The Railways of Great Britain – A Historical Atlas by Col. Michael H Cobb PhD, MA, FRCS, MInstRE

Posted on July 20, 2015 by Margaret Graham

This is the dream read for any railway and map lover, and I speak as one who is both. It is the definitive historic guide to all the railways in Britain, both existing and lost. All train lines in operation between 1807 and 1994 are dramatically set in colour against an Ordnance Survey grid, alongside the names of the companies that built them, and the opening and closing dates of the stations they connect.

Colonel Cobb, cartographer, railway historian and WW2 veteran created this magnificent atlas after he expertly pinpointed PG Wodehouse’s fictional Blandings Castle by examining the railway information and train times, mentioned in all of Wodehouse’s stories.

Inspired by the task, this amazing man embarked on an epic study of all of Britain’s railways, past and present. It took 18 years of painstaking plotting and researching, as well as traveling on every train line in the country.

Colonel Cobb was awarded a PhD by Cambridge University for this work at the age of 91, making him the oldest person on record to be award a PhD by a university. The first atlas was published in 2003 and sold out immediately, as did a subsequent reprint. This edition has been carefully edited and improved by Patrick Cobb, Michael Cobb’s eldest son.

With over 646 pages of beautifully reproduced maps, this luxury edition consists of two volumes in a slipcase. It is the perfect companion for collectors of special, limited-edition, art books.

In 1940 Michael Cobb participated in the Battle of France, the Dunkirk evacuation and also trained commandos and saw action at Nijmegen. En route to the Far East in 1944 his troopship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea. After the war he joined Military Survey, becoming FRICS. He retired in 1965 as a colonel and spent some years as a professional cartographer before becoming fully retired in 1971.

I love it. The maps are just an amazing feast of information, and constantly one is aware of the love of the task, and the sheer consistent endeavour. Fascinating and moving. I love the fact that Patrick, Michael’s son has cared for, and improved his father’s life’s work.

Published on 13^th July by Riley Dunn & Wilson (Huddersfield) Ltd. £295 www.rdw.co.uk

www.railwaysofgreatbritain.com

Month 6 of My Reading Challenge by Frances Colville

Posted on July 20, 2015 by Margaret Graham

Recently I went to a wonderful performance of Louis De Bernieres’ play for voices entitled Sunday Morning At The Centre Of The World. I’ve read and enjoyed Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, Birds Without Wings and various others of De Bernieres’ books but I’d never come across the play before and I went straight out and picked up a second hand copy to read. It’s such a vivid evocation of life in multi-cultural London and it’s a quick read which is useful for someone trying to read as much as possible in a year. I realised it must have been based on Dylan Thomas’ Under Milk Wood, an old favourite of mine, so of course I then had to re-read that as well. Both plays stretch the boundaries of language, putting together combinations of words which are highly original as well as being thought- provoking and hugely enjoyable. And both authors distill the essence of a community they know very well into just a few pages. To give you a taster, this sentence is taken from the first page of Under Milk Wood ‘It is spring, moonless night in the small town, starless and bible-black, the cobblestreets silent and the hunched, courters’-and-rabbits’ wood limping invisible down to the sloeblack, slow, black, crowblack, fishingboat-bobbing sea.’ Magnificent!

There’s a series of books written by Chris Stewart, one-time Genesis drummer, (Driving Over Lemons, The Parrot in the Pepper Tree and The Almond Blossom Appreciation Society) which are laugh-out-loud funny. They tell the story of how Chris and his partner Ana buy a rundown farm in Las Alpujarras, a region of southern Spain, and how their life develops over a period of years. I first read them years ago and have recently been dipping in to them again. Very enjoyable, but also well written and perceptive. I see there is a recent addition to the original trilogy – The Last Days of the Bus Club – which I have now added to my list of books to read.

What’s next? H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald has been in my pile since it won The Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction and the Costa Book of the Year in 2014. It’s not an easy read but it is one of the most sensitive and incisive portrayals of grief I have ever come across. For me, the training of the hawk Mabel is almost incidental to the proceedings but I can see that it is also a vital part of the book and will no doubt be completely absorbing for anyone who knows about hawks and falconry. The use of language and the descriptive passages throughout the book are quite simply outstanding.

