Volume No20
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Print and
PROVOCATION Doors are thrown open as Cornwall’s creatives contemplate the future of a tumultuous world
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Drift /drift/
noun 1. the act of driving something along 2. the flow or the velocity of the current of a river or ocean stream
verb 1. to become driven or carried along, as by a current of water, wind, or air 2. to move or float smoothly and effortlessly
3
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On the cover ‘Wall’ by Henri Villiers. Henri is one of many artists opening their studio doors in this year’s Open Studios Cornwall. Read more about her work from page 96. openstudioscornwall.co.uk
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ISSN 2632-9891 © All rights reserved. Material may not be re-produced without the permission of Engine House Media Ltd. While Drift will take every care to help readers with reports on properties and features, neither Engine House Media Ltd nor its contributors can accept any liability for reader dissatisfaction arising from editorial features, editorial or advertising featured in these pages. Engine House Media Ltd strongly advises viewing any property prior to purchasing or considerations over any financial decisions. Engine House Media reserves the right to accept or reject any article or material supplied for publication or to edit such material prior to publication. Engine House Media Ltd cannot take responsibility for loss or damage of supplied materials. The opinions expressed or advice given in the publication are the views of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of
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Engine House Media Ltd. It is suggested that further advice is taken over any actions resulting from reading any part of this magazine. Engine House Media Ltd is a multi-platform media business with a passion for everything Cornish. Visit www.enginehousemedia. co.uk to find out more. Our mission is to create READ-WATCHEXPERIENCE media opportunities marrying together consumers with the fabulous businesses across Cornwall. Our publishing and marketing teams are specialists in creating print and online communications, devised to achieve a range of marketing objectives. With over 20 years of marketing, brand management and magazine experience we develop effective communications that deliver your message in a credible and creative way. We operate across all media channels, including: print, online and video.
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T E A M
Foreword True to DRIFT form, this volume follows the lives, loves and legacies of a unique group of artists, photographers, producers and businesses who are masters of their varying crafts. Ceramicist Akiko Hirai and her husband, weaver Jason Collingwood, talk of their daily routines and how their commitment to their craft defines their lifestyle (21), ahead of a rare joint show at New Craftsman Gallery. Open Studios, Cornwall returns to the Duchy this year with creatives opening their studios and workshops, inviting outsiders to experience their compositions and creations first-hand. Printmaker Henri Villiers (96), whose inspiration comes from her environment, is one such artist who will be sharing her studio perched high above the beach. Photographer, Megan Hemsworth (32), greets
many a new dawn with her 35mm camera as she captures Cornish surfers on the morning waves for her new book, Admire. Using this analogue medium anchors each shoot in a fleeting moment of time and is a rare representation of life on the ocean shown through a series of raw, unedited images. It is the waters that surround Cornwall and its myriad fish species that has been the subject of many a sustainable debate over recent years; Ocean Fish (45) and its W Stevenson fleet of fishing boats, work tirelessly to ensure they are always at the leading edge of sustainable fishing practices, and, in collaboration with leading Cornish development chef James Strawbridge, are encouraging us all to champion local fish. We invite you to join us as we journey through this collection of creative highlights.
Our contributors
Hannah Tapping
Mercedes Smith
Dan Warden
Rosie Cattrell
Martin Holman
Rebecca Hawkey
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We invite you to continue your lifestyle voyage online. Find inspiring stories and uncover more luxury content on Instagram @driftcornwall. Join our exclusive e-journal community at drift-cornwall.co.uk to receive recipes, reviews and insider knowledge of some of Cornwall’s most-loved luxury destinations. drift-cornwall.co.uk T HE
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Contemporary riverside home Devoran, South Cornwall A superb detached family home in the idyllic creekside village of Devoran with rural and river views, extensive gardens and grounds conveniently located between Truro and Falmouth. South west facing village property, Ample parking for four plus cars, Integral double garage with internal stairs to entrance hall, Open plan kitchen/dining space and reception room with sliding doors and Juliet balcony. Five bedrooms, Principal and guest bedroom both en suite with walk-in wardrobes and sliding doors out onto balconies, Double glazed throughout, Italian stone basins in all bathrooms. EPC = C 2,814 sq ft | Guide £1.1 million | Freehold
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NEWLYN, WEST CORNWALL OFFERS OVER £800,000 Residential development opportunity with full planning and building regulations approval set within an elevated position above Newlyn in west Cornwall. This exciting opportunity to deliver four high-quality contemporary homes enjoys superb views towards Mount’s Bay having been cleared of the original property.
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LEMON GARDENS, TRURO GUIDE PRICE £725,000 Conveniently located close to the centre of Truro and enjoying a peaceful and traffic-free setting off Falmouth Road, one of Truro’s finest areas, this impeccably presented home is a charming, light and welcoming detached modern residence providing well-balanced accommodation complemented beautifully by a well-planted and colourful garden. 1,744 sq ft. EPC = B
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North Corner, Coverack Located in a picturesque fishing village at the eastern side of the Lizard peninsula, this outstanding, 5 bedroom, 4.5 bathroom modern contemporary property overlooks the beautiful harbour of Coverack. Set within stunning landscaped gardens, the home is just a stone’s throw from the thriving harbourside and community which boasts many local businesses including a fantastic water sports centre from where you can hire equipment to explore the rugged coastline. Property Features: 2504 Sq ft - 5 Bedrooms - 4.5 Bathrooms
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C O N T E N T S
At a glance 21
NEW CHAPTERS
33
EXPERIENCE THE UNIQUE
45
FROM CATCH TO CUSTOME R
55
NATU RE’S EL I XI R
65
C R E A M O F T H E C RO P
73
L U X U RY H O M E S
Masters in their own craft
Photography from Megan Hemsworth
An industry alive and thriving
84
STYLE IN THE CITY
87
S U B - T RO P I C A L S P L E N D O U R
96
T H E LU C K O F T H E D R AW
106
The fruits of a modern cidery
116
Recipes from Emily Scott
122
At the pinnacle of the Cornish market
Stunning couture from Mélange
Escapes that transcend the ordinary
Finding printmaking perfection
HOUSE OF WINE In the shadow of Truro Cathedral
F LY I N G H I G H With Cornwall Air Ambulance
EVENTIDE A final word from Nathan Outlaw
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W O O D F O R D ARCHITECTURE
INTERIOR DESIGN
Woodford Architecture and Interiors were the winners of the 2020-2021 international property award for the best residential property in the United Kingdom. From our studios, we work on projects across the South West and the UK, as well as overseas. 15 North Street, Ashburton, Devon, TQ13 7QH Tel: 01364 654888 www.woodfordarchitecture.com
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CHAPTERS WO R D S B Y M E RC E D E S S M I T H
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C R E AT E
British weaver Jason Collingwood and Japanese potter Akiko Hirai are known internationally as masters of their craft. They are also husband and wife. We talk to them ahead of a rare joint show at New Craftsman Gallery.
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be egotistical, but he has always been very down-to-earth and I have always admired him for that.”
had always considered myself to be a hard worker, until I met Akiko,” says Jason Collingwood. “Without fail she works seven days a week, and long days at that. When we first met it was quite common for her to work through the night before cycling across London to teach at college the next day, and she is still the hardest working person I know.”
This June, these two leading lights of contemporary craft will exhibit together at New Craftsman Gallery St Ives in a show that marks the end of Jason’s 35-year career as a weaver. “The rugs I have made for this show with Akiko will be the last I ever produce,” says Jason. “I have sold my workshop and decided to move on from rug weaving to new adventures.” Titled Chapters, it offers collectors the very last chance to acquire work by one of the world’s finest textile artists, as well as one of twelve beautiful Moon Jars by Akiko, which change appearance throughout the series in reflection of the lunar cycle, and of the circular completion of her husband’s successful career as a weaver.
Jason is talking affectionately about his wife, Akiko Hirai, who has built a reputation as one of the world’s leading ceramicists, fusing British ceramic traditions with those of her native Japan to make work that is admired by collectors across the world. In perfect parallel to Akiko, Jason too is a Master Craftsperson, having spent his career as a designer and maker of extraordinary handwoven rugs. “When I met Jason, he was already known worldwide,” says Akiko. “Sometimes successful artists can
PREVIOUS Akiko Hirai
INSET Jason Collingwood
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A B OV E Blue Moon
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A B OV E & F O L L O W I N G PA G E S Geometric Rugs by Jason Collingwood
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C R E AT E
and skill, and is labour intensive, meaning Jason has had to build an entire lifestyle around creating his works. “Depending on any approaching deadline, the length of my day in the workshop can be very different. I am a morning person, so my alarm goes off at 4.30am – half an hour after Akiko’s! - and I’ll be at the loom between 6.30am and 5pm each day. There is a special feeling at the end of the day, knowing you have produced something that didn’t exist when you first sat at the loom in the morning. It feels like real work, like you have made something tangible”. In addition, Jason would typically spend three or four months of each year lecturing in America, where the majority of his commissions come from. “Whilst teaching I would pick up commissions for my rugs along the way, and back in the UK I would weave the commissions, then the next trip to the USA would start.”
“I grew up with weaving all around me,” says Jason, “because my father was a rug weaver, but it wasn’t until I was 18 that I sat on a loom for the first time in my life. There was a sixmonth period when I worked for my father, but I didn’t weave again until I was 24, and that was 35 years ago.” Since that time, Jason has perfected the art of making beautiful geometric designs by hand. He has rarely exhibited his work but has woven more than 2,000 rugs by commission for private clients, architects and interior designers, including a series of 24 bespoke rugs for the Sheraton hotel in Dar-es Salaam, Tanzania, rugs for luxury Spanish fashion house Loewe, and a collection of rugs for a castle in Switzerland. “I have always said that my designs are the result of perspiration, not inspiration,” he jokes. “I start off with a blank piece of paper, a blank mind, and just scribble away. If a design looks appealing, I’ll fine tune it. When I create a new design, it doesn’t necessarily have any connection to the previous rug, or the following one. The designs are ‘stand-alone’, there is no theme as such. What does dictate the designs I am able to produce are the loom and the structure the rug is woven in. My rugs are made using a block weave structure, and my loom has a device on it called a ‘shaft switching system’. Both these things mean that I am free to design anything that can be plotted out on squared paper, so for me curves are not an option, I deal in straight lines, though curves can be ‘implied’ by careful use of where these straight lines are placed on the rug.” Creating handmade works like these requires a great deal of knowledge
While their work ethics are similar, Jason and Akiko’s chosen crafts require a very different ethos in terms of design and creation. “The loom is a very precise tool,” Jason explains, “whilst the potter is, to some degree, at the mercy of the kiln because each firing will produce slightly different results.” “Until I met Jason, I knew nothing about weaving,” says Akiko, “but now I know that making even a simple pattern involves so much knowledge and skill. Jason weaves all his knowledge into his beautiful rugs, but weaving cannot be spontaneous in the way that ceramics can. Working with clay requires a very different mental process.
