The Readers & Writers Festival to be held in lovely Margaret River, Western Australia

Posted on November 21, 2014 by Margaret Graham

I found Margaret River when I was researching my bestselling novel Canopy of Silence for Heinemann some years ago now. I flew over from the UK and took the bus down from Perth, Western Australia to seek out descendants of the Group Settlers. I found Dinkie Sutton, who was the relative of the guy who ran the post office in my Somerset village, where I lived then. She introduced me to others.

I fell in love with the Sutton family and Margaret River. I think of it as my second home. It is a place of great beauty and initially, of great hardship for the settlers, who were enticed out by the British and West Australian governments after the 1 World War to create dairy farms.

The settlers were shown films of established dairy farms in New South Wales typical, it was said, of the farms they would go to.

The reality on the western side of Australia was different. South of Perth there were sandy tracts, and further down, near Margaret River, the soil was just not capable of producing grazing land sufficiently nutritious for dairy herds.

Before they reached that stage the settlers had to fell the huge trees, with a mattock and a saw, sometimes walking a couple of miles to collect water for their young families. It’s the stuff of heartbreak, but the Poms were a tough lot, just as are the Australians.

They endured, and latterly it was discovered that the Margaret River area is suitable for wine growing. It’s worth a visit just to tour the vineyards which produce the most superb wines. Trust me, I remember the hangovers. Even those were of a superior variety.

I have many tales to tell of the area and will dig out a few as we get more news from the region, because I’m delighted to tell you we have the first of many items from the region. Bring ‘em on, please.

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The Margaret River Readers’ and Writers’ Festival 2015

SEASONS is the theme for the seventh annual Readers and Writers Festival to be held in the beautiful Margaret River wine region in Western Australia next year, so those of you in the UK have time to plan your trip. Those of you in Australia, get ready to clear your diaries and give yourself a real treat.

Festival director Helen Allan tells me the annual festival will be held over the May long weekend 29-31 2015 and the festival has already secured a huge line-up of famous authors to excite readers of all genres.

“We are focussing on the environment, nature and the seasons of our lives – the theme `Seasons’ encapsulates all of those things, and Autumn is such a beautiful time in Margaret River, we should celebrate that – when Keats wrote that Autumn was the ‘season of mists and mellow fruitfulness’ it almost seems like he wrote it for our region.”

The festival committee had lined up around 20 authors and the festival will, once again, run over three days.

“From Tomorrow When The War Began author John Marsdon to science fiction author Isobelle Carmody, comedian and authors Sami Shah, Justin Heazelwood and Luke Ryan to romance authors Fiona Palmer, Michelle de Kretser and food/nature author Sophie Zalokar, we have something for everyone,” she said. As both a reader and writer I was already hooked.

“We will be letting more names out of the bag as the time draws nearer, we have had a huge amount of interest from authors wanting to take part in next year’s festival, given the outstanding growth and success of the festival last year.”

The festival, while small, is steadily growing and the organisers are keen to have a big-name international authors to headline their event.

“We don’t have a huge budget, but what we lack in funds we make up for in warmth and hospitality, our authors are treated like royalty and thoroughly spoiled when they come over.

“We had hoped to have some British writers participate in next year’s festival and had invited Stephen Fry and Michael Palin, but to no avail. Hopefully as our festival gains more of an international standing more English authors will come forward. Our wine region is an exciting and beautiful place to visit and what could be better than combining a look at our natural wonders with a celebration of literature?”

I can vouch for all of that, and what a wonderful time to be south of Perth, in the lovely Margaret River area. While you’re there, have a good look around. See the wonderful surf, and give it a go. My son-in-law promises himself the opportunity one day. Perhaps head out to see the Prevelly Chapel, a monument to the monks of Crete who helped save so many Australian Servicement in the 2^nd World War, at the expense of their own lives. Returning servicemen raised the money to raise the Chapel in tribute. It’s moving, but that’s an understatement. Go and see for yourselves, and make it in May so you can catch the Festival.

