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

WEEKEND SPECIAL OFFER  |  UP TO 15% OFF WINES

Attention! Award Winners… 

We all love an award, especially the recognition it brings. Well, our wide-ranging list of wines and producers have just this week picked up major medals at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2020, with many Platinums and several best in show. What does this all mean? It rightly confirms the unquestionable talent of our winemakers and the quality of their vineyards, and we are extremely proud to represent them.

Whether you drink them now or decide to cellar them, there are wines and vintages not to miss out on. Follow the link below to pages of wines that, quite frankly, deserve the acknowledgment.

For this weekend only we are offering a 5% discount to all Bath Magazine readers, just enter BMAG5 on checkout to receive the saving. If you purchase a dozen or more, you will also receive a further 10% off – and up to a 15% saving on some of the best wines we have within the range (online only).

For a full list of our award-winning wines: The Great Wine Co.

THE WEEKEND SPICE  |  SLOW-COOKED CURRY

Curry doesn't have to be complicated – and this dish proves the point.

This comforting dish of spicy satisfaction can be as hot or mellow as you choose. Because you're letting a decent curry powder do the hard work for you, you can choose to turn the heat up or down accordingly, and while the coriander and cumin further enhances the flavour, the fresh ginger adds warmth without fire – and the fresh red chilli is there if you want it.

During cooking, the butternut squash breaks down into a velvety sauce that binds the dish together, while the chutney elevates this dish to stellar heights, bringing depth and a unique sweet/sour personality to the party – either a fruity, complex aubergine pickle or milder mango chutney work really well. Meanwhile, if you like your curries creamy, the coconut milk does the trick.

This is a classic low'n'slow dish, happy to wait for when you're ready to eat it rather than the other way around. It also benefits from being made 24 hours before you plan to tuck in, which allows the sauce to thicken while the meat relaxes and the spices get to know each other. As with all curries/casseroles, it also freezes well.

Ingredients (serves 6)

1.5kg stewing beef (shin is good), cut into approx. 3cm cubes
750g peeled, diced butternut squash
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
2 onions, roughly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
5cm knob of ginger, grated
Finely sliced fresh red chilli to taste (optional)
3–5 tsp curry powder (choose your strength)
500g good chutney/Indian pickle
Approx 800ml beef stock
400ml tin coconut milk (optional)
Oil for frying
To serve: plain boiled rice (pref. Basmati); roti

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 150˚C or set the slow cooker to low.
2. Season the beef with the cumin and coriander. 
3. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof casserole dish and brown the beef in batches, putting each batch aside as soon as the chunks have caramelised around the edges.
4. Add more oil to the pan if necessary and sauté the onion, butternut squash, garlic, ginger, fresh chilli (if using) and curry powder for 4–5 minutes, until soft and fragrant. Tip the browned beef back into the casserole dish with the chutney, stock and coconut milk (if you're not using coconut milk, add an extra 400ml of water or stock) and stir well. 
5. Cover the pot and cook in the oven for around 4 hours (stirring occasionally and adding more water/stock if necessary) or in the slow cooker for up to 8 hours, until the meat is very tender. Serve with rice and roti.


A note from our friends at The Great Wine Co:

The perfect match to Melissa’s beef and butternut curry would be a South African Thelema Mountain Vineyards  Cabernet Sauvignon. With structured layers of toasty oak, centred with bright dark fruit and a long elegant finish, this Cabernet is sure to become a favourite. Find a bottle at: The Great Wine Co.

