Village Raw - ISSUE 6
Village Raw is a magazine that explores cultural stories from Crouch End, East Finchley, Highgate, Muswell Hill and the surrounding areas. The magazine is created by the community, for the community. If you like this issue you can support the project through a subscription or donation. See the links below. The sixth issue of Village Raw magazine includes: ARTISTS OPEN UP - The Crouch End and East Finchley open studios. FUZZY AND LOUD / LO-FI AND MOODY - Musician Michael Jablonka discusses his music. ON THE TRAIL OF PINK - A project to celebrate Highgate’s historical women. LIGHTING IT UP - The Bounds Green Window Show lighting up the neighbourhood. WARM HUGS AND SWEET MEMORIES - In celebration of Crouch End institution Edith’s House. THE STATE OF OUR HIGH STREETS - Keeping our high streets alive and healthy. DINNER WITH A DIFFERENCE - Exploring the local supper club scene. THINKING LOCAL TO ACT GLOBAL - Making our relationship with the environment more reciprocal. SHAPING THE WORLD AROUND US - The importance of our biodiversity. FLOWERS FROM SEED - Growing seasonal local flowers for sustainable bouquets. FUELLING MIND AND BODY - A sanctuary to escape the pressures of modern life. AND MORE… Village Raw is created by the community, for the community. If you like this issue you can support the project through a subscription or donation. See the links below.
Village Raw is a magazine that explores cultural stories from Crouch End, East Finchley, Highgate, Muswell Hill and the surrounding areas. The magazine is created by the community, for the community. If you like this issue you can support the project through a subscription or donation. See the links below. The sixth issue of Village Raw magazine includes:
ARTISTS OPEN UP - The Crouch End and East Finchley open studios.
FUZZY AND LOUD / LO-FI AND MOODY - Musician Michael Jablonka discusses his music.
ON THE TRAIL OF PINK - A project to celebrate Highgate’s historical women.
LIGHTING IT UP - The Bounds Green Window Show lighting up the neighbourhood.
WARM HUGS AND SWEET MEMORIES - In celebration of Crouch End institution Edith’s House.
THE STATE OF OUR HIGH STREETS - Keeping our high streets alive and healthy.
DINNER WITH A DIFFERENCE - Exploring the local supper club scene.
THINKING LOCAL TO ACT GLOBAL - Making our relationship with the environment more reciprocal.
SHAPING THE WORLD AROUND US - The importance of our biodiversity.
FLOWERS FROM SEED - Growing seasonal local flowers for sustainable bouquets.
FUELLING MIND AND BODY - A sanctuary to escape the pressures of modern life.
AND MORE…
Village Raw is created by the community, for the community. If you like this issue you can support the project through a subscription or donation. See the links below.
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VILLAGE RAW<br />
FOOD & DRINK<br />
This page: Plates by Melisa Dora with lobster tails.<br />
Previous page: Shannon Bartlett-Smith toasting the<br />
supper club table with her ceramic champagne flutes.<br />
to make them. Thrown Contemporary is celebrating its first birthday<br />
tonight, and Claire is happily watching the gallery come alive<br />
with conversation. “I do love the ceramic converts that these<br />
events have inspired,” the director says. “We get a whole range<br />
of people coming to these supper clubs, including lots of foodies<br />
who have been intrigued by the idea.” A recent guest was Andrew<br />
Marr, of BBC fame, who was exhibiting some of his paintings (yes,<br />
he paints). “It made for some very interesting table chat – and<br />
some very surprised guests – when they realised it was THE Andrew<br />
Marr they were having dinner with,” she tells me.<br />
By the time the spectacular dessert is served, one half<br />
of the table appears to be best friends and exchanging hugs.<br />
This in spite of the fact that two glasses of red wine have been<br />
knocked over – luckily all the ceramics are still intact – and one<br />
of the guests sporting a large stain on his shirt. A sign of a good<br />
dinner party, I’d say. •<br />
Thrown Contemporary’s supper clubs cost £60pp for six courses<br />
and a welcome cocktail. Wine is available from £20 per bottle.<br />
To book, visit: www.throwncontemporary.co.uk/supperclub<br />
Fabulous 698B are on Instagram: @fabulous698b<br />
You can see more of Tom Kemp’s work: @tom_kemp_<br />
LOCAL SUPPER CLUBS TO TRY<br />
BLUE GODS BUTTER<br />
Amit Sibal and his wife Aditi throw open<br />
the doors of their Bowes Park house for<br />
up to 12 people. Their menus are Indianinspired,<br />
with some Mediterranean and North<br />
African twists. Courses vary, £30-40pp, BYO.<br />
Instagram: @blue_gods_butter<br />
BARAVIN AT LA DINETTE<br />
Once a month La Dinette hosts Baravin –<br />
delicious small plates and deserts, natural<br />
wines and impeccable cocktails. For details<br />
pop into the cafe or check their<br />
Instagram: @ladinettemacarons<br />
JOGINDER’S SUPPER CLUB<br />
Saira and Rani have been hosting up to 12<br />
people in their Tufnell Park home for 10 years.<br />
Even one of Obama’s speech writers has been a<br />
guest. Expect Punjabi food influenced by family<br />
recipes. Vegetarian and gluten-free diets are<br />
catered for. Nine courses, £35pp, BYO.<br />
www.jogindersupperclub.com<br />
THE GLASS KITCHEN<br />
Hosted by Spanish chef Francisco Capel and<br />
his partner Ian at their home in Crouch End,<br />