The Stockbridge Restaurant Review Edinburgh

Posted on November 21, 2014 by Melissa Volpi

As our taxi parks up in a residential street, the first thing I have to ask the driver is: “Where is The Stockbridge Restaurant?” But this is not a negative. The Stockbridge Restaurant, situated in the bohemian area of Stockbridge – in Edinburgh’s New Town – is hidden from view down a steep flight of town house steps, in the basement of a Georgian building.

We are the first guests to arrive at 7 pm on a Friday evening in November. Our waitress – an elegant young woman with a European accent – takes our coats and seats us at a table for two in a cosy corner of this room. There is a big table to our right that is set for a party of ten and six other tables positioned intimately in this space, which is more like a friend’s dining room than a restaurant.

There are black painted stonewalls decorated with mirrors; paintings by Scottish colourists; and purple patterned black out curtains along the street facing wall. The small bar, to the rear of this dining room, is made up of wooden shelves that are stacked with a variety of Scottish Gins to include Boe, Hendricks, The Botanist, Old Raj and Edinburgh Gin. But the most charming parts of this interior are the linen covered tables, with linen napkins and gold damask chairs, as well as the old fireplace filled with glowing candles and a cascade of white melted candle wax.

Chive and Chervil Pesto

To help us settle in, we are given a wine and drinks list, as well as a basket of toasted bread. The bread is cut into triangles and there are three varieties to choose from – white, brown and black olive bread. To show us that The Stockbridge Restaurant is a little more unusual than many Edinburgh dining establishments, we are given the traditional choice of toast topping (a small ceramic pot filled with butter) and an original offering. In a small ceramic pouring pot is a runny grass green liquid that we are told contains a homemade chive and chervil pesto.

My mum orders two large glasses of white wine for us – one glass of the Stoney Range Sauvignon Blanc from Sherwood Estate in New Zealand and one glass of the Santa Rosa Viognier from Argentina – while I pour this chive and chervil pesto over a triangle of black olive bread.

This combination reminds me of a lovely spring day and I quickly pour more pesto onto a second triangle of bread.

Set Menu or A La Carte Menu

Our waitress gives us a choice of two menus. There is a Set Menu available from Tuesday to Friday, which offers two courses for £20.95 or three courses for £24.95. Or, there is the A La Carte Menu available from 7 pm between Tuesday and Saturday. After having a quick scan over both menus, we decide on the A la Carte Menu – the more imaginative of the two.

There are five starters to choose from and all are priced at £7.95 except for the seared scallops with butternut squash puree, apple salsa, walnuts and Serrano ham, which is advertised at £12.45. There are two meat dishes, two fish dishes and one cheese dish to choose from.

The braised ox cheeks tempt me… but I decide to have an evening of game dishes instead – since we are now into November and the Scottish grouse, partridge, pheasant and hind season is in full swing. Jason Gallagher, Chef and Owner, sources all his game meat from Braehead Foods in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire (http://www.braeheadfoods.co.uk/).

I order the partridge breast and confit leg with leek puree, wild mushrooms and Madeira sauce to start and my mum picks the trio of cheese: goats cheese fondant with beetroot puree, blue cheese soufflé and cheddar cheese sausage.

The five maincourses on offer (two fish dishes and three game dishes) start at £20.95 and rise to £24.95 for the grouse and venison options. My mum orders the grilled halibut while I order the venison loin with venison pie.

The imagination that has gone into this selection of maincourses is superb, especially if you love game. But, if I had to highlight something, I would say that the maincourses might be off-putting to a vegetarian – especially as one of the two fish dishes is served with crispy pancetta. Not all vegetarians eat fish, so it would be good to offer a 100% vegetarian option on the A La Carte maincourse menu – similar to what the chef has already done with the starter menu.

Amuse Bouche

To our surprise, two small square dishes are placed in front of us containing an amuse bouche (The French term, ‘amuse bouche’ means a tiny portion of food served before the starter to stimulate the appetite).

The dish looks more Japanese than French though – probably due to the colour of the small square dish, which is black. But, it’s a cute idea.

Everything is in miniature. Sitting on top of a tiny rectangular sized piece of Parma ham is half a cherry tomato filled with tiny mozzarella cubes and sliced spring onions. This miniature wonder is finished off with a drizzle of balsamic glaze and a sprig of parsley.