INSET Moon Jar
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TOP Ceramic Plate
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A B OV E Moon Jar - close up
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WAT E R S H E D D
Architecture, Interior Design & Development
0207 659 0 8 85
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STU D IO@ WAT E R S HE D D.COM
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C R E AT E
hour, get back home, do some housework and then walk to my studio for 8.30am. My daily production plan depends on the exhibition or orders I have next. I usually have four or five solo exhibitions a year, booked two years in advance, and I have stopped teaching completely because I can’t fit it into my schedule any longer. I am very lucky in that I am offered interesting new exhibition opportunities every year, but trying to squeeze everything in is actually becoming increasingly difficult!”
“The physicality of ceramics, and the chemical reactions involved in creating a final piece, mean that there can never be a single outcome. Clay is complex and shows the imprints of process, of what the materials have gone through, which I think reflects the way our feelings and consciousness change when our physical state of biochemistry changes. My ceramics are very personal and reflect feelings that can’t otherwise be expressed in words.” In the creation of her distinctive Moon Jars and functional ceramics, Akiko is known for achieving subtle changes in each work by alternating her kiln atmosphere when firing, and allowing varying amounts of impurity in the clay to freely affect the surface detail of each work. “People often say that my ceramics are ‘honest’,” says Akiko. “I don’t know how I should interpret that, but certainly what you see in my work is what I am thinking or feeling when I create it. It has taken me a long time to accumulate the vocabulary of ceramics, and I am still learning, which I love, and this endless learning is what has made me commit to a life in ceramics.” This commitment, like Jason’s, defines Akiko’s lifestyle day in and day out, year in and year out. “I work seven days a week and every day is more or less the same. I get up at 4am, do my foreign language lesson, make coffee, go to my local lido and swim for an
“Over the years,” adds Jason, “as Akiko has become more successful, demand on her time has increased and the way she keeps all those plates spinning is amazing to me. She has very high standards, so if she doesn’t like something it gets smashed – I admire that sort of quality control. Seeing how physical her work is, particularly with the large moon jars, is very impressive – just watching her lift one into the kiln is pretty nerve wracking. I am very proud of her achievements, and I quite enjoy being introduced as Akiko’s husband. It takes all the pressure off me.” See Chapters from 27 May to 25 June at New Craftsman Gallery, 24 Fore St, St Ives, TR26 1HE. newcraftsmanstives.com
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Celebrating
the IMPERFECT WO R D S B Y H A N N A H TA P P I N G
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A COLLECTION OF 2 & 4 BEDROOM LUXURY COASTAL HOMES COMING SOON TO PORTH, NEWQUAY
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C R E AT E
The instant happiness created by experiencing the unique; exploring the wistful, watery world of photographer, Megan Hemsworth.
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large. I love the peacefulness, even amongst powerful waves, where thoughts become quieter and it’s all about being in the moment.”
egan Hemsworth’s professional practice sees her championing the female surf community while shining a light on how beautiful Cornwall is. “I shoot for both personal work and corporate brands capturing all things surf related. I love to share my experiences through Instagram, a platform that has really been a stepping stone for my career.” Megan loves and respects the ocean, always aware of its power while admiring its beauty and being grateful for the joy it gives to so many people. “Water heals, cleanses and fixes the mind and for that I am forever grateful,” adds Megan.
35mm film is Megan’s medium of choice: “This is not something I claim to be a professional at but instead it’s something that still and I think always will challenge me. It makes me think more about each shot and I feel even more connected to each moment out in the water. It involves a lot more pre-planning than shooting digital and it has the potential not to work! I could leave the sea with nothing and that’s the very thing that keeps the image-taking alive for me.”
Megan has had the pleasure of traveling to multiple countries around the world, culminating in a shoot for Surfsistas, a surf retreat company that matches her own ethos of encouraging the female surf community. “I like to celebrate the imperfect, it’s not always about catching the ‘best’ wave or the ‘biggest’ wave, it’s more about being present and experiencing something unique that creates so much instant happiness. It means so much to me that I can swim around my friends and people I admire and capture their achievements small or
Her latest project, which will culminate in a book to be published at the end of the year, is a showcase of as many Cornish surfers, photographers and sea swimmers as possible, all shot on 35mm film. The goal is to have no goal, rather capturing those that she admires based on Megan’s ethos: “We have to live our lives, not just think about the end goal.” meganhemsworth.com meganhemsworth
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LEFT A Moment In Morocco
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A B OV E Cali Sliding
TOP RIGHT Female Energy
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TOP Candy and Golden Hour At Its Finest
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A B OV E Freedom
RIGHT Bond Girl
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LEFT Cali Girl
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A B OV E Surfers Jack Day (top) and Alan Stokes (above) Both of these 35mm shots will feature in Megan’s new book Admire which showcases analogue action images of surfers
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arco2.co.uk
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S U S TA I N A B L E A R C H I T EC T U R E SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION
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A B OV E Morning Moments with Beth Leighfield
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INSPIR ATION FOR YOUR HOME AND GARDEN Visit the Nursery and discover a place of sanctuary for everyone, where horticulture is celebrated, and nature is allowed to flourish.
Beautiful plants for the home and garden
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Lifestyle collections and gorgeous gifts
Open 7 days a week
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From catch
to CUSTOMER WO R D S B Y H A N N A H TA P P I N G | I M AG E S B Y JA M E S S T R AW B R I D G E
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C U I SI N E
Following the journey of Cornish fish from one of Britain’s largest privately owned fleets.
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Stevenson has been in the fishing industry for over 100 years. Now owned by parent company, Ocean Fish, sustainability lies at the heart of the entire operation. Its fishing fleet of sardine ring netters operates mainly from Newlyn, returning their catch to its market daily. Having control of their own fleet of boats, a fish market, an on-site fish monger, as well as wholesale and on-line retail sales, allows for control over the whole journey of the fish. With such vast diversity in the Cornish fishing industry – there can be up to 35 different species landed on the local markets on any given day – Stevenson and Ocean Fish work closely with local, regional, national, and international scientific and management organisations, ensuring they are always at the leading edge of sustainable fishing practices. Ocean Fish
Alongside an expanding e-commerce site, where consumers can order fresh fish for delivery to their door, the fishmongers beside the Newlyn market offers direct sales. Run by Elaine, who was the first female master fishmonger in the country, the shop has thrived under her initiatives which include serving fresh crab sandwiches and fish tacos during the summer months, as well as running filleting courses for the faint-hearted. This is part of Ocean Fish’s mission to encourage the people of Britain to fall in love with British fish. Shockingly much of the fish and shellfish that is caught in British waters is exported and so in collaboration with Cornish development chef James Strawbridge, Ocean Fish and W Stevenson are promoting fish with easy, accessible and very tasty recipes.
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Ocean Fish
A B OV E W Stevenson’s sardine ring netters make up one of the largest privately owned fishing fleets in the UK
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TO P L E F T The not-so-humble sardine
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A B OV E Stargazy pie
TO P R I G H T Cornish sole
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C U I SI N E
opt for the big sellers such as salmon, cod, and haddock, which feels very national: “I’m personally much more focused on regional foods now. Many years ago, I cooked my first Stargazy pie and I remember learning of Newlyn’s and Cornwall’s rich pilchard (or sardines as they are also known) history. If you’ve got a place you can go and buy fish that hasn’t left the county then that doesn’t get more local. If I’m getting some monkfish, I’d much rather it comes from Cornwall, supporting not only the fisheries and that journey towards sustainability, but also, it’s in turn supporting local communities.” For James the thing that stands out most with local fish is the variety: “Alongside my favourite Cornish sardines, MSC hake, monkfish and megrim sole are not only delicious but also good for you. Often, species such as megrim and king crab are shipped to Portugal and Spain, so it’s about educating people with recipes so that they are not afraid of cooking them.” He recommends keeping it simple and celebrating the fact that if you buy local then your fish won’t have seen a factory. It will simply have been landed, put on ice, before making the short journey into the kitchen.
“Newlyn is synonymous with Stevenson,” explains James. “It’s one of those heritage fish merchants that I’ve always admired. For me, it’s the whole notion of the fact they’ve got their own fleet and there’s traceability. I think a lot of the time, environmental and sustainable buzzwords get thrown around by businesses and there’s a danger of greenwashing. When you know exactly what boats are going out and what they’re coming back with, then you’ve got a high level of true seasonality and sustainability. You can see the boats out there catching sardines, you can speak to the skippers and I think that gives a genuine understanding of what the fish supply chain in Cornish waters is all about.”
James’ recipes are always led by the ingredients: “I am very much a mood-driven development chef in terms of seasonality – including the micro-seasons. For example, with broad beans you’ve got a micro-season where broad bean tops are fresh and fantastic as a pesto, and then come the young peas that you can throw straight in the pan, and those things will pair really well with fish. Even fish
James goes on to say that while there is a lean towards buying higher welfare meat, seasonal vegetables and supporting local dairies, when it comes to seafood very often consumers will
A B OV E Cornish king crab
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A B OV E Hake with beans
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simple piece of fish cooked well, however, we have become accustomed to world food flavours and this can be reflected in the plate with a piece of Cornish fish.”
have a micro-season – when you speak to the fishermen they will tell you that the oil levels in sardines will change over the course of the season and this is the kind of knowledge I’m trying to relearn.”
