march zine 2014

#613

ZINE

April 2014

www.benjaminarthur.comTimeless. True. You

WEDDINGS PORTRAITS CHILDREN’S PORTRAITS EVENTS FINE ART

The British Photographer in Amsterdam

Call 06 83 94 35 52 to book your portraiture session and claim your exclusive Britsoc discount!

Contents

events/ “photo competition”

sports/ “ice skating”

events/ “social friday”

events/ “kings day”

article/ “Scotland”

books/ “beth’s blog”

“chairman”chair/

Page 16

Page 28 Page 32

Page 7

“cooking coach” Page 40food/

“amsterdam”books/

“shakespeare night”events/

“what is it”easter/

Page 12

food/ “nick’s nosh” Page 36

Page 18

Page 22

Page 22

“photo competition” Page 16

Page 40

Page 14

“shakespeare night”

Page 36

ZINEEDITORIAL EDITOR IN CHIEF Alison Smith | [email protected]

EDITORIAL BOARDIan Cherington | [email protected] Richardson | [email protected] Arthur | [email protected].

ADVERTISINGADVERTISING SALES Andy Symmonds | [email protected]

PUBLISHINGPUBLISHED BYJohn Richardson | JohnTheCopywriter.com

FLIP MAGAZINE PUBLISHING PLATFORMwww.issuu.com

PUBLISHED ONwww.wordpress.org

SUBSCRIPTIONS AND FEEDBACKAlison Smith | [email protected]

www.britsoc.nl

ISSUE #613

Colophon >

Page 22

Page 8

Dear Members,I am very happy to tell you that we recently had a successful committee meeting. Thanks to all for your input. It was a productive and positive session with a lot of good ideas for the future of BritSoc.

Most importantly, we agreed that our main focus must be to achieve more value for our members to make it clear why it’s worthwhile for new people to join us. Our communications must be more focussed and specifically aimed at our activities and events, drawing people in and raising our profile. The first step will be to discuss any changes with our current sponsors, so that they too will get maximum effect for their effort and investment.

It was very good to see new faces at the meeting, and the positive energy is exactly what we need at this time. I would like to see more people involved in the organisation, so please be in touch if you would like to be part of the team.

It is perhaps a little early to be thinking of Christmas, but such is the life of an event organiser! We seriously need to appoint a committee to run this year’s Ball.

The tasks now are to tie down sponsor deals and to fix the location and budget. We have basic ideas, so it is not a mammoth task, but we need to get this project moving now. It is a fun event to be involved in.

Please help if you can and let us know how you would like to join in.

The first Stand Up Comedy night was a successful evening full of laughs and a few embarrassing moments! Thanks to Paul H. for organising yet another event and I hope next time will be even more popular.

Don’t’ forget Shakespeare’s Birthday party, which is being held on May 3rd.

There are a very limited number of tickets available for this, and they are on sale now through the website/BritShop.

All the best,

Ian [email protected]

chairman’s blog/ Mar 2014

Shakestravaganza

Saturday 3 May 8:00 pm

Greenwoods Tea RoomKeizersgracht 465, 1017 DK Amsterdam

Britsoc Shakespeare Feast 2014

Price (inc meal): €34 members, €36 non-members.

Shakespeare plus more @ Greenwoods English Tea Room

AmsterdamAgain, our broad imaginations will produce a hotchpotch of Shakespearean and other

English delights: poetry, comedy monologues, stories, songs, quotes, puns, jokes –

something for everyone.

You too can enjoy the spectacle, and even try your hand at giving your own unique interpretation of some of those

English classics.

TICKETS & MENU ORDER @ THE BRITSOC eSHOP

www.britsocshop.nl

Once more into the feast And order your menu online

Shakespeare Feast Menu Chef’s selection appetizers

First courseGrilled asparagus with soft poached

egg and Hollandaise sauce or

Prawn cocktail with grapefruitMain Course

Grilled rump steak with roasted tomato, mushrooms and

peppercorn sauceor

Roasted Salmon on a bed of root vegetables mash with sugar snaps

and lemon butter sauceor

Wild spinach, portobello mushroom and goats cheese

DesertEton mess

orBanoffee pie

Order your menu @ www.britsocshop.nl©2013 Hard Rock International (USA), Inc. All rights reserved.

