Images of Liverpool
The last time I was in Liverpool must have been soon after the Toxteth riots in 1981. The very name still conjures up the smell of burned-out cars that were still littering the streets. Since then the city has gone from strength to strength and I had difficulty in orientating myself around what were once streets lining the old docks. Instead of a place trying to come to terms with changes brought about by the new container method of moving goods, the waterfront has gone from a no-go slum, to an exciting place to explore and enjoy. Stevedores no longer queue every morning in the hope of a day’s work, manually unloading the multitude of ships berthed in the docks that can still be reached from the Mersey. All of this activity has moved to modern dock facilities out towards Bootle. In the place of gangs of stevedores slaving deep within the holds of ships arriving from exotic parts of the world, giant cranes each operated by one single driver high above the ground, offload containers, sending them away on the backs of lorries towards their waiting markets. The old docks and their abandoned warehouses have become tourist venues, or a centre for water sports. What was once foul and almost poisonous water is now safe for swimming competitions, or water skiing using a clever system of fixed drag ropes; we even saw a cormorant which can only mean that the water has fish in it. Backed by a semi-permanent fairground, the Albert Dock in the centre of the restored docks and warehouses, now houses the Tate Liverpool art gallery, Merseyside Maritime Museum and the International Slavery Museum. By publicising its links with slavery, Liverpool has bravely admitted to its part in this cruel system that brought wealth to a few, but bewildering and inhuman treatment of those considered inferior and only fit for use alongside beasts of burden. Not only were slaves uprooted from their African homes, but people from both sides of the Irish Sea travelled through Liverpool on their way to a hopefully, better life far away. Ships still occasionally berth alongside the modernised waterfront, but these are more than often cruise liners calling on this international city with a rich cultural and maritime past, home of world-class shopping and dining – and all within walking distance of the waterfront. There are smaller ships tying up alongside the liners at Pier Head. These are the famous Mersey Ferries, immortalized by Gerry and the Pacemakers song, ‘Ferry ‘cross the Mersey’. This tune is played over and over again on the way across to Birkenhead and, it must be admitted, to be rather a bore. Each of the ferries is named after a spring flower. Iris and Daffodil are pre-fixed by Royal, an honour bestowed by the late King George V. Two Mersey ferries, the Iris and Daffodil as they were then known, took part in the attack on Zeebrugge harbour in World War 1. In honouring their heroism, the king decreed that both ferries and all those following them with the same name, would be called Royal. There is another, the Snowdrop, but as its forerunner was not involved in the attack, it is simply Snowdrop. However this lack of a royal accolade is made up by its being painted in a psychedelic colour scheme. The Beatles & The Liver Birds A slightly larger than life-sized statue of the ‘fab four’, the Beatles, Liverpool’s favourite sons, stands opposite the Liver Building designed for the Royal Liver Assurance Group, by Walter Aubrey Thomas and opened in 1911. The twin clock towers of the Grade 1 listed building are topped by the famous Liver Birds, symbols of Liverpool and surrounded by local mythology. One of the many stories about the birds is that the one facing the river is a female waiting for her lover to return; the other is a male who is looking inland to see if the pubs are open. Local belief also says that if the birds disappeared then Liverpool would cease to exist. There is a line in the Beatle’s song ‘In my Liverpool home’, that goes ‘If you want a cathedral, we’ve got one to spare’. The two cathedrals, Anglican and Catholic sit at either ends of Hope Street. The two are in complete contrast; the Anglican dedicated to Christ in Liverpool is Gothic and took 74 years to build before it opened in 1978. Standing at the opposite end of Hope Street, the Catholic Christ the King Cathedral is of more modern design. It was originally proposed to be built in 1853 to a design by Sir Edwyn Lutyens, the architect who created New Delhi. Unfortunately the time span clashed with the rapid growth of Irish Catholics fleeing the potato famine in Ireland. As a result, the money was wisely spent on educating immigrant children. Several attempts to start building were made over the intervening years, each to a different design, but it took until 1967 before Sir Frederick Gibbard’s plans created the modernistic ‘Crown of Thorns’ on top of high ground above the city. In typical Liverpudlian humour, the tower has been called ‘Paddy’s Wigwam’, and ‘the Pope’s Launching Pad’. The senior clerics of both Liverpool cathedrals, Archbishop Derek Warlock and cricketer Bishop David Shephard who was capped for England between 1950 and 1963, worked closely together in the aftermath of the Toxteth riots in 1981 and the tragedies at the Heysel Stadium in 1985 and Hillsborough in 1985. Half way along Hope Street there is a statue to the two honouring their co-operation and friendship. Even here there is an example of Liverpudlian humour – if you look carefully at Bishop David Sheppard’s feet you will see a cricket ball, something the sculptor couldn’t resist adding. Humour is an everyday part of the Liverpudlian character, just think how many comedians have come from there – from Arthur Askey to Ken Dodd, that son of Knotty Ash (yes it is a
Dining at the Hope & Anchor
