FIRST Magazine December 2022 Issue No339

ISSUE 339 DECEMBER 2022
A CAPSULE OF THE WORLD
HAPPY CHRISTMAS
“Night is always darker before the dawn and life is the same, the hard times will pass,
every thing will get better and sun will shine brighter then ever.”
Ernest Hemingway

EDITORIAL
“ The strength of a person's spirit would then be measured by how much 'truth' he could tolerate, or
more precisely, to what extent he needs to have it diluted, disguised, sweetened, muted, falsified.”
Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil
HAPPY CHRISTMAS
UNFORGETTABLE
Unforgettable, that’s what you are
Unforgettable, though near or far.
Like a song of love that clings to me
How the thought of you does things to me
Never before has someone been more
Unforgettable in every way
And forever more, that’s how you’ll stay.
That’s why, darling, it's incredible
That someone so unforgettable
Thinks that I am unforgettable too.
Irving Gordon, Composer
ON THE COVER: Salvator Mundi by Leonardo da Vinci (alone) or Leonardo with workshop participation, c. 1499–1510, oil on walnut panel. The painting was sold at
Christie's New York, 15th November 2017, for US $450.3 million, making it the most expensive painting ever sold. Image source: Wikimedia Commons.
THIS PAGE: Paul Gauguin, Te tamari no atua, The Birth of Christ, (DETAIL) oil on burlap, 1896, Bavarian State Paintings Collections – Neue Pinakothek, Munich.
EDITORIAL CONTENT AND SALES MANAGER SEAN ELLUL SELLUL@INDEPENDENT.COM.MT DESIGNER CONRAD BONDIN
CBONDIN@INDEPENDENT.COM.MT PRODUCTION MANAGER ANDRE CAMILLERI ACAMILLERI@INDEPENDENT.COM.MT PUBLISHER STANDARD
PUBLICATIONS, STANDARD HOUSE, BIRKIKARA HILL, ST JULIAN’S. TEL: 00356 2134 5888, WEB: WWW.INDEPENDENT.COM.MT
FACEBOOK FIRSTMAGAZINE INSTAGRAM FIRSTMAGAZINEMALTA PRINTER PRINT-IT. FIRST IS PUBLISHED AS A COMPLIMENTARY MAGAZINE
WITH THE MALTA INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY AND IS NOT TO BE SOLD SEPARATELY. NO PART OF THE PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED
WITHOUT THE PRIOR AGREEMENT OF THE PUBLISHER.
FIRST MAGAZINE SINCE 1993. ISSUE NUMBER 339.
3

CONTENTS
6
17
LA DOLCE VITA. Where George Bernard Shaw learned to Tango – Reid’s
Palace, A Belmond Hotel, Madeira. Photography © Belmond/ Mattia Aquila
42
The Nativity. The Original Christmas Story in Paintings. Doni Tondo
(detail), Michelangelo, Uffizi, Florence. Source Wikipedia Commons.
THiS
IS
WiNE
13th chapter in
this issue
EXCLUSIVE SERIES: THIS IS WINE. The Brunello Generation I.
Val d'Orcia Tuscany. Photography Aangelo Casto.

28
55
CONTENTS
INTERIORS. Milan as You've Never Seen it Before.
Photography Guido Taroni, courtesy Vendome Press
CONTENTS
[ISSUE 339. DECEMBER 2022]
Dinner for Two with Mediterranean Culinary Academy.
Photography Jessica Zammit.
61
6
LA DOLCE VITA
Travel: Madeira.
Where George Bernard Shaw
learned to Tango – Reid’s Palace.
17
CHRISTMAS
The Nativity.
The Original Christmas Story
in Paintings.
Caravaggio.
Leonardo da Vinci.
Sandro Botticelli.
Rembrandt.
Paul Gauguin.
28
INTERIORS
Milan as You've Never Seen it Before.
42
THIS IS WINE
The 13th Chapter in This is Wine:
Its Storied Place and Taste.
The Brunello Generation I.
55
DINNER FOR TWO
Quiet Dinner with Mediterranean
Culinary Academy.
61
TREATS
Gluten Free.
Sensational Desserts and Bakes.
71
HEALTH & FITNESS
New Years Resolutions and
Food For Thought.
Get Moving: Muscle and Ageing.
Alzheimer's: Protecting the Brain
as We Age.
76
ENVIRONMENT
Biodiversity.
National Biodiversity and Action Plan.
Farming and Biodiversity.
86
ICONIC IMAGES
Timeless Salvator Mundi.
86
ICONIC IMAGES. Timeless Salvator
Mundi. Italian School around 1600,
After Leonardo Da Vinci. Image
© Christie’s Images Limited 2022.
Sensational Gluten Free Desserts and Bakes.
Photography Prchi Palwe.
76
ENVIRONMENT. Battle for Survival – Biodiversity.
Photography Jonathan Borba, Caracol Waterfall, Brazil. 5

LA DOLCE VITA
“Please write soon about Madeira in January. Query warm, paintable, bathable,
comfortable, flowery, hotels etc. We are revolving plans. Keep all secret.”
Winston Churchill, telegraph to Bryce Nairn,
the British consul in Madeira, November 1949
THE ISLAND OF ETERNAL SPRING
Tango in Madeira
Madeira is located about 700km off the coast of Africa, and about a one-and-a-half-hour
flight from Lisbon. Subtropical, lush, and with warm year-round temperatures, you’d be
forgiven for thinking you were in Hawaii. Indeed Madeira sits at the top of a massive shield
volcano that rises about 6 km from the floor of the Atlantic. Discovered by two Portuguese
explorers in 1419, Madeira soon became an important stopping point on major trade routes.
Fast forward to the 19th and 20th centuries and Madeira’s balmy climate and exuberant
botanical gardens would attract thousands of Europeans. Some came to escape Northern
winters, while others had more entrepreneurial aims. Among the latter was the Scotsman
William Reid who was advised, for health reasons, to seek a warmer climate. In 1836, at just
14 years of age, William arrived in Madeira with just £5 to his name and secured a job in a
bakery. By the time he was 25 he had moved into the wine trade, building a successful import
and export business. He married an Englishwoman, Margaret Dewey, with whom he started
a house rental business before going on to open a simple hotel. In the late 1800’s William
dreamt of building a majestic hotel to attract the island’s wealthiest visitors who were
chasing the sun. This dream would turn into reality with the building of Reid’s Palace,
now a Belmond Hotel. Many illustrious politicians, royalty, and celebrities have
stayed at Reid’s throughout its long history. Empress Elizabeth I of Austria was one of the
first guests to arrive at the newly opened hotel, as was writer George Bernard Shaw, and
several members of the British Royal Family. Winston Churchill visited in the early 1950s
to work on his memoirs and to paint, the poet Rainer Maria Rilke composed while sitting
on his balcony, and Gregory Peck stayed while filming Moby Dick.
Photography courtesy Belmond.
6

LA DOLCE VITA
This page: Reid’s Palace, hugging the coast with dramatic views across the Atlantic. Photograph © Belmond/ Henrique Seruca.
7

LA DOLCE VITA
8
This page: Embracing the ocean view from the exclusive pool terrace at Reid’s Palace. Photograph © Belmond/ Mattia Aquila.

LA DOLCE VITA
In the late 1800’s William Reid was ready to realise his dream of building a luxurious hotel in a
unique location and purchased land known as Salto do Cavalo (Horse’s Leap) on a rocky cliff, an
imposing position looking out over the Atlantic Ocean on which Reid’s Palace still stands today.
He began by ordering tons of rich soil for the lush sub-tropical gardens of bougainvillea,
geraniums, orchids and palms that envelop the property today. Building began in 1887, but
William died in 1888 before his dream was realised. Construction continued and on 1st November 1891,
the hotel opened its doors managed by William’s two sons, William (Willy) and Alfred Reid. This was the
golden age of the Belle Époque, an era characterised by optimism, economic prosperity, and
technological and scientific progress in both Europe and the United States. Indeed the glamorous
Edwardian hotel promised first-class service and latest comforts of the day, including large public
entertainment and sitting rooms, several tennis courts and a tidal pool. The hotel remained in the hands
of the Reid family until 1925 when they sold their interest to an English company, Reid’s Palace Hotel Ltd.
In 1937 The hotel was bought by the renown Madeira wine making Blandy Family, who were to remain
as proprietors for nearly 60 years. It was bought by Belmond (previously Orient-Express Hotels) in 1996.
Top: One of the balconies of the Churchill Presidential Suite looking out at the ocean. Photograph © Belmond/ Mattia Aquila. Above right: Presidential Suite.
Photograph © Belmond/ Henrique Seruca. Above left: Main bathroom of the Churchill Presidential Suite. Photograph © Belmond/ Mattia Aquila.
9

LA DOLCE VITA
Top: Detail of a Deluxe Junior Suite. Photograph
© Belmond/ Mattia Aquila. Left: View of the ocean from
a Deluxe Suite. Photograph © Belmond/ Mattia Aquila.
Throughout its history, the hotel
has welcomed many
distinguished guests, including
royalty, presidents, politicians, actors
and artists. Two historic figures left their
mark with suites named after George
Bernard Shaw, who learnt to tango here,
and Winston Churchill, who came to
write his memoirs. In December 1924
Irish playwright George Bernhard Shaw
landed on Madeira in search of a sun
cure, and stayed at Reid’s Palace. “This is
one of those unnaturally lovely hells of
places where you bathe amid
innumerable blossoms in midwinter,” he
wrote. While at Reid’s Shaw famously
took tango lessons with the hotel’s dance
instructor Michael Rinder. News of his
lessons made it across the Atlantic to the
New York Times headlines: ‘Shaw
Admits Learning the Tango at Madeira,
But Has Neither Time Nor Youth for It
Now’. “What Mr. Rinder says is literally
true,” said Shaw. “He was the only man
who taught me anything while I was on
a holiday in that land.”
10

ANNA VIRGILI is a brand of 100% Made in Italy leather bags and accessories.
Each bag comes from inspiration and imagination.
PORTO BOUTIQUE
HILTON MALTA, ST. JULIAN’S AND DOLMEN HOTEL QAWRA
FACEBOOK.COM/PORTOHANDBAGS WWW.PORTOMALTA.COM

LA DOLCE VITA
Top: Flooded with natural light, the lobby of the Reid’s Palace looking out at the iconic
Afternoon Tea terrace. Photograph © Belmond/ Tyson Sadlo. Above: The iconic
Afternoon Tea terrace. Photograph © Belmond/ Tyson Sadlo. Left: Poolside at Reid’s
Palace overlooks the ocean. Photograph © Belmond/ Tyson Sadlo.
In November 1949, Winston Churchill telegraphed Bryce
Nairn, the British consul in Madeira, and enquired about
“warm, paintable, bathable, comfortable, flowery, hotels etc.”
He arrived in Madeira on 1st January 1950 to recover from a
stroke, write his war memoirs, prepare himself for the upcoming
1950 Election, and above all, to paint. On 8th January he went to
Câmara de Lobos and at the village entrance set up easel and
canvas, and painted the bay and the islet – the location is still
known as the Winston Churchill Viewpoint.
12