max euweplein 57-61 / 1017 ma amsterdam / +31 20 5237625join hardrockrewards.com /hardrockcafeamsterdam @hrcamsterdam

hip hop partyeaster at hard rock amsterdam

SUNDAY, 20th APRIL 2014 • 10.00-11.30 amkids can decorate eggs and have their faces painted while

the whole family enjoys a breakfast buffet€13.95 per person, under 2’s eat for free

for reservations contact [email protected]

©2013 Hard Rock International (USA), Inc. All rights reserved.

max euweplein 57-61 / 1017 ma amsterdam / +31 20 5237625join hardrockrewards.com /hardrockcafeamsterdam @hrcamsterdam

hip hop partyeaster at hard rock amsterdam

SUNDAY, 20th APRIL 2014 • 10.00-11.30 amkids can decorate eggs and have their faces painted while

the whole family enjoys a breakfast buffet€13.95 per person, under 2’s eat for free

for reservations contact [email protected]

By coincidence, the new king, Willem-Alexander, was born on April 27th so the celebration could continue around the same time. The only fly in the ointment this year is that the 27th of April falls on a Sunday and Queen’s/King’s day is never celebrated on a Sunday. Instead of moving it to a Monday so that we could all have a nice day off, the Dutch authorities have decided it will be celebrated on the Saturday instead. Never mind, it will still be a wonderful day full of colour and activity. All we need now is some good weather.

Koningsdag is known for its vrijmarkt (“free market”), at which many Dutch sell their secondhand items, a sort of nationwide flea market. Koningsdag is the one day of the year that the Dutch government permits sales on the street without a permit and without the payment of VAT. A survey in 2011 found that one in five Dutch

residents planned to sell at the vrijmarkt and estimated they would earn €100 per person for a total turnover of €290 million. For kids there is a special vrijmarkt in the Vondelpark where they can safely set up stall. This is quite nice to visit as there are some very innovative stalls and young musical talent to be experienced.

It is also an opportunity for a huge street party where everyone dresses up in bright orange and wanders the streets, buying bric a brac and drinking copious amounts of beer. The King, together with Queen Maxima and other members of the royal family are also out and about and visit two villages during the day. The villages in question are informed well in advance that they will receive Royal guests and preparations begin early . This year their Royal Highnesses are scheduled to visit Amstelveen and De Rijp.

Until 1996, Queen’s Day, as it was then, really started the night before on Queen’s night. The vrijmarkt sellers were allowed to start selling their wares the night before and bars were allowed to install beer taps outside their bars and the games began. It was actually more fun than the party the following day. Since Amsterdam has become such a popular place to celebrate Queen’s Day with over 1 million visitors adding to the city’s population, this is no longer allowed

It’s the king of crazy

19th of March 2014.

and the sellers must wait until morning. Only Utrecht has retained this tradition.

If you are new to the city you will see this for the first time and think the world has gone mad! Best thing to do is grab an orange hat from one of the many sellers and join the throng. The various squares, Museumplein, Leidseplein and Rembrandtplein usually have DJ’s and live music on large stages. There is usually a rock concert on the Museumplein. This can be great fun but if you don’t like crowds, please avoid these areas as it is abnormally packed. The canals are fun to walk around but can also get very busy so don’t try to get anywhere in a hurry.

One way to see the orange fest is by boat. The canals are packed and chaotic but it’s a great fun way to spend Koningsdag so see if you know someone with a boat. The city centre is closed to cars, and no trams ride in the heart of the city. People are urged to avoid Amsterdam Central Station so if you wish to visit Amsterdam on Koningsdag it’s best to come into the city via one of the suburban stations and either walk in or take a tram to the outskirts.

Last year we celebrated the crowning of a new Dutch King on what had been Queen’s Day, the 30th of April. Prior

to that Queen’s day was celebrated on the birthday of the Old Queen Mother, Queen Juliana. This was said to be because Queen Beatrix celebrates her birthday in January so it wouldn’t have been practical to have a big outdoor celebration in the middle of winter.

local government

If you want to find out more about where to go and what’s on, the Iamsterdam site is full of information. http://www.iamsterdam.com/en-GB/experience/kings-day/whats-on

Enjoy the day and be very Orange.

Alison Smith

April 26th 2014 marks the 1st King’s Day of Willem-Alexander’s

reign and once again the whole country will dress up in orange,

sell their unwanted stuff on the streets and party like its, well,

2014. This picture was taken on my first Queen’s Day here in

2012 and for me it typifies the way the normally reserved Dutch

people love to let their hair down on this very special occasion.