Wild by Cheryl Strayed was an obvious follow up since it too tells of a passage through grief and depression by returning to the wild and searching for healing in the natural rather than the human world. It’s the story of a walk taken by the author along the Pacific Crest Trail. It isn’t as powerful a book as H is for Hawk, and at times I found it to be over-focused on the author and her feelings (so many paragraphs beginning with ‘I’!) rather than giving a wider picture of the trail. But it is very readable and I think actually resonated more with me – partly at least because I can see myself setting out on a long walk or other adventure to assuage grief far more easily than I can see myself trying to train a hawk.

So this month my reading choices have, purely by chance, been pretty much entirely about people and the different ways they live their lives. I’ve been by turn amused, saddened, educated, enlightened, inspired and always entertained. I suspect it would not be at all difficult to continue finding books in this genre for the rest of the year, but I’m not going to do that. Something different is calling.

Mocka Lounge Cardiff

Posted on July 20, 2015 by Sarah Bacchus

If your after a vibrant and happening place to drink some serious cocktails and your in Cardiff we have found one heck of a place to visit. You can sample countless famous cocktails made by the best bartenders in the land. Mocka Lounge Cardiff is the place to go. We ditched our usual drink of choice, a glass of fizz or a G&T and let the brilliant bartender surprise us! And surprisingly he did just that with such triumphant accomplishment we just had to have a few more varieties. Mocka Lounge will leave you happy and heady that’s for sure!! Perfectly packed punch poured over ice and styled so utterly beautiful. Presentation here is as good as the drinks. Social media fans this is the place to take selfies, Instagrams and tweet how fantastic it is. #Thisismockalounge go check them out! Fun tweets and posts galore!

See for yourself how darn Fun and fab this place is! Check out their YouTube channel.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noLxlQtsNhM]

So grab a friend, throw on those disco pants and head off to Cardiff for the weekend. Leave behind the Londoners life and shake your booty at one of the most happening places in the UK. Who would have thought Cardiff was the place to go! Its well worth a visit. Make sure you stay at the Hilton Hotel Cardiff while you are there. It has an amazing spa, pool and treatment rooms. You might well need it after an amazing night out at this wicked and wild little bar! Bring on the cocktails, bring on the fun and seriously bring lots of friends!

Qu’ils mangent de la brioche

Posted on July 19, 2015 by Christian Gott

The popular misconception is that Marie Antoinette’s famously said of the starving French peasants at her gates, “Let them eat cake”. What she actually said was actually “Qu’ils mangent de la brioche. In France, the home of this delicious enriched dough, brioche is properly served as a breakfast cake. In fact brioche is a hybrid, it is made in the same way as you make bread, with the addition of eggs and butter and can also have extra sugar added for a sweeter flavour. The technical term for this pastry cum sweet, buttery dough is Viennoiserie, which include all of those lovely, if rather naughty breakfast treats, like pain aux chocolate and croissants.

I love the stuff, brioche is a amazingly versatile and can be eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner, used as a pastry and the basis of many desserts . Golden brown, freshly baked brioche can be filled with raisins or chocolate chips, simply spread with extra butter and strawberry or apricot jam or as is increasingly popular as a wonderful bun for a burger. As a pastry brioche reaches a height of culinary naughtiness and a decadence that maybe would have shamed even the haughty Marie Antoinette. Wrapped around Cervelas de Lyon, truffle flavoured sausages, fillet steak or luxurious foie gras mousseline. The most celebrated brioche recipe, Coulibiac, is a type of Russian pie filled with sturgeon, buckwheat, hard-boiled eggs, mushrooms, onions, and dill. Brioche in history was truly fit for kings and queens even if they did not live to enjoy it.

For my recipe, I need you to get hold of four large brioche buns and resist any temptation to toast them and spread with pate or jam. We are going a little 1970’s and using them as a bowl to be filled with plump mussels and clams in a full flavoured broth. Old fashioned it may be be, but it is a show stopper and terrifically tasty to boot and once you’ve done it I am sure it will become a favourite. Fresh quality mussels and clams are readily available at all good fishmongers.

Preparing mussels and clams is not a difficult job or something to be scared of. Under a slow running tap scrape off any limpets or items stuck to the shells with a small sharp knife. Some mussels may have a small bushy beard pushed out of the shell. Grabbed between the knife blade and your thumb, a sharp tug should remove it. Wash all of the prepared mussels and clams under the tap for a couple more minutes and drain. You can store then in the bottom of your fridge covered with damp kitchen paper until needed.