LA DOLCE VITA
Top: A trek at Saõ Lourenço Peninsula. Photograph © Belmond/ Tyson Sadlo. Above left: Swimming pools at Reid’s Palace include two heated swimming pools, one filled with
fresh water, the other with salt water, a tidal pool for direct access to the sea, and a children’s pool. Photograph © Belmond/ Tyson Sadlo. Above right: Surrounded by the raw,
rugged beauty of the Atlantic Ocean, Madeira is perfectly situated for a wide range of watersports. Photograph © Belmond/ Tyson Sadlo.
Today Reid’s Palace is regularly voted
one of Europe’s Top 30 resorts by
readers of Condé Nast Traveller
magazine. It offers 158 rooms, including 47
suites, with balconies or terraces that boast
expansive views of the Atlantic Ocean or
Funchal Harbour. Think crisp, embroidered
bedspreads and luxurious marble bathrooms,
with wicker chairs and tables in which to settle
down and enjoy the views. There are three
swimming pools, two of which are heated, plus
one tidal, seawater pool. For nature and garden
lovers there are many spectacular walks
and visits to estates and grand homes. The hotel
underwent a stunning multi million euro
renovation project in 2006, with
interiors overseen by designer Graham Viney.
New additions included two suites in the main
house with sweeping views over the Bay of
Funchal and a beautiful spa with treatment
rooms and a deck overlooking the ocean. A stay
here is not complete without afternoon tea on
the terrace – one of the oldest and finest
traditions dating back to the hotel’s earliest days
– with views over the ocean. Showcasing local,
seasonal cuisine, Reid’s Palace boasts some of
the best restaurants in Funchal, including the
Michelin-starred William; the informal
Ristorante Villa Cipriani; and the glitzy
Gastrobar.
According to Ciriaco Campus, General
Manager at Reid’s Palace “Madeira offers an
incredible number of experiences, from
mountains, to the sea, to the city. There are three
things that, in my opinion, should not be missed;
watching the sunrise from Pico do Areiro,
Madeira’s highest peak, where you’ll see a unique
show of colours and light, a boat trip to see
whales and dolphins, and a walk along the
levadas to discover how truly unspoiled Madeira
is.”
ABOUT BELMOND: Belmond has been a
pioneer of luxury travel for over 45 years with a
portfolio of one-of-a-kind experiences in some of
the world’s most inspiring destinations. Since the
acquisition of the iconic Hotel Cipriani in Venice
in 1976, Belmond has continued to perpetuate
the legendary art of travel. Its portfolio extends
across 24 countries with properties that include
the illustrious Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
train and Italian hideaways such as The Grand
Hotel Timeo in Taormina.
14

NEW COLOURS
IN FOR CHRISTMAS

Immerse yourself into the fantasy
18 February 2023
Mediterranean Conference Centre, Valletta
Tickets from Showshappening.com
Carne Vale, Il Gran Ballo In Maschera

THE NATIVITY
THE NATIVITY
The Original Christmas Story in Paintings
The Nativity of Jesus is one of the most iconic Christmas symbols. Either the Annunciation to the
Shepherds by the angel, or the Adoration of the Shepherds, which shows the shepherds
worshipping the infant Christ, have often been combined with the Nativity proper and the visit
of the Magi, since the 4th century. Here's a look at six of the most beautiful depictions.
ADORATION OF THE SHEPHERDS, CARAVAGGIO, 1609, MUSEO REGIONALE, MESSINA.
The Adoration of the Shepherds was commissioned for the Capuchin Franciscans and was painted in Messina for the
Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli in 1609, just one year before the artist's death. The focal point of the scene is Mary in
the centre. The central theme of the painting is humility. By seating the Virgin on the ground, Caravaggio implies that she
is not a heavenly queen, but rather a simple young mother. This painting is a representation of the majority. The response
of the shepherds is to admire rather than to venerate. There is a calmness and tranquility that is unmistakably conveying
their worth as common folk for the people as the parents of the Saviour. Image source: Wikipedia Commons.
17

THE NATIVITY
ADORATION OF THE MAGI, LEONARDO DA VINCI, C. 1478–1482. UFFIZI, FLORENCE.
The Adoration of the Magi, was commissioned by the Augustinian monks of San Donato in Scopeto in
Florence in 1481, but Leonardo departed for Milan the following year, leaving the painting unfinished. The
Virgin Mary and Child are depicted in the foreground with the Magi kneeling in adoration. The palm tree in
the centre has associations with the Virgin Mary, partly due to the phrase "You are stately as a palm tree" from
the Song of Solomon, which is believed to prefigure her. The other tree in the painting is from the carob
family; the seeds from this tree are used as a unit of measurement for valuable stones and jewels. It is therefore
associated with crowns, suggesting Christ as the king of kings or the Virgin as the future queen of heaven, as
well as that this is nature's gift to the newborn Christ. Leonardo used bright colors to illuminate the
foreground figures, painting the Virgin and Child in yellow, the colour of light. The trees are painted blue, an
unusual color for trees of any kind. Image source: Wikipedia Commons.
18

THE NATIVITY
This page: Adoration of the Magi (detail), Leonardo da Vinci, c. 1478–1482. Uffizi, Florence. Image: Wikipedia Commons.
19

THE NATIVITY
THE MYSTICAL NATIVITY, SANDRO BOTTICELLI, C. 1500–1501, NATIONAL GALLERY, LONDON.
Botticelli’s Mystical Nativity differs greatly from his Birth of Venus or La Primavera and filled with controversial and
interesting symbols. The painting depicts a scene of joy and celebration, with angels dancing at the top of the painting, but
also apocalyptic and troubling words - the Greek inscription translates as: 'This picture, at the end of the year 1500, in the
troubles of Italy, I, Alessandro, in the half-time after the time, painted, according to the eleventh (chapter) of Saint John, in
the second woe of the Apocalypse, during the release of the devil for three and a half years; then he shall be bound in the
twelfth (chapter) and we shall see (him buried) as in this picture'. Botticelli believed himself to be living during the Great
Tribulation, possibly due to the upheavals in Europe at the time, and was predicting Christ's millennium as stated in the
Book of Revelation. At the top of the painting twelve angels dressed in the colours of faith, hope and charity dance in a circle
holding olive branches, and above them heaven opens in a great golden dome, while at the bottom of the painting three
angels embrace three men, seeming to raise them up from the ground. They hold scrolls that proclaim in Latin, "peace on
earth to men of goodwill". Behind them seven devils flee to the underworld. Image source: Wikipedia Commons.
20

SWITCH NOW, GO ECOO
LOW INTEREST RATES
HOME ENERGY FINANCE
Get in touch | bov.com/homeenergy |
@bovofficial
All loans are subject to normal bank lending criteria and final approval from the Bank. The term of the loan
must not go beyond retirement age. Issued by Bank of Valletta p.l.c. 58, Triq San Żakkarija, Il-Belt Valletta
VLT 1130. Bank of Valletta p.l.c. is regulated by the MFSA and licensed to carry out the business of banking in
terms of the Banking Act (Cap. 371 of the Laws of Malta).
CONTACT US
EERE Malta is co-financed by the Republic of Malta, the European Union under
the European Regional Development Fund.

THE NATIVITY
22

THE NATIVITY
THE ADORATION OF THE SHEPHERDS A NIGHT PIECE,
REMBRANDT VAN RIJN, C. 1657, RIJKSMUSEUM.
In this unusually nocturnal Adoration, tardy shepherds arouse the Holy Family.
Rembrandt's adoration evokes the cold uncomfortable night, with the Virgin Mary
and Christ Jesus bundled up trying to keep warm. Image courtesy Rijksmuseum.
23

THE NATIVITY
24
NATIVITY WITH ST. FRANCIS AND ST. LAWRENCE, CARAVAGGIO, 1609.
Missing since 1969 when it was stolen from the Oratory of Saint Lawrence in Palermo. The painting was completed in 1600 at the
peak of Caravaggio’s career and features his dramatic chiaroscuro technique. The central theme is the Christ-child himself, lying on
a bed of straw, surrounded by saints and shepherds who worship the newborn. The work currently ranks 2nd on the FBI's list of
top 10 art crimes. If it still survives and is sold, has an estimated value of $20 million. Image source: Wikipedia Commons.

Gold
MELITA Gold
MALTA
This issue is available in four denominations; 1oz-€100,
1/2oz-€50, 1/4oz-€25 and 1/10oz-€10.
Melita coins are legal tender and classed as investment
gold, and their price is based primarily on the spot price
of gold on the international markets. These bullion coins
are exempt from any Value Added Tax.
Each coin is set in an individually numbered sealed
card that certifies the coin within.
Available online at www.maltacoins.com or
Lombard Bank, 67, Republic Street, Valletta
Real size illustrations
Weight Alloy Diameter Quality Face Value Thickness Edge Year of Issue
1oz 31.103g (1oz) Fine Gold 999.9 34mm Proof-like €100 1.78mm Milled 2022
1/2oz 15.55g (1/2oz) Fine Gold 999.9 27mm Proof-like €50 1.40mm Milled 2022
1/4oz 7.77g (1/4oz) Fine Gold 999.9 22mm Proof-like €25 1.06mm Milled 2022
1/10oz 3.110g (1/10oz) Fine Gold 999.9 16mm Proof-like €10 0.80mm Milled 2022
in collaboration with
www.lombardmalta.com • www.maltacoins.com

THE NATIVITY
TE TAMARI NO ATUA,
THE BIRTH OF CHRIST,
PAUL GAUGUIN, 1896,
NEUE PINAKOTHEK, MUNICH.
The Impressionist painter Paul Gauguin
spent much of his life in the French
Polynesian islands. He went to Tahiti in
1890 to spark his creativity and capture
the island’s lush beauty and there created a
number of his more iconic paintings. His
Nativity painting, Te Tamari no Atua –
The Birth of Christ, is one of the most
unique depictions and breaks away from
the common portrayal of Mary and Jesus
as Hebrew or European. Here they are
Polynesian and Mary is portrayed just
after childbirth, lying at peace on a bright
yellow bed with her eyes focused on a
nurse holding the baby Jesus in her arms.
Image source: Wikipedia Commons.
26

THE NATIVITY
27

INTERIORS
“The purest and most thoughtful minds are those which
love colour the most.”
John Ruskin
MILAN AS YOU’VE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE
INSIDE MILAN
A REVEALING GLIMPSE INTO THE HOMES OF MILAN’S FOREMOST CREATIVE RESIDENTS
Nicolò Castellini Baldissera is an internationally acclaimed interior designer and decorator.
Hailing from a celebrated Milanese family of architects and designers, he developed his own
characteristic style defined by colour, collecting, and tastefully curated interiors. He divides
his time between Milan and Tangier, and is the author of Inside Tangier, his first
collaboration with photographer Guido Taroni. In his new book Inside Milan, Nicolò
Castellini Baldissera’s carefully curated collection of interiors unveils the boundless creative
energy that lies behind the city’s steely, cool facade, masterfully immortalized through Guido
Taroni’s artful photography capturing each Milanese resident’s idiosyncratic style, interior
designer. Photography Guido Taroni, courtesy Vendome Press.
28

INTERIORS
29

INTERIORS
30

INTERIORS
Inside Milan ventures behind closed
doors in this trend-setting cultural
capital renowned for being a world
leader in fashion, industry, art, and
design. In this beautifully
photographed new book, icons like Veronica
Etro, Martina Mondadori, JJ Martin, and
Barnaba Fornasetti reveal why they call this
notoriously elusive city home. From
sophisticated clean lines and muted tones to
rooms bursting with art and colour, the palazzos
and apartments showcased in this stunning
volume uncover the creative heart of this
vibrant and cosmopolitan city.
31

INTERIORS
“Iwas born in a city filled with luminaries yet characterized by an exceedingly dull exterior. In Italian, Milan is often described as minerale –
literally “mineral,” meaning grey and cold. It is neither baroque and seductive like Naples, nor exotic like Venice and Palermo. There is
none of Turin’s prim and presentable regularity and it completely lacks the delicious antiquity of Bologna”, writes Nicolò Castellini
Baldissera in the introduction.
32