A DINE-IN SATURDAY  |  BATH'S GREAT TAKEAWAYS

The Oyster Shell
Classic fish'n'chips (or pies, or sausages, or the legendary bubble and squeak Scotch egg) from Bath's highly-acclaimed masters of the art. Home delivery or click'n'collect options available. 

theoystershell.co.uk

The Peking
Upper-crust incarnations of Cantonese, Szechuan and Peking cuisine courtesy of Bath's long-established specialists in the genre. Browse the magnificent menus online (the set menus are highly recommended) and take 15% off all prices for pre-ordered collection.

pekingrestaurantbath.co.uk

Ma Cuisine
Larkhall's very own oasis of French fabulosity offer a regularly updated weekend takeaway menu available for pre-ordered collection; think, bouillabaisse, duck cassoulet and fabulous Cote de Boeuf for two. Orders for Friday/Saturday early evening collection must be placed by 5pm on Fridays.

macuisine.co.uk

Thai Balcony
Glamorous incarnations of classic and lesser-spotted Thai dishes including wonderful fresh fish options at 20% off eat-in menu prices when ordered for collection.

thaibalcony.co.uk

Main image: Ma Cuisine

RESTAURANT REVIEW  |  CHEZ DOMINIQUE

This effortlessly chic but supremely welcoming little Modern French/European bistro offers an elegantly informal ambience from the off and broad appeal whatever the occasion, from languid lunches to a romantic, candlelit dinner à deux.
Menus waltz along to a Parisian bistro beat and the Prix Fixe menu (two courses for £20, 3 for £24) further ups the joie de vivre ante. If you crave a classic Franglais feast of steak frites followed by St Emillion au Chocolat (who doesn't?) Chez Dom is the place to come. Elsewhere, fresh fish makes a splash and confident cheffy flourishes turn even a seemingly mundane pork chop into a très magnifique treat.

Chez Dominique, 15 Argyle Street, Bath BA2 4BQ
chezdominique.co.uk

OBJECT OF INTEREST  |  POMELLATO AT MALLORY

SHOPPING  |  BARBOUR THE WILDERNESS COLLECTION

By Ben and Marina Fogle

The Barbour wilderness collection has been curated by television presenter and adventurer Ben Fogle and his wife, writer and broadcaster Marina Fogle. The stylish collection draws inspiration from heritage outdoor, country and exploration wear. For men, the collection includes a range of comfortable outerwear, layers and shirts. The women’s collection is practical and sophisticated, and features a selection of outerwear designed for country enthusiasts.

Available from John Lewis and Barbour

TECH WATCH |  SONY'S NEW FULL-FRAME COMPACT

Sony a7C

Sony’s latest addition to its superb mirrorless full frame line-up is the Sony A7c, featuring a professional grade CMOS sensor, now packed into a lightweight and compact body, it has 24MP, 4K movie recording, and an ISO range of 100-51200. The Alpha 7C can shoot incredibly detailed photos and videos in all lighting situations and with Sony's super-fast autofocus system you can now track focus on the eyes (humans and animals) as well as in video mode (humans). Also Vloggers will love the new articulated screen, in-body stabilisation and the host of pro features now available. 

Body only from £1,899.99. Kit (from £2,149.99) comes with a full frame 28–60mm F/4-5.6 zoom E-mount lens. 

Contact London Camera Exchange for more details

THE KIOSK  |  MAGAZINE MOMENTS

Curated by Daniel McCabe – Magalleria

Autumn certainly arrived this week and, right on time, the autumnal Hortus has popped up at Magalleria. This beautiful journal, described somewhere as The New Yorker of horticultural reading, is a quarterly cornucopia of articles on gardens, plants, people and books, garden design and more. Just look at that dreamy cover – if things feel a little bleak right now, why not let this little gem whisk you away to the private gardens of Tangier?

Priced £9.50; magalleria.co.uk

ON THE BOOKSHELF  |  CANE WARRIORS

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW  |  ALEX WHEATLE

This month, we spoke to author Alex Wheatle, who is set to feature at the Reading is Magic festival on 1 October. With his latest book Cane Warriors out in stores next week, Millie Bruce-Watt chats to Alex about growing up in London, honouring his Jamaican ancestors and how he came to be the word warrior he is today.

Enjoy our full interview here

ON THE BOX  |  ACADEMY-AWARD WINNER

New on Amazon Prime today, Judy sees Renée Zellweger take hold of Judy Garland and live through the last days of the singer's career in London. Thirty years after starring in The Wizard of Oz, beloved actress and singer Judy Garland arrives in the city to perform sold-out shows at the Talk of the Town nightclub. While there, she reminisces with friends and fans and begins a whirlwind romance with musician Mickey Deans, her soon-to-be fifth husband.

