Sage magazine

September 2021 Issue 01

Sage Sage The Cornish Cornish food food guide guide The with an an ethical ethical approach approach with

Free

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Recipes in this issue

Autumn Issue Interview with Award-Winning Chef of Ugly Butterfly, Adam Handling

The Arrival of Blue-Fin Tuna to Cornish Waters

Living off the Land: Foraging in Cornwall

How to build the perfect Grazing Board

Food and Drink .Ethical Lifestyle. Sustainable Shopping.Local Experiences

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ox Co

WELCOME TO SAGE Hello we are Sage, Cornwall’s first sustainable food magazine. At Sage we understand the importance of encouraging sustainable food and celebrating local produce and businesses.

We strive to display the very best food and drink Cornwall has to offer, while also giving you top tips on how you can live your life more sustainably.

But what is sustainability? Well to us at sage it means making small everyday changes in our routine. It means making conscious decisions to do things that may take a bit more time but have a much better effect on the environment. It’s about educating others, and yourself and dismantling the idea that convenience and cheapest is the best. Sustainability is encouraging ourselves and others to change habits and think of a more circular life cycle for our products rather than a single use method.

With our planet heading towards a climate crisis, we may feel helpless in our individual ability to make an impactful change, but each day and each change you make is important. If one person takes a rock from a pebble beach, no one will notice, but if everyone who visits the beach takes a rock, it will soon be bare.

The Sage Team

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ISSUE

01

CONTENTS 9- Autumn Harvesting 17- The Best Mushroom Risotto

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18 -No waste and a Great Taste 26- You Must Try these eco-concious

Cornish Restaurants

31 -The Return of Blue Fin Tuna to Cornish Waters 36- Are Oysters Vegan?

43- Pumpkin Pie Recipe

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44- Living off the Land

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18

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52- Pasties Three Ways 54- Spooky Season: How to make this Halloween the best one yet.

59- Chai Latte Recipe 63 Kitchen Swaps to Save the Earth 68 -Building the Perfect Charcuterie Board 72- Cornwalls Indie Craft Breweries 7 76- Build your own Hamper!

auTUMN HARVESTING

By Amy Colman

Autumn gardens are the place for root vegetable

recipes and preserving your fruits for over the winter periods. Here is a guide to your garden this autumn. From seasonal harvesting to prepping your plot for the colder months, here is everything you need to know to get the most from this seasons harvest.

A beautiful greenhouse full of ripened tomatoes to harvest

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Autumn Harvesting

Cabbage

Beetroot

Whats Whats in in

Parsnips

The produce to look out for a

Mushrooms Apple

Shallots Pumpkin

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vegetable boxes this autumn, sho to reduce your impact on the e takes far less energy to grow and to fork is shorter, the food is fre flav

Gourds

Marrow

n season? season?

at the farmers market and local op for seasonal and local produce environment- seasonal produce transport. As the time from field esher, retains more nutrients and vour.

Chard

Pear

Winter Squash

Autumn Fruiting Raspberries

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W Autumn Harvesting

AA fruit-ful fruit-ful autumn autumn harvest harvest Autumn brings about the harvest season of a

variety of quintessentially British fruits, and nobody wants this abundance to go to waste. There are a few steps you can take in order to not only harvest the fruits but what to do with them once harvested.

Later-ripening varieties of apple and pears will store perfectly well as long as you use unblemished fruit that’s been allowed to properly ripen on the tree.

Just take particular care when it comes to bruised or nicked skin or flesh, as this can serve as an easy route for decay. Placed in shallow, lidded boxes (stick a few holes in them for ventilation) in a cool, dry shed, these later-cropping varieties will store well for several months, just remember to check them weekly for any early signs of rot.

and tiny beads of sweet nectar appearing at the base of the fruit. Freshly harvested figs will freeze very well as do most autumn berries, like autumn-fruiting Raspberries.

Other ways to make full use of all of that delicious fruity harvest include pickling, preserving, jamming and fermenting it, pressing it to make fruit juice, cider or Perry.

Many kinds of garden-grown fruits can also be used to make a deliciously fruity liqueur by simply placing them in a clean To judge when your apples and sealed jar filled with vodka, pears are ripe enough to harvest, gin, rum or brandy. Much alike gently twist the fruit away from to the Sloe berries you can find the branch. If it’s ready, it should along hedgerows, check out come away very easily. With ‘Living off the Land’ on page 9. figs, signs of ripeness include darkening of the skin, softness and slight splitting of the flesh

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Fig Jam Recipe 1kg ripe figs , quartered 1 large orange , zested 400g granulated sugar 1 lemon , juiced, plus strips of zest, to serve (optional) Step 1: Put the figs and 150ml water in a large heavy based saucepan. Bring to a simmer and gently bubble for 5 mins or until the figs have softened and released their juices. Add the orange zest, sugar and lemon juice.

Bring to a boil and cook, stirring regularly for around 5-7 mins or until thick, skimming off any skum that rises to the surface. Remove from the heat and leave to sit for 10 mins.

Step 2: Ladle the mixture into sterilised jars. Seal with the lids and leave to cool completely. Will keep for six months unopened and 2 weeks in the fridge once opened.

Root veg harvesting If your soil is suitably free-draining even in winter, then root vegetables such as carrots, celeriac, Jerusalem artichoke, swede turnips and parsnips can be safely left in the ground until needed. But in gardens and allotments prone to winter wetness and with large populations of slugs, it’s best to start lifting them from mid-October and storing them in lidded containers of sand in a cool, dry shed. This will maintain much of their flavour and freshness well into next spring. Maincrop beetroot should also be harvested in October and can be stored this way as can maincrop potatoes.

Did you know? Beetroot can be used in the manufacture of wine.

Sticky Glazed Roots- The Perfect Side for a Sunday Roast • 4 Large Carrots cut into thick batons • 3 Parsnips cut into thick batons

• 40g Butter • 1 Star Anise • Few Thyme Sprigs • 3 tbsp Maple Syrup

Step 1: Tip the carrots and parsnips into a large pan with the butter, star anise, thyme, maple syrup and 250ml water. Season with salt, then cover and boil for 10-15 mins until the water has evaporated and the vegetables are tender. Turn down the heat and cook until the carrots and parsnips are starting to caramelise and turn a light golden brown.

Step 2: Shake the pan gently to cover the veg in the sticky syrup, then season with cracked black pepper and serve.

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Autumn Harvesting

Drying and storing herbs Let’s start with herbs, which can be easily airdried at this time of year as small bunches tied with an elastic band and hung upside-down in a warm, dry, well-ventilated space indoors, a simple technique suitable for many herbs including mint, sage, bay, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and marjoram. Air-drying herbs in this way typically takes 6-8 weeks so it’s a good idea to place each upturned bundle in its own small paper bag as it dries to protect it from household dust and insects.

You can also dry many kinds of herbs by spreading them out on shallow trays lined with greaseproof paper and then placing them in an oven heated to 140-160F for about 15 minutes, by which time they should feel dry and brittle to the touch. To preserve their intense flavour for as long as possible, store your dried herbs in small airtight containers and keep them in a cool, dry, dark spot.

Sage can be used for reducing overproduction of perspiration and saliva; and for depression, memory loss, and Alzheimer’s disease!

growing in a small space If you have a large

container, soil, water, and sun, you can grow some tasty things. Plant breeders know that after taste, home gardeners want a high yield in a small space, so they develop varieties that can grow in a small footprint or even live in containers all year long.

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Choose Compact Varieties: Anything with the words patio, pixie, tiny, compact, baby, or dwarf in the name is a good bet.

Just because a plant is bred to be small doesn’t mean the fruits

W The saying of having a ‘Green Thumb’ comes from the fact that algae growing on the outside of earthenware pots will stain a person’s thumb if he or she handles enough pots. Hence, a person who is always working with flower pots has a green thumb.

will be small or the yield will be less.

Grow Vertically: Pole beans take up less space than bush beans. Vining cucumbers and squash, as aggressive as they can be, actually take up less space than their bushlike cousins.