INTERIORS
“Milan is Italy’s modern city –
the only one I’ve known
with mosquitoes hearty
enough to withstand a winter’s frost. Each
weekend, whole neighborhoods empty out
as the denizens retreat north to the
mountains, and south to the sea – to
somewhere with charm… To Italy.
Lacking natural beauty, Milan has to work
for it. It is a city dominated by industrialists;
here, even the aristocrats are
entrepreneurial. It is a city of doers, where
fairs for fashion and design engulf and
interrupt daily life. Precisely because it is
not the Eternal City – a place where the
residents can relax into the upholstery –
it often remains elusive to foreigners. To
discover Milan, you must meet the Milanese
– the creators of their own beauty.”
34

INTERIORS
35

INTERIORS
young man I hated it, and fled as soon as I graduated
high school. Life was claustrophobic and provincial. The
“As a
city’s streets were haunted by successful ancestors,
turning Milan into a feudal nest, and London soon became my city –
a place where I could, for the first time in my life, arrive at a party
that wasn’t filled with cousins.”
37

INTERIORS
I returned to Milan many years
later – first dipping my toe in, by
“When
coming back to my childhood
home, then eventually finding my own apartment – I
discovered that the city had blossomed in my absence.
Or maybe I had just grown to appreciate it. Over the
years I had paid regular visits to my family back home,
keeping track of Milan’s slow but constant evolution. But
it was when visiting for the World Expo in 2015 that I
recognized how far Milan had come, and I found myself
confronted by a new reality: a modern, dynamic, and
vibrant city, built on a human scale that made it easy to
move around without being stuck in traffic for hours. I
felt the urge to reacquaint myself with my roots.
The Milanese make way for commerce, especially
when it comes to art and design, and the ease of
finding artisans to help realize my every whim made
work much simpler. These days, Milan is bursting with
excitement and creativity, and it reminds me of
Tangier, Morocco, where I spend several months each
year.”
38

WHATEVER YOU
WISH FOR THIS
CHRISTMAS...
NAXXAR - 21st September Avenue T: 2142 2948/9
Extended opening hours for December
Sunday 18 Dec - 11am to 5pm
Monday 19 Dec - Saturday 24 Dec - 9.30am to 7pm

INTERIORS
ABOUT THE
PHOTOGRAPHER.
Guido Taroni is a leading
photographer specializing in
fashion and interiors.
Inspired by his uncle,
renowned fashion
photographer Giovanni
Gastel, Taroni forged a
characteristic style which has
seen his work regularly
exhibited as well as featured
in iconic design publications
such as Cabana. His books
include Inside Tangier
and Safari Style. He lives in
Milan.
Inside Milan by Nicolò
Castellini Baldissera.
Photography by Guido Taroni.
Published by Vendome Press.
Hardcover, 352 pages,
250 colour illustrations.
“In 2019, Guido Taroni and I published our
first collaboration, Inside Tangier. It was an
exhilarating process – and one that called
for a follow-up. As we began working, visiting a
variety of Milanese homes belonging to leading names
in spheres ranging from the arts, design, architecture,
and fashion, to music, business, and charity, we began
to see how each character in our book invented their
own Milan style. They are each the protagonists of a
city built on the endless energy and creativity of its
residents.”
40

ALFA ROMEO SHOWROOM
MDINA ROAD, QORMI, QRM9010, MALTA
T. (+356) 2269 2269 | E. ALFASALES@MOTORSINC.COM.MT | FB. /ALFAROMEOMALTA

THIS IS WINE
The thirteenth chapter in This is wine: its storied place and taste.
“Fruit of the earth, work of human hands,
blessed be God forever”
BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO – TUSCANY – ITALY
THE BRUNELLO GENERATION I
This page: Sunrise at San Quirico d’Orcia. The land around Montalcino is typified by a thick covering of forest, clearing at times for the traditional cultivation of vines
and olive trees on the hillslopes that have helped fix the Val D’Orcia in the world’s imagination. Photograph Giuseppe Mondi.
42

BRUNELLO
runello di Montalcino sings in my mind because it plays its cards well
sticking to one grape with tenacity and elegance. The terroir of varying
clays and limestone; the elevation and exposure; become all important in
conferring individualistic nuances otherwise less pronounced. Over and
above winemaking style, choices in blending different plots, and decisions
made in the vineyard; Montalcino does a Burgundy on Tuscany by sticking to
its varietal guns.
Brunello has never been so good as technology, culture, history and innovation have come
together in a style of wine that is both more approachable in its youth and still cellarworthy.
But equally has all the finesse and nuances of a wine beholden with pinpoint
expression of both terroir and vintage. This could be said of a lot of famous wine regions
and will only be more the case in years to come, but we fortunate enough to be alive today
are symbolically the Brunello generation, writes Kris Bonavita.
Brunello is essentially 100 percent San
Giovese grape grown on relatively high
altitude varieties of soil with good sun
exposure in pretty arid conditions and barrelled for
upwards of three years before being bottled and
stored in perfect cellaring conditions for another two
to three years. Upon release Brunello has the body
and structure for a good few decades of soaring
complexity as it matures into one of the most loved
and well-prized wines of the world.
The typical profile is a dry tannic surfeit of red to
darker cherries and forest berries with well-integrated
secondary flavours ranging from patent leather, black
olives, fennel, and molasses to sun-dried figs and
violets kept together by a distinct savoury silhouette
of gravy notes, tomato pulp and Provençal herbs. The
age of the wine in tandem expresses to a higher or
lesser degree the fruit, wood and undergrowth
reaching the apex of complexity after two or three
decades. Patience is thus as much in order as dipping
in from the start as a good way of appreciating each
vintage and winery and goes a long way to explain its
popularity over and above the gorgeous Tuscan
landscape and picturesque hamlets which make up its
lands, many of us have visited and enjoy
contemplating over with fond memories. A fun fact is
one of three Brunello bottles is drunk at a restaurant
table in the United States, so nostalgia is certainly a
part of its celebrity status.
THE LAND OF FOUR VINTAGES
The name Brunello is the local name of the
Sangiovese varietal grape grown in the
Montalcino region at the southern end of
Tuscany from at least the 14th century. Perhaps while
not the origins but the beginnings of its fame are set in
the mid-19th century when a farmer in the region,
Clemente Santi, chose to pick plantings of Sangiovese
and produce a 100 percent varietal wine that was ageworthy
(an innovative practice at the time when wines
such as Chianti were vinified as a blend of grapes). The
wine would receive accolades in Italy and recognition
even in Paris and Bordeaux. His grandson, a soldier
fresh from campaigns under Garibaldi, would pick up
the vigneron reigns and go a step further, aging the
wine in large wooded barrels for over a decade to
produce the first modern version. Ferruccio Biondi
Santi was of the opinion that ten years in oak would be
just about right to come out with his first cuvee in 1888
and behold Brunello as we know it today was born.
Judiciously to be followed by only three other vintages –
1891, 1925, 1945; to bring us to the end of the Second
World War when the fame of the wine was such that it
was of a rarity and calibre few Italian labels have ever
achieved.
Even with just four vintages, such was its prestige, it
inspired other producers to go down the single varietal
route within the Montalcino region, having 11
producers by the 60s, 25 by the 70s, 50 by the 80s, to
end up with the Goldilocks period of today where close
to two hundred producers, mostly farmers and family
estates, churn out around 330,000 cases every year.
43

THIS IS WINE
The name Brunello is the local name of the Sangiovese varietal
grape grown in the Montalcino region at the southern end of
Tuscany from at least the 14th century.
44

BRUNELLO
This page: One of the many beautiful views in the hills of Val d’Orcia, southwest of Montalcino. Photograph Fabrizio Lunardi.
45

THIS IS WINE
The typical profile of Brunello is a dry tannic surfeit of red to darker
cherries and forest berries with well-integrated secondary flavours
ranging from patent leather, black olives, fennel and molasses to
sun-dried figs and violets kept together by a distinct savoury
silhouette of gravy notes, tomato pulp and Provençal herbs.
46
This page: The Abbey of Sant’Antimo, Montalcino. Photograph Clay Banks.

BRUNELLO
HIGH, DRY AND SUNNY SIDE UP:
THE BRUNELLO CODE OF ETHICS
Nestled amongst hills to the south of Siena, the village of
Montalcino and its surrounding terrain enjoys the warmest
and driest climates, ripening the earliest with the least rainfall,
around 700mm in contrast to the 900mm of the Chianti regions further
north. In this fervid setting, sun exposure and inclination of vineyard
holdings take on a stronger nuance in expressing different Brunello
styles, with the north-facing slopes having fewer hours of sunlight and a
cooler disposition leading to racier more aromatic and structured wines,
in contrast to the south and west oriented slopes and valley deeps
known for their concentrated power and mid-palate complexity. In
practice large producers owning various plots tend to blend grapes or
wines from varying exposures and soils to procure the best of both
worlds, while some stick loyally to one signature holding style. Altitude
is also a distinct characteristic of the region with the town sitting around
500 metres above sea level and vineyards ranging between 500 and 150
metres, creating the right atmospheric conditions for nighttime
temperatures to drop enough to preserve signature high levels of acidity,
even during the peak ripening season. In addition, the comparatively
small denomination of around 1200 hectares to the 17000 hectares of
Chianti is ensconced in dense woodlands and hilly terrain, lending itself
to a tempering influence on the summer heat and winter cold.
This may all seem like Brunello in its setting calls for a singularly
homogenous wine, but in practice, in addition to winemaking style, the
diversity of soils in the region ensures that each producer, despite their
signature hand in the vineyard, char and cellar, has grapes which in the
case of Sangiovese is singularly adapted at growing on a range of soils
and expressing those differences in the multitude of flavours, aromas
and textures they impart to the wine, not to mention structure and body.
At least twenty types of soils can be safely distinguished even within
some wineries’ holdings from a predominance of limestone and clay
outcrops, to gravel schist slopes, volcanic soils, sands and silts in the
deeper valleys, and crumbly marls known as galestro in the flatter fields.
DOCG
Notwithstanding the multitude of raw element differences,
what holds the region together is a stringent code of laws
dictating the outer parameters of what is least expected for
wines to be given the accolade of Brunello di Montalcino. Indeed the
consortium was the first to receive the superior wine accolade of DOCG
(Denomination of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin) due to its high
standards. The wine can only be Sangiovese grown in the Montalcino
region with an extended maceration to extract flavour and colour from
the skin, following fermentation, in oak for a minimum of 28 months
made up of either larger Slovenian casks that impart little flavour and
allow for more austere wines, or French barriques adding a touch of
warm spice torrefaction before a longer period in bottle. The Brunello
Normale is released 50 months from harvest with the Reserva a year
after that.
However, the key appreciative factor of Brunello’s stellar rise in quality,
and unfortunately price, is the winemaker’s attention to detail, not just in
the vineyard with biodynamic and organic practices becoming the
norm, but in the process of vinification where loyalty to terroir, almost
with a Burgundian spirit, has led to a precision and transparency in
expressing the exact terroir and strengths of the grape leading to a
calibre of wines that across the board have never been this exactingly
delicious. Today Brunello is considered one of the top wine regions with
its wines often having worldwide highest rankings according to critics
and popular ratings.
To be continued.
FOR CONSTANT REVIEWS ON WINES AVAILABLE
IN MALTA AND GOZO FOLLOW US ON
INSTAGRAM/FIRSTTHISISWINE
47