Watch the trailer and admire Zellweger's standout performance

ON THE BIG SCREEN |  THE GODFATHER OF SOUL

Following the devastating news of actor Chadwick Boseman’s passing, Picturehouse has programmed a season of his work to celebrate his incredible career.

This long-awaited Godfather of Soul biopic magnificently evokes James Brown’s high-octane life, thanks to Chadwick Boseman’s extraordinary performance as Brown and the no-holds-barred narrative from director Tate Taylor (The Help) and co-writer Jez Butterworth (Mojo). Beginning with Brown’s impoverished childhood, the film then follows his relentlessly determined rise via gospel music to become a global soul legend. It also charts his sometimes tumultuous but steadfast friendship with long-time musical collaborator Bobby Byrd (Nelsan Ellis), who played the key supporting role in his success.

Book your tickets via The Little Theatre Cinema's website

WHAT'S ON  |  POPULAR EVENTS

On 11 June 2021, Keane is set to take to the stage at Westonbirt Arboretum as part of Forestry England’s major live music series. The band will be appearing with special guests Flyte, plus support from Michael Ryan. Tickets for the event are live from today. £44.50; forestryengland.uk/music

INTERIOR STYLE  |  NEW CUSHIONS AT OKA

Oka have a new range of cushion covers just arrived at the Bath store. We love their new Kawa Kaleidoscope covers, shown here in dark cerulean and jade green. Measuring 56cm square, the covers are made from silk adorned with a pattern inspired by Japanese kimonos. £95 each. Visit the Milsom Street store for further details or buy online at oka.com.

PROPERTY ADVICE  |  BALCONY APPEAL

By Peter Greatorex, Managing Director of The Apartment Company

Balconies are a wonderful outside space that we know apartment owners cherish, a place where you can enjoy a coffee in the morning, or a tipple in the evening. With stunning views all over the city, they are a little haven that you can make your own. While enjoyed often, these areas, which are an extension of your home, can get ignored when people are decorating their home. It doesn’t matter the size of the space you have to play with, at The Apartment Company we have put together some ideas on how to style your balcony to appeal to buyers.

A little lighting: As the night starts to set in and the light begins to fade, you may still want to remain sitting outside to finish some pages of a good book, or just to relax. There are an abundance of light choices available. Fairy lights look lovely draped around the walls and railings, and you can create a warm ambience with lanterns placed in groups in a corner. You can add more light into specific areas by placing stakes in large flower pots where you can position hanging lights. Don’t worry about having cables trailing along your little outside space – with a variety of solar lights available you don’t have to compromise on style.

A little bit of green: It doesn’t matter how much space you have, every single place can be transformed with a touch of something green, whether that’s flowers or a lovely leafy plant. Hanging planters are a great idea for adding some colour to railings and can also add some texture to those balconies that are on the smaller side. For larger spaces, adding planters will allow you to add a wealth of foliage and colour; contrasting shades will create a calming environment, a perfect place for you to relax. You can also use a shelving unit in the corner or against a wall to create a mini garden – or what about a living wall? These are great ways of adding colour without taking up precious space.

A little rug: There is so much choice when it comes to decorating your outside space, and adding a rug is an easy solution that can really transform the area and make it elegant and cosy. You can purchase specific weatherproof outdoor rugs that are hardwearing, which means no matter what the season or the weather, your balcony will always look stylish.

A little comfort: Now we know that you want to make the most of your balcony, and that means making it a space where you can relax. Furniture can take up a lot of room, which is why collapsible pieces are probably a better choice; plus, they can be stored away neatly in the winter months. You can also purchase sets that hook over railings, which again are a great space-saving solution. Alternatively, you may wish to add a statement chair – your chair, the place where you sit and watch the world go by, in your own little luxurious haven.

A little appeal: When you add style to your balcony, you are truly increasing the appeal of your apartment to potential buyers. 

For further details visit The Apartment Company: theapartmentcompany.co.uk

Our October issue is out soon

Our September issue is available to read online