“You’ve heard of nose to tail eating, so when it comes to fish, we call it fin to gill and we need to think about that too. Making good stocks and roasting on the bone delivers flavour. We’re used to doing that with a chicken or a lovely rib of beef and it should be the same with fish. People are afraid of fish bones, but actually if you cook fish right it just falls away off the bone in a beautiful clean serving at the table. I think it’s a bit of a journey to look at how we can re-educate people to enjoy cooking with fish.”
For James, he follows style over fashion when developing recipes. Avoiding the obvious, he adopts macro food trends that he tries to reflect in simple recipes: “I love Indian cuisine, I love Mexican food and I love Middle Eastern spices and these are fantastic paired with the right fish. Or you could just go classic British and use a nice Cornish cheddar for a gratin on a piece of pollack; it’s very much thinking of where the food would be at home with ingredients that are local. I like to try and have a clear idea in my head when I’m creating recipes so that it’s not too confused, but I’m also not shy about throwing a lot of ingredients at it and having fun with cooking. Sometimes, you absolutely want a pure and
Following the advice of his father, the formidable Dick Strawbridge, James has always followed the ethos that “faint heart never won fair lady”. For him, confidence and
A B OV E Grilled sardines and pickled vegetables
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C U I SI N E
a mindset of not being afraid when it comes to preparing and cooking fish, combined with some basic knowledge, which you can pick up from speaking to a local fishmonger, watching some of the videos hosted on the Stevenson site or downloading the recipes, can make all the difference. “We are so used to buying preportioned vacuum-packed fillets and while there’s nothing wrong with that – it’s really convenient and very versatile to cook with at home – having a go and learning to fillet and prepare fish yourself is so rewarding.” “As a chef (and a guy who loves tools) I love owning different knives for different jobs. Get yourself a filleting knife which has a bit of flex to it and is nice and sharp and then start off with a simple fish to fillet. I always think something like mackerel is a great way to start. Getting a grasp on the basics is key, and once you’ve grown in confidence, then there’s huge potential to explore other species of Cornish fish. It’s also really good to get children involved at a young age – they’ll be fascinated by picking and cracking a crab at the table, cooking sardines whole or stuffing mackerel with some aromatics and then roasting them on the barbeque. They can look
at the head, they can see the bones and can learn first-hand.” While the pasty and cream tea are what Cornwall is famous for, James would love for there to be a point when, instead of thinking of sardines as a Mediterranean dish, it becomes a Cornish staple. “A lot of people maybe don’t realise just how healthy the Cornish sardine industry is, and that’s down to hard work and good decisions made by Ocean Fish and the fishing community. They’re investing in their future, making sure there’s plenty of fish for people to come in future generations, as well as celebrating the past. I think it’s a really good example of a proper way of fishing.” James, in association with Ocean Fish, is on a mission to demystify fish cookery with a new range of dishes just launched with Ocado. Their Hook, Line and Sinker is a value-added fish brand with species ranging from hake and monkfish to pollack and sardines, all prepared in an easy to cook format. Cornish fish will also feature in Ocado’s Fish Market, helping to promote fresh fish out to the wider public. wstevenson.co.uk ocean-fish.co.uk strawbridgekitchen.com
A B OV E Cornish mackerel with soy sauce and chilli
TOP James Strawbridge with a Newlyn fisherman
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Quarryman Side Office, Edmonton, Wadebridge Cornwall PL27 7JA
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Tel: 01208 369007 Web: www.cornwallkitchencompany.com Email: info@cornwallkitchencompany.com
13/04/2022 14:59
Nature’s
ELIXIRS WORDS BY LUCY STUDLEY
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In a modern cidery, ancient elixirs are lovingly bottled.
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Ying and yang taste-wise, olive oil and cider vinegar otherwise have a lot in common. Both are unadulterated pressings of precious crops, with widely acknowledged health benefits. And in both cases, the single ingredient and traditional production method distils a sense of place into every bottle. Like wine, annual harvests of apples and olives vary, so recognisable characteristics of oils and vinegars shift slightly from year to year too. For Barrie in south east Cornwall, it all begins with a quality crop of apples. “In producing our cider, and therefore our cider vinegar, we select traditional West Country apple varieties. Many of these classic cider varieties are grown in ancient orchards, including our own in Golant. Apples have been grown and pressed along the Fowey River since around the 13th century, so cider and cider vinegar production have long been cottage industries here.”
owey Valley may be best-known for their craft cider and small-batch spirits, but for Founder Barrie Gibson there’s another side of the business which is a source of great pride. He is passionate about the meticulous production and sourcing of oils and vinegars, a task which brings together two ageold traditions and 100% natural base-ingredients grown thousands of miles apart. On the one hand you have Fowey Valley’s cider vinegar. Made from the finest West Country apples, this raw, unfiltered product has a heritage which dates back thousands of years. To partner this timehonoured tonic, Barrie made it his mission to source the finest olive oil he could lay his hands on. His search took him in person to the island of Sicily, home of ancient olive groves and an oil of such quality as to provide the perfect companion for his cherished cider vinegar.
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A B OV E Apples have been pressed from ancient Cornish orchards since the 13th century
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cleansing, hair rinsing and foot soaking are all common uses for a few drops of trusty cider vinegar. If this all sounds like just another health fad for a generation obsessed with unearthing the latest superfood or wrinklebeating ingredient, don’t forget our earlier history lesson. Cider vinegar has been used as a remedy or health elixir since the time of the Babylonians and Ancient Greeks; it may be on-trend for millennials now, but it was de rigueur in the time of Hippocrates too.
Fowey Valley ciders are made from 100% juice – the process starts with milling the apples and pressing the pomace to extract the juice. Yeast is added and then it slowly ferments. Some will become cider; Fowey Valley produce award-winning Castledore and Vintage ciders. But some too will be allowed to continue fermenting, becoming a powerful, appley potion with a punchy flavour and arresting acidity. “Cider vinegar is undoubtedly the king of vinegars,” says Barrie. “It adds a lovely citrus-style freshness to salad dressings, sauces and marinades. Home cooks and professional chefs alike love using it for the instant uplift and extra flavour dimension it can add to even the most humble of ingredients.”
To complement this powerfully potent cider vinegar, Barrie needed to find the other half of the equation – the gentle ying to soften the yang. He embarked on a mission to find an olive oil which would match it for quality and provenance. Unbeknownst to him, the answer was already in his gift. Barrie and his wife Geraldine had, for more than thirty years, been visiting family friends in Sicily. The Bua family have been farming the same plot for several generations, and in recent years began to supply champagne corks for Fowey Valley’s Vintage Cider, which is made in the ‘méthode traditionelle’ Champagne style. Barrie discovered that the family olive grove was part of a local group – a kind of cooperative – who clubbed together every year to produce extra virgin olive oil from their own trees.
However, the popularity of cider vinegar these days is as much for its health-giving properties as for its taste. Like all good cider vinegars, Fowey Valley’s is a live product which contains the active enzyme known as ‘the mother’ – a collection of concentrated natural proteins and beneficial bacteria. With the importance of gut health becoming increasingly well-understood in recent years, cider vinegar has been enjoying a renaissance alongside products like kimchi, sauerkraut and kefir. As well as adding it to food to flavour and season, many people swear by their daily imbibe of cider vinegar; simply add two teaspoons to a glass of water – beware, it has a kick!
The Bua farm is in south west Sicily and sits in the Belice Valley near the town of Castelvetrano. The local variety here is almost exclusively the beautiful Nocellara del Belice, which is said to be 2,700 years old. It’s rare to find one variety so dominant in any region, but these olives are so prized that all other varieties are eschewed by the local growers. The olives are characterised by their bright green colour and large, plump size; each olive
The purported health benefits include improved digestion, boosting the immune system, lowering blood sugar levels and enhancing the condition of hair, skin and nails. Some people put it to work in homemade beauty treatments too; steaming,
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the Belice Valley – shared in many other parts of the Mediterranean I’m sure – when the new season’s olive oil is released,” reminisces Barrie. “Its flavour will be slightly different to the previous year, and there’ll be much discussion about how to best describe the new batch. At that point, any left over from the year before will be consigned to cooking, while only the freshest oil is reserved for drizzling on salads and other dishes.”
weighs a whopping 6-8 grams. Nocellera are sold at a premium in supermarkets here in the UK. Complete ripening of this precious crop usually takes place in December, but the harvest in the Belice Valley is early and starts from the month of October. In order to harvest the olives, nets are cast under the branches, which are then gently shaken to persuade the ancient, gnarled trees to part with their fruit. It’s a process which Barrie and Geraldine have taken part in themselves many times alongside their family friends. The harvest should be pressed as soon as possible, usually within 24hrs. The Bua’s and their neighbours transport the fruit of their labours the short distance to Castelvetrano, where the town press operates nonstop during the harvest. It’s a simple process on a domestic rather than an industrial scale, which demonstrates the great respect Sicilians – and indeed all Mediterranean cultures – have for this most precious crop.
The Bua family’s oil is always distinctly fruity, with secondary characteristics of citrus fruits, pepper and light spice notes. It’s also reliably silky and light, and the finish is wonderfully fresh. Notable flavour qualities of recent years include hints of artichokes, green apple, tomatoes and delicate young green almond. After it’s pressed the oil is stored in sealed stainlesssteel vats; smaller versions of these air-tight containers are shipped all the way to Barrie in Lostwithiel. It’s gradually bottled by Fowey Valley to ensure freshness. The benefits of the Mediterranean diet are well documented, and show that olive oil is one important element in a style of eating which can reduce the risk of cancer, fight inflammation and promote healthy cholesterol levels. Why not go one better, and combine it with cider vinegar in this simple panzanella recipe? If this doesn’t inspire you to grow your own tomatoes this summer, nothing will.