BRUNELLO
Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona Brunello di Montalcino
Riserva Santa Caterina D’Ora 2015, 1.5Lt
€227.15, exclusively represented by Attard and Co. Wines
Ciacci Piccolomini Riserva
Santa Caterina d’Oro 2015
is ripe dark stone fruit and
rose petals on the nose. The entry is
a string of ripe and preserved fruit;
mulberries, blackcurrants, red
cherries, even plum with a midbodied
elegant dry kirsch feel and
some sweetness ending in a baked
spice, nutmeg and vanilla bean finish.
The finish is actually much more
complex, sporting a toast brioche
torrefaction, tobacco leaf, leathery
molasses, roast nuts, iron filings to
name just a few. The full-bodied but
satiny textures with good hedonistic
levels speak of bon ton clays and
galestro marls with a mid slope and
valley generosity and shape.
Upon further breathing the wine
lifts up a tier to reveal fatter more
ripe corpulent fruit flavours with
well-integrated savoury and spice
aromas, all held together by a bold
fine boned needle structure that
shows this is a big graceful wine in
many ways.
The bouquet further evolves in
the glass to show raw fresh figs,
sweet red geraniums, even
strawberries; certainly gravel plays a
part in the wines’ making.
Accompanying the flavours are
seductive contours with decadent
layers that will only become more
readily available with good cellaring.
This particular cuvee comes from
southeast of Montalcino near the
beautiful abbey of Sant Antimo from
the Santa Caterina Painrosso
holding. The vintage of course had
near-perfect weather with a dry
sunny summer finished off with a
cool September adding lift and
optimum ripening conditions. 2015
comes through with a soft-powered
decadence and magnanimous
textures. This is sweet, silky and
delicious. Give a good decant or
cellar for decades.
Supplier details: Attard & Co.
Wines has a good range of Italian
wines. Attard & Co. Wines,
Canter House, P. Felicjan Bilocca
Str., Marsa. Tel 00356 2123 7555
(Gozo 00356 2156 4570).
Web attardcowines.com
49

THIS IS WINE
Donatella Cinelli Colombini
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2012
€133, exclusively represented by Vini e Capricci by Abraham’s
Donatella Cinelli Colombini
Riserva 2012 opens with
feisty savoury aromas of
undergrowth, musk, dark forest
berries and shitake mushrooms.
The secondaries are in full swing
with the tertiaries creeping up. A
strong entry of tart and ripe black
maraschino cherries with a dry
mid-palate boldness ending in a
mahogany and embers leather
finish. There is a Raw Sienna
limestone savouriness with some
clay adding corpulence and woods
showing this is a mid-slope and
valley clay blend with heartwarming
precision.
Upon breathing a Burgundian feel
comes through with a stemy heart
and mineralized notes of cedar and
ash, showing that some sand and
schist is also in the making. More
damson plums and dark cherries
with a sous bois gameyness in the
making resolve themselves in a
baked fennel, oregano, guinea fowl,
balsamic vinegar and rose petal
perfume toast finish.
Stellar 2012 is albeit a vignerons’
vintage requiring skill to navigate
the drought conditions leading to
small berries with reduced yields
and certainly the potency and
splendid character of this wine is a
feather in this winery’s hat. The
vineyards’ northern slope location
helped with a cooler overall climate
to create a big wine with a lot of
depth and flavour. The Galestro
marls and sandstones give a
consistently powered exoticality
which is a signature of this soaring
Riserva.
Supplier details: Vini e Capricci has
a vast selection of Brunello and
Italian wines. Vini e Capricci by
Abraham’s, Gozitano Agricultural
Village, Mgarr Road, Xewkija Gozo.
Tel 00356 2156 3231.
Web viniecapricci.com
50

BRUNELLO
Frescobaldi Tenuta Luce Brunello di Montalcino 2016
€ 113.66, exclusively represented by Charles Grech Ltd
Tenuta Luce’s Brunello
2016’s bouquet is walnut,
vanilla, blackcurrants,
blackberries and menthol. The
attack is tart currants and
cranberries with wild visciole
cherries in quick succession, with a
rich mid-bodied savoury wooded
tomato pulp (think osso buco),
musk, fennel and sage finish. The
forest fruit and soft potent tannins
speak of limestone and clay marls,
with some schist gravel and sand
volcanics giving all the floral and
spiced richness and complexity.
Upon breathing damson plums
with more chew, touch of dried fig
with dark olive, tobacco and roast
hazelnuts for good measure.
This is broad-shouldered,
concentrated and reserved in equal
measure, a good reflection of the
stellar 2016. The vintage is
characterised by a vigneron’s
dream-perfect weather conditions
across the board with well-timed
rains and good diurnal
temperatures resulting in wellstructured
cellar-worthy wines
with balance and acidity being the
key notes to be enjoyed for
decades to come.
The south-facing high-altitude
fields in the Val D’Orcia
neighbourhood is a further positive
in having both a warmer mesoclimate
and cool nights enough to
make sure the best of 2016 is
represented here. However, the
star of the show to me are the soils
with an accurate expression of the
schist and sand overlying galestro
marls so typical of Montalcino’s
finest, the signature note of which
is the balance or equal weighting
between the entry body and finish
and silky approachable tannins at
any stage of drinking.
Supplier details: Charles Grech
hasa vast selection of Brunello and
Italian wines. Charles Grech,
Palazzo Ca’ Brugnera, Valley Road,
B’Kara. Tel: 00356 2144 4400
(Sliema 00356 2132 3731,
Ibragg 00356 2137 8609,
Ta’ Xbiex Seafront 00356 2131 5064).
Web charlesgrech.com
51

THIS IS WINE
Marchesi Antinori Pian delle Vigne Vignaferrovia
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2015
€99.19, exclusively represented by S. Rausi Trading Ltd
Pian delle Vigne Vignaferrovia
Riserva 2015 has a bouquet
of dark cherry, touch of
plum, antique wood polish, vanilla and
cinnamon. The attack is dulcet ripe
dark fruit and berries with a wellwoven
secondary profile of sun dried
fig and spices. A mid-bodied
weighting with silky textures and good
corpulence speak of clay and
limestone with some gravel in the
mix, ending in a fruit and wood
reserved finish. Upon breathing, a
more perfumed bouquet of violets,
maybe sandalwood, forest fruit
flavours, and a more lasting and
complex finish of burnt caramel
toffee, cocoa nibs, orange rind and
resinous cedar textures says a lot
about this big vintage and beautiful
cuvee.
Upon further decant a third richer
and lush layer of undergrowth shows
that this is very much on its way to a
beautiful maturity to be enjoyed in
years to come.
Vignaferrovia is only produced in
the finest vintages from a 4-hectare
parcel adjacent to a railway station
belonging to the Antinori portfolio
with ample sun-exposure west of
Montalcino, hence the name. The
stony calcareous and gravel soils do
their part in creating a wine of intense
flavour, peak fruit notes helped by a
very strong secondary profile in the
bouquet and textures revolving
around spice, wood and
undergrowth.
My only caveat is 2015 is an
incredibly strong year producing
wines bigger than their bottle but
they need more time in the cellar or
a very patient decant to gain
expression and balance. The vintage is
characterised by healthy winter
rainfall followed by a perfect summer
capped by a cold spell in September
which, in this part of the world,
offered a welcome reprieve in giving
the wines a racy edge, structure and
boldness to complement the ripe and
mulled fruit, transparent power and
hidden reserve. This is a big beautiful
wine with underrated scorings but
not in the immediate pop and pour
category, so be patient.
52
Supplier details: S. Rausi Trading
has the full portfolio of Marchesi
Antinori Wines. S Rausi Trading Ltd,
Empire Stadium Str, Gzira.
Tel 00356 2131 6210.
Web srausi.com/shop

BRUNELLO
Gaja Brunello di Montalcino Pieve 2017
€88, exclusively represented by Mirachem
Gaja’s Pieve Santa Restuita
2017 is walnuts, dark
currants, forest, leather
and mint on the nose. The attack is
reserved blackcurrants, wild
cherries and bramble with a
Provençal herb and dry sherry
finish. There is a racy tension to the
ripeness which talks of a cool night
harvest, and an arching restraint
that speaks of hard limestone,
chalk, some schist and a touch of
clay with a mid-slope subtlety to
the primaries and upper rock
aromatic richness giving this an
elegant streak throughout both in
shape and volume. Upon good
breathing peaked cherry kirsch,
musk leather, dash of smoky tar
and broader fruit and nut midpalate
flavours, ending in a juniper
berry, coffee grind tart tingling
liquorice molasses and savoury
rabbit gravy finale.
The vintage comes through in the
dry concentrated yields allowing an
approachability and powered
reserve for further keeping or
decanting. However the highlight of
this wine is the terroir-dominated
Gaja precision.
Pieve in 2017 is a blend from the
prized Sugarile and Rennina
vineyards known for their elegant
vivacity and tannic strengths due to
their chalk and limestone-rich soils
and to a lesser extent the
Torrenier northeastern holding.
The blend of all three gives a
complexity and balance
roundedness with a competing
tension between structure and
potent content which makes this
fun and in a class of its own.
Supplier details: Mirachem
has a vast selection of
Brunello and Italian wines.
Mirachem, Mira Building,
Triq Kan K Pirotta, B’Kara.
Tel 00356 2148 8590.
Web wine.mt
53

DINNER FOR TWO
“Cooking is like love, it should be entered into
with complete abandon or not at all.”
Harriet Van Horne
DINNER DATE FOR TWO
While the Christmas holidays can get hectic meeting family and friends, some quiet time and a
dinner date for two can be a welcome treat. Here Mediterranean Culinary Academy's Tonio Micallef
shares a stunning Rabbit Tortellaci recipe and decadent Chocolate Brownie Baked Cheesecake for a
dinner for two. The recipes were developed to be prepared and enjoyed by couples - so whether it's
for a romantic dinner with your significant other or even with a close friend, enjoy the process
together from beginning to end.
Cooking and recipes by Tonio Micallef at Mediterranean Culinary Academy.
Photography Jessica Zammit.
55