Growing Fruits and Vegetables in Containers: As with ornamental container gardening, vegetable container gardening is a way to control the soil, sun, and growing

Garden maintenance

conditions of your edible plants. It also allows you to fit edible gardening into the smallest spaces by placing the containers on your patio, balcony, front steps, and along the house foundation and driveway. Virtually any fruit, vegetable, or herb can be grown in a container if the container is large enough to accommodate the mature size of the plant.

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September is a good time of the year to carry out repairs to lawns and to sow grass seed where required. For best results, even out bumps and hollows with a good quality top soil or seed compost and rake to an even tilth before gently watering and then sprinkling and raking the seed into the surface, spreading it at a rate of roughly 25g per square metre. If rain doesn’t fall in the following few days, give the ground a second gentle watering to help germination.

Keep deadheading late-flowering perennials to encourage them to prolong their display for as long as possible. With autumn storms and strong winds increasingly likely as the season progresses, take extra care to make sure that any tall-growing varieties are very well staked or supported to protect them from being badly damaged.

This is just a snippet of our knowledge on limited growing space. Scan this QR code for a blog post and discussion forum on our website.

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The Best Mushroom Risotto

By Amy Colman

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his is a risotto so good, it will make a grown man weep. creamy, luxurious Mushroom Risotto fully loaded with garlicky, buttery mushrooms stirred through the risotto AND piled on top, it’s completely and utterly mouthwateringly delicious, can’t-stop-eating-it-good.

Mushrooms: Finishes: 500g mushrooms , sliced 3 mm / 1/8” thick 125 ml cream , optional but recommended 250g mushrooms , quartered 30 g butter , optional 50 g butter 50 g parmesan cheese , finely grated 2 tbsp olive oil 1/2 tsp salt and pepper , each 2 garlic cloves , minced Serving: 1/2 tsp salt and pepper, each Finely chopped parsley or chives Risotto: Parmesan , freshly grated 15 g butter 1 garlic clove , minced 2 eschallots / French onions , finely chopped (or 1/2 onion) 65 ml dry white wine 250 g arborio rice , uncooked 5 cups chicken broth/stock , low sodium, warm

Method

Garlic Butter Mushrooms Add 1 tbsp oil and half the butter in a large heavy based pot over high heat. Once melted, add half the mushrooms and cook until pretty golden brown (~4 min).

Add 1/2 the garlic, 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper, then continue to cook until golden brown (~1.5 min).

Then remove into bowl.

Repeat with remaining mushrooms, then remove.

Risotto Turn heat down to medium. In the same pot, melt butter then add garlic and onion.

Cook 2 minutes until onion is translucent but not golden.

Add wine and allow to simmer rapidly for 2 minutes, scraping the base of the pot, until mostly evaporated.

Add rice and stir for 1 minute until semi translucent.

Add about 1.5 cups of stock. Stir, then leave for 3 minutes, stirring just a few times, until mostly absorbed (~3 min).

Add about 1.5 cups stock, stir every now and then until mostly absorbed (~3 min) – no need to stir constantly. Repeat twice more until all stock used up, rice is just cooked but risotto still creamy and sloppy (~10 min).

Finishes Add cream and butter, stir vigorously to make creamy.

Stir in parmesan, salt and pepper.

Stir through half the mushrooms, then taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Consistency should be creamy, not stodgy.

Reheat remaining mushrooms (I microwave).

Spoon risotto into bowls, then top with reserved mushrooms (including a drizzle of buttery juices pooled in bowl!)

17 Garnish with parsley if using, and extra parmesan. Serve immediately!

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No No Waste Waste and and aa Great Great Taste Taste I spoke to chef Adam Handling about The Ugly Butterfly, food waste, and catering for the G7 summit.

By Liv Marsden

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The Ugly Butterfly has a no-waste motto

Post-Lockdown we now have

there are chefs in Cornwall trying to make a difference with each meal they produce.

I spoke to Adam Handling the London chef, who, in August, opened The Ugly Butterfly Restaurant in Carbis Bay. We discussed his career, his restaurant and catering for the G7 summit.

the privilege of being able to eat out once again, with Cornwall being one of the most renowned places in the country for food and drink there’s no end of restaurants to chose from. However, the common issue of where food waste in restaurants goes is prevalent in wanting to understand the impact our consumer choices have on the world.

Its likely that many people haven’t considered food waste in restaurants as a problem, however in the UK restaurant and cafe industry alone 199,100 tonnes of food each year, that adds up to the equivalent of 320 million meals each year!

Commercial food waste is a killer, individually as diners all we can do to help prevent restaurant food waste is to finish our food or to ask to take it home in a box. However,

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Over the last decade Adam has been consistently on the rise as a new and upcoming chef. Having opened numerous restaurants across London and Newcastle since 2016.

He has been decorated with many awards including beast restaurateur in the British GQ food and drink awards 2020, and Scottish Chef of the Year.

Whilst awards and restaurants are a shiny trophy to put in a cabinet, Charity work took over Adam’s lockdown. His partnership with the Felix Project helped provide meals to local communities and frontline charities during the Lockdowns.

No Waste and a Great Taste

No Wast

-You’ve been pretty jam-packed for the last few years, when did the idea for The Ugly Butterfly come about?

My Group General Manager, George Hersey, was desperate to get me down to Cornwall and, as soon as I saw the beautiful Carbis Bay in St. Ives, I fell in love. Ugly Butterfly is all about sustainability and showcasing that it can be luxurious and lends itself to fine dining, too. We’re committed to becoming as close to zero-waste as possible.

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te and a Great Taste

talking to adam -Where did the name The Ugly Butterfly come from?

The name comes from the idea that there is no such thing as food waste, much in the same way there is no such thing as an Ugly Butterfly.

“There is no such thing as food waste, much in the same way there is no such thing as an Ugly Butterfly.”

-What drew you away from your city bars and restaurants, and made you decide to come to Cornwall?

The team and I were talking about the direction of the Adam Handling Restaurant Group just before the pandemic set in and about the possibility of opening in a location further afield, in Cornwall and other places around the UK. My Group General Manager, George Hersey revisited the idea of creating a restaurant in Cornwall after the pandemic and introduced me to St Ives and I completely fell in love with the scenery, the people, and the produce. It truly is one of the most beautiful places in the world.

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No Waste and a Great Taste -The Ugly Butterfly is still in its first few years, are there any plans for its future?

Having only opened in August, my main focus at the moment is just making it the best it can be. The aim is for it to become one of the UK’s most sustainable restaurants and move closer and closer to becoming completely zero-waste.

I am definitely vying for a Green Michelin star there too.

“I genuinely believe that reducing food waste is one of the most important things we can do in terms of sustainability.”

-Within all of your restaurants, you make sure to use every last bit of your produce right down to garnishing your drinks with cutoffs. Why is reducing your food waste so important for you?

I do! I genuinely believe that reducing food waste is one of the most important things we can do in terms of sustainability. And with an expanding restaurant group, we make sure to eliminate as much as possible. The most important element is definitely teaching and we implement a sustainable programme for all new team members, so they can actually understand why we work in this way. Instead of just being told to use a whole ingredient, they actually get to grips with the importance of why and how.

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Delicious food with an eco-concious approach, Adam Handling believes more restaurants should imitate his approach to fine dining.

-What was it like doing the food for the G7 summit? How did you get that job?

The opening of Ugly Butterfly was already under way when the Foreign Office asked me if I would cater for the G7 Summit, which coincidentally was also being hosted at the Estate. It was the most surreal feeling in the world, being one foot away from some of the world’s most significant leaders. They are also the politest people I’ve ever met – they were so appreciative of everything that we did!

-How did you build a menu for the world leaders? What elements of Britain/Cornwall were important for you to include?

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I wanted to be sure they got a real taste for British and, more specifically, Cornish produce; to experience the freshness and locality of the ingredients.

Sustainability was important too, so the dishes followed the same ethos that we do in Ugly Butterfly.

As well as cooking the menus for when the leaders were all together, we also catered for them at their private lodges on the Carbis Bay Estate. My Front of House team saw them all every morning for breakfast, and we also served personalised dinners, sometimes arranged at the very last minute, for up to 10 people at a time for the bi-lateral meetings.