they can seat up to 14. The menus reflect<br />
Mediterranean and Asian influences. Three<br />
courses, welcome cocktail, canapès, petit<br />
fours and homemade liqueur. BYO. Prices vary.<br />
www.theglasskitchensupperclub.co.uk<br />
THE CROUCH END SECRET SUPPER CLUB<br />
Host Catherine Coulson can have up to 24<br />
people in her Crouch Hill home. She focuses<br />
on seasonal produce and some of the dinners<br />
are accompanied by chamber music. Five<br />
courses (veggie options), complimentary<br />
cocktail and canapès, BYO, £35pp.<br />
crouchendssc@hotmail.com<br />
THROUGH THE WOODS<br />
Once a supper club, chef Chris Slaughter<br />
has made his concept permanent in an intimate<br />
space in Crouch End. The focus is on seasonal<br />
and sustainable food. There is a single<br />
sitting at 8pm (Thursday to Sunday)<br />
and a changing, plant-focused set menu.<br />
www.throughthewoods.london<br />
RENAISSANCE CAFE SUPPER CLUBS<br />
Once a month Bounds Green’s Renaissance<br />
Cafe hosts a themed supper club – whether<br />
it’s Spanish, a seasonal feast, influenced<br />
by the Savoie region of the French Alps,<br />
or April’s Fawlty Towers themed evening -<br />
with proprietor Paul Handley taking on<br />
the role of Basil.<br />
www.facebook.com/rerenaissancemusicltd<br />
PHOTO SUPPLIED BY BLUE GODS BUTTER.<br />
BLUE GODS<br />
BUTTER<br />
Amit Sibal is not a trained chef but a civil<br />
servant. This has not stopped him throwing<br />
open the doors to his house in Bowes<br />
Park for a supper club that takes inspiration<br />
from across the world. Some of the<br />
food comes from his family’s native Punjab<br />
and other recipes are more of an interpretation,<br />
with influences from the Mediterranean<br />
and North Africa.<br />
He admits to being obsessed with food<br />
and has cooked for as long as he can remember.<br />
His wife Aditi, a solicitor, designs<br />
the menus and table plans. They can host<br />
up to 12 guests for a sit-down dinner in<br />
their home.<br />
“The idea of being able to share our<br />
food in a more intimate setting and getting<br />
to meet new people really appealed,” says<br />
Amit. He even enjoys the pressure of cooking<br />
for relative strangers. “We are hoping to<br />
meet new people from the local community<br />
and beyond, creating shared memories<br />
through food. We also get a chance to continue<br />
trying and testing new recipes.”<br />
BAINGAN BHARTA<br />
(BAKED AUBERGINE PURÉE)<br />
This traditional North Indian dish is a great<br />
way to cook aubergines, is simple to follow,<br />
and will impress at any dinner party.<br />
INGREDIENTS (FOR FOUR PEOPLE)<br />
2 aubergines<br />
Rapeseed/vegetable oil<br />
1 medium onion<br />
2 cloves of garlic<br />
200g tinned chopped tomatoes<br />
Handful of fresh baby plum/cherry<br />
tomatoes, chopped in half (optional)<br />
2 teaspoons sea salt flakes<br />
1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder<br />
(or more if you like it hot!)<br />
1 teaspoon cumin seeds<br />
50g fresh or frozen peas<br />
Garnish (all optional):<br />
Fresh coriander<br />
Pomegranate seeds<br />
Pickled mooli<br />
Roasted grapes<br />
METHOD<br />
Preparing the aubergines<br />
If you are confident enough and have the<br />
option, you’ll get a better result by blistering<br />
and charring the aubergines over an<br />
open flame (gas hob or barbecue). If not, a<br />
grill or oven will do just fine.<br />
Take your aubergines and use a fork to<br />
prick the skin on all sides.<br />
Place them on a foil-covered baking<br />
tray and put them under the grill or in an<br />
oven (pre-heated to 200C) for thirty minutes.<br />
Turn the aubergines occasionally so<br />
that they cook evenly on all sides. Once<br />
the skins are seriously wrinkly and the<br />
flesh is soft to the centre, take them out<br />
and set aside.<br />
The rest<br />
While the aubergines are cooking, finely<br />
chop your onions and garlic.<br />
Once the aubergines are safe to touch,<br />
but still warm, remove and discard the<br />
stalk. Peel the skins (save for a veggie<br />
stock or soup or discard).<br />
Slice the aubergines so that you are<br />
left with small strips each about 1cm thick.<br />
Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium<br />
heat. Gently fry the onions until they<br />
start to brown. Add the garlic and cumin<br />
and fry for a further 30 seconds.<br />
Add the chopped and fresh tomatoes,<br />
salt and red chilli powder. Stir well and fry<br />
for another minute.<br />
Stir in the aubergine, and turn the<br />
heat down low (otherwise it’ll burn). Cover<br />
and cook for about 10 minutes. The water<br />
should evaporate and the colour of the<br />
aubergine will change.<br />
Throw in the peas and cook for a further<br />
30 seconds. The residual heat will ensure<br />
that that the peas are cooked through.<br />
Taste and season as required.<br />
TO SERVE<br />
Place the bharta on your serving dish.<br />
Garnish as you like. You can always add<br />
some fresh coriander and sprinkle some<br />
pomegranate seeds. If you’re feeling fancy,<br />
you can swap out the pomegranate<br />
seeds for some roasted grapes for a different<br />
texture, or for some pickled mooli<br />
for a balance between sharp and sweet. •<br />
You can follow Blue Gods Butter on Instagram:<br />
@blue_gods_butter<br />
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