Standing proudly on the market place in the centre of Wirksworth is The Hope and Anchor, a grade two listed 17th century stone building. Closed in 2016 but now under new management and with around £100,000 spent on refurbishment, along with a new chef, The Hope and Anchor is now open for business. On their website they proudly proclaim that they are, “A good pub with real pub food”. Our visit, along with two long standing friends one Friday evening in mid July was a great opportunity to put that claim to the test. Occupying a prominent position in Wirksworth it was easy to let your mind slip back to the days in 1306 when the town was granted market status and would be jammed with colourful stalls and people plying their trades many of which are now lost. Over the years, with wealth generated by lead mining and stone quarrying, this market town came to be graced by some of the most lovely, historic, stone buildings. But now to our dining experience. We were welcomed by General Manager Jack, who showed us to our table in the large restaurant area, the rear of which is elevated. The late evening sun poured through the windows as we sat at a rustic table with plenty of space around us, it was so pleasant not to be squeezed in elbow to elbow with other diners. The décor here is contemporary with lovely muted shades, the walls have been partially clad with wood of various colours some featuring the imprint appropriately of an anchor. There are many nice rustic touches whilst the old building still retains many original features, which is quite fitting as it’s Rustic Inns who took over this pub in November 2017 and have worked tirelessly to put together a dining and drinking experience to suit current trends. Our waitress for the evening was Jersey who explained how much she enjoyed the food that the new chef was producing. Three of us ordered starters while one was saving herself for pudding! “It’s worth the wait” said Jersey. My starter was tomato bruschetta which consisted of three slices of rustic bread, tomato, chilli topped with torn mozzarella. A firm favourite of mine, not too overpowering and very clean tasting, a cracking start. Mike devoured his house pate infused with thyme, garlic and mushrooms, it was smooth and spread with ease on to the rustic bread. Generous triangles of salted butter and a homemade chutney accompanied it. Jane chose the battered prawns, dipped and fried in a very light tempura batter and served over a fresh salad, the pot of sweet chilli and lime dipping sauce perfectly added that touch of heat and sweetness. The farmers pie of the day was minced beef and onion which was encased in thin short crust pastry, and I chose the double cooked rustic chips. The pie was lovely and moist and was served with a boat of gravy too which was a bonus, the ‘skin on chips’ were very chunky and the buttered greens not over cooked. Mike’s ale battered cod was served on a wooden board and was huge, even for Mike who has a healthy appetite. Lockwoods mushy peas and sea salted double cooked rustic chips were served with this and a pot of homemade tartare sauce and wedge of lemon completed the dish. His determination to finish was testimony to how enjoyable it was. Julie tried the vegetarian curry which was quite hot and had a good variety of vegetables, her only comment was that she maybe missed a naan bread to go with it. Finally, Jane ordered the homemade lasagne, a slight twist on the usual with smoked bacon and red wine and tomato sauce added to the beef. This made for a very rich dish, but with a beautiful flavour, and the side salad was the freshest I’ve had anywhere. As predicted Mike and I passed on puddings, but Jane and Julie went for and enjoyed a lovely light and fresh raspberry mousse and a baked lemony cheesecake, both homemade and highly recommended. That really sums up the food here: locally sourced wherever possible, the chef has an eye for adding that extra something which lifts this good food just up another level. The presentation too is modern with delicate flower and micro leaf garnishes where appropriate. We had a great evening and there were many more dishes on the varied menu that we would have liked to try, and for those with not so large an appetite there is a ‘Lite bite’ menu available until 6pm. On Sundays there are traditional roasts alongside a reduced weekday menu. But, there’s still plenty there to tempt you at the Hope and Anchor. We all agreed that the Hope and Anchor is “A good pub, with real pub food, and a good collection of real ales. The music is pleasant and not too intruding, and they have a young group of staff that are friendly, relaxed and eager to please. It’s a great place to unwind at the end of the week. 00
Derbyshire Antiques & Collectibles – Royal Mint Collectors’ Coins
One of the tasks I seem to spend vast quantities of time on when I am working at Bamfords is cataloguing collections of coins. Much of what comes in is base metal and well used, and has little value; some is in various purities of silver and needs sorting. If circulated, everything not a rarity is estimated at bullion price. Collectors though like their coins in the best possible condition, even, if possible the scarce and rare ones. Other collectors buy new issues from the Mint direct so that they do not have to worry about the arcane business of grading for wear. The Mint issues coins either in brilliant uncirculated (BU) condition (that is, as first issued), or proof. The latter is when the specimens are struck from specially polished dies, giving the field a mirror-like brilliance, and often, these days, with the relief portions of the design given a frosted finish to enhance the contrast. The mint tends to issue both base metal and precious metal examples of most issues and, since realising how much extra money they can make from having several different commemoratives each year, there is a bewildering choice. Furthermore, buying