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You Must Try these ecoconcious Cornish Restaurants

By Liv Marsden

The Hidden Hut, Porthcurnick Beach

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The Hidden Hut, Porthcurnick Beach

Eating out is a treat that many enjoy - not having to cook

for yourself, not having to wash any pots afterwards - all while getting to enjoy incredibly delicious food! In Cornwall you are spoilt for choice and we’re hoping to make your decision that little bit harder with six of the best sustainable restaurants in Cornwall.

The Pig, Harlyn bay The Pig offers beautifully cooked meals in one of Cornwall’s most historic 15th century houses. They have a commitment to producing an almost fully homegrown menu, with the chef, gardener and foragers working together to create consistently delicious and unique menus and flavours.

If anything is sourced from outside of their property, they are dedicated to ensuring that their menu doesn’t exceed a 25mile radius. The pig offers a more traditional style of dining, with a wide-ranging wine list, but they also have the option of outdoor dining in ‘The Lobster Shed’, offering you the freshest of fish caught that day.

The Hidden Hut Porthcurnick beach The Hidden Hut offers visitors a fresh and new dining experience for all involved. Tucked into Porthkurnick beach, The Hidden Hut offers fresh seasonal lunches, ranging from soups to salads, to dhals- though they always ensure to have pasties too.

A highlight of their summer season features a lunch time feast, but as the winter sun catches the beaches in Cornwall perfectly, it’s still worth checking out!

The Pig, Harlyn Bay

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You must try these eco-concious restaurants

Blue Plate, Downderry

The Shore, Penzance Booking at the shore is described as trying to get a ticket to a small and personal theatre.

This one chef kitchen is run by Bruce Rennie.

He has curated a small plate set tasting menu post Covid and has cut his restaurant size down to just six tables with fourteen seats. However, this doesn’t mean the £69pp set menu isn’t worth trying. With his ingredients sourced locally – Newlyn fish, vegetables and herbs from his own garden or local farmers- his menu truly is a celebration of Cornwall.

Blue Plate, Downderry To be named the most atmospheric Cornwall eatery in 2019 is not an easy feat, but the Blue Plate on Cornwall’s forgotten east coast certainly won this title for a reason. With a quirky inside and a breathtaking surrounding area, the blue plate deserves the awards it received. Not only is the décor and location outstanding, but the delectable food completes the recipe for an outstanding restaurant. Sam the owner with a Micheline background uses the best of local produce to curate a varied menumussels on the beach, Cornish Gouda, local Gins, Homemade sourdough, and a whole range more to enjoy in the bistro restaurant, or on their terrace.

The Shore, Penzance

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The Golden Lion Inn, Stithians Lake, Redruth This traditional pub caters for families, campers, locals, and walkers.

Ideally located between Falmouth, Turo, Helston and Redruth The Golden Lion Inn is an accessible place serving the best of English, European, and Asian cuisine. Here there’s a dining area for everyone: a light and spacious restaurant with gorgeous lake views, you can also eat alfresco in their awardwinning gardens, or you can cosy up by a log fire

for Sunday lunch in the oak beamed bar.

Coombes Head Farm Placed in 66 acres of meadows, woodland, and oak lined streams Coombes Head Farm is a dreamlike, fairy-tale setting to dine in. The farm sources all their vegetables, and rears their own pigs, sheep, and ducks in a sustainable and responsible manner. Dinner is a five-course set menu at £80pp, serving guests dishes such as baked artichoke, farmhouse cheese and honey, Coombeshead ham.

Coombes Head Farm, Lewannick

New Yard, Helston The New Yard in Helston hosts a comfortable dining experience in their restaurant, offering supper evenings each Friday and Saturday and roast lunches on Sundays. However, if sweet treats are more your fancy, The Pantry may be more suited as they serve pastries, cakes, bagels, and wood fired pizzas.

This year, the New Yard began their walled garden, driven by no-dig permaculture principles for all their fruit, vegetables, and flowers. In 2021 The New Yard was also awarded one of the six southwest restaurants in possession of an inaugural Green Star by the Michelin guide.

“Local food also means it’s going from the farm or fishery to the establishment so much quicker, meaning much fresher food and an all round more enjoyable dining experience for you!”

But why bother with sustainable restaurants, and locally sourced food? It may seem like they’re making a song and dance of local produce for a much heftier price for the customer, but restaurants sourcing their food locally has a huge benefit on many levels. It supports local farmers, and fishermen, helping them to make a living and overall improving the economy of

seaside towns! A lot less transportation is utilised which results in less pollution for the planet! Local food also means it’s going from the farm or fishery to the establishment so much quicker, meaning much fresher food and an all round more enjoyable dining experience for you!

The New Yard, Helston

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The Return of Blue Fin Tuna To Cornish Waters

behold the atlantic blue fin tuna, the biggest species of tuna and returning to UK waters.

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The Return of Blue Fin Tuna To Cornish Waters

Blue Fin Tuna migrate across all oceans and can dive deeper than 3,000 feet.

the return of blue fin tuna to cornish waters

By Lizzie Hicks

Bluefin tuna are commonly

North America and back again in a single year. They are labelled as the biggest, fastest, powerful apex predators of and most valuable creatures in the sea and, owing to these the Atlantic Ocean. They can qualities, have become the grow up to 12ft in length and most sought-after gamefish in weigh almost 250kg. But that is the world, worth thousands not the only impressive quality of pounds. As a result of the of this species! Bluefin tuna can economic value of these fish, migrate over huge distances bluefin tuna have moved up the across the Atlantic Ocean to endangered species list in 2015 32

from ‘endangered’ to ‘near threatened’ - reflecting the increasing rate in which this species has become targeted by overfishing.

Interestingly, the past few years have seen a return of the fish to U.K waters for the first time in over 60 years - believed to be related to rising sea temperatures. Jo Ford, operations manager for the taskforce in charge of monitoring this migration to U.K territory at ‘The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science’ (CEFAS) has summed up the reasons behind this in an Interview with Sky News: “One of the factors could be climate factors - increase water temperatures, an increase in numbers and distribution of bait fish or other factors which are as yet unknown. And these uncertainties is why we need a research programme like CHART (Catch and Release Tagging Programme) to help us get the data to understand why they are back.’

This scheme, set in motion by the Government, is a collaborative effort between trained skippers/anglers and scientists to monitor this species and their movements. The modus operandi of these fishermen is to catch, tag and

release as safely as possible, allowing Ford’s team of conservationists and marine biologists to gain a better understanding of ‘what’s going on. We need to know the numbers, where they are, how many there are, the age structure..’

The taskforce has deployed around 40 state-of-the-art satellite tracking devices in their efforts. Ford expressed her excitement towards this magnitude and pace of this project, saying ‘It’s brilliant. It is immense. We have 15 vessels out here all catching and tagging these fish in British waters. It’s the stuff of dreams!’

The programme, funded by DEFRA (‘The Government’s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs’) Began in August and runs until November 2021 the time in which the species is most prominent in waters of the South-West coast of Britain.

Furthermore, the public can also be a part of this scheme to monitor and track the progress of bluefin tuna. In 2018, Cefas began a collaborative project with the University of Exeter and Tuna Research and Conservation Centre of Stanford University, named 33

The Return of Blue Fin Tuna To Cornish Waters THUNNUS UK. This is a collaborative sightings programme which calls for members of the public to send in their eye-witness accounts of Atlantic bluefin tuna in and around Cornish coastlines.

This then enabled their team to access this data from multiple sources such as public sightings, tourist boats, bycatch from commercial fisheries and independent fisheries surveys and do valuable research accordingly. Dr Matthew Witt, lead scientist on the project for the University of Exeter described it as ‘a ground-breaking project for the UK and another crucial step towards the use of evidence-based approaches for conservation in our coastal

seas. These are huge, exciting, top predators, yet with an uncertain future. We have already learned a huge amount about bluefin from talking to wildlife spotters and fishers who are out on the water every day. Our tagging programme will help build an even more detailed understanding of the level of individual fish. The next few years will be challenging, exciting, yet hugely revealing regarding their movements and biology.’

