A specially curated guide to help you enjoy the next 48 hours in Bath

WINES FOR THE WEEKEND  |  AUSSIE RULES!

Go Down Under

The Great Wine Co. has a superb offer of up to 27% off all Australian wines. Okay, some of the names are slightly bemusing, such as The Stump Jump, The Athazagoraphobic Cat Sagrantino Cinsault (...what?) and Are you Game?  But at least the wines have a little more finesse than the early Aussie winemaking days of heady Shiraz and a 15% Chardonnay. The world has certainly turned. HIghly recommended: Not Your Grandma's Rosé (11.5% ABV) Lovedale Semillon (10.5% ABV) and Düfte Punkt Riesling Gewürztraminer Kerner (12.5% ABV)

To explore the full collection and enjoy the discounts, visit: The Great Wine Co.

WEEKEND BAKE  |  SUPPER-TIME QUICHE

Salmon and Broccoli Quiche

A freshly baked quiche elevates the enduringly popular pie-themed combination of buttery pastry and tantalising filling to another level, bringing a quintessential elegance to all occasions from casual lunch or picnic to party.

Once you've mastered the art of creating the pastry case/savoury custard combination, this recipe can easily be adapted to a filling of your choice – tried-and-tested suggestions include replacing the broccoli with roasted red peppers, going totally fish-free with three large handfuls of roasted, cooled Mediterranean vegetables or replacing both the fish and the vegetables with bacon lardons to create a classic Quiche Lorraine. But if you crave a luxuriously creamy, silky-rich treat, you can't beat the chic, classy classic that is the salmon and broccoli combo, best served at room temperature accompanied by a sharply dressed salad and a glass of nicely chilled Sancerre.

A word on shortcrust pastry:

If you have a food processor, home-made pastry is quick, easy and foolproof to make. Whizz 400g plain flour with 200g of cold, cubed, salted butter together until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. With the blender running slow, add around 2-3 tbsp cold water until the pastry comes together in a ball. Wrap in cling-film and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before rolling.

INGREDIENTS (makes one large quiche)

375g shortcrust pastry, home-made or shop-bought
Approx 300g broccoli spears
100ml milk
300g salmon fillets
200ml double cream
2 large eggs
Zest of ½ lemon
Chopped fresh dill, to taste
100g Parmesan or Cheddar cheese, grated

METHOD

Heat oven to 180°C fan/gas 6. Put a baking sheet in the oven to heat up. 

Line a lightly greased 23cm tart tin (preferably loose-bottomed or springform) with the pastry, leaving a slight overhang. Prick the surface with a fork, line with baking parchment or foil and add an even layer of baking beans or uncooked rice. Place on the hot baking sheet and blind-bake for 15 mins before removing from oven and allowing to cool completely.

While the pastry is blind-baking: 

Steam the broccoli spears for 5 minutes. Rinse in cold water and allow to cool and dry completely

Poach the salmon fillets in the milk for 5 minutes. Remove the salmon and lay on a plate to cool, reserving the poaching liquid.

Peel the skin from the salmon fillets and discard. Flake the flesh into bite-size chunks and arrange evenly across the pastry case. Add the chopped, steamed broccoli.

Whisk the cream with the cooled poaching liquid (or vegetable stock, if not using salmon), the eggs, dill and lemon zest. Carefully pour the creamy mixture into the pastry case and sprinkle with the grated cheese.

Bake for 45 mins to 1 hour, or until the filling is set and the cheese has turned golden brown. If serving warm, allow the filling to settle for at least 10 minutes before slicing.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW  |  CHARLOTTE MITCHELL

COCKTAIL HOUR  |  SEEDLIP TIME AT THE IVY

In celebration of their first terrace takeover, The Ivy Bath Brasserie and Seedlip, the world's first distilled non-alcoholic spirit, launch an exclusive limited-edition cocktail menu.

Until 30 September, guests are invited to enjoy a number of refreshing creations, including ‘The Garden Party’ tipple, which focuses on the pea as one of the key botanicals in Seedlip’s Garden 108 variation. Guests are invited to relax and unwind with friends or family under an exquisite floral installation inspired by sweet pea flowers and summer botanicals, which adorns the brasserie’s second floor terrace and entrance way.

With each bespoke cocktail designed to complement The Ivy’s classic menu items, The Ivy Bath Brasserie provides a beautiful and photogenic backdrop for guests who want to dine al fresco on the terrace or for those who simply want to enjoy a cocktail with the peas in their pod.

Garden Party, £8.25

Seedlip Garden, Æcorn Dry, Rhubarb and Ginger Syrup, lime juice, ginger juice, a dash of Miraculous Foamer, muddled peas, garnished with lime twist and peas on a bamboo stick.

Pea in a Pod, £6.95

Seedlip Garden, Pea and Rosemary Shrub, Rhubarb Syrup with a soda top and ice block to finish.

