feature in the spacious open-plan living and dining area just inside the entrance to their apartment.

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Next to the large open plan area, a brightly painted kitchen is screened off with hand-carved doors ordered specially from Thailand. Down the corridor are two bathrooms, a drawing room and a bedroom and dressing room. Thanks to windows on all sides of the building, sunlight streams into the apartment throughout the day.

Much of the furniture in the Hal-Farruĥ flat was put together slowly throughout the couple’s twelve-year process of doing up their home, a journey which they believe will always be an ongoing and incomplete one.

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DESIGNED BY CLAIRE GALEA STUDIO. PHOTO BY JAMIE IAIN GENOVESE.

Surfacing the most beautiful spaces

www.halmannvella.com

BIANCO STATUARIO MARBLE

HALMANN VELLA LTD, The Factory, Mosta Road, Lija. LJA 9016. Malta

T: (+356) 21 433 636

E: info@halmannvella.com

T&F COLLECTING

The dining room is a perfect encapsulation of the philosophy which the couple, an IT lecturer and a catering professional, hold close to heart when it comes to the designing of their home. Rather than tiresomely searching for the pieces they need, they purchase the ones which intuitively “call out” to them and fit the part, no matter how long that might take.

The travertine feature wall stood alone until the couple came across a dining table and sideboard set at a home auction months later. They felt their find would perfectly suit the wall due to its thin frame, which left enough room for it to be seen and appreciated. The table remained chairless while they looked for the right seating. Two years later, Christian spotted elegant Apelle chairs while driving past a showroom. The chairs’ light rose gold frames with leather seats now complement the dark wooden table.

The table remained chairless while they looked for the right seating.

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00356 2792 2222 OLD RAILWAY TRACK, ST VENERA

WWW.BRIDGEPOINTMALTA.COM

T&F COLLECTING

The pledge that the couple made between themselves upon beginning the restoration of the apartment, when the walls were still red and embellished in 80’s kitsch, was that they would not hire a designer, but would work on their own instinct. It was this instinct that has led them to fill their home with all sorts of intriguing elements and artworks, eccentric Fornasetti wallpaper, works by the well known artists Gabriel Caruana and Victor Pasmore, intricately carved wooden doors made to order by a respected artisan in Thailand, and even a sphere-shaped toilet bowl.

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… eccentric Fornasetti wallpaper, works by the well known artists Gabriel Caruana and Victor Pasmore, intricately carved wooden doors made to order by a respected artisan in Thailand…

The highest concentration of treasures lies in the couple’s study, a small room beside the living area through which light floods as the sun begins to descend. Decorated with old family portraits, curious sketches from markets and other unique pieces, it is the small haven which the special finds were initially intended to fill. Over the years, the items became numerous, uncontrollably spilling into other rooms, and what was intended for the study has become the ethos for the apartment as a whole.

Most of the valuables are sourced from online stores, flea markets, auctions and antique shops both in Malta and in the United Kingdom. For the couple, acquiring an item is only the beginning. After making their purchase, and restoring or fixing it if it necessary, Kassandra and Christian then try to find out the story behind the object. This can sometimes be tricky as, more often than not, information is scarce or difficult to come by.

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T&F COLLECTING

Much of their research went into their large collection of teacups and saucers, which stands tall in a corner of the home, showcased in a large shelving unit. The teacups, collected from around the world, include a 500-yearold China cup and another from whose mouth tea was sipped during the battle of Waterloo. The couple assures me that their collection is ongoing, and as they themselves grow and change, so do some of their rooms and pieces.

That is, after all, “what makes a place yours,” they say.

The bedroom at the end in the apartment leads into an unexpectedlyspacious walk-in wardrobe filled with clothes and antique jewellery. Light falls through two large windows onto the bed, on which cushions are propped up, decorated with antique cushion covers.

Although it is aptly decorated, the room currently has areas still to be filled, some spaces waiting for collectables to be placed on their shelves or hung on their walls. There’s space for a fireplace, and tiles and a fire But the couple is in no rush.

“Eventually, we will find the right things for the room,” they say. “We always do.” n 66

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The teacups, collected from around the world, include a 500-yearold China cup

“Bonbon loves exploring this room because he’s not allowed in it!