DINNER FOR TWO
RABBIT TORTELLACI WITH
BRAISED RADICCHIO IN
STOUT AND BUTTERNUT
SQUASH PUREE
These two coloured rabbit tortellaci look more difficult to
prepare than they are. The red pasta gets colour from
beetroot powder, with a simple addition to the fine
ground semolina when making up the dough.
SERVES 2-4
FOR RABBIT FARCE FILLING
150g rabbit (deboned)
5 mushrooms, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1 garlic clove, diced
1tsp grain mustard
1tbsp dehydrated porcini
salt as needed
1/2 cup malt beer
2tbsp grated Parmesan
FOR PASTA DOUGH
SERVES 2
1. Sautee onion, garlic and
mushroom in some oil.
2. Hydrate porcini
mushrooms in some hot
water.
3. Add rabbit meat to
onion mix.
4. Once hydrated
chop porcini
mushrooms and add
to mixture.
5. Add liquid from
the hydrated
porcini mushrooms.
6. Cook mixture
until nearly all liquid
has evaporated.
7. Mix in mustard.
8. Add malt beer
and cook gently
until liquid reduces
again.
9. Add parmesan and
allow to cool.
FOR BUTTERNUT
SQUASH PUREE
500g butternut squash,
peeled and diced
150g vegetable stock
1 garlic clove, diced
salt as needed
1. Place butternut squash in a
pot with garlic and stock.
2. Cook until squash is tender.
3. Allow to cool.
4. Blend to a smooth puree.
FOR RABBIT TORTELLACI
200g rabbit farce
pasta dough
1/2 radicchio, sliced into thick strips
1/2 onion, sliced into thick strips
100ml red wine
150ml stout/ malt beer
100g sugar (use if using stout)
50g butter
75g butternut puree
salt and extra butter as needed
1. Cut 6 squares plain pasta dough
approx 11cm x 11cm. Cut 6 smaller
squares with beetroot dough approx
8cm x 8cm.
2. Roll out 6 balls of farce approx 25g
each. Place in centre of each pasta
round.
3. Lay beetroot square in centre and on
top of plain pasta square brushing with
a little water to seal together.
4. Using your fingers apply a little water
to outer rim of pasta square and close
to form a triangle. Wet one corner and
press corners together to form a
Tortellaci.
5. Place prepared pasta sheets into a
bowl with a little semolina and toss to
coat evenly.
6. FOR BRAISED RADICCHIO Add
radicchio and onion to a sauté pan on a
low heat, add Stout or malt beer, red
wine and sugar if needed. Once
radicchio is soft and liquid nearly
completely evaporated add butter and
check for seasoning.
7. FOR SERVING Heat butternut
squash puree in a pan and add a small
knob of butter to give a little shine.
Spoon puree to centre of plate and add
braised radicchio on top. Cook tortellaci
in salted boiling water for 5 minutes.
Remove from water and toss in garlic
butter. Place neatly onto radicchio.
Drizzle with melted butter.
200g fine ground semolina
1 whole egg
3 egg yolks
5ml olive oil
2g salt
10ml water
1. Place semolina in a mixing
bowl, create a well for eggs.
2. Into well add yolks, whole egg,
water, salt and olive oil. Mix well
with a fork.
3. Using your fingers, slowly
incorporate flour into egg
mixture, by using flour on inner
side of well.
4. When a dough starts to form
and all liquid is incorporated,
transfer mix onto a flat surface.
Knead until the dough is smooth
and allows for some stretch,
approximately 10 minutes.
5. Cover in cling film and allow to
rest for at least 10 minutes.
6. Uncover and roll out dough
using a rolling pin until dough is
thin enough to pass through the
lowest pasta machine setting.
7. Pass rolled-out dough through
lowest setting - repeat twice.
8. Continue feeding dough
through pasta machine, each time
reducing thickness until reaching
desired thickness. In each setting
pass dough through twice to
ensure an even consistency.
FOR BEETROOT
PASTA DOUGH
Same ingredients as above, plus
30g beetroot powder. Repeat
process as above, adding
beetroot powder with semolina
in first step.
56

SUNKISSED
IN CRETE,
HARVESTED
BY HAND
This olive’s “natural juice” has all its ingredients
intact thanks to the diligent process it undergoes
from cultivation to pressing. Cultivated in Sitia,
on the island of Crete, in an area world-famous
for the quality of its olive oil, the olive trees
grow in excellent soil conditions and in a
special microclimate. Obtained through cold
extraction and solely by mechanical means a
few hours after harvest, this Extra Virgin Olive
Oil is produced exclusively from the superior
“Koroneiki” variety which offer a superb balance
between bitter, spicy and fruity flavours and a
distinct emerald shade.

DINNER FOR TWO
CHOCOLATE BROWNIE
BAKED CHEESECAKE
Although these recipes are meant for a dinner date for two,
this recipe gives four chocolate brownie baked cheesecakes.
The question is – will two survive the dinner date?
SERVES 4
FOR TRIPLE CHOCOLATE
BROWNIE MIX
50g dark chocolate 70%
65g salted butter
75g caster sugar
25g brown sugar
2 eggs
30g cocoa powder
20g all purpose flour
25g dark chocolate chips 70%
25g white chocolate chips
25g milk chocolate chips
100g toasted blanched
hazelnuts
roughly chopped almonds for
topping
FOR BAKED CHEESE
CAKE MIX
150g cream cheese
1 egg
1/4cup granulated sugar
1tsp vanilla essence
1. BROWNIE MIX. Melt dark chocolate in a bowl on a pan of boiling water and leave to cool slightly. Meanwhile
cream together butter and sugars. Gradually beat in eggs and then melted chocolate. Sift cocoa powder and flour
and fold into mixture. Fold in mixed chocolate chips and hazelnuts. 2. CHEESE CAKE MIX. Cream egg and sugar
to a thick pale yellow. Add vanilla and fold in cream cheese. 3. Line 4 ramekins with butter and parchment paper.
4. Spoon in brownie filling to fill up to half of ramekins. 5. Tap filling down and spoon cream cheese filling on
top leaving 1cm from rim for rising. Sprinkle with chopped almonds. 6. Bake in a preheated oven at
170C for 25 minutes. 7. Cool and serve. (Here shown served with a light berry compote and
dried orange slices for decoration.)
Recipes are from The Mediterranean Culinary Academy’s collection. For more recipes, or to book a cooking class
visit www.mcamalta.com or email contact@mcamalta.com.
58
Share your creations by tagging @mca_malta or sending MCA a photo on their socials.

www.wine.mt Tel: +356 79000080 Email: info@mirachemltd.com

TREATS
“Mrs Forrester... sat in state, pretending not to know what cakes
were sent up, though she knew, and we knew, and she knew that
we knew, and we knew that she knew that we knew, she had been
busy all the morning making tea-bread and sponge-cakes.”
Elizabeth Gaskell, Cranford
GLUTEN FREE
Sensational Desserts and Bakes
Julia Child famously said: “This is my invariable advice to people: Learn how to cook - try new
recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless and above all have fun.” These recipes bring together
classic desserts and treats - the only twist is that they are all gluten free, and so can be enjoyed by
all invited to your Christmas meal or when entertaining over the holidays. And remember, keep
Julia Child's wise advice in mind when rolling up the meringue for the roulade - be fearless. If it
cracks or crumbles, just push it all together and dust it with icing.
Main photography Diliara Garifullina.
61

GLUTEN FREE
CHRISTMAS CAKE
This recipe uses traditional ingredients, simply substituting
flour with gluten free flour to create a very traditional
Christmas Cake that everyone can enjoy for tea.
TREATS
850g dried mixed fruit
235ml brandy
150g butter, softened
210g brown sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
120g gluten-free plain flour
30g gluten-free self-raising flour
2tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2tsp ground nutmeg
1/2tsp ground cloves
100g blanched almonds
4tbsp apricot jam
1. Soak dried fruits in 150ml brandy for a week (or at least overnight) in an airtight container, mixing well and stirring occasionally.
2. Whisk butter and sugar until creamy and pale. Add eggs individually, whisking each in well. Sift in both flours and spices. Add fruit mixture and combine well.
3. Transfer mixture to a greased 20cm round baking tin (at least 7cm deep) lined with double baking paper, and press into pan. Smooth top and decorate with almonds
(this step may be omitted if you don't like almonds). Bake in a preheated oven at 150C for 2 to 2 1/4 hours, or until a skewer comes out clean.
4. Remove from oven and pour remaining brandy onto hot cake. Cool cake in pan.
5. Heat jam over low heat until warm (you can add some Cointreau or some brandy to jam if you wish). Remove cake from pan and brush warm jam mixture on top.
6. Allow jam mixture to cool and set, decorate as desired.
Photography this page Prchi Palwe.
63

GLUTEN FREE
GINGERBREAD
Christmas baking is not just about food - it's also about
memories. This recipe is fun to make with family or friends. Roll
up your sleeves, make a cup of tea and get decorating together.
TREATS
100g salted butter
3tbsp golden syrup
100g dark muscovado sugar
1/2tsp baking soda
1 1/2tbsp ground ginger
1tsp ground cinnamon
225g gluten-free plain flour
50g icing sugar
1. Heat butter, golden syrup and sugar in a
pan until dissolved - stir occasionally. Set
aside to cool slightly.
2. Sieve baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and
flour to a large bowl. Pour in melted butter
mixture and combine. Bring together to a
soft dough with your hands. Refrigerate
dough to set firm – about an hour.
3. After dough has set, remove from fridge
and roll out on a surface lightly dusted with
flour to 1/2cm thickness. Cut shapes
desired. Bake on a lined baking tray in a
preheated oven at 190C for 10-15 minutes
depending on shape size. Remove from
oven and cool.
4. For icing, combine icing sugar with 1-2
tbsp hot water and a drop of lemon juice
to a thick pipeable (but not runny)
consistency. Pipe and decorate cooled
gingerbread as desired.
Photography this page Diliara Garifullina.
65

TREATS
LEMON ROULADE
For this zesty dessert, make the lemon curd ahead of
time so that you can chill it properly. If you're tight on
time use store bought curd – just make sure it's gluten
free if you have gluten intolerant guests. The whole
roulade can be made ahead and either chilled in the
fridge or else frozen, wrapped in baking paper, and
brought out 2 hours ahead to defrost.
FOR THE
LEMON CURD
4 large egg yolks (organic or
good quality eggs)
175g golden caster sugar
zest 2 lemons
juice 4 lemons
pinch of salt
110g butter, softened and cut
into smaller pieces
In a heatproof bowl over a pan of hot water
(bowl should be placed above water, not
touching) add eggs, sugar, zest, juice, salt and
whisk. Add butter and cook until smooth and
thickened, about 15 minutes. Remove bowl and
allow to cool. Once cooled cover with clingfilm
touching surface to prevent skin forming, and
refrigerate.
FOR THE MERINGUE
5 large egg whites (organic or good quality eggs)
275g caster sugar
50g toasted flaked almonds or crushed pistachios
icing sugar, for dusting
FOR THE FILLING
400ml whipping cream
grated zest of 1 lemon
lemon curd
1. In a large clean bowl whisk egg whites on high until very stiff, then
gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking at full speed.
Keep whisking until all sugar is incorporated and mixture extremely
stiff and glossy. Spread meringue evenly over a greased lined
rectangular baking tin (approx 25x35cm) and bake in a preheated
oven at 200C until golden, roughly 10-12 minutes. Reduce
temperature to 160C and bake until firm to touch, roughly 20
minutes. Remove from oven, cool, turn onto baking paper, and
remove baking paper used for baking. Allow to cool completely.
2. Whip cream until stiff, add lemon zest, fold in 2-3 tablespoons
curd to taste. Spread evenly over meringue. Spread extra curd over
cream to taste. Roll up meringue from shorter side, easing with
baking paper. Dust with icing sugar and crushed pistachios.
66
Photography this page Diliara Garifullina.

TREATS
HOMEMADE HOT
CHOCOLATE
For a richer more indulgent drink than warm cocoa,
traditional hot chocolate can be made with good quality
dark or semisweet chocolate, melted or chopped finely
and stirred into warm milk. Whole milk works best for
this for a rich creamy consistency.
500ml whole milk
2tbsp sugar (if needed, to taste)
120g dark chocolate, finely chopped
vanilla extract, whipped cream, marshmallows (optional)
cinnamon and cocoa for dusting, star anise for
decoration (optional)
1. Heat milk over medium heat until hot and bubbles
start to form on side. Do not boil. Turn off heat.
2. Add chocolate and whisk until fully combined. Add a
drop of vanilla essence for flavour to taste (if desired).
3. Serve immediately.
4. Optionally – Garnish with whipped cream and/or
marshmallows if desired. Sprinkle cinnamon and/or
cocoa, and star anise for decoration.
68
Photography this page Christiann Koepke.