In two bites, it is gone. But it leaves a lovely fresh taste in my mouth and has done what it is meant to do – it has whetted my appetite.

Starters

My mum and I both smile as our starters are laid in front of us. This is not what we were expecting at all – but in the best of ways.

My partridge breast and confit leg rest on a bed of vibrant green, the leek puree, and are surrounded by an assortment of wild mushrooms oozing with Madeira sauce. A small bouquet of parsley adds the finishing touch to this dish.

Even though I am mesmerised by the presentation of my mums starter, I cannot wait to start my own and end up trying a few bites of partridge and mushroom before we both clink glasses and toast the beginning of our meal.

To say the partridge is tender would be an understatement – the meat breaks off the confit leg at the lightest touch and the pink breast is cooked to perfection. The whole starter works very well and I can’t help thinking that this would be an achievable dish to cook at home. It’s a simple and traditional pairing of ingredients, cooked and presented in a modern fine dining style.

But the winner for best presentation must go to my mum’s starter: the trio of cheeses. The three different cheese dishes are presented side by side on a rectangular white plate – and they are all in miniature.

A small cheddar cheese sausage, which looks like a potato croquette, sits in the centre of a red circle of chilli sauce to the left. The goat’s cheese fondant rests on a brush stroke of beetroot puree and has three homemade savoury wafers rising like candles from its centre. And, lastly, the blue cheese soufflé has a dab of blue cheese sauce on top. This artistic presentation is interwoven with basil leaves still attached to their stem.

Sorbet

Just to remind us that we are in a fine dining establishment, our waitress brings us two small square dishes, each containing one scoop of homemade passionfruit sorbet, to suck slowly before the maincourse. The amuse bouche and the sorbet have been a welcome surprise – and they have transformed our three course meal into a five course meal.

Maincourses

The sorbet has cleansed our palate in preparation for the maincourse. This time it is my choice that wins the best presentation award.

My mum’s grilled halibut sits on a bed of crispy pancetta and crushed potatoes that are surrounded by spinach, mushrooms and an Arran mustard sauce. The fried quail egg rests to the side of this piece of halibut and is decorated with parsley. It looks appetising and it tastes very good, but it melts into insignificance next to my venison loin with venison pie – this presentation and combination is the best I have seen anywhere, including some famous London restaurants.

I took the chefs advice and had the venison loin cooked medium rare and it looks perfect, resting in a fan shape on top of the parsnip puree and surrounded by braised red cabbage, roasted vegetables, balls of piped mash potato and just enough port sauce.

But the pièce de résistanceis the venison pie, which comes in a ramekin with two rustic savoury wafers rising out of the mashed potato topping like deer antlers. In short, it is absolutely delicious. Everything on the plate compliments each other, from the sweet flavours of the parsnips and red cabbage to the very rustic flavours of the meat and plain potato mash.

Desserts

Eager not to miss our train home, we deliberate on whether to have desserts – as they can take between 20 to 30 minutes to prepare. But, after being assured by the host and co-owner of The Stockbridge Restaurant, Jane Walker (wife of Jason Gallagher) that she will put in a special request with the kitchen to make sure that our desserts come as quickly as possible, we order the chocolate brulee with chocolate brownie and the banana tart tatin.

Jane has just arrived in the restaurant. The locals eat here late and it’s only now, at just after 8.30 pm, that the dining room has become lively and full.

“We are often here until after midnight,” Jane says. “A lot of our customers don’t start eating their maincourses until after 10 pm.”

Banana tart tatin and Chocolate brulee

This time, both of our desserts win the best presentation award. My mum’s banana tart tatin is presented in the centre of a square white plate. To the right is a small pouring pot of butterscotch sauce and to the left is a neat scoop of vanilla ice cream. It’s a very minimalist looking dessert that has big chunks of banana in it. My mum assures me it tastes as good as it looks – and we are told that this dessert is the most popular.