He’s great to have around though and my partner and I loved working on this room with more time to spare during the lockdown. I picked up a bucket of Sigmacryl from B&G Hardware in Luqa in this shade and set about getting this beautiful blue on the walls. It really brought it all together! ”

Christian Grech

T: 2166 8053 | info@sigmamalta.com | sigmamalta.com |

SigmaMalta

Sigma Coatings is a brand of

T&F DESIGN

Pasquale Junior Natuzzi - photo: Alberto Zanetti

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Pasquale Natuzzi

DESIGN T&F

THE

CIRCLE

OF Much as the conviviality of a dinner party begins with an invitation and is infused with the individual spirit of each guest around the table, Natuzzi’s 2020 collection blends the individual vision and philosophy of each designer into a perfectly balanced collection.

Nika Zupanac

HARMONY

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F

or its 2020 collection, Natuzzi invited eight contemporary designers to interpret the brand’s identity, capturing its relationship with Apulia. The result is The Circle of Harmony, a collection inspired by Apulia and its connection to the sea, and the brand’s spirit of elegance, comfort and harmony.

“In the tradition of our land, Apulia, and in the tradition of the whole Mediterranean area, hospitality has an extraordinary value because for us being together and sharing thoughts, emotions, looks, beauty, food and wine is always enriching and always a joy,” says Pasquale Junior Natuzzi, Chief Creative & Marketing Officer and Regional Manager Emerging Markets of the eponymous family-run firm.

“Each of the design performers responded to our invitation bringing something personal inspired by Apulia and by the Mediterranean, interpreting the idea of Harmony in a new way.”

In perfect balance itself, the circle epitomises harmony and the quest for equilibrium and perfection. Both literally and figuratively, it is an inclusive space where different spirits can meet and interact. In this spirit, The Circle of Harmony is the conceptual thread linking Natuzzi’s 2020 collection of pieces designed by Claudio Bellini, Mauro Lipparini, Maurizio Manzoni, Paola Navone, Nika Zupanc, Marcantonio and Fabio Novembre, and incorporating textiles by innovation studio ByBorre.

Deep, Nika Zupanc’s contribution to The Circle of Harmony collection, is inspired by the Adriatic Sea which reaches from her origins in Slovenia to the tip of Puglia, where Natuzzi was founded in 1959 and remains firmly rooted today. “There is an ocean of peace beneath the waves,” Nika Zupanc says, and there is something of the soothing, cocooning effect of diving into the deep in every piece in her collection.

The fluid shapes of water in all its forms flow through every object in the collection, from the rippling curves of the sofa, aptly titled Wave, through the W-shaped magazine rack in light gold metal inserted between the two half-moon shapes that make up the ottoman, to the curvy lines of the powder varnished metal of the Tide bookcase.

The Joy lamps, graceful curves or iridescent painted blown glass decorated with metallic gold, bring the soft light of an evening by the sea into the home. The collection flows into the dining area with the sculptural Voyage table with its metal-covered monolithic pedestal topped Stardust - Terrazzo stone surfaces made from an exclusive mix of marbles - and accompanied by single-legged swivel armchairs in particular shapes and materials.

“Our strong connection with Apulia has always distinguished our firm’s DNA so deeply,” says Pasquale Junior Natuzzi. “This is the area to which we belong. Our land has given us so much and inspires us every day. This is a global brand, but as a firm, we remain anchored to our roots. Apulia is our motherland and we have a long history here.”

Pasquale’s father, from whom he takes his name, was the son of a cabinet maker. Aged 19, he set up a workshop in Taranto to produce sofas and armchair. Three years later, he moved to Matera, his birthplace, and after five years, he began to produce sofas on an industrial scale. “Manufacturing in Puglia was something really special,” Pasquale Junior Natuzzi says. “There were no major companies below Bologna at the time. My father’s entrepreneurial experiment is unique.

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Maurizio Manzoni - Oblò sofa

THE CIRCLE IS THE EPITOME OF HARMONY, IT SYMBOLISES THE QUEST FOR EQUILIBRIUM AND PERFECTION

DESIGN T&F

Deep collection by Nika Zupanc Joy lamp

Deep collection by Nika Zupanc - Wave armchair

T&F DESIGN

T

Solar collection by Claudio Bellini - Pablo sofa

he Natuzzi brand is now being taken to the next level as a global brand with a strong sense of authenticity rooted in Apulia. Working one year with an expert in luxury brands a few years ago helped evolve Natuzzi’s DNA, infusing its visuals with an air of luxury. The upshot was that Apulia, the firm’s home region, could be made iconic for the brand itself. As head of marketing, Pasquale Junior Natuzzi translated the Mediterranean lifestyle design into the visuals of the company’s communication and design thinking. “I am proud of what we are doing,” he says, “we are iconsing the idea of Puglia.”