Pea-Total, £8.25

Seedlip Garden, Æcorn Dry, lime juice, Jasmine Syrup, elderflower cordial, muddled peas, and cucumber ribbon, garnished with a mint leaf and three peas on a bamboo stick.

THE KIOSK  |  MAGAZINE MOMENTS 

Curated by Daniel McCabe – Magalleria 

Bloom is a nature and garden magazine that’s literally having its moment. Dinky in size and as practical as a manual, yet elegant enough for the coffee table, it thrives in a special spot that catches all ages, skill sets and interest levels. The autumn issue contains tips for designing a garden, step-by-step dried flower design, willow arches, composting, making natural inks, as well as roadside verges, Korean natural farming, mistletoe and more. Bloom is priced at £8. Visit Magalleria or buy online.

The Magalleria online shop

Our September issue is out and online

FIND CALMNESS  |  ETHICAL HEALTH & BEAUTY

Ubiety – meaning being grounded in the moment – is the name of a range of skincare and wellbeing products. Each product – a body salve, hand wash, hand lotion, facial mist, lip balm and scented candle – promotes wellbeing and mindfulness through formulations inspired by wild woodlands and their energy. What’s more every purchase makes a difference, with all Ubiety's profits going to Dorothy House Hospice Care. There are plenty of stockists in Bath, such as Homefront Interiors, Yoga Bodhi and many more.

For full details and stockists, visit findubiety.com

THE ELDER  |  GRAND OPENING

The Elder opens its doors...

The Elder restaurant and bar is officially open in the historic centre of Bath. The Elder is the place to enjoy authentic, honest and timeless British cooking, created by restaurateur Mike Robinson and Group Head Chef Gavin Edney, with a focus on sustainability, seasonality, locally sourced and wild produce.

The Elder restaurant is open for lunch and dinner from today (11 September) with an à la carte menu enhanced by a beautifully curated wine list. In the bar, and the south facing terrace in the warmer months, you can also enjoy a selection of small plates alongside precisely made classic cocktails and Somerset ciders.

The Elder creates an exceptional experience for diners, with intimate and welcoming historic spaces for the restaurant, bar and private dining room, each with its own charming character, and all under one roof. It's relaxed and beautifully designed while also being sympathetic to its Georgian roots. There are gardens and a butchery too.

Sitting within the new Hotel Indigo Bath, The Elder is the latest restaurant from multi-award winning West Country restaurateur Mike Robinson. Leading the team in the kitchen is Group Head Chef Gavin Edney.

Mike Robinson is co-owner of the only Michelin-starred London pub, the Harwood Arms in Fulham, and he opened The Woodsman restaurant and bar in Stratford on Avon last year, winning the Good Food Guide Best New Entry 2020. He also won Champion of Champions in this year’s Eat Game Awards.

Heading up the team of chefs, Cornish-born Gavin Edney loves creating dishes with wild game, fish and fresh produce, and so will be in his element at The Elder. Gavin will be bringing Britain’s natural larder to every seasonal dish. He will be using fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs grown in The Elder’s garden; wild game, prepared in the restaurant's butchery and provided by Mike Robinson; and sharing his passion for fish fresh from the British coast.

Gavin is a highly experienced Head Chef, having honed his skills at some of the UK’s top restaurants. Before joining The Woodsman and The Elder as Group Head Chef, he was Head Chef at André Garrett at Cliveden and has worked at Gordon Ramsay at Claridge's, and with Galvin Restaurants.

Gavin’s menus at The Elder are elegant and honest, treating seasonal and local ingredients with as much respect as they deserve. This ensures seriously tasty food, and helps to maintain a zero waste ethos.

There is a late license for the bar, adding to its appeal as a relaxing drinking destination. There is a selection of beautifully crafted classic drinks and cocktails, doing away with unnecessary frills and using seasonal ingredients, alongside a carefully selected range of spirits and liqueurs from smaller, bespoke producers.

Book a table here

OBJECT OF INTEREST | CHOPARD HAPPY OCEAN STEEL

BOOKS  |  THE POWER OF POETRY

We ask what poetry can do for young minds...

Ofqual has recently announced that poetry will be an optional element of the GCSE English Literature syllabus this school year. We spoke to five local poets about their own experience of poetry, what value they believe it brings to children, how it can be best brought to life for them, and how they felt about their career defining form of English literature becoming less than essential in the classroom.

Read the full feature here

AUTUMN FORAGING  |  FIGS

What are they? The uniquely sensual fruit of one of the world's oldest trees, once held in such high regard by the Greeks that laws were created to prevent their export.

Season: From now until around the end of September.

What do they taste like? Robust and juicy in texture, with an overt, almost honey-like sweetness and a richly fruity fragrance.