BritPhotShot of the month:

Benjamin Arthur – the British Photographer in Amsterdam.

More information: www.benjaminarthur.com

Britsoc Photo Lesson #3 Kings Day / April 2014

King’s Day Photo contest

Nikon D700. AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED ISO 160, f/6.3 @1/400s.

Zine readers and budding photographers submit your

King’s Day images to our very special King’s Day

Photography contest!

The idea is as simple as can be. Take your cameras/phones out with you on King’s Day. Snap away. Submit your

best shots – up to a maximum of 3* – as attachments to the contest email address which is [email protected].

Instagrams are acceptable.

We’ll be looking for images that capture the overall spirit of the day or that bring to life unique details that

are only seen on King’s Day. Or simply wonderful portraits of people

participating.

PRIZE:Bottle of Pimm’s.

The Summer’s most refreshing tipple.

*Pictures submitted should be not more than 5mb in size.

JUDGES: Andy Symmonds and Benjamin Arthur

Sean Jansen

No attendance list or Britsoc membership required—so just show up!

http://www.britsoc.nl

Social Friday@The Tara

Friday 11th April, 2014

http://www.thetara.com/nld/

| From 21:00

Back to 2nd Friday of the month

BLIND DATE COMING IN

JUNE!!!! DON’T MISS IT!

DETAILS IN NEXT

MONTH’S ZINE.

This venue is a well known bar amongst the expats. This Irish bar has an interesting variation of rooms mixing from a trendy modern

bar to the classic leather armchair corners and fireplaces. We will meet in the far end of the pub where the rear/ back bar area is exiting to the Nes backstreet

entrance. Look out for us near the bar wearing a bright pink scarf.Social Fridays is a great opportunity to meet new people or catch up with

friends - all welcome. No attendance list, so just show up!

Venue: Rokin 85-89, 1012KL AmsterdamTrams: 4,9,14,16,24 and 25 tramstop Rokin.Contact: Tracey Taylor Email: [email protected]

|events/

From 21:00

The economic issue is at the very heart of the independence debate. It affects people’s jobs and the relative prosperity in which they will live. While there is nothing inherently improbable about a country of Scotland’s size and population being independent, there does appear to be a very large number of economic challenges to be overcome. So what are they and why is it better for Scotland to be part of the UK?

The Great Scottish Independence debate – exclusively in ZINE

Economic arguments for Scotland staying within the Union.

britain/

Y?N >

There is no viable currency option at present. The Scottish government laid out its roadmap for independence in a White Paper published in November 2013. Here, it stated that its preferred option is a currency union between Scotland and the rest of the UK. However all 3 British political parties have been unequivocal that this is not going to happen.The Scottish government believes the British government is bluffing, but this appears unlikely. The rest of the UK have nothing to gain from a currency union; on the contrary, a currency union would leave them at risk from Scotland’s large banking sector, and why would you carry that risk for a separate country?So what is Plan B? Err, there doesn’t appear to be one.A Citibank paper assessing the implications of Scottish independence published March 7th 2014, concluded: “We regard a sterling monetary union as unlikely but we are genuinely unsure what currency or monetary policy would be adopted by an independent Scotland. In our view, it is astonishing, that the Scottish government in seeking independence has reached this stage: seeking

a currency union without agreement with the rest of the UK and without a clear alternative plan.

Scotland’s large banking and oil and gas sector make it volatile economically.Much of Scotland’s prosperity comes from two areas: banking and oil and gas. Banking Banking accounts for 6% of all jobs in Scotland. The assets of Scottish banks are 1250% of its GDP (Treasury figures 2013). Compare this to Iceland pre-financial crisis, whose bank assets were 880% of GDP, Cyprus 1000%, Malta 713%. In an independent Scotland, nobody mitigates that risk, except Scotland. If there is

The SNP says if Scotland becomes independent there will be a currency union and Scotland will share the pound. People need to know that is not going to happen…the people of the rest of the UK would not accept it, and Parliament would not accept it. George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Feb 13th 2014

another RBS case, there is no UK bailout the next time round.

Oil and Gas The Scottish government has estimated Scotland’s fiscal debt for 2011/2012, including a full geographical share of oil and gas revenue at 5%. In comparison to the overall UK’s fiscal debt of 7.7%, this appears not so bad. However Scotland’s fiscal debt excluding non-oil revenue was a much larger 14.6% of GDP. And the Office for Budget

Responsibility’s published figures show overall UK oil and gas revenue fell from £ 11.3bn in 2011/2012 to £ 6.5 bn in 2012/2013 and £5 bn in 2013/2014. What does this mean in reality? A lot less money for an independent Scotland to pay its bills, and support public services.