My chocolate brulee is presented in a shot glass. There is one scoop of milk chocolate ice cream to the right of this brulee and a small, rectangular chunk of chocolate brownie to the left. The brownie is surrounded by two piped clusters of white chocolate mousse, which look like meringues. It is the first time that I have tasted chocolate brulee and it will not be my last. The combination of burnt sugar topping and creamy chocolate brulee is heavenly.

Coffee and Petit Fours

We finish our meal with an Americano and a cafe latte, served with homemade petit fours – two chunks of rocky road cake, two strips of chocolate chip biscotti and two after eight circles. It’s a nice final touch to this five course feast and, needles to say, the petit fours do not last as long as the coffee.

I don’t like to use the words perfect or amazing in my restaurant reviews because restaurants are like people – they are full of flaws if you look hard enough. But, I like to focus on the positives and not the negatives because I know how hard it is to make restaurants work – both my parents are restaurateurs.

So, to give credit where credit is due, I can honestly say that The Stockbridge Restaurant is as near to perfect as any restaurant can hope to be. The location is safe and interesting – and only a ten to fifteen minute walk from Edinburgh’s famous Princes street and Royal Mile. The architecture is beautiful and the dining room is intimate. The décor sets the scene for an evening of indulgence and relaxation and the staff are eager to please without being intrusive. The extensive list of Scottish Gins on offer is a nice touch. The chef has excellent presentation skills and the food is a work of art whilst also tasting homely. The local produce and seasonal dishes make you feel proud to be Scottish and the end of evening bill will not make you feel guilty or shocked.

I give The Stockbridge Restaurant 9 out of 10. And, if they added a 100% vegetarian course to the A La Carte maincourse menu and fixed the left hand toilet door in the Ladies, I would give it 10 out of 10. This restaurant is as good as it gets and is not to be missed on your next night out in Edinburgh. It’s a family run restaurant for locals and tourists alike.

Our bill:

1 x 250 ml glass of Viognier £7.75

1 x 250 ml glass of Sauvignon Blanc £9.30

1 x partridge starter £7.95

1 x trio of cheese starter £7.95

1 x venison loin with venison pie £24.95

1 x halibut £20.95

1 x chocolate crème brulee with chocolate brownie £6.95

1 x banana tart tatin £6.95

2 x coffee and petit fours £3.00 to £3.75 each

Total: £99.50 for a five-course meal for two including wine and coffees

Contact details:
54 St Stephen Street
EdinburghEH3 5AL

Phone: 0131 226 6766
Email: jane@thestockbridgerestaurant.co.uk

Website: http://www.thestockbridgerestaurant.co.uk/

Gaucho Sloane Restaurant Review

Posted on November 21, 2014 by Catherine Balavage

The Gaucho has a reputation that precedes it. Quite a few people were jealous that I was reviewing it, more so than any other restaurant I have reviewed. It was all apparent why when we arrived. To begin with, the decor is stunning. The chairs are comfortable: high-backed with a black and white animal print. The entire place is just stylish. The atmosphere is not stuffy and there are a few families here with (well-behaved) toddlers.

Our waiter, Ewan, is incredibly knowledgable. He knows everything about the food and the wine. His recommendations are also excellent.

Our meal is started off with some bread and Chimichurri sauce, a staple in Argentina. It is made from parsley, garlic, fresh pepper, olive oil, red pepper and red wine vinegar. The bread comes in a good variety: there is some corn bread and some cheesy bread to go with the ordinary bread. All tastes great and fresh.

For our starter I have the pan-fried scallops with watercress purée, smoked pancetta and confit red peppers and my colleague has the crab caustic with egg, lime and avocado. The scallops are perfectly cooked and the sauce is wonderful, the smoked pancetta on top really works too. The crab is delicious and unique. It is presented on top of mashed potato. The avocado is perfect and the hint of egg is unusual but works well. It is complex and creative. The potato is smooth and well seasoned. It holds everything together.