That meant bringing in new designers, inviting collaboration. The Circle of Harmony design collaborators are linked by the land and the sea, firmly rooted but with an international outlook. Of the Deep collection’s designer, Pasquale Junior Natuzzi says “Nika is a woman of great taste and a designer of great talent who has worked with Italian companies for many years. Her mindset is international but is also close to the Italian outlook.” His favourite piece in the Deep collection is the table with a stone composite top. He and Nika Zupanc took an early morning flight on a Friday to “select stone by stone what the texture should express.” The

Pasquale Junior Natuzzi

THE FLUID SHAPES OF WATER IN ALL ITS FORMS FLOW THROUGH EVERY OBJECT IN THE DEEP COLLECTION Deep collection by Nika Zupanc - Wave sofa

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DESIGN T&F

Deep collection by Nika Zupanc - Wave pouf

next day Italy went into lockdown due to the pandemic. The disruption it caused and the extraordinary travel restrictions it imposed has forced designers to rethink how they work. “How do we connect with each other when we are geographically divided?” Pasquale Junior Natuzzi asks, “The sea is the story that we have to tell. It both unites and divides us. Like the best wines, our Harmony collection is a blend.

“I myself am a blend. I am American and Italian, born and raised in Puglia, and have always travelled the world. I grew up in the deep south of Italy and went to public schools as a kid. I played soccer in the streets, giving and getting slaps as normal kids do. I didn’t grow up in a bubble. I feel a sense of authenticity in me and in everything that is diverse. I mix Apulian authenticity with new and continuous research.”

The firm’s marketing Whatsapp group is called Contamina because “sharing our ideas helps them evolve, whether we find them by getting lost in the streets of Mexico City or working alone in Shanghai, looking at the French connection and the architecture. I can interpret what I see in my own way and I like to be mentored by people who can give me their vision of the world. It is what I do as a professional.”

The pandemic’s ongoing impact will affect the design industry and how designers work and communicate and realise their vision. “E-commerce and digital will take over more and more,” Pasquale Junior Natuzzi says. “With the pandemic, we were forced to learn how old our ways were, and how they need to change. We just had to make the change faster because we have been forced to. Traditionally, design is store-centred. That is the old school path to purchase.

“What the pandemic should teach us is that more than ever we need to be flexible in our companies and strategies.

At Natuzzi we started giving interior consultancy online using visual sharing platforms and using chat support and then, to make it more real and interactive, we started to do video call consultancy online. The change was needed. We made it.

But, to be honest, I think we will also go back to interacting directly. In this moment, we have to be able to mind to gap and narrow that with technologies. But we are humans and we need to interact like human beings.” n

Solar collection by Claudio Bellini - Ombra table

Solar collection by Claudio Bellini Frost table

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A compact attic transformed into a very personal 2-level home and workspace

Designers Egue y Seta - Daniel Pérez, Felipe Araujo, Diana García, Sarah Salas, Emma Charles y Veronica Galli.

Photographer: Vicugo Foto

s there such a thing as a f e m i n i s t i n t e r i o r ? We honestly don’t know,” says Egue y Seta, the design firm behind the makeover of a 48 square metre attic apartment. “What we do know is that each day there are more and more independent, restless, professional women who don’t just dream of a house. We know this because

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some of them have contacted us seeking help and advice.”

The clients want to design a shelter not for their children or spouses, but for themselves, a place they can enjoy alone or accompanied, on their return home from a hard day at work, or from wherever they felt like going that day.

“We know that it’s been a long while since interiors had to be Provençal,

INTERIORS T&F

“It’s been a long while since interiors had to be Provençal, pink or shabby chic to be considered feminine.”

pink or shabby chic to be considered feminine,” say the designers, “and that for many of these women kitchen performance specs, or the stiletto shoe capacity of the walk-in closet is nearly as irrelevant as the color of their next-door neighbor’s bathroom rug.”

That doesn’t mean the clients are indifferent to aesthetics. What they want is a home that is personal and

designed around them and their needs, a space that is functional in every sense, but also pleasing to the eye.

Before its makeover, the compact apartment had something of a 1970s vibe to it, with ochre walls that overwhelmed the interior. Partition walls and modular shelving carved up and boxed off the compact flat into even smaller spaces.

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T

he designers redefined the partitioning, had the walls and balustrades repainted in white, and repurposed dead space. A sleek, open kitchen has replaced the formerly boxed off space.