CHOCOLATE
MOUSSE
This classic French dessert, with just 5 ingredients, is quite simple
to make – the secret lies in using the best quality ingredients you
can get. It's the perfect light finish to a heavy meal.
TREATS
SERVES 6
180g chopped good quality dark chocolate
120ml of whipping cream, heated to just boiling
20g unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3 whole eggs (separated)
15g fine caster sugar
1. Place chopped chocolate in a bowl and pour
over hot cream. Mix with a whisk so that all
chocolate incorporates and reaches 40C.
2. Add butter, stirring in completely with whisk.
3. Whisk egg whites on high until soft peaks
form, reduce speed and gradually add sugar.
4. Reduce speed further and add egg yolks one
at a time.
5. Increase speed until stiff peaks form.
6. Incorporate some egg white into chocolate
mixture with a whisk. Add in rest of egg white
and incorporate until uniform. Do not overmix.
7. Divide mousse into 6 serving dishes or
glasses. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Chocolate mousse should not be stored for
more than 24 hours in the refrigerator.
8. To serve garnish with lightly sweetened
whipped cream, your choice of nuts, grated
chocolate, or a fancy gluten free biscuit.
Photography this page Shree Iyer.
69

HEALTH & FITNESS
NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS AND FOOD FOR THOUGHT
GET MOVING: MUSCLE AND AGEING
Muscle is important for good health – here’s how to maintain it after middle age
While it’s almost unnoticeable to begin with, nearly every cell, organ and biological process gets a
little bit worse every year we’re alive starting from age 30 or so. The sum of these processes is what
we know as ageing. For most of us, loss of muscle strength and mass are some of the first and most
obvious age-related changes we see. While this might only start out as a couple of extra little aches
and pains, over time a lack of muscle mass can lead to a number of issues – including poor balance,
frailty and loss of independence. It’s also associated with a myriad of health problems, including
higher risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease and even dementia, says Bradley Elliott, Senior
Lecturer in Physiology, University of Westminster. Photography Milo Weiler.
While researchers aren’t entirely sure why muscle mass decreases so much as we
get older, the good news is that we do know regular exercise can help lessen
this impact – and can even delay some of this inevitable muscle loss. Regular
physical activity is also shown to lower risk of preventable diseases, maintain
physical function well into old age, and even improve immune function.
GET MOVING
Given how important muscle is for our health,
the best way to maintain it after 30 is to keep
moving. But let’s say you’re someone who
hasn’t regularly exercised in a few years, or has
never done muscle-building exercises before.
First and foremost, remember that ageing
doesn’t mean you need to avoid heavy exercise.
Our research suggested that younger and older
men recovered in a similar manner to heavy
muscle-building resistance training, so long as
the training was tailored to each participant’s
fitness level.
However, it’s important to consider your
abilities before you begin exercising. A
common mistake people make after being off
training for years (or even decades) is trying
to do what they used to do, or doing too much
too quickly in those first workouts. This may
lead to injury, so it’s important to build your
workouts up gradually.
Realistically, the best workout plan to follow
(for example) is the NHS’s physical activity
recommendations for 18-65-year-olds. This
says people should aim to be physically active
most days, and do muscle-building exercises at
least two days per week.
But what kind of muscle-building exercises
should you do? Well, there’s actually a myriad
of different types of resistance exercise to
choose from, and all are more or less equally
as beneficial as the other. The cliché people
immediately think of is large, muscular people
lifting heavy weights in a gym, but there many
more options out there.
So if you prefer doing bodyweight exercises
such as pilates, using resistance bands, or hard
work while gardening over lifting barbells,
that’s what you should aim to do twice a week.
Enjoyment counts for a lot, especially if it
means you’ll keep doing your new exercise
routines. Endurance-based exercise (such as
walking, running and cycling) are also very
good for you in multiple ways, beyond just
building muscle and improving heart health.
There’s also a very clear relationship between
longevity and doing light physical activity
daily.
However, it’s important not to do too much
of a good thing - especially high-intensity,
resistance-based training. Research shows that
doing more vigorous high intensity physical
activity than recommended isn’t associated
with substantial benefits to longevity. For
clarity, this data doesn’t suggest the high
intensity is negative in terms of health, just
that more isn’t necessarily better.
From a dietary point of view, many
older people don’t eat enough protein.
Sufficient protein intake is necessary to
increase and maintain muscle mass -
even more so if you’re regularly exercising.
Current guidelines recommend a minimum of
0.8 grams of protein per kg of body mass per
day for all adults.
But you’ll need to double this to 1.6 grams
per kg of body mass if you’re looking to build
muscle. So for a person who weighs 70kg, they
would need to eat around 112g of protein per
day to build muscle. This would be the
equivalent of eating approximately one large
chicken breast, a protein shake, three eggs and
a can of tuna (though it will vary depending
on what products you use, so be sure to check
the labels).
This seems to be especially important for
physically active older people (over 60 years of
age). It’s also good to spread the protein you
consume evenly throughout the day to help
your body absorb so much protein as it can
per meal.
While muscle will still inevitably decrease
with age no matter how much you exercise,
being physically active often is still one of the
best ways we know of when it comes to
maximising both good health and fitness and
lifespan. And the earlier you make exercise a
habit, the better off you may be in old age.
This article first appeared on The Conversation.
71

HEALTH & FITNESS
ALZHEIMER’S: EXERCISE MAY REDUCE BRAIN INFLAMMATION,
HELPING TO PROTECT US FROM THE DISEASE
PROTECTING THE BRAIN AS WE AGE
Physical activity is very important for a number of reasons - including that it helps to protect the structure
and function of our brain as we age. This may be key in reducing the risk of developing certain
neurodegenerative conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease. Though researchers have known about the
protective effect of exercise for many years, exactly why it has this effect on the brain has remained a
mystery. But a recent study published in the Journal of Neuroscience might shed some light on this puzzle.
According to its findings, physical activity alters the activity of the brain’s immune cells, which lowers
inflammation in the brain, says Áine Kelly, Professor in Physiology, Trinity College Dublin.
The brain contains a class of special
immune cells known as microglia,
which constantly survey the brain
tissue for damage or infection, and
clear away debris or dying cells.
Microglia also help direct the production of
new neurons (nerve cells in the brain which
communicate and send messages to other
cells) via a process called neurogenesis, which
is linked with learning and memory.
But in order for microglia to step up and do
their job, they need to switch from a resting
state to an activated state. Signals from
pathogens (such as a virus) or from damaged
cells will activate the microglia. This changes
their shape and causes them to produce proinflammatory
molecules - allowing them to
resolve and repair damage or infection.
However, microglia can also be
inappropriately activated as we age, causing
chronic brain inflammation and impairing
neurogenesis. This inflammation has been
suggested as a reason why brain function
often declines with age, and these changes can
be even worse in the case of
neurodegenerative conditions such as
Alzheimer’s.
Studies in laboratory mice and rats have
shown that exercise can counteract some of
the damaging effects of microglial activation.
But this latest study has revealed for the first
time a link between physical activity, reduced
microglial activation and better cognitive
function in the human brain.
The study’s researchers looked at 167 men
and women who participated in the Rush
Memory and Aging Project. This is a longterm
project at Rush University in Chicago
which seeks to identify factors that
contribute to brain health in older people.
Participants completed annual assessments
of their physical activity, which was
monitored by a wearable activity
tracker, alongside assessments of
their cognitive function and
motor performance (such as
muscle strength and
walking speed).
Participants also
donated their brains for
post-mortem analysis as
part of the study. This
allowed the researchers to
analyse the brain tissue for
evidence of activated microglia,
and for signs of disease in the
brain - such as unhealthy blood
vessels, or the presence of plaques containing
the protein beta-amyloid (a hallmark of
Alzheimer’s disease). The researchers also
looked at the levels of synaptic proteins in
participants’ brains. Synapses are the tiny
junctions between nerve cells where
information is transmitted, so the levels of
these gives a broad indication of healthy brain
function.
On average, the participants were 86
years old when their physical activity
began to be monitored and around
90 years old when they died. About a
third of the participants had no cognitive
impairment, a third had mild cognitive
impairment and a third had been diagnosed
with dementia. But post-mortem analysis
revealed that around 60% of participants
actually had signs of Alzheimer’s disease in
the brain (such as amyloid plaques). This
shows that the presence of typical signs of
Alzheimer’s disease doesn’t necessarily mean a
person will show major symptoms of
cognitive impairment while they’re alive.
Unsurprisingly, the younger the participants,
the more physically active they were and the
better their motor function. Overall, being
more physically active was associated with
lower microglial activation in certain brain
regions (such as the inferior temporal gyrus,
which is involved in memory and recall)
which are typically affected early on when
Alzheimer’s begins developing.
This was true even when signs of
Alzheimer’s were present in the brain. This
suggests that physical activity can reduce the
damaging effects of inflammation in the brain
- even when a disease has already started to
develop. The study also showed that more
microglial activation was linked with greater
cognitive decline and lower synaptic protein
levels. Not only do these findings indicate that
inflammation in the brain can significantly
affect cognitive function, and may be a risk
factor in developing Alzheimer’s disease, they
also show that physical activity may help us to
develop resilience in the brain to effects that
would otherwise be damaging.
While these findings are promising, there
are some limitations to the study. Postmortem
analysis can only reveal one single
snapshot in time of the status of the brain.
This means that we can’t tell exactly when
signs of disease developed in participants’
brains - and at what point physical activity
could have made a difference.
The study was also only observational,
meaning it observed changes in participants
going about their lives – as opposed to an
interventional study in which different people
would be randomly assigned to two different
groups where some exercised and some did
not. We therefore cannot conclude with
certainty that physical activity directly caused
the observed changes in brain tissue and
cognitive function. These findings also don’t
explain the mechanism by which exercise
induces these effects.
But this study still adds weight to
the growing body of evidence that
physical activity can protect
brain health and function -
even into old age. Being
active throughout our
lives is likely to give us
the best chance of
preventing
Alzheimer’s and
other
neurodegenerative
conditions from
developing,
helping us to live
long, healthy and
independent
lives.
This article first
appeared on The
Conversation.
72