direct means that one pays a premium even for the simplest (card folder) packaging, let alone de luxe and executive packaging, involving hefty leather and satin rich presentation boxes. The coins themselves, if BU, are worth their face value; the mint’s packaging thus makes them expensive to buy and takes a couple of generations to recoup the outlay. For instance, as I write, today’s paper carries an advertisement from the Mint about a Paddington Bear 50p issue, which is BU base metal and can be yours for £3.99 plus postage: that is, a mark-up of £3.49. If the issue is proof, then it loses value less and, of course, with issues struck in precious metals at least their bullion value remains in line with gold and silver process generally. Yet in both cases the purchase price includes a hefty mark-up to cover manufacturing costs (special dies) and better grade packaging. Proof coins have been officially issued since 1887 (earlier ones were strictly unofficial, especially prior to 1731/32), as have another popular collector’s item, the specimen set: in these one buys all the coins issued for a particular year in a special package, either BU, proof or precious metal proofs. Specimen sets used to be issued only at the beginning of a new reign or when the obverse (head side) changed, eg. 1887, 1893, 1902. 1911, 1927. 1937 and so on. It was not until 1977 that yearly specimen sets became regular, although at first they were BU only and base metal, until 1981 when the £5 coin and sovereign were included. Indeed, gold only sets – £5, £2 sovereign and half sovereign) were issued in 1982, although the £2 was thereafter dropped, re-appearing as a base metal coin from 1986 and regularly a decade later. With so much choice, collecting from new becomes a matter of deciding what you like and can afford, but do not expect your investment to grow for a considerable time, unless you are well enough off to collect bullion coins. Many collectors stick to crown coins – old 5/-, then 25p but more recently with face value of £5. Again, there are many commemorative issues. There are at least one commemorative each year these days, and one can collect the standard £5 coin from your bank or building society, but there are also base metal proofs, silver proofs and gold ones, too. Furthermore, sometimes the proofs are struck double thickness – called a piedfort – and since 2004 these have also been issued in platinum – current list price £4,000 plus! I shall cover commemorative crowns on another occasion, however. Well-struck coins are essentially a miniature work of art, but the best way to collect them is to buy at auction, preferably in their unopened sets. Whereas today you might pay £55 for this year’s specimen BU set, £95 for the current commemoratives in a set (£5 Prince Louis, three £2: RAF, Armistice and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and a 50p for the 1918 Representation of the People Act), you then could also shell out £210 for a premium proof set and no less than £550 for the silver proof set struck as piedforts. At auction in a year or two, when collections get to the saleroom, prices are going to be more like £20, £45, £80 and £285 respectively. Incidentally, the 5 coin commemorative set also comes in gold (at a price). The latest trend, started by the private mints (like Pobjoy, Westminster, London Mint Office etc., mainly at the instigation of the marketing executives of various insular crown colonies etc.) has been to issue proofs in base metal or bullion with coloured enamel designs: hence the Royal mint will now sell you a Peter Rabbit set or a Winnie the Pooh set (both basically 50 pence coins) with coloured Peter or Winnie in various engaging contexts. The former is a set of four, the latter only two, and will cost you 10p BU or £60 enamelled, whilst there is no reduction if you buy the coins in a set, for while the Peter Rabbit sequence is not sold as a set, for Paddington’s set of two – £120; you can even order the latter in gold, a snip at £780! The sensible thing to do is to concentrate on a particular period, like specimen sets pre-2000, or pre-decimal issues and buy at auction or from reputable dealers. That way you will accumulate really rather attractive coins, mainly attractively packaged, which will also have a chance of appreciating. And, of course, rarity counts, so buy a price guide: Seaby, Coin News and MyHobbyStore all produce helpful ones, but most important, the former two both give mintages which will guide you as to rarity. +10
Celebrity Interview – Ian Hislop & Nick Newman
He’s known as a magazine editor, journalist, screenwriter and television comedy quiz show panellist. Now Ian Hislop has revealed yet another talent: playwright. The editor of Private Eye and one of the captains on Have I Got News For You has been collaborating with Nick Newman since they were at boarding school and they are bringing to Nottingham their play The Wipers Times. Ian sticks to what he knows well: The Wipers Times tells the true, extraordinary story of a satirical newspaper created in the mud and mayhem of the Somme. He says: “I was presenting a documentary about the First World War. I came across a reference to The Wipers Times and there was a joke quoted from one issue. I followed it up and I could see that it made the most brilliant story which was much too good to be used in a mere documentary.” Nick adds: “What was so extraordinary about it was the fact that it was original source material, written on the frontline by troops on active service. What stood out was that it was genuinely funny and that the jokes had survived the test of time. “We wanted to revisit the material in some way so we wrote a three-page document about how we’d recreate the theatre of war. We put the idea of making a film about The Wipers Times to the BBC and we then heard nothing for ten