Added bonus: Figs are rich in minerals including calcium, potassium, magnesium and iron, and an excellent source of antioxidant vitamins A and K.

How should I use them? Figs are eminently adaptable. Add them to your morning porridge, use them in baking tarts, puddings and cakes, or poach them and serve with ice cream. They're also wonderful when partnered with mozzarella, blue, ricotta or goats' cheese, drizzled with honey and sprinkled with chopped walnuts.

Where can I buy them? Bath Farmers' Market, Green Park Station; Eades Greengrocers (Crescent Lane); Super Stokes (Moorland Road); Larkhall Farm Shop (St Saviours Road).

STAYING IN – TV |  MOSCOW NOIR

Walter Presents – Channel 4

Take a stylish trip back in time to turn-of-the-21st-century Moscow and join Swedish investment banker Tom Bixen as an innocent trade deal leads to battles with sinister private armies, malevolent power mongers, corrupt politicians... and the skeletons hidden deep in Tom's own private closet...

Moscow Noir: Sunday 13 September, 11pm, Channel 4
Binge watch all episodes from 11 September on All 4

ON THE BIG SCREEN |  LES MISÉRABLES

Do read on, because this isn't another adaptation...

Les Misérables – a 2019 French drama and France’s 2020 Oscar entry – is set in the commune of Montfermeil in Paris in the aftermath of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The story is based on real-life police brutality, which took place in the city on 14 October 2008, and was observed and filmed by the director Ladj Ly.

The film follows several characters, as a theft from a teenager spirals into the threat of chaos. As we follow a day in the life of Montfermeil's anti-street crime unit, the film depicts abuses against poor citizens, especially teenagers of sub-Saharan African or Maghrebi ethnicities.

Les Misérables is not another adaptation of Victor Hugo’s novel and it is definitely not the musical we are familiar with. Set in the same Paris suburb that inspired part of Hugo’s classic, and about the neighbourhood's impoverished residents, this is a modern-day cop thriller, highlighting the daily misery in this region. The Little Theatre Cinema, 11 and 12 September at 8.30pm, 13 September at 2.30pm.

Book your tickets here

SMART TV  |  BE AN INTERACTIVE JURER

Always hoped to be called up for jury service?

This month, The Murder Trial Live’s ground-breaking social experiment returns with a brand new interactive series, The Black Widow. Members of the viewing public are invited to sit on the jury of a murder trial, review the evidence and decide whether they think the defendant is innocent or guilty at the end of each episode. 

The Black Widow follows the fictional trial of paediatric consultant Dr Hilary Meadows, accused of 447 counts of murder across a medical career spanning over 40 years – making her, if convicted, the biggest serial killer in history. Did she carry out these heartless killings, or is she a victim of statistical coincidence? You decide...

Not too late to get involved and catch up with the case here

RESTAURANT REVIEW  |  YUM YUM THAI

This friendly, fuss-free flavour emporium fully lives up to its name. Menus offer a life-affirming blast of uncomplicated but highly flavoursome food at budget-friendly prices, embracing noodles, curries, stir-fries, tantalising specials (the Bet Ob Man Peung is highly recommended), small plate side dishes, and a fascinating array of Isan region-specific specialities join the party at lunchtime. If a green/red curry is the benchmark by which all Thai restaurants should be judged, YYT’s renditions of both can only be called exemplary, as can the restaurant’s policy for pushing organic, free-range and/or locally sourced produce to the fore, banning MSG from the premises and effortlessly replacing the meat in most dishes with tofu to create a veggie version – yum yum indeed.

Yum Yum Thai, 17 Kingsmead Square, Bath

FIVE THINGS  |  GOING ON THIS WEEKEND

Much to the delight of music-lovers, Moles is set to host a number of socially-distanced and seated live events in October. Book in advance here and get your place at a table.

On 20 September, the Innox Mills Market in Trowbridge will be back once again with another great selection of street food, fresh produce and a range of arts and crafts and clothing stalls.

After a long wait, the Theatre Royal Bath is set to officially reopen its doors in October. Grab your tickets here for some of the first shows gracing the stage next month.

RENTAL PROPERTY  |  NEW TO THE MARKET

Waterfront House, Lower Bristol Road, Bath BA2 3DQ

This beautifully presented, elevated apartment with city centre views is situated within a converted listed building. The unfurnished accommodation is of an exceptional standard, featuring a spacious entrance hall with cloakroom, extensive open-plan reception/kitchen/dining room and separate utility room and store. Perfect for a professional single applicant, couple or family, the apartment also boasts a double-aspect master bedroom with ensuite, two further double bedrooms, each with fitted wardrobes, an elegant family bathroom and a study.

The city centre apartment is beautifully decorated with neutral colour schemes, recessed lighting and engineered flooring. It also has direct lift access and an allocated parking space with visitors spaces available. New to the market at £2,300pcm.