For my main I have to have a steak, the Gaucho is famous for them after all. I have the churrasco de lomo: spiral cut, marinated for 48 hours in garlic, parsley and olive oil. It is 400g of pure heaven. Even more impressive because I cannot have it medium rare as I am pregnant but the chef manages to make it taste amazing, even though it has to be well done. This is the best steak I have ever had in my life. High praise indeed as I have eaten a lot of steak. It is just perfect and you can tell that a lot of time and effort went into it. Our waiter, Edwan, brought out the steak in advance to show us. The cows are grass fed and roam around an area of Argentina three times the size of the UK. I have a garlic hollandaise sauce on the side which is simply divine. However, the steak is so marinated and delicious it could be eaten on its own.

My colleague has pork belly with pumpkin purée, glazed button onions and buttered cabbage. He says it is a triumph: perfectly cooked pork with sweet caramelised onions and cabbage. It has a fantastic, sweet, sticky sauce that is not heavy and is divine with the pork.

For our sided we have baked and grilled sweet potato, brushed with butter. It is perfect. We also have some perfectly cooked buttery curly kale.

To drink we have mocktails. I have a virgin mojito that tastes just like the real thing and my colleague has a fruit punch. Both are excellent. I could drink a virgin mojito everyday.

For dessert I have a chocolate and raspberry alfajores: milk chocolate and raspberry parfait cake with italian meringue and crushed raspberries and my colleague has dulce de leche cheesecake, a salted dulce de leche. Both desserts are delicious.

Gaucho also have an extensive and wonderful list of Argentinean wine. Make sure you have some. There is also the Bar Galante next door. It is a beautiful bar, very stylish and perfect for sipping a cocktail or two.

I can highly recommend Gaucho. It is right at the top of my list of the best restaurants in London. Just superb.

Gaucho – Sloane
89 Sloane Avenue
London
SW3 3DX
Phone: 0207.584.9901
Fax: 0207.584.0045

The Call of The Wild Art Exhibition by Wendy Breckon

Posted on November 20, 2014 by Margaret Graham

In search of the creative experience, my curiosity takes me away from the hustle and bustle of Broad Street in Lyme Regis and the sea down to the Town Mill. This feels like the artistic hub, an enclosed, pretty area with a restored 700 year old flour mill and two art galleries (the Malt House and Courtyard). Here is a tranquil place, tucked away where one can write, sketch or sip tea as the world goes by.

I love art exhibitions; who doesn’t. I feel the magnetic pull of the Malt House Gallery. A light filled, calming space with the apt title of ‘CALL OF THE WILD’.

This is closing on 23rd November, but there is a new exhibition every three weeks so have a look at the work of these artists and see the essence of the gallery. The opening hours are normally from 10.30 to 16.30 except in early January (www.townmillartsguild.com).

By the entrance off to the right, are three adorable and quirky figures keeping watch on all who pass through. These ladies mean business. With umbrellas over their heads and animated expressions, they clutch their handbags very tightly! Owning one is not enough, I want them all PLEASE.

I have competition in Margaret Graham though, who wonders if she’ll need a mortgage to acquire them. She treats herself to a work of art every time one of her books is published, and Easterleigh Hall is just out. We’ll have to get our elbows going, and the best girl wins.

These are the wonderful creations of ceramicist Linda Bristow, soft muted colours that would look perfect in my sitting room.

In Linda’s collection there are also unusual shaped pots with daisies on top. A very popular ceramicist, her work is displayed beautifully. Linda Bristow was originally a nurse but when her children grew older she went to Bath Spa University as a mature student to do an art course. Gaining a first class honours degree in 2007, her final design piece, an instillation of 200 porcelain and bronze flowers, was snapped up by one person. Sadly it wasn’t me.

Linda has exhibited everywhere in the UK. She loves being outdoors and is fascinated by nature. It is easy to visualise her working in the garden studio taking in the wonderful views of Charmouth.

Elizabeth Wilson is another artist exhibiting in the gallery, who I was lucky enough to meet today. Her visually beautiful oil paintings capture the light and movement in the skies and seas around Lyme Regis perfectly. My favourite three are ‘The Cobb’, ‘Storm on The Cobb’ and ‘The Seagull’. Will her oils she has captured the iconic scenes, that those of us who live here and those who visit enjoy so much.