If you want to partake in the sightings programme and hear more live and up to date logs of the movements of these beautiful creatures, go

Atlantic Blue Fin Tuna can grow up to 13 feet (4 meters) in length

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The Ethics surrounding Oyster Farming: Are Oysters Vegan?

“Oysters are incapable of feeling pain or being sentient in any way.”

By Lizzie Hicks

As a society, we are increasingly

turning to a more plant-based, sustainable, and environmentally conscious way of life. Thus, in the past decade, conversations surrounding the oftentimes blurred lines of veganism, vegetarianism and pescatarianism have sparked widespread debates within said communities. Examples of this include the heated conversations surrounding honey: many describing it as floral in origin, with a little help of bees to churn it into the substance we know and love.

The conversation surrounding the ethics of Oysters is no-less complex and two-sided.

The argument presenting Oysters as ethically appropriate for Vegan consumption lies in their biological and genetic design. They belong to the bivalve mollusk family - like that of mussels, clams and cockles, and are identified as such due to their lack of a central nervous system.

This means that they are incapable of feeling pain or being sentient in any way.

Furthermore, unlike the farming of many of their bivalvian relatives that require the destructive dredging 36

DID YOU KNOW? Oysters are rich in vitamins and nutrientsOysters contain a variety of vitamins and nutrients including zinc, calcium, magnesium, protein, selenium, and vitamin A. They also contain especially high levels of vitamin B12, iron and monounsaturated fat – the “healthy” kind of fat that you also find in olive oil.

of the sea floor, the gentle and patient cultivation of Oysters is ethical and actually beneficial to the environment!

Each Oyster can filter and purify over 55 liters of water a day, absorbing and degrading CO2 and Nitrogen in the atmosphere and water. And it takes just an acre of underwater land to raise 750,000 of them.

Resultantly, unlike many plant-based farming industries that resort to deforestation and various other shady humanitarian issues (e.g the cartel-style industry of Avocado farming), Oysters are overall greatly beneficial to both our kind and the protection of the environment in which other sea-dwellers can continue to flourish. In fact, there are many non-profit organizations such as NYNJ BayKeeper’s that are dedicated to the creation of Oyster farms as a means of preserving water quality for other marine life to continue thriving alongside the encroachment of humanity. No waterway-polluting fertilizer is used in these farms, and no land needs to be cleared to make space for them.

Oysters do possess certain proteins that illustrate that they hold certain qualities of a living organism. And therefore, we cannot wholly and with good faith describe them as suitable for a strict vegan diet. However, if your choices in leaning towards a plant-based lifestyle are greatly influenced by a goal to create less of a carbon footprint and impact on the environment, the ethics behind the farming of Oysters is overall likely more positive and beneficial to your cause than many of your more conscious plant-based swaps - not to mention providing job prospects and economic stability to your seaside communities.

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Will this make you hurry to your local fishmonger and try an oyster?

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adverts (was milka lternatives)

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Pumpkin Pie Recipe The classic American autumnal pie, pick up at extra pumpkin this year and try your hand at this luxurious and creamy dessert.

By Liv Marsden Ingredients Pastry 150g plain flour 75g unsalted butter 50g icing sugar 1 egg yolk

Filling 450g prepared weight pumpkin flesh, peeled and cut into 2.5 cm chunks 2 large eggs plus 1 yolk (use the white for another dish) 75g soft dark brown sugar 1 tsp ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg ½ tsp ground allspice ½ tsp ground cloves ½ tsp ground ginger 275ml double cream

Pastry 1.Put 150g plain flour and 75g unsalted butter in a bowl and rub together with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs.

2.Mix in 50g icing sugar and a pinch of salt followed by 1 egg yolk. If the pastry feels too dry to form a dough, add 1 tbsp water. Shape the dough into a ball, flatten it out into a disc, wrap it in cling film, then chill for at least 30 mins before using.

Filling 1.Pre-heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 2.Roll out the pastry and use it to line a 23cm/9in pie plate (not loose bottomed). Bake the pastry case blind for 20 minutes.

3.To make the filling, place the pumpkin chunks on a baking tray, cover with foil and roast until tender. This will take about 20-30 minutes, depending on your pumpkin. Press the cooked pumpkin in a coarse sieve and to extract any excess water. Set aside to cool before blending in a food processor or mashing by hand to a pureé.

4.Lightly whisk the eggs and extra yolk together in a large bowl.

5.Place the sugar, spices, and the cream in a pan, bring to simmering point, giving it a whisk to mix everything together. Then pour it over the eggs and whisk it again briefly. Now add the pumpkin pureé, still whisking to combine everything thoroughly.

6.Reduce the oven temperature to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Pour the filling into your pastry case and bake for 35-40 minutes, by which time it will puff up round the edges but still feel slightly wobbly in the centre.

7.Remove the pie from the oven and place the tin on a wire cooling rack. Serve warm or chilled (stored loosely covered in foil in the fridge) with some chilled créme fraïche or whipped cream.

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living off the land A low down on the booming art of foraging for wild food

By Amy Colman

Cornwall is a county abundant with wild food this Autumn season and dotted around its shores and bountiful forests is forageable finds from Mushrooms to Mussels.

This is a guide on how to get the most out of the wild fare that this county has to offer, and a low-down on the best destinations in Cornwall for finding nourishment amongst the wilderness.

1. Sloe- Sometimes also known as Blackthorn, the name of this brilliant berry is famously known for being followed by the word ‘Gin’; a simple 3 ingredient recipe turns these wild finds into the perfect homemade gift ready just in time for Christmas. See further in the guide for another sweet Sloe recipe!

Dried Sloe berry and flowers are used as medicine

2. Cockles- A true gem of the shoreline and found all year round, this forageable find makes for a fun day out at an estuary beach and a careful technique to hopefully end in a delicious seafood feast.

3. Mussels- An easy way of skipping the middleman, is putting on your wellies and tiptoeing across the rocks to find this seafood staple. Put a bottle of wine on the shopping list and grab some mussels for a treat of Moules Mariniere this autumn.

Cockles are known for their heartshaped shells 44

4. Rosehip- The fruit of the Rose bush, these glowing red fruits are abundant with Vitamin C ,with 20 times the amount as oranges. This makes Rosehip the perfect wild food to help relieve the symptoms of the grueling common cold this winter. Make a Rosehip syrup and dissolve a spoonful in a Hot Toddy for the best relief from the common cold.

Mussels have been a food source for more than 2,000 years

5. Elderberries- The autumn treat comes from Elder trees and once its flowers have bloomed this plant holds endless gift potential, such as sweet elderflower cordial in spring. The elderberries are aromatic and tangy, great for jams and syrups to pour over sponge cakes.

6. Nettles- This versatile plant is typically known for its stinging leaves which can be a real pain until its counter,the doc leaf, is located. However, they are also great for making syrups, teas and all sorts of other delicacies.

Some experts reccomned elderberries to relieve cold and flu symptoms

9. Sea Beet- Also known as wild spinach, this member of the beet and chard family is typically found around the coasts of the UK, and is a great alternative to spinach in salads, sauces and soups!

Sea Beet is a wild ancestor of Beetroot.

10. Sweet Chestnuts- Loved by the Romans and now a roasted winter treat here in the UK, these long-lived giants, with their prickly husks and deeply grooved bark, give us our classic Christmas nut. They can be roasted and used in a variety of recipes, including stuffing for poultry, cake fillings, nut roasts and much more.

“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire” is an iconic lyric featured in The Christmas Song

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Living off the Land

The Idless Woods

Trevaunance Cove

Location, Location, Location, Location, Location.

Location.

Where to find the wild foods of your desires

The beaches of

North Cornwall are certainly bound to be a promising place to find Mussels during low tide, particularly Trevaunance Cove in St Agnes. If you fancy a challenge to really earn your dinner, however, you may want to try snorkeling for the best finds that lie beneath the surface. A great spot to try at low tide is ‘Beyond the surf ’ at St Agnes. To make the most out of your time and return home with the most valuable bounty, be sure to only 46

take mussels over 5cm long, avoiding any mussels that look partially open or damaged in some way.