It’s unlikely that Scotland will be a member of the European Union. The White Paper also makes the assumption that Scotland will just carry on as part of the European Union. In theory

this is possible. However it requires the agreement of ALL 28 European Union members. Countries with strong break-away movements – in particular Spain comes to mind – are unlikely to give that consent, for fear of setting a precedent. So the other alternative is to apply as a new country. Given that negotiations to enter the EU tend to be on the prolonged side (Croatia took 10 years), we would need to assume that Scotland would be spending years outside of the EU, with all that implies: trade tariffs, lack of access to export markets, loss of investment by global companies, limits on freedom of movement of people. At the end of the day, who wants to have to get a visa to go on holiday to France?

The SNP says if Scotland becomes independent there will be a currency union and Scotland will share the pound. People need to know that is not going to happen…the people of the rest of the UK would not accept it, and Parliament would not accept it. George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Feb 13th 2014

It would be extremely difficult to get approval of all the other states to have a new member coming from one member state… I believe it’s going to be extremely difficult, if not impossible. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barrosco, Feb 14th 2014

Kirsten Pyle

Amsterdam: A History of the World’s Most Liberal City

by Russell Shorto

RUSSELL SHORTO

arts & culture

BY ANDY SYMMONDS

The British Society of Amsterdam clearly has a long running love of this fine city, so when a new book about the history of Amsterdam was released it was too good to miss.

Russell Shorto clearly shares this passion, but he has managed to write a book that is not only an excellent history of the city but also gives some fascinating insights into the development of Dutch culture over the centuries.

The book traces the history of Amsterdam across the last 800 years, from the original dam on the river Amstel in 1270 (approximately) to the present day. There is understandably a focus on the Golden Age but the rich history of Amsterdam is covered in its entirety, including the good times but also the various periods of occupation over the centuries. Amsterdam was put on the map as the destination of religious pilgrims; it remains a destination for pilgrims but of a different nature these days.

As well as describing the physical history of the city, it also brings key characters and the Dutch East India Company to life. From Rembrandt and Spinoza through to Anne Frank and Theo van Gogh, key personalities have had a major impact upon the development of Amsterdam and its culture. The Short History also covers the evolution of Dutch culture and the colonial years and explains why liberalism has been a common thread for Amsterdam throughout history. This is real liberalism,

meaning political and economic freedom that a tolerant Amsterdam became so famous for. The Dutch were lucky enough not to experience the feudal system where the wealth of a nation was concentrated into the hands of very few people and this is still reflected to some extent in society today.

The book breathes life into parts of Amsterdam that may not otherwise be discovered by people and would be an interesting read even if you merely plan to visit the city. If you live in Amsterdam then this is an invaluable guide to the past and how it defines the present.

The true meaning of Easter

The true meaning of Easter

>By Reverend Mark Collinson

Does Easter get the same profile

as Christmas in the public conciousness? At some point at Christmas there is this gut feeling which says, ‘Let’s not forget the true meaning of Christmas’: goodwill

to all, givng presents, gathering around the table for a feast, perhaps even a mention of a baby Jesus in a Christmas carol. Easter doesn’t have such a high profile. If it hits the public conciousness at

all, it’s through passion plays: there are ten big performances just in Amsterdam. Passion plays describe the ‘passion’ (meaning ‘suffering’ from the Latin) of Jesus. The end of each of the four gospels of Matthew,

I ask the Easyjet passenger next to me, who turns out to be a highly educated graduate of Veterinary Science from Magdalen College,

Cambridge. ‘Two days off work. I normally visit my sister and her family in Sheffield.’

‘What does Easter mean for you?’

easter

Mark, Luke and John go into slo-mo describing every detail of Jesus’ journey to the cross. Journey is probably the best metaphor for exposing the true meaning of Easter. For Jesus it was a journey towards his own death in Jerusalem. He knows every step he takes is a step closer to his own execution. The weight of his destiny lies ever heavier upon his shoulders.

On the night before he dies, he has a meal, the Passover, his Last Supper with his closest friends. Then events turn into an horrific out of control clash of ideologies with a corrupt regime: someone innocent is going to get hurt, and its obvious that it’s going to be Jesus who ends up in the line of fire.