PROMOTION
Caring for the Elderly
It is good to note the importance of maintaining muscle and mobility to help beat problems that
can arise in middle age. Ageing can result in different concerns such as lack of muscle mass
which can lead to a number of issues – including poor balance, frailty and loss of independence
– as well as a higher risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and even dementia. One should
be aware and keep physically fit for a number of reasons, including to protect the structure and
function of our brain as we age, which may be key in reducing the risk of developing certain
neurodegenerative conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease, writes the team at St Vincent de
Paul Long-term Care Facility. Photography Milo Weiler.
PHYSIO
Physical activity and sedentary
behaviour influence the health of
older adults. Engaging in
physical activity and achieving the World
Health Organization’s physical activity
guidelines prevents disease, whilst
excessive sitting behaviour increases the
risk of ill-health, disease and decline in
functional activity. Physical activity
happens differently throughout the day
during work, travel, and leisure time. In
older adults, light-intensity physical
activity has been found to be beneficial to
maintain daily function. Light-intensity
physical activity includes doing house
work, going out with friends and doing
errands. More importantly, decreasing the
risk of frailty and falls in older adults is
done by engaging in balance and strength
training twice a week. This type of
exercise is less strenuous, less timeconsuming
and can be carried out in a
person’s home. Engaging in regular
physical activity will help your well-being.
Avoiding prolonged sitting behaviour will
help to decrease your health decline. A
physiotherapist can advice you on the
best type of exercise you can engage in
with your current health conditions.
Carrying strength and balance exercises
can seem to be a difficult task at first but
with the right guidance can be integrated
in your daily routine. Speak to a
physiotherapist for advice.
DEMENTIA
The main role for nurses working
with people who have been
diagnosed with dementia is to
build a therapeutic relationship with
them. Getting to know the residents' past
is part and parcel of a dementia care plan
and aides in providing person-centred
care. Nurses do this by meeting with the
residents' relatives and through an
informal interview record the person's
background, important life events, as well
as their preferences and routines. This is
kept in the resident's medical file and
used by all members of the multidisciplinary
team (MDT) as required.
Nurses observe and assess their wards'
residents on a daily basis and liaise about
their observations with their wards'
Charge Nurse and Medical Consultant.
Residents are later referred to the
appropriate member from the MDT
according to their particular needs. The
most common referrals are those to
Physiotherapists and Occupational
Therapists, Dementia Practice Nurses,
and Psychiatrists.
The care environment can have a big
impact on the lives of persons with
dementia. Nurses and the caring team
have the responsibility to keep the place
tranquil, free from clutter, and safe from
items that can be hazardous (to some
more than others).
Good communication skills are
paramount for persons with dementia.
Nurses observe both verbal and nonverbal
cues in order to provide a good
quality of life. Especially in the early
afternoon hours when sundowning is
most experienced by persons with
dementia, nurses manage symptoms of
agitation by engaging with persons with
dementia through meaningful activities
and non-pharmacological approaches
with the help of visuals and sounds such
as music whenever possible.
PODIATRY
Whilst we spend a large
portion of our days
walking, our feet are
normally overlooked. By 80 years of age,
the average person would have walked
around 160,000km. As one can imagine
this leads to a good amount of wear and
tear on our feet. Foot problems tend to be
of concern to elderly patients with
injuries or complications affecting their
quality of life and reducing general
wellness. Ageing affects the circulation of
the feet and reduces one’s immune
response thus making the elderly more
prone to infection and increasing the
time for lacerations, blisters or ulcers to
heal.
Podiatrists play a key role in assessing
foot health. If foot care is ignored this
could lead to more serious problems such
as infections, ulcerations and even
amputations.
Mobility is crucial in maintaining
independence and quality of life.
Podiatrists can give advice in order to
help manage foot pathologies that can
affect mobility, such as choosing the right
footwear for each situation, prescribing
offloading devices, removing
hyperkeratotic lesions, as well as nail care.
Elderly living with dementia can benefit
from attending podiatric services at St.
Vincent de Paul. During the
appointment, patients are assessed and
treatment is given. Our aim is to make
sure our patients remain mobile and
active as long as possible.
SPEECH
The Speech Language Pathologist
(SLP) at St. Vincent de Paul is
involved in identifying whether
there are difficulties in swallowing and
communication, or whether such changes
are a part of normal ageing. As people
grow older, the skills of communication
and swallowing may change, therefore
affecting the quality of life. In light of
this, the role of the SLP is to provide
therapy with respect to communication
and swallowing, aiming at maintaining a
good quality of life.
Communication difficulties may consist
of difficulties with thinking of the right
words to say, speaking clearly in such a
way that other people can understand,
and having a healthy voice, amongst
others. These difficulties may occur due
to a number of reasons, such as stroke or
a brain injury, or more progressive
disorders such as Parkinson’s Disease and
Dementia.
With swallowing, the SLP assesses the
safety of the swallow on different types of
foods and liquids, giving
recommendations to minimise risks of
choking on food and chest infections
resulting from food or liquids in lungs. In
such cases, the SLP may recommend
altering the consistency of the food, or
providing strategies for the individual to
swallow more safely.
74

ACTIVE AGEING
75

BIODIVERSITY
“Humanity has a choice – cooperate or perish”, said United Nations Secretary General António Guterres at
the start of the UN Climate Climate Change Conference – COP27 – this past November in Sharm el-Sheikh,
Egypt, where heads of State, ministers, and negotiators, along with climate activists, mayors, civil society
representatives and CEOs met for the largest annual gathering on climate action. Now this December, hot on
the heals of COP27, COP15 is taking place in Montreal Canada. WHAT IS COP15? ‘COP’ simply stands for the
Conference of the Parties of an international convention and, this year, there are three – one for biodiversity
(COP15), one for climate change (COP27) and one for world wildlife (COP19). The numbers simply indicate
how many times the parties have met. COP15 – or the United Nations Biodiversity Conference – is the
fifteenth meeting of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), bringing together countries to
agree on targets to ensure the survival of species and stem the collapse of ecosystems across the world.
Because of the Covid-19 pandemic countries had not met for several years, making COP-15 more pressing
than ever, with renewed pressure to put in place the financial and political support needed, especially since
previous targets, agreed at COP10 in Aichi, Japan had not been met.
Biodiversity and ecosystems
play an essential role for
climate regulation. Peatlands,
wetlands, soil, forests and
oceans play a crucial role in
absorbing and storing carbon, and
thus helping to protect us from
climate change. Currently, terrestrial
and marine ecosystems absorb
roughly half of the CO2 emissions
humanity generates. Terrestrial
ecosystems store about 2100 Gt of
carbon in living organisms, litter and
soil organic matter: almost three
times as much as is currently present
in the atmosphere.
Oceans and coastal ecosystems are
important in managing carbon, with
the deep ocean storing the largest
amounts. Therefore the maintenance
of existing natural carbon reservoirs
worldwide is essential if carbon
capture and storage is to make a
major contribution to climate
mitigation. There is significant
potential for cutting future emissions
of greenhouse gases through
maintaining healthy ecosystems and
restoring degraded environments, in
particular by restoring peatlands and
wetlands, replanting forests, and
reducing other pressures on nature. In
addition, semi-natural and managed
ecosystems, including those used for
agriculture, offer many opportunities
for active carbon sequestration and
reduction of emissions.
Working with nature brings multiple
benefits. Working with nature
(ecosystem-based approaches for
climate change adaptation and
mitigation) while helping to conserve
nature also reduces the vulnerability
of people and their livelihoods in the
face of climate change.
For example, coastal ecosystems
like wetlands, mangroves, coral reefs,
oyster reefs, and barrier beaches all
provide natural shoreline protection
from storms and flooding in addition
to many other services. Ecosystembased
approaches are costeffective,
ready for use and
accessible to rural and poor
communities, so they can help relieve
poverty and support sustainable
development strategies. For example,
restored natural shorelines with
seagrass beds or mangroves form a
buffer against storm surges and
create nurseries for fisheries.
Protecting groundwater recharge
zones, or restoring flood plains, secure
76

BIODIVERSITY
Biodiversity
So what is biodiversity? Quite simply biological diversity – or the variety of life on Earth in all forms,
from forests and coral reefs to genes and bacteria. We depend on biodiversity for food, water and
medicines, economic growth, a stable climate – the list is endless. Over half of global gross domestic
product depends on nature while over over 1 billion people rely on forests for their livelihoods. But
nature is in crisis, with up to one million species threatened with extinction, several within decades.
Photography Kiyoshi, Ecuador.
water resources so that entire
communities can cope with drought.
Ecosystems already provide natural
carbon traps at very little cost.
Developing and applying new
technologies is important. Investment
in preserving the natural systems the
Earth has in place for mitigating
climate change and helping us to
adapt are equally important. Natural
systems have been doing the job for
millions of years. Amongst the
measures to reduce emissions there
are priority “low cost co-benefit”
options that simultaneously
contribute to conservation and
sustainable use of biodiversity. They
include preservation and restoration
of degraded land, forests, peatlands,
organic soils, wetlands, reduction in
conversion of pastureland, less slash
and burn practices, and improved
grassland management.
Climate change has an impact on
biodiversity and ecosystems and
often exacerbates other pressures
such as pollution, over-exploitation,
invasive species, habitat
fragmentation, degradation and loss.
Rainforests cover only 6% of the
Earth’s surface but are home to half
of our land-based species. They are
disappearing at a rate of some 13
million hectares per year.
Deforestation activities alone release
an estimated 20% of global CO2
emissions.
Loss of or damage to ecosystems
reduces their capacity to capture
and store carbon. The climate system
has tipping points, where feedbacks
from ecosystems become
unpredictable and ecosystems lose
resilience, so that carbon sinks turn
into carbon sources. While we do not
know exactly how much time we
have before reaching these tipping
points, we know that we must do all
we can to prevent this happening.
One example is the melting of the
permafrost in the northern regions,
which leads to increased
greenhouse gas emissions, which in
turn may also accelerate climate
change.
Healthy resilient ecosystems have a
greater potential to mitigate and
adapt to climate change and
therefore to limit global warming.
They resist and recover more easily
from extreme weather events and
provide a wide range of benefits on
which everyone depends.
Information source: NATURE’S ROLE IN CLIMATE CHANGE – ec.europa.eu/environment © European Commission, 2009.
77

BIODIVERSITY
COP15
While biodiversity and climate change are linked, COP15 is focused on strategies aimed
to halt and reverse biodiversity and nature loss, while COP27 focused on ramping up
ambition to limit global warming to below 2 degrees and mitigating climate change.
Key drivers of the nature crisis
include changes in land and
sea use, climate change,
pollution, direct exploitation
of natural resources, and
invasive species.
The biggest driver of biodiversity loss
is how people use the land and sea.
This includes the conversion of land
covers such as forests, wetlands and
other natural habitats for agricultural
and urban uses. Since 1990, around
420 million hectares of forest have
been lost through conversion to other
land uses. Agricultural expansion
continues to be the main driver of
deforestation, forest degradation
and forest biodiversity loss. The global
food system is the primary driver of
biodiversity loss, with agriculture
alone being the identified threat of
more than 85 per cent of the 28,000
species at risk of extinction.
Reconsidering the way people grow
and consume food is one way of
reducing the pressure on ecosystems.
Degraded and disused farmland can
be ideal for restoration, which can
support protecting and restoring
critical ecosystems such as forests,
peatlands and wetlands.
Since 1980, greenhouse gas
emissions have doubled, raising
average global temperatures by at
least 0.7C. Global warming is already
affecting species and ecosystems
around the world, particularly the
most vulnerable ecosystems such as
coral reefs, mountains and polar
ecosystems. Ecosystems such as
forests, peatlands and wetlands
represent significant carbon stores
globally. Their conservation,
restoration and sustainability are
critical – by working with nature,
emissions can be reduced by up to
11.7 gigatons of carbon dioxide
equivalent per year by 2030, over 40
per cent of what is needed to limit
global warming.
Delegates at COP15 will be looking
at how marginalized communities,
including Indigenous Peoples, can
benefit from a subsistence economy
–a system based on provisioning and
regulating services of ecosystems for
basic needs. Indigenous Peoples play
a vital protection role as guardians of
biodiversity. Despite comprising less
than 5% of the global population,
Indigenous peoples protect an
estimated 80% of global biodiversity,
which makes up about 20% of the
world’s land, and their role is under
discussion by world leaders this week.
“We need to work side-by-side with
the most effective guardians of
biodiversity - Indigenous Peoples,” UN
Secretary General Antonio Guterres
said to the press during his opening
remarks on the first day of
negotiations at COP15.
Information source: UN Environment Programme, www.unep.org
79

ENVIRONMENT PROMOTION
WHY THE FUSS ON BIODIVERSITY?
WHAT ARE WE DOING TO ADDRESS IT?
We’ve all heard the fuss about biodiversity – but what is it and why is it important? Biodiversity has many
definitions, but in a nutshell, it includes all the forms of life that surround us in the various habitats our country
hosts - be it in the water, land or air. Over the years, biodiversity has had its fair share of pressures and threats
leading to a global loss in biodiversity - meaning that we have lost several species (be it plants or animals) from
our habitats, writes the team at the Environment and Resources Authority.
80
This page: Agave Americana (American Agave). Introduced as an ornamental plant, the Agave Americana became invasive in several wild places.
The plant flowers once in its lifetime, after 10 to 100 years and then dies.