The Idless woods, north of Truro are home to many species of wild mushroom, so take a basket and an ID book on what to look for and scour the undergrowth for a selection of the tastiest fungi for a luxurious dinner. Be sure to buy a guide book so that you don’t

end up picking any species that give you a stomachache or worse.

Many beaches in Cornwall are great for harvesting cockles, however a particularly renowned place to find them is the Helford River estuary.

Scouring the beaches can be a messy process, so be sure to be armed with your wellies and old

Helford River

clothes, grab a rake and keep an eye out for the tide. You’ll be all set to find some cockles buried a few centimeters beneath the sand.

If you’re lucky you may get your hands on the odd clam or oyster too!

Polgooth

said that they believe that the key to great blackberries is there being Tin in the land where they grow. So, pay a visit to the quiet mining village and take a walk in search of the, supposedly, juiciest blackberries you will find.

Remember when looking for wild foods in hedgerows or woodland, to pick from lowtraffic areas to avoid polluted foods.

SCAN THIS QR CODE FOR OUR BLOG OF THE BEST FORAGING GUIDE BOOKS TO BUY

The best blackberries in Cornwall have been said to be in the Polgooth area near to St Austell. A theorist and avid walker of the Cornish countryside once 47

Living off the Land

When foraging, always remember...

1. Don’t be in a hurry, take your time and enjoy the experience of being outside in nature.

2. Be careful while walking on uneven ground, climbing over rocks or near cliff edges.

3. Always double check your identification of foraged edibles. A good guide book will help (see below) but also, social media can be a great resource – if in doubt do not eat it!

4. Always harvest your wild edibles from clean sources, make sure there are no pollutants nearby. It is a good idea to check online for the water quality on your chosen beach.

5. Dress sensibly for the weather and the terrain – Don’t forget sunscreen.

6. Respect the sea – always know tide times to avoid being cut off.

It’s estimated that 40% of UK hedges (95,000 miles) are ancient and or species rich.

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TWO sweet RECIPES FOR YOUR WILD AUTUMNAL

Sloe Treacle Tart Recipe A dark, rich, and wonderfully fruity treacle tart. Hearty for the colder months with a beautifully crumbly, oatmeal pastry.

Serves 8 - 10 Ingredients 90 g plain flour 90 g wholemeal flour 50 g oatmeal 125 g butter 2-3 tbsp ice-cold water 75 g fresh breadcrumbs (fresh bread, grated or food processed) 75 g oats 400 ml sloe syrup, plus 2 tbsp 2 free-range eggs Method: In a large bowl mix the flours, sugar and oatmeal, and cut the butter into cubes before tossing into the bowl. Rub together using your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add a little water and form into a ball of dough. Wrap in cling film or place in a bowl tightly covered with waxed food wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C/ fan 160°C and grease a 23 cm flan tin. Take the dough out of the fridge and roll out on a lightly floured surface. Carefully lift the unbaked pastry in the tin, gently pressing into the corners and slicing off any excess pastry.

Pop back in the fridge to firm up for 10 minutes or more, then line with baking beans, or equivalent and place straight in a hot oven for 15 minutes.

While the pastry is baking, in a small saucepan reheat the syrup to a little warmer than blood temperature and stir in the oats and breadcrumbs. After 15 minutes remove the tin from the oven and reduce the heat to 150°C/fan 130°C. Whisk the eggs and pour into the heated syrup mix, stirring until combined well. Remove the paper and baking beans and pour the filling into the pastry base. Bake for 35 minutes or until set.

Take out the oven and spoon over the 2 tablespoons of sloe syrup for a sticking top and leave to cool on a cooling rack. Serve warm or cold, lasts well in the fridge for up to a week.

Sloe Treacle Tart

Makes 750 ml

rosehip syrup

Ingredients 300g rosehips, stalks removed 1 litre water 300 g golden caster sugar Using a small to medium saucepan, bring 500ml of water to the boil. Briefly mash the fruits and immediately plunge into the boiling water. Bring the water back to the boil, turn off the heat and leave the fruits to infuse for 15 minutes. Put both the rosehips and liquid into a jelly bag and allow the juice to drip through into a bowl. Using the same saucepan, bring the remaining 500ml of water to the boil, add the rosehip pulp, turn off the heat, cover and allow to infuse for a further 10 minutes. Strain through the jelly bag and allow all the liquid to drip through.

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Wash out the saucepan and fill with the strained rosehip water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced by one third.

Stir in the sugar, allow to dissolve, then simmer for 5 minutes before pouring into hot, sterilised bottles.

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Pasties Three Ways

By Liv Marsden

It would have been rude to create a sustainable food magazine for Cornwall, and not include a pasty recipe in the first issue. The classic savoury treat is loved everywhere and is perfectly customisable. Here I’m going to give you some filling ideas and top tips to help ensure your pasties are perfect.

Pastry – Makes four large pasties 500g strong bread flour 120g vegetable shortening or suet 1 tsp salt 25g margarine or butter 175ml cold water 1 free-range egg, beaten with a little salt (for glazing) 1.Pour the flour into the bowl, add the shortening, a pinch of salt, the margarine or butter and all of the water.

2.Use a spoon to gently combine the ingredients.

Then get in there with your hands to crush everything together, bringing the ingredients to make a fairly dry dough.

3.Put the dough onto a clean work surface (there’s no need to put flour or oil onto the surface because it’s a tight rather than sticky dough).

4.Knead the dough to combine the ingredients properly. Use the heel of your hand to stretch the dough. Roll it back up into a ball, then turn it, stretch, and roll it up again. Repeat this process for about 5-6 minutes. The dough will start to become smooth. Top tip If the dough feels grainy, keep working it until it’s smooth and glossy. Don’t be afraid to be rough – you’ll need to use lots of pressure and work the dough vigorously to get the best results.

5.When the dough is smooth, wrap it in cling film and put it in the fridge to rest for 30–60 minutes.

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Fillings The beauty of pasties is how many varied fillings you can put into them, perfect for a fussy eater or someone who enjoys experimental flavour combinations. Here are three top fillings to try out!

Curried Vegetable Pasties (Vegan) 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 brown onion peeled and finely chopped 1 large sweet potato about 300g, peeled and diced 1 large carrot about 170g, peeled and diced 1 large potato about 300g, peeled and diced 1 red bell pepper diced 2 Tbsp curry powder mild, medium or hot – as you prefer 1 tsp garam masala 2 cloves garlic crushed 1 400 g (14oz) tin chopped tomatoes 70 g (2.5 oz) creamed coconut chopped (the kind that comes in a solid block) one 400 g (14oz) tin chickpeas rinsed and drained 100 g (3.5oz) frozen peas a handful of fresh coriander, finely chopped (optional) salt and pepper 1.To make the filling, heat the oil in a large pan over a low heat and add the onion. Fry gently for 5-10 minutes until softened. Add the sweet potato, carrot, potato, pepper, curry powder, garam masala and garlic and continue to fry for 5 minutes, stirring often.

2.Add the tinned tomatoes, creamed coconut, chickpeas and peas. Bring the mixture up to a gentle simmer and cook, covered, for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Stir the mixture often to avoid it burning on the base of the pan. If it seems too dry you can add a splash of water but bear in mind that you want the mix to be fairly dry to avoid making your pastry soggy 3.Once cooked, season to taste with salt and pepper, stir through the fresh coriander (if using), allow to cool then refrigerate until completely cold.

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Mushroom and Cheddar Cheese filling 25g butter, plus 1 tbsp 380g pack mushrooms, sliced 10g fresh thyme, leaves picked 1 garlic clove, crushed 150g fresh greens, washed, thick stalks removed and leaves shredded ½ vegetable stock cube, made up to 200ml 80g grated Cheddar 320g frozen pea 1.Heat 25g butter in a frying pan over a medium heat until melted. Add the mushrooms and fry for 5-6 mins until golden and tender, and all the water that comes off them has evaporated. Season and stir in the thyme and garlic. Fry for 1 min more until fragrant.

2.Add the shredded greens to the pan and pour over the stock. Simmer for 5 mins until the greens are tender and the stock has reduced.