Condemned in an illegal court, there’s nothing his companions can do to save him. He is literally pinned to a piece of wood, hanging in humiliating nakedness for all to see, in one of the slowest and most painful forms of execution devised by humanity. Crucifixion is death by asphyxiation. When it’s

too painful to pull up on your nailed in wrists to breathe, the oxygen is squeezed out of your bloodstream.

In his final breaths Jesus knows he doesn’t need his friends to save him. He needs God. Jesus is saving his friends, not them him. He relies on the power of God his Father to bring him back to life when life has gone horribly wrong. Miracle is at the heart of Easter – seeing God’s power put right what has gone wrong. It is a power that no-one can explain or repeat in a scientific experiment.

My fellow passenger is too scientific to believe in miracles. Mind you, his mathematician friend became a Christian after he got really angry with God because his freezer broke down and leaked over the carpet. With the logic that would make a rocket scientist proud, he concluded that he couldn’t get angry with someone who didn’t exist. So, he got angry with someone who does exist, and his journey of faith started from there.

He got angry

with someone

who didn’t

exist, and his

journey of faith

started from

there.

“

By Reverend Mark Collinson Photography by Benjamin Arthur

Ice Skating

Continuing with the sporting theme, this month we are writing about a sport that has been in the news. It probably caught your attention during the recent Winter Olympics staged in Sochi that the Dutch skating team enjoyed

some remarkable success, including several events where the podium was completely orange. Even without the very visible success on TV, the Dutch passion for skating remains high, but especially so for the opportunity to skate on natural ice rather than on a rink.

by Andy Symmonds

sports/

Ice SkatingAAs soon as the

first ice appears, the speculation starts about the prospects for an

Elfstedentoch (Eleven City Tour) event in Friesland. This is a 200 km endurance test that requires very specific (i.e. very cold) weather, as the entire racecourse has to be natural ice thick enough to support the competitors. The last time that the event was held, in January 1997, the Netherlands pretty much ground to a halt as the nation watched the spectacle that after the 200km of frozen racing ended up in a sprint to the finish line in Leeuwarden between the leaders. The Friesland flag was seen hanging from buildings around Amsterdam that day.

ice skating nation/

Competing in this almost mythical event may be a step beyond the capabilities of most expatriates,

but there is still fun to be had on skates on ice rinks around the country every winter, and the tantalising prospect of getting out onto frozen canals should the weather permit. The last time that the ice was safe for skating in Amsterdam was February 2012, and many people enjoyed the thrill of their first skate on the city canals.

The biggest challenge for beginners when a big freeze occurs is access to ice skates unless you already own some. Stores unsurprisingly sell out very quickly as the rush to skate leads to a stampede to buy whatever is left. Renting skates is not really a possibility, so the best approach is to buy some skates and learn the basics in an ice rink if you are keen to skate on natural ice. There are two main types of skate, the broadly popular ice hockey style with shorter blades for manoeuvrability and the longer bladed skates used for touring and racing. The technology of skates has really moved forward in recent years and there are some very advanced skating boots and blades available, making the experience more comfortable and easier than ever. If you’re looking for a more retro (or challenging) experience then you can still buy klapschaats that connect the blade and boot at the toe but leave the heel unattached; skating on these is an acquired skill and not for the faint hearted.

If you do decide to try skating with a view to venturing out onto natural ice, the best approach would be to visit your local ice rink to try out the experience and different types of ice skates. The Olympic Stadium was transformed into an ice rink during the Winter Olympics and was open to the public prior to the national skating competition that was staged there. A bonus for some skaters was the pledge to light the Olympic flame when the Dutch team won a gold medal, so the flame lighters were kept busy. It provided a wonderful experience for those lucky enough to skate in the stadium, especially if another gold medal had been won.

ice skating/

by Andy Symmonds

If you do want to try ice skating in the Amsterdam area then the Jaap Eden ice rink is a good place to visit. At this rink you can hire skates and get lessons, so it offers the perfect chance for everyone from beginners to seasoned skaters. As you may have guessed from the recent weather, the skating season is now over but Jaap Eden will reopen again from the 11th of October until the end of March. If you live outside the Amsterdam area then you can find the details of your local ice skating facilities at the Dutch Skating Association website as well as a wealth of additional information about the sport across the country.

www.jaapeden.nl/ http://knsb.nl/

Much of my recent holiday in south Africa was spent madly reading through

the superb thriller, The Truth about Harry Quebert by the Francophone-Swiss author, Joël Dicker. I read it in Dutch translation but expect the English version to be published in late May by Penguin Press. Interestingly enough, the French literary world has been

sputtering about the fact that a detective story could win the prestigious Prix Goncourt. I will stay out of that discussion but can highly recommend the book.