years! “This was in 2003. Nobody was interested in the subject. Then along came Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks, War Horse at the National Theatre and in the West End, and the Spielberg film. “Paradoxically this revival of interest in the period worked against us. Who’d want to put on a play or make a film that’s set in World War One when Birdsong and War Horse had been so successful? “Then, completely out of the blue, we got a commission to make a drama documentary about The Wipers Times for the BBC as one of the programmes marking the centenary of the war.” The duo believe they had so much trouble selling the idea of The Wipers Times because they were concentrating on a very different aspect of the conflict. “Sometimes you get the impression that nobody ever laughed during the period between 1914 and 1918,” says Ian. “The whole experience of World War One had been coloured by poets publishing in the 1920s and the memoirs and dramas written in the 1930s,” says Nick. “Audiences were looking for a different experience. What The Wipers Times was doing at the time was putting a smile back on people’s faces.” Hislop and Newman have been doing that throughout their careers. They appeared in revues at school together, both went to Oxford University and they worked together on Private Eye. Ian, born on July 13th, 1960, became editor of the satirical magazine in 1986. He is reputedly the most sued man in English legal history. Even before Ian became the boss Nick, born two years earlier, was working for Private Eye as a cartoonist. Their partnership began to thrive. They wrote scripts for the sardonic television series Spitting Image and also penned sketches for The Harry Enfield Show, creating the character Tim Nice-But-Dim. Ian continues to have the higher profile of the two, joining Have I Got News For You when it started in 1990. He is the only person to have appeared in every episode. The Wipers Times is set in a bombed-out building in the Belgian town of Ypres which British soldiers pronounced Wipers. Two officers, Captain Fred Roberts and Lt Jack Pearson of the 12th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters – a Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire regiment – discover a printing press and create a newspaper for the troops. It was far from being a sombre journal about life in the trenches. The officers produced a resolutely cheerful, subversive and very funny newspaper designed to lift the spirits of the men on the front line. The Wipers Times rolled off the press for two years and was an extraordinary tribute to the soldiers’ resilience in the face of overwhelming adversity. In 2013 the BBC broadcast Ian and Nick’s dramatisation. Captain Roberts was played by Ben Chaplin and Lt Pearson by Julian Rhind-Tutt. Michael Palin and Emilia Fox played supporting roles. But Ian and Nick always had the idea of adapting The Wipers Times for the stage. “All the way through the process, we thought of it as a play,” says Ian. “On the face of it, it’s all jolly poems and spoofs but it’s also very subversive. There’s a letter from a reader asking for advice. Is it permissible, he asks, to shoot a superior officer? He receives the reply that it is, given extenuating circumstances.” Nick adds: “The film got such a fantastic response that we felt it wasn’t going to represent the end of the story. We’d written our first play, A Bunch of Amateurs, in 2014. It was our first attempt at writing for the stage and it was produced by the Watermill Theatre near Newbury. “It went down so well that the Watermill told us if there was anything else we wanted to do, they’d be interested in seeing it. So we suggested joining forces on The Wipers Times.” The play toured the UK in 2016 and 2017. It also had a run at the Arts Theatre in the West End last year. Now it is touring again for nearly two months before returning to the West End for a seven-week season. There were a number of other trench journals apart from The Wipers Times, so what made it special? Ian has no doubts. “It was funnier – and ruder! I have a friend who’s a captain in the Royal Engineers and she brought a party of her sappers to see the show. I was a little worried about how it would go down with the men but she reassured me. She said that the way the guys were represented was exactly how the guys behaved.”
The Andulucia Touch
Winding our way up the hills into the Andulucia area of Spain from Malaga airport afforded the opportunity to travel at the same level as the buzzards, not quite so spectacular were the moans of “I feel sick” from the back of the Mercedes Vito. We didn’t stop, as we knew it would soon pass! Cruel but true, safe in the knowledge that promises of ‘Grande Cervesa’ would be enough to cure it. There were two routes to Ronda, our destination: via Cartama, Pizzara and El Burgo, or my favourite, to follow the AP-7 as far as San Pedro and then up the A-397. Just look at it on the map and see how it meanders it’s way to Ronda. We started this climb on an unusually cloudy day in July and visibility at times was pretty poor. After about an hour we suddenly came through the cloud and broke out into bright sunshine. It was as though someone had just switched a light on taking us all by surprise and part cured the travel sickness! We then realised how high we had climbed as we were level with a buzzard floating not 100 yards across the ravine. Concentration however is needed on this road and I wouldn’t recommend it to the tired driver. But this is the road to go up, not come down as that’s slightly scary in a hire car with brakes that aren’t 100%. Ronda is and always will be in my top five destinations in Europe. This moorish town has seen a lot of action and boasts the most delightful gorge. Walks around the walls take you straight back in time. If it’s stunning views and instant access from your hotel to an old town you require, you can’t do better than the Parador du Ronda, it’s smack on the edge of the gorge and sports a variety of rooms including duplex rooms complete with long balconies ideal for partying on. The pool isn’t huge but is in the right place for the sun. The terrace wraps around the hotel and again offers views over the valley below. As is normal in Spain there’s always someone playing Cavatina on a guitar. I was heartily sick of the guy in the square who played it constantly, I wished he’d learned another song to go with it. Every time we went out, there he was selling CDs of himself playing 12 songs. Yes, in case you’re wondering, I did pick one up to look and see if he could play anything else. So why didn’t he? The gorge separates the new(!) 