The solid mass of the black kitchen is a counterpoint to the white wall on the right of the entrance area, decorated with black and white photographs in box frames.

The soothing, neutral-coloured entrance space gives way to a bright and airy, open-plan living and dining area, with built-in shelving in white and a light-coloured couch. The neutral tones are a foil for colourful cushions and for the books, ornaments, plants, and bric-a-brac of everyday living. The beige bathroom has been refitted in striking black and white.

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INTERIORS T&F

A sleek, open kitchen has replaced the formerly boxed off space.

A planter installed around the base of the internal staircase includes built-in cushioned seating, turning the previously dead space into an inviting well-lit nook.

Wooden slats run vertically from the planter wall to the sloping ceiling, and horizontally across the upper wall overlooking the living area, echoing the open treads of the staircase.

“We created a home where the feminine feel is personal, rather than conforming to a gender stereotype,” say the designers. “It was designed with “her” in mind. And, if you are like her, it is also a home designed for you – for you alone.” n

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T&F TRENDS

u Ferraton Père & Fils Samorëns Côtes-duRhône Rouge. Grape Variety: Grenache (85%), Syrah (10%), Cinsault (5%). This wine is deeply purple in color with ruby reflects and has aromas of small ripe fruit and spices. On the palate, it is pleasantly structured with firm and meaty tannins - a Côtes-du-Rhône that pleases the senses and pairs perfectly with lamb, beef and game.

Abraham’s Supplies Co. Ltd, Tel. +356 2156 3231 viniecapricci@abrahams.com.mt, www.viniecapricci.com

p Mayor Tadam bil-Krema Bajda “Tomatoes with white sauce” is the latest addition to Mayor’s range of tomatoes in glass bottles. This sauce is ideal for all pasta & rice dishes, cream-based sauces and meat and fish recipes. Look for it on supermarket shelves next to Mayor’s other tomato products.

Once you try it, you will love it.

t Made exclusively from Malta-grown Vermentino grapes, Meridiana’s ASTARTE DOK has a straw yellow colour and is characterised by intense aromas of tropical and citrus fruit with hints of flowers. The palate is fresh with a pleasantly acidic finish. Distributed by S Rausi Trading Ltd, Gzira Tel: 2133 0447, 7909 3197, info@srausi.com www.meridiana.com.mt

t New Chocolate Pudding in the Yogikids range, an ideal snack for children. Liquid yoghurts for little ones prepared with our best Pascual milk. Enriched with vitamin E, A, B9 and D, each pouch provides a high amount of calcium which is necessary for building and maintaining strong bones. Yogikids is designed for children from one year of age, which is why special care has been taken in developing a nutritious product with a smooth and creamy texture and a delicious taste. For more information visit facebook.com/PascualMalta

q Misura Natura Ricca rusks with sprouted grains. The crunchy taste of the new Natura Ricca rusks with oat and rye flakes meets the virtues of sprouted cereals: oats, rice and buckwheat for a naturally rich breakfast or snack. They are rich in fibre, contain no palm oil, and are a good source of protein. Natura Ricca include the best ingredients for a line of products rich in taste and nutritional benefits. Simply what nature offers. Distributed by Francis Busuttil & Sons (Marketing) Ltd., tel +356 25497 000, www.fbsmarketing.com

Italian culinary delights are a speciality at Grana, with the menu offering an eclectic array of flavours to satisfy all tastebuds – from the youngest member of the family to the older, more sophisticated palate. Think gourmet pizza, homemade pasta dishes, burgers, salads and meats grilled and served to perfection, while you enjoy the restaurant’s chilled vibe. Book your table now, call 2016 5109 or email info@granamalta.com. Grana – Henry Bouverie Street, Il-Gzira.

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DESIGN T&F

p Bridgepoint has just launched a new series in its Kitchen Sink range, introducing the Bridgepoint Quartz Kitchen Sinks in a variety of models in black and white finishes. This brand-new range offers an incredibly durable and heat resistant material which is resistant to scratches and stains and is non-porous, making it very hygienic and an ideal addition to your kitchen.