BIODIVERSITY
Globalisation, climate change,
urbanisation and other human
activities have all had their toll
and contribution to the global
decay in biodiversity - directly or
indirectly. But how does this happen? Let’s
explain this through an example - Invasive Alien
Species (IAS).
Globalisation, commercial activities, human
interactions and movements have led to a
situation where certain species (be it animals or
plants), which do not belong to a particular
region, end up there - either by mistake - say a
seed stuck in the soles of your shoes - or
intentionally - say a turtle pet released into the
wild in a bid to provide it with a second life.
Depending on the habitat and the species - these
creatures may either die, or thrive, and it is this
thriving that sometimes leads to grave concern!
Species that thrive in an environment that is not
their original environment (hence alien) might
lead to a situation where the “foreign” species
have no competition (or predators in terms of
food chain), hence they will thrive at the
detriment of the other “local” species, killing
them off, and therefore leading to a situation of
biodiversity loss.
Malta has several such situations that
threaten local species, ranging from
freshwater turtles to plants - but this
concern is global. In fact, the European
Commission developed a mobile app that can be
used by the public to report Invasive Alien
Species called Invasive Alien Species Europe.
ERA is working hand in hand to address this
situation and has also been issuing several policy
documents to guide stakeholders on what can be
done to reduce the impacts of biodiversity loss
through IAS.
However, biodiversity can also be affected by
other means - climate change, pollution,
urbanisation and many other factors, often still
unknown, can lead to biodiversity loss. But why
the fuss?
Biodiversity is our food, our air, and our sea -
the reduction in biodiversity will lead to a
reduction in our basic needs - food varieties and
volumes, clean water, and healthy air quality will
all suffer if we lose biodiversity. Our environment
can be considered as a circular cycle that, when
hindered at a single point, will lead to a profound
impact overall on other elements of this same
cycle, leading to big changes which are often
undesired.
Nonetheless, ERA is working hard on the
various measures and policies which are being
developed to address the specific situations we
face locally. Several restoration projects have
already been implemented successfully around
several sites in Malta proving that the situation
can be addressed and reversed if expert opinions
and guidelines are adhered to.
Top: Acacia Saligna (Blue-leaved Acacia) - Acacia
species are highly invasive. Middle: Carpobrotus Edulis
(Swaba tal-Madonna) is one of the worst invasive alien
species. Native to South Africa, this flat evergreen
succulent was introduced to stabilise embankments and
was planted regularly as an ornamental plant due to its
rapid cover and bright flowers. Above: Red Eared
Slider (Trachemys Scripta). Included in the 100 most
invasive species of the world list.
81

PROMOTION
FARMING AND BIODIVERSITY
A new milestone was set last month when the world population reached 8 billion people. Today,
we humans have a disproportionate influence on life on Earth not only through sheer numbers
but also due to the pervasiveness of our activities on natural systems. On its part, Malta is
committed to help reverse this trend through the support of sustainable farming, enhancing
ecosystem services and encouraging the preservation of habitats and landscapes, writes Dr
Anton Refalo, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights.
82

BIODIVERSITY
Left: Malta’s Strategic Plan emphasises
the need to provide farmers with
information on the value of
biodiversity and giving them the skills
to protect it through training and
advice. Apiculture has a central role in
the enhancement of local biodiversity
and the beekeeping sector will also be
supported through the provision of
training and information.
Ecosystems that
evolved over
millions of years are
taken for granted
and abused. Whether through
lack of knowledge (about the
importance of what appeared to
be insignificant forms of life,
such as insects and bacteria) or
due to our having other
priorities (primarily the
commercial exploitation of
natural resources), we are
negatively impacting on natural
habitats and species, resulting
in the fast degradation of
biodiversity and ecosystems.
Fortunately, a changed mindset
is emerging, as more of us
are realising the importance of
breathing clean air and eating
healthy food for our well-being.
The need to continue informing
public opinion about the loss of
biodiversity, and how climate
change is driving this
degradation, led the World
Climate Foundation to organise
the World Biodiversity Summit.
The Foundation hopes that the
Summit will encourage public
private partnerships to halt and
reverse biodiversity loss.
On its part, Malta is
committed to help reverse this
trend through the support of
sustainable farming, enhancing
ecosystem services and
encouraging the preservation of
habitats and landscapes. This is
the focus of Strategic Objective
6 within the Strategic Plan
proposed by Malta as part of
the Common Agricultural
Policy 2023-2027. This Plan was
officially adopted by the
European Commission last
month.
Malta’s Strategic Plan
emphasises the need to provide
farmers with information on
the value of biodiversity and
giving them the skills to protect
it through training and advice.
One of the ways in which our
farmers can contribute to the
protection of biodiversity and
local ecosystems is through
organic farming and the
reduced use of fertilisers and
pesticides. Maltese consumers
are increasingly asking for the
better quality and safer crops
provided through organic
farming.
The Integrated Pest
Management eco-scheme is
expected to lead to more
targeted pesticide use while
farmers are being encouraged
to use mechanical means for
weed removal so as to reduce
the use of herbicides on
holdings.
The Strategic Plan proposes to
offer financial assistance to
encourage more Maltese and
Gozitan farmers to take up
organic farming. This besides
the investment incentives
available for the modernising
holdings, the purchase of
machinery and the construction
of greenhouses. This last
measure is also intended to help
reduce cross contamination
from neighbouring
conventional holdings.
Apiculture too is
deemed to have a
central role in the
enhancement of local
biodiversity. The beekeeping
sector will be supported
through the provision of
training and information,
investments related to varroosis,
restocking and transhumance
and support for laboratories.
Farming practices can also
have an impact on bird species.
Given the decline in farmland
bird species populations, the
Priority Action Framework
seeks to promote and develop
farming guidelines which will
support the adoption of
practices that are conducive to
the aims of the Birds and
Habitats Directives.
The removal of alien
species and the
planting of native
species remains another priority
in protecting Malta’s
biodiversity landscape. Support
will be offered for the
introduction of newly planted
trees as per guidelines issued by
the Environment and Resources
Authority as well as for farmers
who are committed to
safeguarding trees on their
holdings.
The off-farm non-productive
investments intervention is
expected to support the
restoration of rubble walls and
other rural landscape features
including existing terrace walls,
the creation and/or restoration
of different types of terrestrial
habitats, including inter alia
garigue, steppe, maquis,
woodland, rock pools, valleys
and watercourses, saline
marshlands and sand dunes.
Similar investments can also be
supported under the nonproductive
on-farm investments
intervention.
Preserving local agricultural
genetic resources, especially
those tree and livestock species
that are vulnerable to genetic
erosion, is essential for
protecting habitats and
environmental sustainability.
Financial support will be
available for this purpose
through the European
Agricultural Fund for Rural
Development.
The eco-scheme intended to
have land parcels dedicated for
biodiversity will provide
support for agricultural land on
which biodiversity can flourish.
This will have a positive impact
on pollinator populations and
on other natural flora and
fauna.
Information about the financial
assistance available for the new
eco-schemes being proposed in
Malta’s Strategic Plan has been
distributed to all farmers and
applications for assistance are to
be submitted by 13th January
2023.
Left and right: Malta is committed to
support sustainable farming, enhancing
ecosystem services and encouraging the
preservation of habitats and landscapes.
The off-farm non-productive
investments intervention is expected to
support the restoration of rubble walls
and other rural landscape features.
83

PROMOTION
MAKING MEMORIES AT ESPLORA THIS CHRISTMAS
Most of us tend to have fond memories of past Christmases. A house full of decorations, planning dinner or
parties with family and friends, wrapping Christmas gifts, drinking a warm cup of cocoa or a glass of mulled
wine, and watching a romantic Christmas movie on TV. The festive season is all about making memories with
our loved ones. This year we invite you to add to these warm memories by visiting Esplora Interactive Science
Centre and enjoying a fantastic day with your family or friends at the science centre.
Between Saturday, 17th
December 2022 and
Sunday, 8th January 2023,
Esplora will be buzzing
with activities as the science centre will
explore science and technology
through the wonders of Christmas.
Visitors will be able to participate in
various fun and dazzling science shows
and workshops all related to the
Christmas cheer!
In Once Upon a Christmas, young
children will go on a journey with Santa
Claus in an interactive storytelling
workshop that explores how families in
Malta and Gozo celebrate Christmas.
This wonderful workshop is ideal for
children of ages between 3 and 6 years.
At Esplora there is an activity for
everyone this Christmas and the
amazing science show Lights, Camera,
Action will be loved by adults and
children alike. Everyone loves a good
movie and during this show visitors will
join Esplora’s film crew as they recreate
classic elements from famous Christmas
movies by using science and technology.
Some of the astonishing effects which
will be reproduced during this science
show are the Green Screen Technology
as well as the Foley sound effects.
For children who are a bit older,
Esplora has redesigned Santa’s sleigh to
include autonomous driving. During
this workshop, participants will be able
to build a sphero-powered sleigh using
K’NEX and drive it around to deliver
gifts. This fantastic workshop is ideal
for children aged 7+ years and who are
coding enthusiasts.
And if you have not yet had the
chance to visit the Esplora Planetarium,
now is the time! For the festive season,
Esplora has introduced a new
Planetarium Film – Dinosaurs, A Story
of Survival; a lovely story about Celeste,
a young child who is fascinated with
dinosaurs. Celeste joins her friend
Moon as they journey through time to
see how these incredible animals
underwent transformations over
millions of years until the day that a
cataclysmic impact caused a mass
extinction on Earth.
This Christmas, Esplora is giving one
free child entrance with every paying
adult. This offer is valid for children
aged 15 years and under. Entrance
tickets for Christmas at Esplora can be
bought online from
www.showshappening.com or else at the
door on a first come first served basis.
The tickets cover the entrance to Esplora
only. A science show or workshop or a
planetarium film/show can be booked
per visitor at an extra charge of €1 at the
Esplora Reception only.
Contributed by Esplora Interactive
Science Centre. For more information,
opening hours and terms and conditions
please visit https://esplora.org.mt/
84

ONE FREE CHILD
ENTRANCE WITH EVERY
PAYING ADULT
At Esplora
For more
information
scan this
QR code
Create your memory
17 December - 8 January
TICKETS available from
showshappening.com
or at the door on a
first come first served basis
Esplora Interactive Science Centre was part-financed
by ERDF. Esplora was declared to be an emblematic
project by the EU Commission.
Terms and conditions apply.
Visit our website for more
information.
Interactive Science Centre
Villa Bighi, Il-Kalkara KKR 1320 - Malta

ICONIC IMAGES
TIMELESS SALVATOR MUNDI. Iconic images crystallizing an era and its aesthetics, such as this Salvator Mundi painted after Leonardo da Vinci, are highly prized
on the international art market. Painted over a century after his famous original piece, this battered late copy – described as “Italian School around 1600, after Leonardo
da Vinci” – sold at an online Old Masters Sale by Christie’s Paris on 28th November for a staggering €1,062,000 (reaching just over 70 times its high estimate of €15,000),
trailing on the footsteps of the Mona Lisa replicas that have achieved very strong results at various auctions in recent years. There is an increasingly important market for
works after Leonardo da Vinci, as illustrated by several Mona Lisa copies that achieved very strong results at auction in the last few years, demonstrating the strong
fascination exerted by these timeless images. Indeed the original Salvator Mundi by Leonardo was sold by Christie’s at auction for US$450.3 million on
15th November 2017 by Christie’s in New York to Prince Badr bin Abdullah Al Saud, setting a new record for the most expensive painting ever sold at public auction.
86
This page: Italian School around 1600, After Leonardo Da Vinci, Salvator Mundi, Oil on panel, 63.2x51cm, Price realised: €1,062,000.
Estimate: €10,000-€15,000. © Christie’s Images Limited 2022.

Choose an artisanal gift
Made with Love!
This Christmas
#Choose Local