15th century town from the old Moorish one. The stone bridge ‘Puente Nuevo’ spans the gorge and if it’s open you can pay to go down into the gaol built into the bridge. Just off the square is the famous 18th century bullring where you can hear crowds roaring occasionally when it is still in use. On the Moorish side of town is Palacio de Mondragon, a public museum in a 14th century house. Just along from the museum is Parca Duquesa de Parcent where a small bar serves excellent coffee and cakes. The park also comes complete with Cavatina playing guitarist selling records. This one has an amplifier too, so his mistakes can be heard clearly. Further out of town and easy to walk to is Barrio de San Francisco. The bar Bodego San Francisco, on the street corner, is tremendous value for money with tapas food the best I had in the area and was able to observe the world go by. You have to put up with people opening their car doors on your back; check their web site and you’ll see I’m not joking when I say that as they are all seated on the street corner. It’s the place to go for a great night out. A short walk from the Parador Hotel to the park shows what family life is like here. Children playing, parents talking, grandparents sitting watching and the occasional dog wandering about. At 10.30pm all the park gates were locked, which took us by surprise as our villa was 50 yards from the park through a small gate and we then had to walk about a mile around the park to get back to our villa. It was a learning curve, from park ‘throwing out time’ everyone either goes home or to one of the bars in and around town and life continues until the early hours. Further into the square where many of the restaurants are, opposite the church, the children were enjoying a game of football with a small crowd of spectators. The fountain was the apparent goalpost at one end and the steps to the underground car park at the other. No one minded the game though. Everyone muddled in and if the ball came your way you just sent it back. Each morning an early walk into the town to avoid the tourists(!) afforded us the opportunity to enjoy ‘pan con tomate’ and coffee or ‘Churros with chocolate dipping sauce’ all served at speed with no moans. Just wave and the coffee keeps coming. Peeping through a rather large door about a quarter of a mile from town centre I was quite surprised when it opened to reveal a cavernous shop that specialised in port. The guy beckoned me in and even though we had no idea what each other was talking about, sign language was enough to show that I was being offered port and wine to try. I had a terrific time in the very cool, partly shaded shop, looking and trying his wares. (Oh and buying a bottle or two). Canny folk these Andalucians. Coach trips from the coast pour into Ronda at about 10.00 and disappear at 3.30. These trips seem to have become less over the years as the tough economy bit deep and Ronda’s shops suffered a little, but nothing can alter the beauty, position and
Dining Out at Viva Restaurant
Viva restaurant is well situated in the middle of Matlock on Dale Road; being close to a car park just around the corner. We visited this restaurant and discovered an idyllic place to eat in and experience that special Italian dining cuisine at a very cost effective price… On entering the restaurant we immediately felt delighted that we had chosen this venue. Viva is a stylish, modern and glamorous restaurant which offers a traditional Italian and contemporary cuisine. We were greeted by a waitress and taken to our table. Looking around, the open kitchen is impressive and pristine; together with the carefully chosen wallpapers and sculptures it all creates a totally enjoyable different dining experience. We were struck by the hustle and bustle of the restaurant, even on a raining mid week evening the restaurant was busy. And soon we were to find out why… Having examined the extensive menu of traditional dishes my partner eventually (with the expert recommendation from our waitress) chose the Cozze al Vapore at £6.95. This delicious dish consisted of steamed mussels in a cream, lemon and garlic sauce. I went for the Funghi Dolcelatte priced at just £4.95. Also delicious – the button mushrooms were stuffed with the famous Italian Dolcelatte cheese, coated in breadcrumbs and then baked in the oven and served with ciabatta bread. For our main dishes, my partner chose the Filletto Pepe Verde at £19.95. His fillet steak was cooked to perfection and the flambéd sauce of black peppercorns, brandy, French mustard and cream beautifully complimented it. He really was enthusiastic and remarked that it was one of the best steaks he has ever had! The dish was served with a garnish and French fries. Equally looking too good to eat was my choice of pasta. I chose the traditional Salsa di Pollo at £11.25. This popular pasta dish consisted of diced chicken breast, mushrooms, onions, fresh herbs and a hint of pomodoro and garlic in a creamy sauce. All this was washed down with a glass of house red and a Peroni beer. The appetising substantial portions had completely filled us up and so to finish the evening off we just had a couple of coffees. In conclusion, all the dishes were dazzlingly presented and bursting with flavour and nothing was too much trouble. It’s so good to have an Italian restaurant on ones doorstep that is excellent value for money and very affordable. Children are welcomed at Viva and I noticed the kids menu; for £6.95 they can choose any pizza or pasta from the menu, just in a smaller size. A massive thank you to Saj and their team. We’ll be back very soon so watch this space. 00