Olive oil is a rarity because the oil comes from the flesh of the fruit; every major edible oil (except avocado) is extracted from the seed. To qualify as ‘extra virgin’ olive oil like Barrie’s Sicilian source, the juice has to be extracted mechanically using traditional processes. It must also meet certain strict purity and quality criteria to attain this gold standard of olive oils, including being taste-tested by a panel of experts. “There’s great excitement in
foweyvalleycider.co.uk
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A B OV E Olive harvest in the Belice Valley
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C U I SI N E
Fowey Valley Panzanella SERVES 2 INGREDIENTS: 400g of home-grown tomatoes
10 Nocellera olives – de-stoned
1 red onion – thinly sliced
Tablespoon of capers
Handful of basil
200g of old bread such as sourdough, focaccia or ciabatta.
100ml of Fowey Valley Extra Virgin Olive Oil 4 tbsp of Fowey Valley Cider Vinegar
Method Tear up the bread into thumb-sized pieces and sprinkle with the vinegar. If possible, leave it in the sun to dry out a little.
To serve, take a big bowl and mix all the ingredients together, let them rest for a minute and then using your hands, squash the bread into the tomato juices. Taste and correct the seasoning.
Roughly dice the tomatoes into a bowl. Season with salt and a good glug of olive oil. Add the capers and olives. Leave to marinade for 15 minutes.
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MADE IN CORNWALL – FOR OVER 30 YEARS
01209 215 759 | enquiries@philipwhear.co.uk | www.philipwhear.co.uk DRIFT--05--AD--Philip Whear--1.00.indd 1
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C U I SI N E
Cream of
the CROP
Cornwall-based chef and restaurateur, Emily Scott has collaborated with Rodda’s, whose iconic Cornish clotted cream has graced tables for over 130 years, to create a set of exclusive springtime recipes using fresh seasonal ingredients.
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Slow roasted lamb shoulder INGREDIENTS – LAMB:
I N G R E D I E N T S – DAU P H I N O I S :
SERVES 6-8
SERVES 8
1 whole garlic bulb
1.2kg waxy potatoes, peeled (Desirée potatoes work well)
100g thyme leaves
100g wild garlic, stalks removed (raw baby spinach is a perfect alternative)
2 tbsp paprika 4 tbsp olive oil
300g Rodda’s Cornish clotted cream
50g Rodda’s Cornish butter
150ml crème fraiche or Rodda’s double cream
2.25kg whole shoulder of lamb,
900ml Rodda’s Cornish whole milk
1 lemon skin on, halved
2 bay leaves
250ml water
1 whole nutmeg
Cornish sea salt, freshly ground pepper
1 clove garlic, cut lengthways
Broccoli spears and minted peas to serve
50g Rodda’s Cornish butter Cornish sea salt, freshly ground black pepper
Method - For the Lamb
Method – For the Dauphinois
Preheat the oven to 160 °C (140 ° fan/320 °F)
Preheat the oven to 160 °C (140 °C fan/320 °F)
Peel half the garlic cloves, lightly crush them in a pestle and mortar with some sea salt. Mix in the thyme leaves and paprika. Gradually add the olive oil until you have a thick paste. Melt the butter in a small pan and add it to the paste.
Butter the sides and bottom of an oven to tableware dish. Wash the wild garlic leaves and set aside, if flowering, reserve the flowers for decoration. Place the Rodda’s clotted cream and crème fraiche in a bowl and stir together until combined, add a pinch of sea salt, black pepper and a grating of nutmeg.
Put the lamb in a deep-sided roasting tin and rub it with the spice paste, then season with sea salt and black pepper. Add whole sprigs of thyme, the remaining garlic cloves still in their skins and place the lemon halves beside the lamb.
Peel the potatoes and cut into 21⁄2 cm slices. Place in a heavy bottom pan, cover with milk, add a good pinch of sea salt, and grating of nutmeg, two bay leaves and one garlic clove peeled and cut lengthways. Bring the milk to the boil and cook the sliced potatoes for 10 minutes. Discard the milk, garlic and bay leaves and carefully layer the potatoes in the dish alternately with the wild garlic, making sure the top and bottom layer is covered by potato. Season each layer with sea salt and pepper.
Cook uncovered in the oven for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and pour in the water and use a ladle to baste the lamb with the cooking juices. Cover the lamb with foil and return to the oven for three hours, basting the meat every 30 minutes. For the last 15 mins remove the foil and if the juices are evaporating quickly, add a little more water. Remove from the oven, cover in foil and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes before carving.
Now pour the Rodda’s clotted cream mixture over the potatoes making sure the top layer is just covered. Finish the top off with some grated nutmeg. Bake in the middle of the oven for one hour at 160°C (140 °C fan/320°F) or until golden brown and a table knife passes through with ease. Allow to rest before serving.
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C U I SI N E
Rodda’s Cornish clotted cream and lemon drizzle Bundt cake SERVES 10 INGREDIENTS – CAKE:
INGREDIENTS – LEMON DRIZZLE:
500g Rodda’s Cornish clotted cream
4 tbsp granulated sugar zest and juice of 4 lemons
Finely grated zest and juice of 4 lemons
To serve
450g caster sugar
Spoonfuls of Rodda’s clotted cream
4 medium eggs, free range 30ml Rodda’s Cornish milk
To decorate
400g self-raising flour
Primrose flowers, extra granulated sugar
Method - For the Lamb Preheat the oven to 180 °C (160 °C fan/356 °F)
Remove from the oven and leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, before turning out onto a wire rack to finish cooling. After 10 minutes carefully transfer to the plate you would like the cake to be served on.
Bundt tin 25 x 25 x 9cm (lightly oiled) Beat the caster sugar and eggs in a large bowl until light and fluffy and doubled in size. In a separate bowl grate the lemon zest and squeeze in the juice, add the Rodda’s clotted cream and stir together.
For the drizzle, mix the lemon juice, zest and granulated sugar in a small pan. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves, allowing to cool. When the cake is still warm make little holes with a skewer or cocktail stick ready to pour the syrup evenly over the cake.
Gently beat in the Rodda’s clotted cream and lemon mix into the sugar and eggs, then add the milk. Sift the flour and gently fold into the mixture until well combined.
Sprinkle the cake with more granulated sugar to decorate, and spring flowers. Cut into slices and serve with extra spoonfuls of Rodda’s clotted cream.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level off the top. Bake the Bundt cake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
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Rodda’s Cornish clotted cream vanilla-seeded panna cotta, with Cornish Fairings and rhubarb compote INGREDIENTS – RHUBARB COMPOTE:
I N G R E D I E N T S – C O R N I S H FA I R I N G :
1kg rhubarb
SERVES 20
Zest and juice of 2 oranges
60g Rodda’s Cornish butter, softened
1 vanilla pod, split lengthways
125g plain flour
125g caster sugar
50g desiccated (dried shredded) coconut, plus extra for dusting
I N G R E D I E N T S – PA N N A C O T TA :
2 level teaspoons baking powder
SERVES 8
1 3⁄4 level teaspoons bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) 1 tablespoon ground ginger
700g Rodda’s Cornish clotted cream
60g caster sugar
250 ml Rodda’s Cornish milk
75g golden syrup
1 vanilla pod (bean), split 2 ⁄2 sheets of gelatine, soaked 1
I N G R E D I E N T S – R O D D A’ S C L O T T E D CREAM ICE CREAM:
150g icing sugar, sifted
1 can sweetened condensed milk 600g Rodda’s clotted cream 1 vanilla pod, scrape vanilla from the pod
Method - Rhubarb Compote
Method - Cornish Fairings
Preheat the oven to 120°C (100°C fan/225°F)
Preheat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan/300°F)
Wash the rhubarb and cut into uniformly sized pieces and arrange in a baking dish. Sprinkle the orange zest and juice, the vanilla pod and the sugar over the rhubarb. Gently cook in the oven for 45 minutes until the rhubarb is tender but still holding its shape.
Add the softened Rodda’s Cornish butter to a mixing bowl, then add all the dry ingredients except the sugar and mix together. Stir in the sugar and golden syrup and combine to form a dough. Roll pieces of the mixture into 16g balls (about the size of a large grape) and place on a baking sheet. Gently press your thumb in the middle of each ball of dough. Make sure they are spaced well apart as they will spread out during cooking. Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes. Remove and let cool.
Method – Panna Cotta Immerse the gelatine in a small bowl of cold water and leave to soak. For the panna cotta, add half of the Rodda’s clotted cream, all of the milk and the split vanilla pod into a heavy-based pan and slowly bring to just under a simmer. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 10 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining Rodda’s clotted cream with the icing sugar. Return the infused clotted cream mixture to the heat to warm through. Remove the gelatine from the water, squeezing out any excess liquid, then add to the warmed clotted cream and stir to dissolve. Pour the infused mixture through a fine sieve onto the cold clotted cream and icing sugar and stir well. Pour into small espresso mugs, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Method - Rodda’s clotted cream ice cream Put the condensed milk, Rodda’s clotted cream and vanilla into a large bowl. Beat with an electric whisk until thick. Place into a loaf tin, cover with cling film and freeze until frozen. I can never resist giving it a stir every 30 minutes (no ice cream maker required). To serve, top the Panna Cotta with the rhubarb compote, an extra spoonful of Rodda’s clotted cream and eat with the Cornish fairings sandwiched with the clotted cream ice cream. 70
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02/12/2021 15:05
C O M M E N T
Market insight WO R D S B Y M A RC C OT T R E L L
Marc Cottrell discusses price, days-on-market, eco-credentials and the ongoing energy crisis.
R
This continued strive for improved housing has kept architects across the region extremely busy. Many homeowners who may have failed to find a suitable onward purchase or who are not necessarily ready to sell in the immediate future are deciding to extend their current dwellings, with planning applications for both large- and small-scale alterations giving Cornwall’s planning department sleepless nights.
eal estate brokers across the UK are facing the continued problem of low inventory, and while house price growth may have slowed over recent months, the number of buyers scrambling over such limited supply shows no sign of abating. However, while sales prices remain strong, largely due to the continued low stock levels, we are starting to see key market indicators such as ‘days on market’ beginning to creep up.
Within all of this, we continue to witness the importance of environmental impact becoming just as relevant as luxury detailing. Working with some of the world’s best builders and representing some of the most prestigious developments, more and more of the local Cornish developers we are considering partnering with are becoming more focused on energy efficiency and overall environmental impact as they cater towards a more ecominded buyer.