Remove from the heat, tip into a bowl and leave

Traditional beef filling 350g beef skirt, rump steak or braising steak 350g potatoes 200g swede 175g onions salt and freshly ground black pepper knob of butter or margarine 1.Peel and cut the potato, swede and onion into cubes about 1cm/½in square. Cut the beef into similar sized chunks.

2.Put all four ingredients into a bowl and mix.

Season well with salt and some freshly ground black pepper.

Spooky season: how howto tomake makethis thishalloween halloweenthe thebest best one oneyet yet

By Amy Colman

With Halloween just around the corner, it’s time to think about how best to entertain those tots around this exciting and, albeit unconventional time of year. So grab your wand and don your cloak because it’s time to make some magic happen!

Food Crafts A great way to keep the kids entertained is to promise them food at the end of a hard job of crafting. What better way to do this than to disguise the food as the craft!

Silly apple monsters

1 Green Apple 2 Tbsp. Peanut Butter, Nutella, or Almond Butter 2 Strawberries 24-28 Sunflower Seeds or Almond Slivers Edible Candy Eyes 1. Cut the apple into quarters.

2. Lay the apple quarters down, and cut a 1 inch wedge in the middle of the peel side of each quarter. Do not cut all the way through because you want each quarter to stay in one piece. It will look like a mouth.

3. Cut the strawberries in slices lengthwise so that you have 4 pieces.

4. Spread peanut butter on the bottom of each mouth, inside the cutout.

5. Place a strawberry inside the cutout to resemble a tongue sticking out.

6. Poke 6 or 7 sunflower seeds or almond slivers into the top edge of the cut out to resemble teeth.

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How to keep the kids safe whilst trick or treating:

Frankenstein Wafers 1 Baking Sheet Parchment Paper Green Food Colouring White Chocolate Mini Candy Eye Balls Chocolate Line Sprinkles Pink Wafers

1. Carry glow sticks or flashlights, use reflective tape or stickers on costumes and bags, and wear light colors to help kids see and be seen by drivers.

1. Melt the chocolate, mix in 2-3 drops of food colouring and combine until the perfect green colour is reached.

2. Dip your cookie into the chocolate, wiping off any excess.

3. Then, spoon chocolate sprinkles over the top ⅓ of each cookie for Frankenstein’s hair.

4. Use a pair of food safe tweezers to place two eyeballs.

5. Finally, add a chocolate sprinkle for the mouth.

It’s Alive!

3.Slow down and be alert! Kids are excited on Halloween and may dart into the street.

2.Join kids under age 12 for trickor-treating.

4.Remind kids to cross the street at corners or crossings.

5.When selecting a costume, make sure it is the right size to prevent trips and falls. Choose face paint over masks when possible. Masks can limit children’s vision.

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Spooky Season

spooktacular recipes

Some great recipes for a grown-up to make for Halloween to be a special occasion for the little ones.

Monster Burgers

With sharp cheese ‘teeth’, gherkin ‘tongues’ and stuffed olive ‘eyeballs’, these spooky monster burgers are perfect for rustling up for a kids’ Halloween party. They’re quick and easy and sure to spook!

4 beef burgers 4 slices of Cheddar 4 seeded burger buns, halved 2 tbsp mayonnaise 4 romaine lettuce leaves, halved 4 sliced gherkins (or 1 large gherkin, sliced lengthways into 4) 2 tbsp ketchup 8 olives stuffed with pimientos

1. Preheat the grill and cook the burgers to pack instructions. Meanwhile, cut 1 side of each Cheddar slice in a zigzag pattern using the tip of a knife, so you end up with 4 sets of ‘teeth’. Grill the burger buns, cut-side up, for 1 min until golden.

2. For each burger, spread the mayonnaise on both halves of the bun. On the bottom half, place a piece of lettuce, then the burger patty. Lay a gherkin slice over the top of the patty so it hangs over the edge to resemble a ‘tongue’. Add a jagged slice of cheese, then carefully squeeze some ketchup over the top of the teeth. Position the top half of the bun at a slight angle so you can see the mouth inside.

3. Skewer the olives on 8 cocktail sticks and push 2 through the top bun to make the eyes.

Remove the cocktail sticks before eating.

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Swap out the beef burgers for vegan burgers, use a vegan cheese alternative and delicious vegan mayonnaise for a more eco-concious plate

Yoghurt ghost pops 4 ripe bananas, peeled 4 tbs Greek yoghurt 1 tbs honey 2 tsp vanilla bean paste mini dark chocolate chips 1. Line a flat baking tray or container with baking paper.

2. Combine yoghurt, honey and vanilla in a bowl.

3. Halve the bananas and insert a skewer into the cut side.

4. Use a tablespoon to drizzle the yoghurt over the bananas until fully coated. Transfer to the lined tray. Freeze overnight.

5. Remove the pops five to ten minutes before serving to soften. Add chocolate chips in a triangle shape to portray two eyes and a mouth.

Creepy witches fingers Our Witches’ fingers are made with sweet dough decorated with almonds and jam, but they certainly look convincing (and creepy!). They’re the perfect Halloween party food. Our recipe makes 45 fingers and will take around 20 mins to make and bake, plus chilling time. We recommend serving with dips like chocolate fondue or some melted Nutella – for total mouthwatering indulgence.

100g butter 100g caster sugar 1 medium egg 1tsp vanilla extract 225g plain flour ½tsp baking powder 45 blanched almonds, halved 5tbsp strawberry jam

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1.Using a food processor, beat the butter and sugar until pale. Add the egg and vanilla, and whisk again. Sift in the flour and baking powder, and mix to form a soft dough. Chill for 30 mins.

2. Heat oven to 180C, gas 4. Divide the dough into 45 and roll each piece into a finger shape. Press the back of a knife into the dough to make knuckles.

Lightly press an almond where the nail would be. Put on lined baking trays and chill for 30 mins. Bake for 10-12 mins until pale golden.

3. Once cooled, spoon a little jam onto the nail base and top with an almond.

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Chai Latte

By Lizzie Hicks

There is no hot beverage that sums up the

cozy autumn season like a chai latte. But instead of buying it all the time at your local coffee shop, you can make a just as suitable alternative for next to nothing in the comfort of your own home!

The recommended spices to use to create that classic chai flavor includes: 8 cardamom pods, 4 cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks, 6 peppercorns and 1 star anise.

Step 1: Toast your spices in a frying pan until they are fragrant, before placing them in a teapot or cafetiere with a 2cm piece ginger (sliced) and 3 black teabags (Ceylon and assam work best, but English breakfast is also great).

Step 2: Add around 500ml of boiled water and leave this to infuse for around ten minutes.

Step 3: Heat 500ml of your favorite milk in a frying pan with 2tbsp brown sugar until the sugar dissolves and your milk is lightly steaming/frothy. At this point, a milk frother would work great in taking your latte to another creamy/foamy level, but it would taste just as fabulous without this step.

Step 4: Strain your tea between your mugs and pour your milk in it to taste. Top each with a sprinkling of cinnamon and Enjoy!

Great milk alternatives that compliment chai lattes include: Coconut, Soy, Oat, Cashew, Macadamia and Almond 59

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Kitchen Swaps to Save the Earth Use these top tips to transistion your kitchen from one full of unthought of waste into a sustainable, low-waste haven.

By Liv Marsden

Making changes not just in our eating habits

bottles throwing them out when they become too dirty, empty, or unusable all for them to end up in a landfill, left to waste away.

There are many ways to reduce the amounts you use in your kitchen! Here are some handy tips!

and where/how we source our food, but in our homes too can make a huge difference for the environment. Single use plastics have a monumental impact. They will outlive every single one of us. It can take up to 1000 years for a single plastic bottle to breakdown in our oceans, we got our first monarch 955 years ago. If William the Conquer had been thrown a plastic bottle off his ship as he readied to invade England that bottle would have only just broken down.

Considering the amount of single use plastics in our home, swapping some of them out would help a huge amount. Day to day you may use a sponge, Tupperware, cleaning products in plastic spray

Storage After a takeaway or two on a dark winter night, Tupperware can so quickly fill up your drawers. There’s nothing wrong with keeping those and reusing them, it’s important to give products and packaging a new life as much as you can!