Mussel and Clam Stew stuffed Brioche Buns serves 4

4 Brioche Buns

1 kg Fresh Mussels

½ kg Fresh Clams

6 large Banana Shallots, peeled and finely diced

3 cloves of Garlic, peeled and crushed

A small handful of fresh Dill

200 ml thick double cream

50 ml of Vermouth ( White Wine is a great substitute )

25 ml Olive Oil

25 gr Butter

1 fresh Egg

Juice of one fresh Lemon

Freshly ground Black Pepper

In a large, heavy bottomed pan ( with a tight fitting lid ), melt the butter and add the oil. Over a medium heat soften the shallots for ten minutes without colouring. Add the garlic and cook out for two or three minutes stirring continuously. Tip in the mussels and clams and add the Vermouth place on the lid add steam the shellfish for five to six minutes. Carefully holding the pan with a heat proof cloth remove from the heat. Place a colander in a large glass bowl and tip in the mussels and allow to cool. Reserve the cooking liquid to be used to make the final sauce.

Preheat the oven to 325 F / 160 C / Gas Mark 3. Very carefully using a bread knife cut the top quarter of your brioche buns off to form lids. Using a small knife cut into the bottoms of the brioche buns then scoop out the majority of the interior. This can be save to make sweet bread crumbs to use on desserts. Whisk the egg with a little cold water in a small bowl, then brush all over the inside, outside and lids of the buns. Place on a silicon baking tray and bake in the oven for ten to fifteen minutes.

When cool pick the majority of the mussels and clams from their shells leaving a handful for garnishing. Carefully pour the the cooking liquid through a fine strainer into a small pan and place on a medium heat. Bring to a simmer and reduce the volume by half. Add the cream and simmer for a couple more minutes before seasoning with a generous grind of pepper. Add the mussels and clams and gently heat in the sauce. Take care not to boil or the shellfish will toughen, add the lemon juice and finely chopped dill, taste and add more pepper if required.

Place the brioche rolls onto a deep lipped plates or bowls and carefully spoon in the picked mussels and clams. Fill with sauce and top with the prepared lids. Spoon around a little extra liquid and the retained shellfish in shells and sprinkle with a little extra dill to garnish.

Ling Ling in Mykonos, at Hakkasan, Hanway Place

Posted on July 19, 2015 by Paloma Kubiak

The first of the Hakkasan realm of restaurants, Hanway Place plays host to a celebration of food, drink and dance (known as the Izakaya concept) with its limited edition summer menu.

Mirroring the dishes launched in Hakkasan, Mykonos in Greece, diners will be able to opt for one of three choices from the Ling Ling menu:

– Fish and seafood

– Meat and seafood

– Vegetarian.

And this week we sampled the variety of Cantonese-style dishes which are “perfect for island living and late night revelry”.

But on our own English island and in the heart of London, the vibe was fun, the food had flair and the drinks were flowing. While we sipped on bubbly, a signature cocktail to accompany the dishes has also been released – the Ling Ling Collins.

My favourite was the grilled Chilean seabass in honey, oozing with taste and textures. The seabass slithered on the tongue; it was smoky yet sweet which contrasted with the crispy deep fried mushroom nestled on top.

Next the spicey prawn with lily bulb and almond left an explosion in the mouth – hot but moreish and the plump prawn was beautifully juicy.

The homemade pumpkin tofu was deep-fried and a rather nice alternate dish among the seafood dishes. Crispy on the outside and squidgy on the inside, there was just the right hint of pumpkin to mask the distinctive flavour of the tofu.

And the steamed dim sum platter of scallop shumai came beautifully presented in the bamboo steamer.

The array of macarons were a feast for the eyes, each with their own distinct flavour. I bit into a pink macaron which radiated flowery tastes in the palate, a rose-water-like tang.

And I also sampled a macaron filled with sweet chocolate, ending the evening on a sugary high.

The limited edition Ling Ling summer menu will be available at Hakkasan Hanway Place and Mayfair until 31 August, priced at £35/person and £45/person respectively.