While well-presented, quality homes whose sellers have adopted a well-considered pricing strategy continue to fly off the shelves, those sellers who are slow to react to a shifting market are generally those whose properties remain unsold for longer periods. However, sellers who are quick to react by adjusting their pricing strategy continue to perform well against ‘new to market’ listings. In terms of the quality of property here, and how architectural and interior design in the county has ‘levelled up’ the Cornish market, anyone who has attempted to hire carpenters, builders, electricians or plumbers over the past two years will testify to the time one can expect to wait to secure quality tradesmen. The level of investment in home improvements and indeed new construction across the area, reflects the demand for an improvement in the standard of housing that people have come to enjoy in the Duchy.
What’s more, in light of the current energy crisis that is now impacting everyday living standards, we anticipate the cost of running one’s home becoming a major deciding factor across all price points in the Cornish housing market, as we are likely to see the continued rise of the cost for energy and fuel throughout Cornwall. nestseekers.com
INSET Marc Cottrell
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P RO P E RT Y
A RURAL idyll
An impressive barn conversion with far-reaching views.
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his beautifully converted barn is set in a unique location with landscaped gardens running down to the Walmsley Bird Sanctuary and views out to Bodmin Moor in the distance. Converted in the late 1990s, the conversion has been sympathetic to the local vernacular with the use of traditional materials. As a six-bedroom property, with the benefit of multiple reception rooms, a large kitchen and dining area, a vast garden room plus a south-facing terrace space, this property lends itself to entertaining on a large scale. The extensive lawned gardens, which have been immaculately kept, and adjoining meadows combine to some ten acres and with the close proximity of the bird sanctuary, this becomes a desirable home for anyone with a keen interest in nature. Its location is enviable, close to the secluded village of Chapel Amble, while within easy reach of the sought-after villages of Rock, Polzeath and Port Isaac.
THE MILL BARN OIEO: £2.5M SAVILLS CORNWALL 73 Lemon Street, Truro TR1 2PN 01872 243200 cornwall@savills.com
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P RO P E RT Y
AN ICONIC property
A Grade-II listed fisherman’s cottage with a venerable history.
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nown by most as the much-loved Doc Martin’s surgery in the ITV television comedy drama, Fern Cottage is currently a successful holiday let, but could equally be a unique Cornish bolthole. Sitting high above the historic harbour of Port Isaac with commanding views to the sea, Fern Cottage has been sympathetically and stylishly renovated. A galley kitchen makes the most of the ground floor space, allowing for separate dining and living rooms – both of which retain some of the cottage’s original features as well as making the most of the harbourside vista – while two private parking spaces, a terrace and tiered gardens are a rare but welcome addition to this unique property. The historic fishing village of Port Isaac is a sought-after location, nestled beneath Cornwall’s rugged north coast. Its winding streets hark back to days gone by while Nathan Outlaw’s nearby Michelin-starred restaurants place it firmly on the modern map.
FERN COTTAGE Guide price £1.25M JB ESTATES 01208 862601 sales@johnbrayestates.co.uk
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P RO P E RT Y
RURAL rarity
A Grade II listed Georgian home in the sought-after village of St Mabyn.
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atergate House enjoys a south-facing position in the sought-after rurality of north Cornwall, surrounded by rolling countryside and just four miles from the historic market town of Wadebridge. The main house offers four bedrooms of accommodation, five if you include the generous study which could easily be re-configured. Downstairs, a beautiful kitchen with an Aga at its heart provides natural stone work surfaces along with beautiful wooden cabinetry, rounded off with a Belfast sink with views out into the garden. There is also a separate dining/breakfast room, as well as a drawing room. Accessed by electric gates, the grounds are also home to a separate one-bedroom cottage, Rockery Barn, as well as a modern indoor swimming pool complex. In the height of summer, this offers a superb means of entertaining guests away from the madding crowd, with patio doors opening onto the garden as well as an adjacent patio that’s perfect for barbeques and sunny cocktails.
WATERGATE HOUSE Guide price: £1.5M ROHRS & ROWE 01872 306360 info@rohrsandrowe.co.uk
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P RO P E RT Y
WAVE watching A coastal townhouse that affords beach-front living with views out across Porth island to the ocean beyond.
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umber Four, The Strand, whose prime position within a private gated group of properties less than 250 yards from Porth beach makes it unique in terms of location, has been a lucrative holiday property since it was first built and retains the remainder of its tenyear build warranty. The interior, professionally styled and designed by award-winning interior experts Absolute, complements the high-level build quality with a neutral colour palate accented with nautical hues. The living area is open plan with views to the sea from floor-to-ceiling windows, and a balcony from the kitchen leads out on to a landscaped, private garden that lends itself to outdoor dining and a place to find a tranquil spot in which to unwind. While current use is as a holiday property, with four spacious double bedrooms it would make an equally soughtafter family home with an endless ocean playground on its doorstep.
NUMBER FOUR, THE STRAND Guide price: £895,000 DAVID BALL LUXURY COLLECTION 01637 850850 sales@dba.estate
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I N SPI R AT I O N
Creekside
CONTEMPORARY A combination of modern design and an enviable location made for a dream waterside home.
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enjoyment. The outdoors was also invited in with a wall of expansive floor-to-ceiling windows on both the ground and first floors, offering a panoramic vista of the river and the green fields beyond.
reek View was recently sold by Shore Partnership at a guide price of £1.3 million and is an example of the extremely high level of luxury property that is coming to the market in Cornwall. Situated on the banks of Restronguet Creek, close to the hugely desirable village of Devoran, this property was ideally positioned for those wanting a riverside dwelling while still being within easy reach of Cornwall’s cathedral city of Truro, as well as the Duchy’s north and south coasts.
With entertainment in mind, the communal area was an open-plan luxury living space, with a high-specification kitchen complemented by an impressive threemetre, granite-topped breakfast bar. The four bedrooms made it suited as either a large family home or a deluxe holiday rental, with an impressive master suite with vaulted ceiling, dressing room, en-suite bathroom and private balcony affording more of those breathtaking views across the river. The ability to lock-and-leave this property safely was made possible by a fully integrated phone-controlled security system and Nest camera doorbell.
Completed in 2020, the architectural design for Creek View took inspiration from iconic boat houses, the like of which would be found on the most sought-after banks of the Thames, bringing a taste of home counties-chic to a Cornish creekside. Modern finishes and contemporary styling define the accommodation, its toesin-the-water position cementing it as a property of distinction and one that enriches the local landscape.
Creek View is nothing short of unique and with its riverside location it was no surprise that it didn’t remain on the market for long. This is indicative of the wider market, especially in Cornwall, where low levels of supply have meant that buyers have to be decisive. This, in turn, means that highquality homes such as this do not remain on the market for long, a positive message for anybody seeking to sell a Cornish property.
Landscaped garden terraces dip down to the water, giving direct access for river days out – one could just imagine a slipper launch moored on the quay below. Designed very much with outdoor living in mind, a sunken hot tub was installed on the upper deck along with an external hot water shower – with such an impressive location these elements ensured maximum
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I N SPI R AT I O N
Style in
the CITY
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pecialising in fashion for the discerning woman, creating outfits that are timeless with quality and style uppermost, Mélange is located in the heart of Truro and offers great service with a personal touch. It’s well worth a visit to this hidden gem of a shop, which you can peruse at your leisure and where you will find fabulous fitting trousers and jeans, colourful tops and crops, along with dresses that will easily take you from day to dinner. Discover individual smart casual sophistication at its best. melangefashion.co.uk
1. MARIA BELLENTANI TOP – £95 TROUSERS – £104
2 . MARIA BELLENTANI TOP £79 – TROUSERS £95
3. TONI JEA NS – £109
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4 . L E -C O M T E C ARD IG AN – £ 154
5. M A RIA BELLENTA NI – £199
6 . M AR I A B E L L AN TANI – £ 169
7. ERF O SH IRTS A ND TOPS – F ROM £59
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CORNWALL
The specialists in impressive umbrellas
20 colours
10 sizes
Cornwall Office: Padstow
Handmade in Italy
cornwall@poggesi.co.uk
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Prompt delivery and installation from UK stock
Contact: Richard Eisler M: 07850 660225
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Sub-tropical
SPLENDOUR
Toby Strong
WO R D S B Y H A N N A H TA P P I N G
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R E T R E AT
A Mediterranean micro-climate makes for Cornish escapes that transcend the ordinary.
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Set within a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, this restored Cornish farmstead has an alluring beauty and offers a range of contemporary eco-friendly barn conversion holiday cottages along with its own art gallery. One of the larger barns, Avallen, sleeping eight, has its own large private garden opening out to an orchard and wildflower meadows beyond. From here a footpath will take you to Helford village, and in the other to Frenchman’s Creek, immortalised by author Daphne Du Maurier in the book of the same name.
© Forever Cornwall
ornwall’s coastline is well-known for its rugged nature; Atlantic breakers resulting in worldclass surf breaks; craggy cliff top walks along the South West Coast Path; iconic working harbours sheltering boats from storms. However, there are other areas of the Duchy that don a more subtle cloak; places where the countryside is nurtured by a subtropical climate resulting in lush pastures that roll down to riverside creeks and impressive gardens where plants from faroff climes flourish and flower. Here, there is a slower pace of life away from the hubbub of the coastal hotspots and an opportunity to experience Cornwall from a different point of view.
Avallen has had an extraordinary amount of care lavished on its restoration with all of the original doors and windows cleverly included in the modern layout, even the old hand-cut roofing tiles have been carefully relaid. The award-winning architecture follows conservation and sustainability principles,
Kestle Barton is a verdant paradise that lies in the heart of south Cornwall on the banks of Frenchman’s Creek on the River Helford.