Liz lives in Lyme Regis. She originally completed a botany degree and has always had a fascination for the ‘conversation between the landscape and nature’. It was only seven years ago that she started painting in oils. Liz has been both influenced and inspired by Constable the landscape painter and the modernist painter Martin Kaneer for whom she has a great admiration. Liz has always preferred being outside and likes to revisit a scene many times to achieve her end result.

So visit Lyme Regis. Seek out the Town Mill. Enjoy the fabulous art in both galleries. Meet the artists, but please leave one of those fabulous ceramic females for me.

For other activities and courses at the Town Mill, check out www.townmill.org.uk and Philip Clayton the Curator of the Arts Guild (curatorartsguild@yahoo.co.uk)

Vote For Frost Magazine in The UK Blog Awards 2015

Posted on November 20, 2014 by Frostie

The public vote for the UK Blog Awards is now open and we are asking our amazing readers to Vote for Frost magazine in the UK Blog Awards 2015.

If you love Frost, or even just like us then please vote for us here. Every vote counts and is much appreciated.

Thank you.

Nicole Scherzinger Wears Gilet by Dom Goor

Posted on November 20, 2014 by Frostie

Nicole Scherzinger was looking rather feline ahead of the start of her debut in the West End Musical Cats.

Dressed in a slinky black, sequinned number, she matched it with a beautiful black sheepskin gilet by Dom Goor. Puuuurrffect duo!

The black gilet is available at domgoor.com and costs £840.

Imitation Game Film Review

Posted on November 19, 2014 by Catherine Balavage

Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Charles Dance, Mark Strong

I was very excited about seeing this film. The cracking of the enigma code is one of Britain’s greatest accomplishments, saving millions of lives and ending a war. Alan Turing is one of the most underrated and greatest Britons that ever lived. Played by Benedict Cumberbatch, Cumberbatch does an excellent job of portraying the man who essentially invented the computer. He could have just done another Sherlock-type performance but his performance is astounding, believable and as good as expected from an actor who is fast becoming one of our true greats. It is just subtle enough. The script is great, the entire film just works very well. Strong performances are given from the rest of the cast too and Keira Knightley’s performance gives Joan Clarke, a woman who did great work and contributed to history when too many were never given the chance, the credit she deserves.

Whilst I watched this film, myself and the rest of the audience were engaged and laughed many times. But the overwhelming feeling at the end was of injustice. The injustice of homosexuality ever being illegal, the injustice of one of our greatest, who helped stop a war and saved tens of millions of lives. is hard to take. Forced to take pills that chemically castrated him. Turing ended his life when he was only 41 after being forced to take these pills or face prison. His ‘crime’ was his sexuality and being caught with a young man. No one helped him or stopped the appalling behaviour. It wasn’t until 2013 that he was posthumously pardoned by Queen Elizabeth II. This film is a must watch. It tells an essential part of our history, but it also says far too much about the brutality of injustice and hate.

Based on the real life story of Alan Turing, who is credited with cracking the German Enigma code, the film portrays the nail-biting race against time by Turing and his brilliant team at Britain’s top-secret code-breaking centre, Bletchley Park, during the darkest days of World War II. Turing, whose contributions and genius significantly shortened the war, saving thousands of lives, was the eventual victim of an unenlightened British Establishment, but his work and legacy live on.

The Imitation Game is out now.

Cauliflower and Leek Soup Recipe

Posted on November 19, 2014 by Catherine Balavage

This Cauliflower and Leek Soup Recipe is a great vegetarian soup. Lower in calories than the classic potato and leek soup. It is a good alternative and tastes delicious.

You will need:

3 leeks

40g of butter

1 cauliflower

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2L stock of your choice. I use vegetable sometimes but not always.

salt and pepper to taste

How to make it:

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pan. Use a medium heat. Saute the leeks, the cauliflower and the garlic for roughly 10 minutes. Stir in the stock and then bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover and allow the mixture to simmer for 45 minutes.

After 45 minutes remove the soup from the heat. You can then blend with a mixer if you want it to be smooth. I don’t, I like my soup chunky. Add a good dollop of butter or double cream if you want. It is optional but I add more butter. It really adds to the taste. Add salt and pepper to taste too. Done! Simple and delicious.