A Weekend In Rome: Fall For The The Eternal City In 48 Hours

Posted on July 18, 2015 by Holly Thomas

by Holly Thomas. All images copyright Holly Thomas [Twitter, Instagram: @HolstaT]

Rome might not have been built in a day, but with enough pizza bianca under your belt you can sure fall for it in one. Here are a few unmissables you should squeeze in between slices…

The Walk up the Via dei Fori Imperiali

[Make this your route to the Colloseum, and in ten minutes you’ll see enough of Ancient Rome to make your trip worthwhile]

Start early at the Piazza Venezia. Avoid the overpriced ice cream (tends to be better when found down a side street), and start down the Via dei Fori. On your right you’ll pass the Altar of the Fatherland, which looms massively over the square, a fantastic titan-scale monument honouring the city’s fallen soldiers.

Trot a little further and on your left, you’ll see the Foro di Augusto, the ruins of a forum which once served both as a temple to Mars, and space for legal proceedings. It’s classic Ancient Rome, slick efficiency coupled with due deference to conquest. If it’s dry, you can head down the steps below street level and wander through the remains.

[I never cease to be impressed by the gumption of national heritage sites which allow this – tourist footfall must be eroding the SHIT out of everything, surely?]

A little further up on your right, past the Julius Caesar statue, you’ll see the Roman Forum. It’s architectural excavation on a huge scale – like a valley of ruins overlooked on all sides by 2000-year-old temples, government buildings, and palaces. Get a guide to explain all this to you properly (on which more later).

Next on your right is the beautiful Basilica SS Cosma e Damiano. A very lovely building, but by this point you’ll be having trouble tearing your eyes away from the main event…

The Colosseum

It’s staggering, no hyperbole. This was my favourite thing in the city. See the Colloseum, and you’ll understand why the Romans thought so very much of themselves for 500 years. Even beyond the scale and majesty of the building itself, it encapsulates an idea of Rome (my apologies to Ridley Scott), that no number of churches can match. It’s brutal, imperial, clever, showbusiness, business business, it’s everything you want it to be.

Book a tour

Give yourself up to the socks and sandals legions. Ruins are very lovely to look at, but they take on such greater significance when someone explains what exactly you’re seeing, and this is history. A good guide can tell you how the cunning Romans drained their valley-straddling city, where the centre mile is (all roads lead to…), where the citizens had to apply for planning permission, and how one vestal “virgin” evaded being buried alive when she discovered she was pregnant. Go to the top of the hill where the orange trees grow for a stunning panoramic view of the old city, and don’t be shy to ask your guide to pause while you take the pictures it deserves.

Make sure that your tour includes both the under-stage level of the colosseum and the third tier. It’s a little more expensive, but a worthwhile education. Stand on the lights in the tunnels and imagine yourself one of hundreds of slaves preparing hundreds of desperate, dangerous animals for their moment in the spotlight. Then when you’ve climbed to the top, you can better imagine the view of the gladiators – the most expensive beasts in the Colosseum – making their bloody names on the stage.

Go to lunch at Al Cardello, which is tucked away behind the guide office. It’s small and sweet, with the modest seating open onto the kitchen. Diners speak softly to preserve the peace just a stone’s throw away from the busiest tourist area in the city. It helps that the food (the traditional menu you’ll see everywhere – grilled vegetables, pesce, carne, pasta) is prepared with great care, and quite delicious enough to command your full attention.

After eating, you can nip around the corner to see Michelangelo’s Moses at Basilica di San Pietro in Vincoli.

Take a wander towards the Spanish Steps. If you’re parched for green space, continue beyond the steps and into the park behind. Aim yourself at the Temple of Asceplius for photos opps. Be sure to get back to the top of the steps in time for sunset, though…

The Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel

Well, obviously, but might as well if you’re in the neighbourhood, right? It’s €16 for the museum and chapel. Give it a good half day – if you were to attempt to look at everything in the Vatican you’d be camping there a month, but a few hours will give you a good sense of the place, and get you comfortably to saturation point on the fresco-and-sculpture front.

Of course, you’ll also drop into The Basilica of St Paul. If you’d rather do so without buying the full Vatican ticket, you can enter via the Roman square, but get their early (before eight) to avoid the staggering queue. Bear in mind that the Pope likes to swing by without forewarning sometimes, and when he does, the church is closed to the public.