PREVIOUS Heligan Jungle
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TOP & INSET LEFT Kestle Barton
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A B OV E An Skiber
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©National Trust Images/Hilary Daniel
TOP Trebartha
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A B OV E View up towards the house and parkland across the River Fal at Trelissick
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R E T R E AT
and the enchanting Roundwood Quay on its journey. Trelissick’s own peninsula has maritime views which extend to Falmouth and beyond with woodland walks aplenty. The formal estate gardens are home to many an exotic plant and its herbaceous borders burst with spring and summer colour.
resulting in a calming combination of the old and new, where contemporary glass and steel architecture is juxtaposed with lime-render and oak beams. Continuing its ancient role, Kestle Barton has retained its herd of beef cattle and orchards adding a new walnut nuttery, all now managed with a benign, organic system allowing rich and varied wildlife to thrive. For the adventurous, paths from the woods lead to Polweveral creek and the wider Helford where there are endless opportunities to explore the National Trust’s valleys, rolling fields and cliff-tops of Bosveal and the glorious gardens at Glendurgan.
As with the Helford, this area of Cornwall is renowned for its lush vegetation; branches of mature trees dip down to the river and on still days create perfect mirror images in the waters below. Trebartha, sleeping six, overlooks Restronguet Creek and is a waterside haven for laid-back living. Its own idyllic garden, with perfectly manicured lawns edged with mature planting, is a bucolic setting to melt the hearts of all who visit. The creek-side setting invites long walks, or gentle sails if that is the desire; evenings can be spent luxuriating in the hot tub and as the sun sets the lack of local light pollution affords dark sky star gazing.
Approached through a tunnel of trees in the neraby village of Constantine, An Skiber (Cornish for The Barn) is laid out to maximise its location featuring reverse-level living for six. Every window frames a garden view and the living space boasts a roof terrace from where the rural idyll that is Kestle Barton stretches to the horizon. Mature trees, oak, sycamore and willow provide dappled garden shade, or choose one of the 15th century granite coins as a spot to soak up the sun. A grove of tree-ferns is all that separates the gardens from the six acres of magical woodland beyond.
Established in 1888, the King Harry ferry, just beneath Trelissick, is the gateway to the Roseland. A five-minute journey on the car ferry avoids the 27-mile route through Tresillian and Truro and transports its passengers to an area of Cornwall that has escaped the ravages of the modern tourist age. Preserving a bygone dignity and beauty that transcends superlative, this peninsula is home to its own share of gardens, notably the Lost Gardens of Heligan and the horticultural behemoth that is the Eden Project.
Up-river, the Helford spills into the sea where the world-class sailing waters of Falmouth are the gateway to many an ocean voyage. Venture down the Carrick Roads and Restronguet Creek meanders up to the village of Devoran, while the River Fal takes you as far as Truro passing the National Trust (nationaltrust.org.uk) gardens at Trelissick
Heligan’s history is venerable; the seat of the Tremayne family for more than 400 years, during the 19th century its 1000
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A
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C O L L E C T O R S ’
AVA I L A B L E
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C O M P A N I O N
V F O R
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C O R N I S H
O RD E R NOW W I T H 1 0 % F O R D R I FT R E A D E R S
A RT
W 2 0 2 2
D I SC O U NT
This limited edition book is a celebration of the artists for whom Cornwall provides constant inspiration. Intriguingly current and timelessly readable DRIFT Art Review is at once a valuable tool for collectors, a coveted addition to coffee tables for the year ahead and a collectible for those who value the enduring appeal of the arts.
Visit www.drift-cornwall.co.uk/artreview and quote ‘DRIFTART#20’ to get 10% off your copy (RRP £29.99). Offer ends 30.5.22.
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A B OV E Broom Park
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OVER 25 YEARS EXPERIENCE BUILT AROUND VALUE & SERVICE
WE SUPPLY AND FIT • ALTRO • AMTICO • FORBO • V4 • KARNDEAN • TELENZO FIBRE • ABINGDON • VICTORIA CARPETS • CORMAR • UNNATURAL FLOORING WOODPECKER • LANO AND MANY MORE
SHOWROOM 4 Dunveth Business Park (Next Door to Screwfix) Wadebridge PL27 7FE 01208 368643 or 01208 368121
• Domestic, commercial & industrial flooring • Great value & service • Free Measure & Quotation Service • Highly skilled team of fitters • Member of the Carpet Foundation
carpettrader@hotmail.com Mon–Fri, 9am – 5pm Sat 9am – 1pm
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R E T R E AT
facing expanse of lawn is complemented by an east-facing walled garden, while a west-facing courtyard completes the rural paradise. The house sits at the head of the Roseland and is only a few miles away from the beaches of Hemmick, Vault, Carne, with the cove at Caerhays also within easy reach behind which rises the estate, castle and spring gardens of the same name.
acres and range of ornate gardens were revered as some of the finest in the country. Lost to the brambles and weeds when most of its workers went to war at the outbreak of WWI, Heligan lay sleeping until 1990 when it was rediscovered and restored to its former glory by Sir Tim Smit. He was also the co-founder and driving force behind the space-like domes of the Eden Project. Housed in a china clay pit, this global garden is a living theatre showcasing our dependence on plants. Bringing life to the derelict, the sterile clay pit was transformed with the installation of the world’s largest indoor rainforest and a Mediterranean Biome.
The timeless magic that is conjured by Cornwall’s majestic gardens and the lush landscapes of the south coast provide a refreshing juxtaposition to the oft-depicted beach scenes that fill our screens. Discovering Cornwall’s alter-ego is a welcome addition to an already unique destination.
Exploring both Heligan and Eden couldn’t be easier from the impressive property that is the sleep-ten Broom Park. Set amidst idyllic countryside, this feels as if it could be your own private estate. Grade II listed and dating back to 1780 its gardens are magnificent. A south-
All of the above properties are available to book through Forever Cornwall, curators of unique holiday properties across the county. forevercornwall.co.uk
A B OV E Eden Project
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The luck of
the DRAW Ian Kingsnorth
W O R D S B Y J I L LY E A S T E R B Y
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C R E AT E
Finding printmaking perfection in Porthtowan.
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human frailty, resilience, mental wellbeing and mortality will evoke emotional responses like never before. A profound focus on the healing power of the natural world, the very essence of being and a celebration of place also permeates much of the artwork on show during this year’s event, as does the urgent imperative to recycle, repurpose, rebalance and recover; to live sustainably and nurture our planet. Open Studios Cornwall also shines a spotlight on friendship, on family, on the ties that bind us irrevocably to nature, an authentic response to freedoms curtailed during lockdown.
f ever there was a time for us to boost our collective mood with creativity, that time is now as we emerge from the shadows of the pandemic and contemplate the future of our tumultuous world. Between Saturday 28th May and Sunday 5th June, 329 artists, designers and makers from across the Duchy will share their studio spaces and artistic practice as they throw open their doors and welcome visitors to participate in Open Studios Cornwall. From Porthtowan to Porthleven and Lamorna to Looe, potters, painters and printmakers, textile artists and designers, sculptors and silversmiths will explore the boundless possibilities of composition, shape and form, inspired by the whip of the wind, the colours of the coast or the textural quality of trees, mosses and ferns.
The unprecedented events of the past two years acted as a creative stimulus for many participating artists who began to see the world anew, to peer into the depths of their immediate vicinity; taking pleasure from the flowers of the hedgerow, the bird in flight, the elemental majesty of the ocean and the primal forces of the landscape.
With work that will inspire, delight and provoke in equal measure, the themes of
LEFT Henri Villiers
INSET ‘Wall’
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screen printing and the quality of colour that you get, and it was at this point that I really fell in love with it as a process. When you put one colour over another, creating layers, new colours emerge in the intersections in quite graphic shapes. I like the combination of something you can use, such as photography, with handmade marks and textures. I am not a natural drawer and painting isn’t for me, but screen printing removes you from that directness – like collage. It is about finding what inspires you and putting things together.”
For others, it was a catalyst for change as Henri Villiers can attest. A printmaker who works predominantly with screen printing, Henri’s work is inspired by her environment, with varying degrees of abstraction and a strong emphasis on colour and pattern. Observing her world from a studio that is perched high on the cliffs that overlook Porthtowan beach, she can hardly believe her luck. “Whilst I have links to Cornwall – my grandfather’s family was Cornish, my grandmother ran a teashop in Fowey and I spent lots of family holidays here – it was only during lockdown that we had the head-space to realise that there was no longer anything stopping us from beginning our next adventure,” she explains. “We had been tied to London for so long that we had not really had time to think about it but there is something so magical about Cornwall that we thought, ‘why not?’”
Henri chose to study History of Art at university, rather than art practice, and became a designer by training on the job. “I did some print courses in my spare time. That’s how I got into it. I muddled along and then met someone in Suffolk who was a really good screen printer, who taught me a lot and was happy to share his skills.” During lockdown, whilst Henri and her husband felt really lucky to be in Suffolk because it was so beautiful, with its snaking rivers, grassy marshes and mudflats at low tide, they had itchy feet. “A trip to Japan just before travel restrictions were imposed, to the island of Naoshima, not far from Kyoto, with its contemporary galleries, sculptures and art installations in tightlypacked dwellings, had inspired us to consider a different way of life, so we decided to make the move to Cornwall at the beginning of 2021.