Taste Derbyshire – The Spice Sisters
When it comes to curry, I adopt a relaxed ‘Jamie Oliver’ approach and simply chop, chuck, dice and drizzle the contents of my entire store cupboard into a pot until I have something runny enough to stick on some rice. I draw the line at using the nine-year-old tin of fruit cocktail. I stopped putting fruit in curry after realising tangerine was no substitute for lemon and that banana curry does not appear on your average takeaway menu for a reason. My husband still goes the colour of an unripe banana at the thought of it, 35 years on. Veena Gost and her spice sister Nilam Wright are behind the Curry on Cooking spice kit – formulated to give British ex-pats their curry fix. They promise that just one masterclass will banish my ‘throw it in and pray’ approach to Indian cooking for good. It was Veena and Nilam’s flair for cooking – and sense of fun – which made them such popular guests at BBQs in the Murcia region of Spain where Nilam and her family now live. Veena and Nilam would take along things like pakoras and bhajis and curry-starved ex-pats would grill them about where to buy the spices. One ‘light bulb’ moment later and sisters came up with the idea for the ‘curry kit’ – a spice mix with ‘no hidden nasties’ (chemicals or colours) which comes stapled to a recipe card. “It was funny we ended up launching a food business as Nilam and I didn’t want to learn anything about cooking as children,” laughs Veena. “My mum is one of the best cooks I have ever come across. The house was always full of people and mum would spend hours preparing a feast inspired by her Northern Indian heritage. Friends and family were always asking mum for recipes but Nilam and I were focussed on education and careers. From the age of nine, I wanted to become a journalist – not a housewife.” Veena says she and Nilam sometimes felt self-conscious about eating different food from their schoolfriends. “Nilam and I were only talking the other day about our trips to Skegness when we’d often be the only Asian family on the beach,” she recalls. “Mum would be up at 5am to make the most amazing picnics. She’d make things like spicy pickles and stuffed parathas but Nilam and I wanted to eat fish and chips like everyone else. Now we appreciate how hard she worked. Spices and other Indian staples were so hard to get in Derby in the 70s – we’d often go to Birmingham or London to stock-up. If anyone offered to bring something from India, mum would ask for something ‘exotic’ like a mango.” Mum’s cooking was the first thing Veena missed after starting work in Southampton; “I lived on Derby Road which is fitting because I was always running to the phone box on the corner to ring home,” she recalls. “If I wanted a make a tarka – which is a mixture of spices fried in ghee or oil – I’d have to ring my mum and she’d talk me through the processes. Mum couldn’t read me a recipe because she has never written anything down. There’s no teaspoon or tablespoons, just a case of a ‘sprinkle of this, a sprinkle of that’.” Whatever she says, an instinct for cooking is in Veena’s DNA. As I begin my chicken curry, Veena whips up ‘the best and quickest’ vegetable side-dish of courgette fried in spices. It’s made before I have time to chop a pepper. But what’s truly fascinating is watching Veena ‘fine-tuning’ the flavour. There’s no recipe or measuring; Veena simply stands over the dish holding her spice tray like an artist’s palette – adding the odd pinch or two – until the masterpiece is complete. Small wonder Veena’s cooking skills were often required when her sister Nilam, husband Darren and son Josh (14), emigrated to Spain in 2009. “After a short time living in Malaysia, they finally settled in Murcia,” Veena explained. “I was working for the BBC at the time but would visit them a few times a year. As spices are hard to get in Spain, I’d have to pack a load in my suitcase. For years, all my holiday clothes smelled of curry. We’d cook Indian food for our ex-pat friends and they’d tell us how much they really missed it. People started asking us to cook dishes for them.” Although the number of Indian restaurants in Spain has increased in the last five years, Veena says they are often too expensive for ex-pats. As for home-cooking, while the Spanish supermarkets and shops stock saffron, paprika and cinnamon; things like coriander, cumin and fenugreek are much harder to get because they are not traditionally used in Spanish dishes. “Inspiration struck while house-sitting for someone who had the most fabulous kitchen. Nilam and I don’t travel anywhere without our spice trays and we couldn’t resist the urge to cook” recalls Veena. “As we started cooking we decided to create a spice mix which could be used by ex-pats to make dishes like Balti and Aloo Gobi. We did little packs of spice, wrote the recipes out in long-hand on a A4 pad and gave them out to our friends for feed-back.” The feed-back was so encouraging, the sisters started to approach traders. “I don’t think the irony hit us at the time but we were Indian girls from Derby looking for ‘English’ corner shops in Spain,” she laughs. “We also gave a korma curry kit and our instructions to all the foodie friends of ours and said we wanted totally honest feedback. One of the most useful comments came from my nephew Josh, who was ten at the time. He did our ‘Bombay potato’ blend and the chunks of potato were far too big and he didn’t wash them. Quite rightly, he said there was nothing about preparing the potatoes in the instructions. We