If you have some time to kill…

… and are in the mood for a little educational Schadenfreude, head to the Museo Criminologico. This former prison now houses the most satisfyingly macabre collection you could wish to lose an hour or so gawping at. Observe, the spiked iron collar placed on “chattering” women in the seventeenth century! The skeleton of some poor bastard left to die suspended in a metal cage! The torture seat which had a fire lit underneath! I loved every minute in this place.

Our Little Secret By Jenna Ellis Review by Jan Speedie

Posted on July 17, 2015 by Frostie

Our Little Secret is the debut novel of Jenna Ellis. As a freelance photographer Jenna has worked and lived all over the world. Her saucy, erotic tale about Sophie Henshall is made for holiday reading.

At 20 something, Sophie longs for some excitement in her life. Living in Manchester with her Dad and brother, she works as a nursery assistant at FunPlex. With her boyfriend Scott, she shares a love of dancing and techno music and a healthy sex life in his drab bedsit.

Life changes for Sophie Henshall when she answers an advertisement in The Lady for a live-in nanny to a New York family. This is her chance to change her life forever as she is transported to a new and glamorous world in the Big Apple with the elusive Mr and Mrs Parker. Out of her depth, she is drawn into a world of designer clothes, grand houses, lavish parties, sexual intrigue and secrets.

Sophie is irresistibly drawn to Edward and Marnie Parker who are both flirtatious and attractive and lead her into temptations she is unable to resist. But the Parkers have a darker side and secrets to share with Sophie that she must never tell. Secrets can bring pleasure or pain.

Can Sophie Henshall survive or must she return to her old life in Manchester?

Ellis has written an enjoyable romp, a page turner, and what a setting. It will be interesting to see what Jenna Ellis produces next.

Published in paperback on 16^th July 2015, by PanMacmillan.

Christmas In July

Posted on July 17, 2015 by Sarah Bacchus

Yes you did read this right I did just mention Christmas in July. Oddly enough it was rather fantastic to see all the things that will be on most people’s shopping lists 6 months ahead of schedule. Stacks and stacks of ideas for all the family where in abundance at this particular event. Most high street shops have been doing these events throughout July for press and bloggers. The main product launch that held my excitement was from ComptoirLibanais.com You must know them…The amazing Lebanese restaurants from around London. If you visit Sloane Square or Westfield you will know the place. If you haven’t tried their fabulous fare before…well it’s a total must. Not happy with just an incredibly wonderful cookbook they have just developed a range of Crockery and kitchenware. All in keeping with the vibrant and pretty Lebanese theme. Dining won’t be the same again with this brilliant range. They sell it throughout their restaurants and are looking for retailers to take on this pretty line. The items start from just £3 up to £40 for their impressive stoneware.

The lovely new range from CarolineGardener.com normally known for her greetings cards was so pretty. Delightful coin purses to an amazing new range of leather handbags and purses.

The new and amazing debut collection is made up of creations that Caroline would like to actually own herself, with prices that won’t break the bank. I’m all for that! They are stunning and so exquisite you will be adding more than one to any bag collection. The fabulous and fashionable collection are made up of handbags, wallets, tote bags, coin purses and pouches, all for under £300. With style and quality being everything to Caroline this range would make anyone happy this christmas.

I spied the Spanish cured meats from Viandasde Salamanca. And went in for a tasty nibble. Their range of high quality hams, sausages and deli goods are to die for. A fab gift for a foodie.

Karma cola was exceptional and blooming tasty to say the least. The cola knocked spots off a well known brand! Those clever people believe that your fizzy drinks should not only taste great but also should be good for the land and the people that help to grow the ingredients. Nowhere else will you find a fizzy drink that’s actually really rather good for you! All their drinks are made form organic and fair trade sources with good sugars. No evil ingredients in these delicious drinks. Find them at www.Karmacola.co.uk

Then lastly the fantastic range from WhiskHampers.co.uk had all my Christmas gifts wrapped up! The coffee, gin and whiskey lovers in the family will be sorted and a self gift of tea for me! You can’t go Christmas shopping and not self gift now it’s an unwritten rule didn’t you know! One of the reasons Christmas is so good you can hide all the evidence!!

What have you in mind for gifts now that I have given you a few ideas? Yes I know its early but this way you might actually be able to enjoy the Christmas sales if all your shopping is done in the next few months. I know what I will be getting everyone for their stockings. I just hope my friends and family don’t read this as that would give it alway totally!

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