Henri was born in the capital and had studied, lived and worked there for most of her years, but in 2007, she and her husband purchased a property on the Suffolk coast to escape the rigours of metropolitan life and start afresh. “David is a furniture and 3D designer, and had always wanted to design a house so we bought an old bungalow, knocked it down, built a new house and lived in it. We relinquished our fulltime jobs and set up our own business, which gave me more time to pursue printmaking. “I have always been interested in the look of
INSET ‘Butterfly Chairs’
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A B OV E ‘Lookout Blue’
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A B OV E ‘Iken’
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TOP ‘Orfordness’
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A B OV E ‘Naoshima’
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C R E AT E
“We looked at houses but kept losing out to other people. We weren’t the highest bidder for the site we are on now, but the people who were dropped out and here we are. We moved in last December on the shortest day of the year and I can’t quite believe it. We are so lucky. The previous owners had even built a studio so it really does feel like we are meant to be here.” And what a studio it is, with its panoramic views of the changing tides, cloud formations and abundant wildlife, at the mercy of the elements. “Part of my creative process has been influenced by my working life,” describes Henri. “As a designer, I was producing branding and packaging for clients, and that involved translating an experience into something that evoked an emotional response. My response to the landscape in Cornwall is different to how I relate to Suffolk, which has wonderful big skies, is very flat and invokes a sense of calmness, a rural-ness, a peaceful sort of feeling. “In contrast, Cornwall is really dynamic. There’s a vigour to it. The ruggedness of the sea and weather create something different. There are similarities between Suffolk and Cornwall but each have a different feel. The colours are different. The sea is different. The colour of the sea here is so beautiful and changes all the time to reflect the sky. We are so lucky where we are on the north coast, to see seal pups being released from our clifftop location but we are equally lucky that it is so
easy to get to the south coast, which has a gentler feel. There is just so much to explore and get to know, and I am excited to see how this plays out in my work.” Henri’s screen prints are incredibly joyful and uplifting with their pops of candy colour, neon brights, geometric shapes and crisp lines. In terms of her creative inspiration, she cites Matisse as a key influence for his use of colour, shape and paper cut-outs. She finds Andy Warhol’s approach to screen printing and how he appropriated popular culture in his work engaging. “I also like the way American painter and graphic artist, Rauschenberg, who pre-dated Warhol, incorporated everyday objects as art materials in his work, blurring the distinctions between painting and sculpture, and combining photography, printmaking, papermaking and performance. “Representing ideas and emotions through shape and colour have been a large part of my career so it seems natural to me to extend that way of seeing to my printmaking, seeing the pattern in nature, and in abstracting the environment through geometry.” These are recurrent themes in Henri’s work as well as how the natural world fuses with the industrial past. “You see a lot of that with the old mines, the remnants of industrialisation; the juxtaposition of decay and nature,” says Henri. “I think that even if I am doing something that is pure nature,
INSET ‘Garden Flower’
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I will want to bring in some geometry to it. It’s part of the way I think about abstracting what I am seeing, part of trying to capture and simplify things to get to an emotional space that is accessible. “When I look at man-made things, it is about seeing beauty in what is around you, like the part of an old engine house, the workings, the huge pieces of steel, when they get that patina of age on them. The contrast of the man-made and the natural provides extra depth – reminds you that someone else has been there before you and had an effect on the landscape. When you walk along a cliff path, you see where the miners have excavated shafts right on the edge and wonder what were they thinking. Those old ruins, perched on the edge, are fascinating to me. “If I am thinking about the decay of buildings, there is something compelling in them. It’s not sinister; it’s about finding the beauty in things even if they are industrial or deserted. They represent part of somebody’s life, a human legacy, like in my Orfordness prints. This former Ministry of Defence wartime testing ground in Suffolk that is now managed by the National Trust is just so odd and strange. Even though the buildings are deteriorating and falling down, you can still explore them and the eeriness is absorbing. I enjoy responding to a space like that and would always want to try and capture that feeling. It will be interesting to see how this translates into my work in Cornwall. Cornwall has given me so much to work with.”
Enforced breaks from her artistic practice during house moves and relocation took their toll, and she found it challenging to reinvigorate it and find her flow. “The first work I created when I arrived at this amazing place was a simple print based on what I could see from my new studio window – the cliff, the beach, some grasses. I started to look at textures. I have created prints in response to some of the walks that we have done. They are a little bit abstract but incorporate stone, the texture of the cliff combined with graphic shapes. My colour palette is shifting to reflect how I feel about what’s here. It will be interesting to see how the seasons change it too. I like using bright colour for its optimism, but I want to reflect depth and texture too. “At the moment, in my mind’s eye, I am working on something more industrial. I went to see the stained-glass window that Abigail Reynolds has created at Kresen Kernow in Redruth. The placement of the artwork within the industrial architecture sparked my imagination and the colours that come through her window have a wonderful quality; it was truly inspiring. “For me, it’s all about looking around and being inspired by what you see, to moving on, progressing and changing, and to translating new experiences into something meaningful.” For more information about Open Studios Cornwall, how to visit Henri’s studio and curate your own art trail, be sure to visit the website.
Like many artists, Henri found that the Covid-19 pandemic constrained her creativity.
openstudioscornwall.co.uk
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House of
WINE
W O R D S B Y L U C Y S T U D L E Y | I M A G E S B Y S A L LY M I T C H E L L
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QU E N C H
In the shadow of Truro Cathedral stands a former chapel dedicated to the vine.
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t Old Chapel Cellars in Truro, sun streams through stained glass windows, a lofty ceiling reaches heavenward, and a huge church organ presides over the cavernous space. The congregation, however, are no longer Methodist parishioners, but neatly stacked boxes of wine shipped in from all over the globe. Presiding over this unlikely flock are Old Chapel co-owners Louisa Fitzpatrick and Jamie Tonkin. Jamie started in the business straight after university, working at Laymont and Shaw in what would be considered an old school wine trade apprenticeship. The award-winning firm specialised in Spanish and Portuguese wines, so it helped that Jamie spoke fluent Spanish. Before long he became Warehouse Manager and then Head of Buying. Laymont and Shaw was sold in 2003, so Jamie went to work in London in various roles in the wine trade, but Cornwall – where he grew up – drew him back irresistibly.
“I saw that the original Laymont and Shaw building – the Old Chapel - was on the market, and it just seemed too serendipitous,” Jamie recalls. He scraped together the funds to buy it with help from his grandparents (Headley Rothwell, the name of Old Chapel’s holding company, were their married and maiden names) and started his own wine business from scratch. “I’ve never looked back,” says Jamie, whose open and friendly approach has won him many loyal accounts over the years. He was joined in the business in 2020 by Louisa Fitzpatrick, who’s early experience in the wine trade was conversely gained in Northern Europe. “It was whilst studying for my Business Management degree in Germany that the vineyards and wineries caught my interest and led me to pursue a career in the wine industry,” Louisa explains. “For me, the trade is all about people. On the one hand it’s about the people making the wine, shaping what’s beneath
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UNIQUE / INSPIRED / CURATED / COASTAL
Forever Cornwall is looking for more unique coastal retreats for its Luxury Collection. For a personal conversation please contact let@forevercornwall.co.uk / 01326 567838
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the label through tradition, knowledge and innovation. On the other hand, as a wine merchant, my job is about building relationships with clients and customers. I feel like a translator sometimes, explaining a wine’s origins in a way that people can engage with and relate to.”
knowledge, personal levels of service. These are the core values of small independent wine merchants the world over. However, Jamie and Louisa have also achieved something that no other merchant in the UK has to date; in March 2022 Old Chapel Cellars officially became a B Corp.
Louisa’s career has seen her working for large wine merchants in Manchester, London and Bristol, before she finally fulfilled her dream of relocating to Cornwall. “I’d worked at a pub on the north coast as a student, so I knew Cornwall was ultimately where I wanted to end up. I joined St Austell Brewery in 2005 and in 2015 became Head of the Wine Department.”
B Corps are companies that voluntarily meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance. They go through a rigorous certification process, which involves a comprehensive assessment of the company’s impact on all stakeholders. B Corps consider success by looking at ‘the triple bottom line’ – people, planet and profit. The B Corp movement is gaining unstoppable momentum, as more and more organisations see ‘business as a force for good’ as the future of commerce. It’s a helpful correction to the greenwashing trend, which is increasingly used as a marketing tool to attract customers who try and make sustainable choices. For example, vegetables which tout their organic status but fail to draw adequate attention to the fact that they are flown halfway around the world in single-use plastic. By contrast, B Corp status signifies a thorough, holistic approach to safeguarding people, planet and profit which has to be recertified every three years. As Louisa sees it: “Our business is not going to solve the world’s climate crisis and neither are we perfect. However, becoming a B Corp commits us to transparency and continual improvement. We’re really excited to see where the journey takes us.”
By 2020 Louisa was hankering after a project; the scope and potential offered by a small independent wine merchant like Old Chapel Cellars appealed. She joined forces with Jamie, and they now make a formidable team, jointly heading up one of the UK’s top independent merchants and dealing directly with wineries all over the world. Wholesale customers, including some of Cornwall’s top restaurants and hotels, benefit from Old Chapel’s unique access to exclusive wines carefully sourced from estates which share their ethos and values. Meanwhile, visitors to the characterful wine store on St Clement’s Street enjoy an eclectic and constantly evolving selection of wines, spirits and beers displayed with helpful information and friendly advice on hand should you need it. A new website allows customers all over the UK into this world of specialist knowledge and privileged access to not-on-the-highstreet wines. Carefully curated wines, expert
It all starts at the point of origin, in other words, in the vineyard. “When looking at new wines we find out about
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TOP Jamie Tonkin and Louisa Fitzpatrick
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A B OV E Taking an holistic approach to selecting wine
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The Somerset Four Poster Bed
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sustainability measures being taken in the vineyard and winery,” explains Jamie. “Organic practices are great, but like our own business it’s a holistic approach we’re looking for. So operations that encourage biodiversity, reduce waste, support the local community, and preserve traditions whilst innovating for the future – they are our ideal partners.” In terms of carbon emissions, wine – as a liquid contained in heavy glass bottles, which often travels many thousands of miles from its point of origin – is problematic. Whilst Louisa and Jamie can’t fundamentally change that, they are continually finding ways to improve their practices. “Our wines are never transported by air and we work with other wine merchants in the Vindependents buying group to consolidate our orders and ship the wine in full loads to maximise efficiency,” explains Jamie. “Once the wine is with us, we carefully plan our delivery routes to minimise journeys, and recently invested in an e-bike for carbon-neutral deliveries around Truro.” Louisa adds: “Whilst glass is used for the majority of packaging, we also stock wine in can and keykeg – which means it is dispensed on draught, saving on packaging and transport. These newer formats have a place and are something we’ll be seeing more of in the future. A chilled can of wine on the beach, at a festival or on a train really works!” Sustainability goes way beyond carbon emissions. Louisa and Jamie share an ethos of valuing people and being part of the local community, playing their part in helping a new generation of talent into the business. For example, Digital Marketing Manager Emily
Bone is an aspiring 22-year old recruited via the government’s Kickstarter project, whilst Shop Manager Jake Thompson (29) has risen through the hospitality ranks and found his niche specialising in wine. Old Chapel also jointly delivers local WSET (Wine & Spirits Education Trust) training, helping to upskill the hospitality trade and potentially create new career opportunities for local people with the highly regarded qualifications. Meanwhile, Old Chapel’s longest-serving member of staff is former fire-fighter Steve Brown, who the team joke kept coming in to buy wine and one day never left. Earlier this year, Steve and Jamie together undertook a 24km climb up Pen Y Fan in Wales carrying 16kg Bergens (equivalent to 12 bottles of wine) in order to raise money for Cornwall-based men’s mental health charity, Man Down. Both Jamie and Louisa have forged successful careers in the wine business, whilst living in the place they love. Both are outdoor enthusiasts, with Jamie’s surfboard riding in the back of the delivery van and Louisa’s camping equipment stashed and ready to go at a moment’s notice. “I think living in a beautiful place informs your view of how you want to do business,” says Jamie. “For both of us it’s important that we have a net positive impact on where we live – whether that’s by stripping some of the carbon out of our transportation, raising money for local charities, or giving young people the opportunity to forge a career in what is a very rewarding and fun industry.” Louisa adds: “I simply wouldn’t want to be doing anything else, anywhere else!” oldchapelcellars.co.uk
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Flying
HIGH
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A rare opportunity to join the crew of the Cornwall Air Ambulance.