However, if you’re not the type to have a 62

draw full of old takeaway boxes, or you simply want to make a change to that, here are some alternatives!

the weather getting cooler again, you can freeze your soups in glass jars too! Just make sure that the soup is completely cool before you pop it in the glass. When you originally put it in the freezer don’t pop the lid on till the liquid is fully frozen, this will help prevent pressure build up in the jar.

If you’re reusing plastic containers, be careful as if they get scratched or heated up the chemicals, they’re made from can leak into your food.

•Beeswax or silicone wraps Beeswax or silicone wraps are perfect replacements for cling film. Beeswax wraps will melt with the heat of your hand and can be placed over the top of any lidless containers you may have found. Silicone wraps have the same idea and are perfect for a more airtight coverage when you may be storing food.

Both products can be washed and reused again and again, a perfect swap for cling film in your kitchen!

• Silicone bags instead of freezer bags Sandwich bags are a convenient way to transport your lunch. However, the positives of them stop there. They are single use and a huge contributor to single use plastic waste!

Instead, there are silicone sandwich bags, these are reusable and many of the brands that make them make them to be oven, microwave, freezer, and dishwasher safe too! More practical uses than a normal plastic bag!

•Old glass jars/containers- Glass jars that may have been used for sauces/ jams/ spreads are perfect to reuse again for many different things, e.g., bulk storing spices, oils, extra of any sauce you may make. With 63

Kitchen Swaps to Save the Earth

Cleaning Reusable Kitchen Rolls Kitchen roll as eco as it can be advertised to be at the end of the day isn’t. Despite it being paper used kitchen roll can’t be recycled, and this leads to plenty of contaminated recycling collections. Instead, you could try reusable kitchen rolls, dependant on the brand each will hold a different number of sheets that you can use, wash and use again!

If the investment doesn’t seem worth it, save your kitchen roll from landfill by putting it in your composter in your garden if you have one!

The Beeswax Wrap Co. £9.50-£30.00

Refillable Products Buying a plastic spray bottle each time you need a new kitchen cleaner will leave you creating a lot of waste for a clean kitchen.

You may want to investigate refillable cleaning products to help reduce the plastic waste unnecessarily building gup at home.

Luckily with the increase in demand for refillable green shopping, there’s a high chance that you live closer to a refill shop than you may think!

Wearth London £26.00 per roll (6 sheets)

Here’s a list of refill stores around Cornwall: The Refilstore- Turo Un-rap- Falmouth ReFILL- Bude Fillgood- St Austell Replenish – Wadebridge Incredible Bulk- mobile around Cornwall, check out their website for November locations.

Splosh 3 bottle starter box £8.65

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FRUITARIANISM LIZZIE

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How to build the per charcuterie board f

By Lizzie Hicks

A Charcuterie board is simply an excuse for presenting all the best and most delightful snacks in a vibrant, aesthetic, and mouth-watering plateau. They are a quick, easy, and creative way to impress your loved ones in all festive seasons and will instantly add a touch of class to any dinner party. Here are some useful tips and a step-by-step guide in creating the perfect grazing board to wow your friends and family!

Step 1: Pick a board large enough to hold an array of delicacies.

Something with a slightly rimmed border is best for practicality reasons and to ensure that nothing rolls off. Make sure it is not a deep dish, as the aim is for the feast to be presented in an aesthetic and readily available way for everyone to dip into.

conscious of the crowd that you are pleasing and tailor your cheese to the participants’ acquired taste.

There is no right or wrong way to pick - so get creative with it and tailor your board to taste! The natural and most logical approach to take is to have different types of cheeses and always in an odd number. This is a sure way to maintain a visually pleasing look Step 2: The Cheeses on your board to your board. The best and most should remain the central focus, universally enjoyed options that and it is therefore best for them lend themselves to a grazing to be the first items to focus on. board tend to be cheddars of It is usually best to start off with varying flavors (the prettiest tend a combination of soft and hard to be in round wax casings), cheeses - though make sure to be camembert (which tastes 68

beautiful lightly scored and baked- though be careful not to leave it in the oven too long as it can easily collapse and become a gooey mess), bree, goats cheese - hard and soft, blue, parmesan, mozzarella (fresh marinated balls lend themselves the best) and Manchego.

Step 3: Get creative with how you present and cut your cheeses up. There is no right or wrong way of doing this! It is best to vary texture and sizes for a prettier and more diverse presentation. Keep your wax coated cheddars whole, as the circular shape is very pleasing to

rfect for you

the eye. Ensure your cheeses are always placed first, dotted around with plenty of space in between for your other ingredients.

Step 4: If you are a meat eater, it is time to pick which cured meats you want to incorporate. The best and most well-loved options include prosciutto, pastrami, and different salamis (most shops sell multipacks of various kinds).

If you really want to wow your audience, however, a ring of Spanish chorizo will easily take your charcuterie board to the next level and add a whole other dimension.

Step 5: Place your cured meat on the board. There are many ways to do so tastefully. My personal favorites include prosciutto rivers - loosely fold and overlap

your prosciutto slices like a ribbon across your board so it resembles a stream. Be relaxed with your placement, as you don’t want it to look too forced and overthought. This assemblage breaks the board up clearly. Slice your chorizo a little at the end and place it on a more outer section of your board. Salami looks great folded into halves or quarters (do not press them into these shapes but instead keep them light and fanned out). My favorite way to present them is in little rose shapes. This is very easily done - all you need to do is grab a shot glass and fold your slices over the rim.

Slightly overlapping. Once you have done this, continue to add layers over the rim, fitting these pieces over the crevices of the previous layer.

Eventually, there 6 9 is no more

Check out this blog post on our website on wine pairings for different dishes, including with cheese!

How to build the Perfect Charcuterie Board for you ramekins throughout the board.

Step 7: Condiment time! It is important to think about what flavors lend themselves best to which cheese. For example, cranberry sauce and brie coexist beautifully together, and honey and goats’ cheese or camembert also merge wonderfully. Add small jars of your favorite chutneys near the cheeses that would pair best with them.

Step 8: Add some fresh fruit.

This helps add more color and vibrancy to the platter - not to mention that the sweetness of fruit pairs perfectly with the rest of the platter. It is always best to use in season fruit particularly apples. This is always a cheaper way to ensure you have the freshest produce on your board. Berries are also a wonderful way to add a pop of color and life, as well as the classic use of Grapes. Again, put these close to the cheeses that they complement the most.

Charcuterie Boards also known as Grazing Boards, are the perfect catering for a small party or gathering for drinks.

space to add layers, and this is when you want to turn the shot glass over and delicately peel this shape out, revealing the rose.

This can be done with different glasses of larger or smaller sizes creating roses of differing proportions.

Layer your meats around your cheeses - placing things that don’t fold easily near the border to help keep their shape.

Step 6: Add your salty

accoutrements next! Olives are perfect and the best options to go for include Kalamante - a beautiful large, succulent Greek olive, and super flavorsome Spanish green Manzanilla olives- which are often stuffed with either tomato, garlic, or feta.

Another fantastic addition at this stage includes small cocktail gherkins and pickles. These marinated options lend themselves best to being placed within 70

Step 9: Sprinkle piles of your favorite dried fruit and nuts in the spaces that make the most sense. Go-to nuts for a grazing board are usually pistachio, walnuts, pecans, almonds, and cashews. Dried fruit such as apricot, dates and pineapple add more color variants and slices of dried oranges, lemons and limes are also a beautiful touch!

“It is always best to use in season fruit - particularly apples. This is always a cheaper way to ensure you have the freshest produce on your board.”

Step 10: Sweet treats are often neglected in the creation of charcuterie boards, but pair brilliantly with these items.

Chocolate - especially dark, adds richness and class, and if you want to get even fancier with it, chunks of honeycomb (particularly on top of brie) make it even more irresistible and mouthwatering.