Product Test – Weleda
Try the Natural Approach with Weleda Almond Sensitive Skin Body Lotion 200ml £16.95 The range is specifically formulated to soothe very sensitive skin, calm skin prone to irritation, provide long-lasting moisturisation and reduce that uncomfortable feeling of tightness. Plant oils from seeds and kernels are precious gifts from nature. The fine almost transparent oil absorbs fast, leaving no feeling of greasiness. Almond oil is renowned for being well tolerated by all skin types, and has a calming, healing effect on skin. The high content of unsaturated fatty acids improves the skin’s barrier function and protects skin against moisture loss. Soothe, protect and nourish your skin with Weleda’s new bodycare trio: Almond Sensitive Skin Body Lotion (rrp £16.95 200ml) Vegetarian. NATRUE-certified Organic. This fast-absorbing lotion calms skin prone to irritation and helps reduce redness. It provides long lasting moisturisation. Protective organic beeswax sourced from Africa helps strengthen the skin’s own natural barrier, leaving skin with a beautiful soft sheen.The range is free from synthetic ingredients of any kind, mineral oils, artificial additives, preservatives, parabens. Citrus Hydrating Body Lotion 200ml £16.95 The genuinely natural cleansing agents are made from sugar and coconut, quickly and entirely biodegradable and ecologically-sound even for aquatic life. Free from artificial preservatives or additives of any kind. This refreshes and hydrates skin with organic aloe vera, coconut oil and sesame oil. This cooling lotion is bursting with freshness and moisturisation for supple, beautiful skin, whilst the zesty fragrance of sun-ripened lemons awakens the senses and invigorates the spirit. The warmth of the Mediterranean sun and the nutrient-rich volcanic Sicilian soil produces a truly top quality citrus oil for a top quality lotion. Evening Primrose Age Revitalising Body Lotion 200ml £24.95 (92% organic Vegan) – evening primrose oil helps smooth and nourish skin, while organic olive and sesame oils protect, and replenishing shea butter helps soften skin. Centella asiatica extract boosts cell regeneration. Age Revitalising Body Lotion. This is rich but not oily, and I liked the hint of sandalwood fragrance which diminished the shea butter. A great pump applicator which is very user friendly. Made my skin feel soft and hydrated especially after being outside in the garden. JP Almond Body Lotion This glides on easily and absorbs quickly. It left my skin feeling pretty much hydrated for all day which is great. The scent is subtle. I really like this. VP Citrus Hydrating Body Lotion Weleda Citrus Hydrating Body Lotion has a beautiful fresh scent perfect for spring and summer. It quickly absorbs and is great as a cooling after sun moisturizer. CB 00
Yorkshire’s Dangerous Coast
Most of the visitors who flock to Yorkshire’s coast every summer, do so without realising that it has a history of marine tragedy reaching back over the centuries and it is hard to realise that an average of two shipwrecks a week have taken place along the North East coast since records began in the 1500s. Brian Spencer investigates the sinking of just a few of these ships, ranging from a First World War hospital ship, to the wholesale sinking of a fleet of colliers, whose wrecking led to a major safety device designed by a Derby M.P. Nature has decreed that Yorkshire’s coast will provide few, if any natural harbours, lining it instead with jagged rocks waiting for unwary craft. Bridlington, Scarborough and Whitby are the only places where it has been possible to build safe anchorage. In other places, only small inshore craft can be used and they must be drawn up on to local beaches, well above the high tide mark. Robin Hood’s Bay is unique, because here fishing boats, the traditionally designed cobbles, rest at the bottom of the village street. The best known wreck was fictional and featured the way novelist Bram Stoker’s Count Dracula came ashore at Whitby, in the shape of a huge black dog. As the story goes, Dracula reached England from Eastern Europe on the ship Demeter that foundered on rocks outside Whitby harbour, which only Dracula survived. Due to stormy weather or engine failure, many ships have failed to gain the safety of Whitby’s harbour. One of them was the Rohila, a WW1 hospital ship that was on its way south to collect wounded. Due to engine failure it missed the entrance to the harbour and drifted on to the rocks at Saltwick Nab below the abbey. Even though it was a matter of yards from the harbour, violent seas prevented the Whitby lifeboat rescuing more than a handful of survivors. Due to the strength of the gale, many of the rockets fired from the tantalisingly close beach, failed to reach their mark, but eventually rescue from the land did take place once the tide had dropped sufficiently. More recently, in 1976 a trawler, the Admiral von Tromp ran aground in a thick fog and heavy seas not all that far from where the Rohila foundered. Here again the Whitby lifeboat tried to rescue its crew and in fact came within touching distance of the vessel, but the rescue proved too difficult and two men drowned. At low tide the jagged remains of the once proud ship are exposed like some futuristic artwork. St Mary’s church stands against the elements high above Whitby harbour and within its walls there is a memorial to a lifeboat tragedy in 1861. During a severe storm, and after saving many lives in full view of a crowd watching from the pier, the Whitby lifeboat was flipped over and 12 men were drowned. Henry Freeman, the only crew