W
hen it comes to air ambulance missions, they are often referred to in terms of numbers – nature of incident, time, and location – a few details on a piece of paper. However, each mission and every number represent a person; and each of those people has a story. When the crew attends to someone who is seriously sick or injured, this can be a story that goes way beyond the individual, affecting family, friends, and sometimes even a whole community. When Media and Communications Officer for Cornwall Air Ambulance, Chlöe Smith was given the chance to see first-hand what the day in the life of a Critical Care Paramedic looked like on an observer shift, she gained a unique insight into the invaluable work of the charity and its team.
“I joined Critical Care Paramedics Steve and Stu, along with Pilot Rich, as an observer on the early shift on Friday 6th August, explains Chlöe. “To head out with the crew I had to have a safety briefing to be ready to fly in a helicopter and wear the full flight suit. You’ll see from the photos as an observer I’m in orange, which is to differentiate me from the highly skilled paramedics on scene.” In Chlöe’s day job, she meets patients who have been helped by the service and is lucky enough to hear and share their incredible, sometimes miraculous stories of survival. “But I’ve never seen the patient at the point of need,” adds Chlöe, “and I knew a shift with the paramedics would help me to understand the whole journey a patient goes through, from the point of the incident to recovery and where eventually they might feel ready to contact the charity.”
LEFT Flying high over the Eden Project
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The air ambulance crew never know when a call is going to come in, so Chlöe was unsure what to expect when she joined them for the start of the shift at 7am. Given it was the start of the summer holidays, the crew were expecting a busy shift and no sooner had the pilot finished the daily helicopter checks at 7.15am, the red phone rang. First call of the day was a motorbike accident on the A38 near Bodmin. “As we jumped on board and headed east,” says Chlöe, “I was amazed at just how quick the flight was. In under ten minutes we were approaching the area, looking out for the scene of the incident.” Duty Pilot on shift that day, Rich, explained what he is looking out for when they get overhead: “The size of the site, wires, any possible obstructions and wind direction are all things we consider before landing. In this case, the road was very busy with morning commuters, we had to be sure the police had closed the A38 in both directions. When you’re landing on a road, although it can be narrower than other sites, there tends to be fewer obstructions – there’s no people or wildlife and you know you’re landing on solid ground.”
Chlöe adds: “With the road closed, the scene was very quiet. The motorbike rider suffered an open fracture on his ankle and was visibly in a lot of pain. Stu and Steve administered ketamine to the patient, while they manipulated his foot and put his leg into a splint. Due to the nature of his injury, he needed to be transferred to Derriford Hospital for an operation. In the back of the helicopter, Stu had to contend with engine noise while on the phone to the emergency department (ED) at the hospital to give them a status update.” It was just an 18-minute flight to the helipad at Derriford, where the paramedics handed over the patient to the ED staff, while Rich picked up the coffees – much appreciated as no one had breakfast. As the helicopter lifted off from the hospital to head back to base, the South Western Ambulance Service Foundation Trust (SWASFT) control room radioed in with another job. There was a quick refuel at the helicopter base at Newquay Cornwall Airport before it headed out to Wadebridge, to an elderly woman who was found unconscious at home. “We landed at Coronation Park at 10.40am, where we were met by a police officer,’
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explains Chlöe, “she drove us on blue lights to the scene of the incident. It was evident just how closely all the emergency services work together to help patients. When we got to the house, there was a land ambulance crew with the patient. Her vital signs were very poor, she needed to be transferred to a hospital quickly.” The patient was taken by ambulance to the waiting air ambulance. Paramedic Steve was now in the back (the paramedics switch roles throughout the day) and it was clear that the patient was very poorly. Steve looked up and mouthed: “I wish there was more we could do for her.”
violent incident in Polperro. With reports of two casualties, control also dispatched Devon Air Ambulance to the scene. “Everything happens very quickly when there’s a major incident,” says Chlöe, “Stu immediately changed into level-three PPE, which looks a bit like a space suit and not the easiest thing to do at 1,000ft. He was already preparing for the type of injuries they might encounter, such as traumatic arrest. He told me it was likely to be a difficult scene to attend.” Meanwhile the team were in constant contact with control for updates, while Rich established contact with the pilot from Devon.
As the crew met back on the helipad at Treliske, it was 12.30pm. They thought they might be able to head back to base for lunch, but no sooner had this been spoken aloud the radio went again – this time it was for a
“As we approached Polperro, we could see the Devon helicopter looking for a landing site. With lots of coastal towns in Cornwall situated in valleys, it can often be hard to land right at the scene. Both helicopters landed side by
A B OV E Chlöe Smith and the aircrew
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A B OV E The crew must be prepared for a variety of landing spots
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side at a field at the top of town. The team got the update to stand down, unfortunately both casualties died from their injuries. It made me wonder how the paramedics must feel – a huge surge of adrenaline, then they are stood down. I remembered what one of the crew had once told me, ‘Sometimes it’s not what we go to, but what we are prepared to go to’, and it suddenly made a lot more sense.” The final tasking for the day shift came as soon as the team lifted out of Polperro; it was a cardiac arrest in Fowey: “Rich landed in a playing field. This time it was about a five-minute run from the site to the patient’s house – and I mean run, which is not easy while you’re holding a monitor with a 20kg bag on your back,” says Chlöe. Stu showed how experienced he was at jumping fences; anything to save time. The survival rate for out of hospital cardiac arrests is fewer than one in ten and sadly, despite the best efforts of all the clinical team involved, the patient did not survive. “Being there to witness the moment someone loses a loved one was difficult,” adds Chlöe, “but seeing first-hand the incredible work involved to try to save a life was humbling. Everyone works together to do the very best they can.” The team returned to base just before 3pm, but there is much to be done before they can hand over to the next shift. The crew must refuel the helicopter and restock the kit bags ready in case the phone rings again. “A cup of tea was never more welcome,” says Chlöe . “Jumping in and out the helicopter, assessing landing sites, treating patients, making important clinical decisions – it’s all a day’s work for the aircrew, but it was an eye opener
for someone like me who is used to working behind a desk.” Steve summed it up well: “It’s relentless at times. Particularly in the summer when its busy, you’re on back-to-back jobs, it can be very demanding. Some days you can’t always help everyone, but when you do make a difference to someone’s life, then that is what makes it all worthwhile.” For Chlöe, it’s back to the office, with a renewed sense of appreciation for the work the aircrew does every day. As a public-funded charity, the Cornwall Air Ambulance relies on donations in order to keep the helicopter in the air. Whether that be from a legacy donation, fundraising event, corporate sponsor, the Mission Maker Lottery or by shopping or donating to one of the seven charity stores across Cornwall, every penny goes towards to keeping this invaluable service flying high. cornwallairambulancetrust.org
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Eventide WO R D S B Y NAT H A N O U T L AW
We’re lucky here. We have a long coastline, lush pastures, lots of rain! The weather is generally mild and the micro-climate lends itself to growing. Off the Cornish coast we also have the best seafood available anywhere in the world, and it can be delivered into restaurants very quickly. Most importantly, our fishermen, growers and producers have a real passion for what they do, often having a family history of fishing or farming that stretches back generations. They do it because they love it, because they’re proud of it and want to be able to offer the very best available. I’ve yet to meet one here who isn’t keen to share what they’ve caught, grown or produced. In short, the future for food in Cornwall is a bright one. People know that Cornwall is a centre of excellence for food. They want to experience that, along with the other things that Cornwall can offer, such as the coastline,
moorland walks and a less hectic life. For my part, I aim to offer the very best food available, along with outstanding hospitality, and I think Cornwall is the ideal place to do that, which is why my wife Rachel and I have just bought a nine-bedroom guesthouse in Port Isaac. It’s the natural step to take, and it means we can provide a complete experience for guests to escape to Cornwall, to sample the very best seafood along with a comfortable place in which to hang their hat. But the future, as it always does, depends on the next generation, and when people ask me why potential young chefs and restaurateurs should consider a future in the industry down here, I say ‘why not?’. Anybody who wants to work with the best ingredients available in beautiful surroundings should be desperate to get here! Okay, some places are a little out of the way and we haven’t got the bright lights of the big cities, but the experience they can gain here is second to none. There are lots of high-calibre chefs working in Cornwall now for young chefs to learn from, and they will also get the opportunity to see where their ingredients come from and how they arrive in the kitchen. There’s plenty of scope for young chefs to progress in the industry, too, and with days off tending to be spent on the beach, what’s not to like? David Loftus
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n Cornwall, there’s always been an inherent respect for the land and the sea, which I think has come to the fore in recent times. Historically, the Cornish have had great food because of the wonderful meat, seafood and vegetables they have access to. Add to this the fact that people are becoming increasingly knowledgeable about their food and the issues surrounding it, and Cornwall has become a natural centre for the food and hospitality industry.
outlaws.co.uk
INSET Nathan Outlaw
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