Step 11: Add a combination of soft and hard crackers to your board - fitting them into any remaining spaces. Try to be mindful of what crackers pair best with each cheese and keep them close by. Bread is also a great touch - my personal favorites being toasted slices of a French baguette fanned out, or slithers of focaccia, infused with rosemary and black pepper.

Curing meats dates back to ancient times, when it was essential for storing meat safely and preventing food poisoning.

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Step 12: The last step is simply just touching up and adding elements for aesthetic reasons.

Sprigs of greenery and herbs protruding from areas of the board add a magical little touch.

Ones that pair well with the flavor palette of the board include rosemary, mint, sage, basil, and lavender. And if you were feeling even more extravagant, edible flowers add a delightful touch, such as rose petals if you wanted to get romantic with it. Nasturtiums, pansies, and marigold are stunning options as well.

Keep knives and spoons dotted around the board accordingly and voila! You have created a showstopping charcuterie board to wow your loved ones.

Cornwall’s Indie Craft Breweries

By Lizzie Hicks Cornwall has become a county that prides itself on its free-spirited and inventive lifestyle and this is why it has seen such a boom in indie craft beer breweries. Check out this list of five new and exciting independent Cornish breweries near you!

After establishing themselves

in 2012, Firebrand Brewing Co, began their journey in a converted milking parlor on Bodmin Moor. The logo is that of a chough (the crow of Cornwall) sat within a milking parlor - paying tribute to their Cornish roots and the companies foundations. Coowners and brewers Stephen and Joe combine natural ingredients with Cornish spring water to produce truly funky and flavorsome beers. In 2021, the team made the choice to move to Launceston, allowing them to invest in new state of the art equipment, a taproom overlooking the brewhouse and a shop stocked with freshlybrewed samples.

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The Oldest BrewPub in the UK is the Blue Anchor in Helston, established in 1400.

Since Founders of The Bearded Brewery, Rob and Mark, shared their first detention together in 1992, the two knew they would be lifelong friends and partners in crime for a long time. After working as lumberjacks, the two began an adventure travelling the world together in search of new and exciting flavors and taste

bearded biker-boy brewery of Cornwall. This New Years the company will see of 2021with their NYE Party ‘Jerk off into 2022’, at their brewery location in St Mawgan, Newquay - where people can enjoy Jamaican themed food, music and celebrations and of course, good beer!

Driftwood Spars Brewery, located in St Agnes, on the north coast started in 2000 when Louise Treseder, landlady of The Driftwood Spars pub, met local brewer Pete Martin and together created their own micro-brewery. Pete’s beers rapidly grew in popularity, 73

combinations. This explorative attitude naturally evolved into a love and passion for interesting beer. Born from their ambitions to pioneer their own destiny, the boys created a truly exceptional business and product. A few cider festivals later and they have begun to make a name for themselves as the badass

There are 3,018 breweries in the United Kingdom alone!

Cornwall’s Indie Craft Breweries

particularly as they are made exclusively gluten-free something a local Cornish brewery had not yet pioneered before. Pete sadly passed away in 2020, and left this legacy for the new head brewer Mike Mason to continue on with the company.

The team at Harbour Brewing Co. gain inspiration by the crew’s experiences and aim to embody the Cornish lifestyle through their IPA’s – from chilly post-surf sessions which leave them wanting dark, warming stouts, to summer gatherings spent sipping more citrusy flavors.

Verdant Brewing Co, located in Penryn particularly began to make a name for themselves for their range of unfiltered

hazy pale IPAs. Since creating the company in 2014, founders Adam and James have always wanted to keep things fresh and interesting for their consumers, restocking their website every Wednesday with its latest releases; which their loyal following snap up at great haste. They also have an option to Build a Box

Check out our blog post reviewing all the Cornish Ciders

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which allows you to order your beloved flavors whilst also experimenting with new ones.

There are plenty of places to order a Verdant Pint, but the best way is at the Verdant Seafood Bar in Falmouth where the team serves barrelfresh beer to enjoy with locally caught fish dishes.

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Build Build Your Your Own Own Hamper!

Hamper!

To Liv Marsden

Buying presents for people may be something you dread

each birthday or Christmas that rolls around and it can be a stressful time scrambling for ideas that are outside the box and original. This guide to building a food and drinks hamper is perfect for people of any age, any gender.

The magnificent thing about a food and drinks hamper is that it can be as high or as low effort as you’d like.

Handmade or shop brought, it’s the perfect opportunity to share your favourite treats with someone, or to gift them a box of theirs. We’ve compiled a whole range of ideas here to put into a hamper, with something in there for everyone!

Savoury bites Savoury bites are ideal hamper fillers if you want to keep things classy and sophisticated.

Based on their farm in Bodmin Moor Phillip and Carol Stansfield began the Cornish Cheese Co in 2001, kicking the company off with their award-winning Cornish blue cheese. They offer a range of different cheeses, including a blue, mature cheddar, brie, yarg, and nanny.

Warrens Bakery based in St Just, use Cornish potatoes and sea salt in their crisps. With ten flavour varieties, the gluten free and MSG free crisps will add the perfect crunch to your hamper.

If you’ve never made chutney before it’s a lot easier than you think, the flavour and spice

combinations are endless, and its perfect in a sandwich or with cheese and crackers.

Sweet Treats Furniss Biscuits- Cornish brand Furniss Biscuits is the place to go for your sweet biscuit cravings.

Established in 1886, they’ve had plenty of time to get the recipe for their shortbread, gingerbread, and oat biscuits just right. If you enjoy a Fairing, Furniss Biscuits are the only company authorised to make the original Cornish Fairing.

Cornish fudge company’sThe Cornish fudge box company is the perfect place to get the best creamy fudge in Cornwall, with a huge range of flavours. This family run company just outside of Boscastle sources all of their ingredients from within the county, and the flavour of it shows.

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Hampers are the perfect gift, not only for Christmas, but birthdays, anniversaries and celebrations too!

d other

Sisley’s and Crellow- preserves If you’re looking for truly authentic and great tasting preserves for a hamper, Sisley’s and Crellow preserves are the go to. Established in 2003, Sisley’s and Crellow have created fresh flavours across all four seasons, using only locally sourced fresh ingredients. Their preserves have won a plethora of different awards and for good reason too!

Wine Camel Valley Camel Valley is a family run vinery started by Bob and Annie Lindo in 1989. They began with 8000 vines doing all the work by hand on their farm day in and day out. Infact, their first batch of wine won a medal in the national wine competition, and from that point onwards the couple knew they were doing something right. This variety of great tasting wines would be perfect for someone who loves a glass, or a few, with a meal.

Trevibban mill Trevibban Mill, another family run winery, began in Padstow works to create great tasting, sustainable wines. On their farm they work with nature, rather than against it. Notably they are trying to make all of their wines without sulphates - they’ve already succeed with their Orion and Pet Nat wines.

Knightor wine Knightor wines, located just a stone’s throw from St Austell’s Bay and the Eden project, produces premium quality still and sparkling wines. The winery prides themselves on being uncompromising and innovative, 77

ensuring quality and flavour with every small batch of wine they create. All their wines are vegan, low in sulphates, and their sweetness comes from Cornish grown fruit and not sugar.

Beer and Ciders Skinner’s brewery Steve Skinner in 1997 released his Betty Slogs Amber Ale with unintended consequences; it was a hit! This has snowballed into becoming Skinners Brewery based in Truro, and their reach is ever expanding. Their unique eye catching designs ensures that across Cornwall you can’t miss the iconography of a good pint of skinners on tap.

Lizard ales – Lizard Ales, situated on the lizard peninsula bring us cask and bottled ales, sourced locally to capture the true Cornish flavours.

Brewed in an old nuclear bunker, lizard ales was established in 2004.

Putting Together the Hamper Putting together your hamper can once again be as easy or as difficult as you like. Use a cardboard shoe box. If you enjoy DIY, decorate it with some paints, a collage of photos, or just lots of drawings to give it a personal touch. Inside you can pad out the bottom of it with shredded newspaper or tissue paper. Decoration can be as extravagant as you like. Packaging your treats/ products can be done through glass jars, which can easily be reused and repurposed, or, depending on the aesthetics of the design, you can always keep the priduct within its original packaging.

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