All the range is now available to shop in store and online on bridgepointmalta.com

p Stylish and Elegant Walk in Wardrobes by San Giacomo. The Bellavista walk-in closet creates the atmosphere of a sophisticated and well-organised fashion boutique in the home. Every outfit and accessory is within reach and on view and made even more functional with pull-out accessories. Large selection of wardrobes available from Satariano, Valley Road, Birkirara. Tel. 2149 2149

p Renowned brand Click Scolmore expanded its wiring accessories range to include 13A 2-gang socket outlets with integrated Type A and Type C USB charging ports. The new socket outlets are now available in all wiring accessories ranges, giving the consumer a vast range of price points and finishes. By integrating both types of charging ports, these socket outlets provide broader functionality and cover charging options for the widest possible range of devices that require different sized ports. Find Click Scolmore products on display and in stock at ESS Ltd in Imriehel. www.ess.com.mt

p Dynamic, Distinctive - Domino Giro Collection. With Domino Giro it is possible to create solutions with different heights, to meet multiple needs and use. Available with drawers or open compartments which are fully rotatable. Exclusively from Satariano, Valley Road, Birkirkara.

q Cape Breton Dining Chair. The dining chairs from the Cape Breton series by Riviera Maison come in various colours. This ensures that a matching chair can be found for every interior. This includes those in Pellini leather with a special “distressed” treatment that makes it look as if it has been sanded. This results in a vintage look, making it an ideal chair for a chic loft-style interior. Visit Joinwell to view their extensive range of dining chairs and make sure to look at the options which come with each. During September, benefit also from a 25% discount on all kitchens and dining room furniture.

p Serene, luminous, and neutral, white is the most popular choice for kitchen worktops. At Halmann Vella you can find a wide variety of white surfaces that range from marble, quartz, engineered stone and granite surfaces that suit your tastes. Pictured: Calacatta Borghini marble is an exclusive white marble with deep grey veining and occasional taupe highlights. This incredible Italian natural stone adds a little more dynamic range to the customary marble colour palette. There is no doubt that adding this material to your home will give any area a touch of luxury. Calacatta Borghini marble works well as a bathroom vanity top, backsplash, and various other home surfaces.

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S JACARANDA MIMOSIFOLIA

By Megan Mallia

eemingly undistinguished before blooming season – apart from its great height, when fully grown – Jacaranda mimosifolia turns majestic with the arrival of spring. The tree is not indigenous to Malta but is not invasive, and so can be planted in urban environments and private gardens.

When in bloom, it is a gorgeous sight to behold: a brilliant blue-purple canopy atop a sturdy trunk surrounded by a delicate carpet of the same colour as the flowers drop to the ground.

Jacaranda originates from Central and South America. In isolation, its name describes a genus containing around fifty species of trees and flowering shrubs. The name of the tree is rooted in Guaranì, part of the wider TupiGuarani language, in which “jacaranda” means “fragrant”. Given its ethereal appearance, it comes as no surprise that jacaranda is historically surrounded by legend and imbued with symbolism.

In one legend, a priestess who was the daughter of the moon landed on the tree and shared her wisdom with the community. She then returned to the heavens graced with the jacaranda’s blooms, to be united with the son of the sun. Perhaps because of this story, the jacaranda is widely considered a symbol of wisdom and good fortune, as well as rebirth. Some say that if its blooms fall onto someone’s head, he or she will be graced with luck. Because of its symbolism, in some parts of the world the jacaranda is planted on university campuses.

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ISSUE 132 SEPTEMBER 2020

The compound leaves of Jacaranda mimosifolia – the species we usually see in Malta – are feathery and fernlike, usually between twenty-five and forty-five centimetres in length with trumpet-shaped lavender blue flowers that grow in clusters and can be anywhere around 2.5 to 5 centimetres in length. The foliage is reminiscent of that of the canary yellow mimosa, albeit in another colour, hence its botanical name, mimosifolia. The jacaranda, however, belongs to the Bignoniaceae family.

Jacaranda mimosifolia, can reach a height of ten to fifteen metres, and thrives in lots of sunshine. Seedlings tend to grow quickly with our warm weather, and flowers in mature trees typically appear in March and last until around May. The length of time it takes for the tree to reach maturity and flower depends on whether it was grown from a cutting or from seed.

Cutting-grown jacarandas usually only take a few seasons to produce the luscious lilac blooms, while trees grown from seeds can take anywhere between two to twenty years.

A beautiful mature jacaranda grows next to the bridge that stretches across Mosta valley, another is rooted in the courtyard of the magisterial palace in Valletta. Those are just two of the few. Here’s to hoping that we will have plenty more of these majestic trees gracing the country. If you have time, plant a few. They will be worth the wait. n For advertising, contact Sean Ellul on +356 7921 0705 or 21 345 888 ext 123 sellul@independent.com.mt

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