member to survive did so because he was the only one wearing the then experimental cork life jacket. Moving northwards away from Whitby, the coast is littered with the poignant remains of shipping that never reached safe harbour. A little way off the shore at Kettleness, between Whitby and Runswick Bay, the boiler of the Wolfhound a Humber trawler that ran aground in 1896 can still be seen, kelp covered and colonised by limpets and mussels. Another wreck is of the 1932 sinking of the Belgian trawler Jeanne, and it is commemorated in the clifftop churchyard at Lythe, where three of its crew are buried. Southwards from Whitby along Yorkshire’s all too frequently tragic coast, Robin Hood’s Bay and its street-end beached cobles, high ended like Viking ships to cope with rough waves, marks the start of a line of high cliffs with limited sea access. It was around here that in early geological times, rocky strata was twisted throughout ninety degrees, leaving long jagged fang like dykes that run far out into the bay. The parent rocks of these dykes are rich in alum, a chemical used to ‘fix’ red dyes once popular in Tudor times. Small coasters laden with barrels of human urine would carefully thread their way between the dykes, using them as a ready-made natural harbour, to unload on what passes as a beach. The urine was used as a chemical in the process of separating the alum from its parent rock which would be carried back to London dyeworks. As navigation was a rather hit-and-miss affair, it is quite likely that many of the chemical-carrying coasters foundered amongst the maze of sharp rocks running out to sea from the foot of places like Ravenscar where alum processing was a major industry. The remains of a modern vessel which came to grief on these fangs still lie out to sea about half way along the rocky shoreline between Robin Hood’s Bay and Ravenscar. This was the Sarb-J, a Grimsby trawler that ran aground in 1994 after its propeller got tangled with a rope. The successful rescue of all its crew became a major operation involving a helicopter. The hulk now sits forlornly upright on its keel hard beneath the cliffs. Scarborough has an all-weather harbour. It stands at the foot of the castle and probably owes much of its origins to the time when the castle and the expanding town was the major port on this part of the coast. While the harbour has offered safe refuge to both inshore and small coastal traffic, the town, along with Hartlepool and Whitby was severely damaged by bombardment from the sea during the Great War. On 16th December 1914 a battle-cruiser squadron under the command of Rear Admiral von Hipper systematically shelled the totally unprepared North East coastal towns, causing great loss of civilian life and extensive damage to property. For many years after the end of that war, a German cruiser, held as part of post war reparations, became a tourist attraction while
Restaurant Review – The Sanam Tandoori Restaurant
Cooking in a traditional way has always been the priority at the Sanam on King Street Alfreton, and for the past 25 years they have stuck to that premise. Over that period of time they have seen restaurants come and go, some change hands. Their philosophy of providing quality food at a fair price has stood the test of time and they are immensely proud of their track record. The chef was trained in the art of blending spices by a leading international chef which explains the extensive and mouthwatering menu on offer at the Sanam. There’s everything on the menu you’d expect but straying onto the ‘chef’s specials’ section if you fancy something a little more exciting will really excite your taste buds. The sauces at the Sanam are rich in flavour and there’s plenty of substance to them. The Mirch Masala dish is full of strips of stir fried chicken with peppers, onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and a subtle tweek from the chef to add that special zing. The ginger is delicate in flavour and doesn’t overpower the meal. The blend of spices ensures a very balanced flavour. We always feel that you get what you pay for where food is concerned and the Sanam has that fine balance of quality food at a very reasonable price. Having dined regularly and had numerous takeaways from the Sanam it can be difficult to pick something new from the menu and not default to old favourites and so it was good to be able to chat to a chap who had come to fetch his takeaway and find out what he enjoyed. It was annoying to find that he had ordered the same as me! So no help there. I’m not a fish fan but the fish dishes at the Sanam are very popular and having taken the grandchildren along for an evening meal one the chef prepared a delightful salmon dish which they polished off with aplomb. Oh, they did have some fries too! The starters at the Sanam include regular favourites such as: Chicken Pakora, Daryayi Bazran served with a delicate mixed nut chat, fresh salmon marinated in fresh dill yoghurt, garlic and chefs special spices and roasted in a tandoor. Adraki lamb chops, juicy slices of lamb chops, marinated in garlic and spices, cooked in a tandoor and served with salad and sauce. Mains include:Jalfrezi Chicken a firm favourite of mine, the characteristic of this dish is the puree made of tomatoes, green peppers and onions which is then poured over the curry. Perfect. I’ve said this before in write ups on Indian restaurants that proper naan bread makes a lot of difference to a meal, and the Sanam specialise in them. They are cooked in a proper oven and are head and shoulders above the anaemic ones that are often passed off as naan. So we go to the Sanam confident in the knowledge that we will get what we enjoy and it will be well cooked, nicely presented, quality food. All in all a cracking night out is assured. Advanced booking is always a good idea. Call 01773 830690 00