Marcus Goldman, a young author suffering from writer’s block learns that the body of a 15 year old girl who disappeared from a village in New Hampshire 30 years earlier has been discovered in the garden of Goldman’s mentor, Harry Quebert. Certain that Quebert cannot be the murderer, he rushes to his defense. Rest assured that you will think many times that the mystery has been resolved. Read on!

Book Blog April 2014

My bookstore manager, Irene Kosten, has been reading Sebastian Barry’s new book, The temporary gentleman. The protagonist is John “Jack” McNulty, an Irishman in self-imposed exile in Accra, working on his memoirs spanning the first half of the 20th century. As he tells of his life as civil servant, soldier, suitor, husband and father we gradually learn he failed quite miserably at being the latter two. His story is a sad one, which he describes lyrically, but with a calm detachment which is both curious and strangely compelling. Irene notes that the story starts off with a tremendous bang (literally) but then changes

pace severely. Something impels her to keep reading. We will let you know what we think

Richard Powers, author of a beautiful book which moved me greatly – The Time of Our Singing – has now produced a scientific and musical masterpiece focusing on the recluse, Peter Els, who is determined to insert music into the DNA patterns of bacteria. Orfeo is partly the story

of a flight from Homeland Security officers who think they have found the “Bioterrorist Bach” and at the same time a journey into his own past in search of the ultimate work of art. While Powers is for some readers too cerebral, I find his associative writing style which forces you to dig deeper into his thought processes both stimulating and rewarding. He is most brilliant when expounding his ideas on music and his pieces on the Kindertotenlieder (Songs on the Death of Children) and Messiaens ‘Quartet for the End of Time, composed and performed in a Nazi concentration camp, made me want to spend the afternoon intensely listening to music. A beautiful, reflective novel.

By Beth Johnson

For feedback and questions please email Beth at: [email protected]

arts & culture

www.boekhandelvanrossum.nl

Dave EggerThe CircleAnd now the novel that shocked me out of my complacency about the brave new world out there. (I know, I’m showing my age). Dave Eggers’novel, The Circle, shows us our future as a perfectly integrated social and civil community, structured by a California internet community which combines the best of Facebook, Google. Twitter, you name it. Is this utopia or dystopia? The dilemmas are starkly presented, the choices somehow nuance-able. You know you are choosing to limit your own freedom of choice but if you can do away with criminality, child kidnapping in one abnegation of control….. what do you decide? Eggers lets his characters, and by extension, his readers draw their own conclusions. A thought-provoking book.

Jeremy Rifkin

Zero Marginal Cost Society.Next month I will look at how Jeremy Rifkin explores our future as a Zero Marginal Cost Society. As he examines “ The Internet of Things, the Collaborative Commons, and the Eclipse of Capitalism” he reviews the extrapolations of current trends , looking at how the most important new technologies can be pushed to their sometimes terrifying conclusions. This is where Eggers fiction touches approaching reality!

Beth Johnson is the owner of Boekhandel Van Rossum (Beethovenstraat 32 in Amsterdam) which sells a wide

range of Dutch and English books.

British LanguageTraining Centre

English & Dutch CoursesTeaching English (TEFL)

www.bltc.nlTel. 020 622 3634

bltc

Orteliusstraat 362hs, 1056 PV AMSTERDAMTel: 020 6275025 / 06 27305428 E-mail: [email protected]

Professional assistance with all your printing demands

Member of The British Society of Amsterdam

40 years of graphic experienceAll graphic and printing services

At ISA, we believe that great facilities can set the stage for great learning. ISA is housed in a space specially designed for international education. And inspiration.

Our facilities include a four-floor library/media center, a 400-seat theatre, science labs and specialist studios for music, art, and drama. More than 400 computers are joined in a school-wide, online network. Students work with laptops and iPads in the classroom. Two state-of-the-art gyms, discovery oriented playgrounds and adjacent playing fields are large, well equipped and secure.

ISA’s campus is not a luxury. It’s where ideas are born.

Sportlaan 45 - 1185 TB Amstelveen - The Netherlands - Tel. +31 20 347 1111 - www.isa.nl

Exciting and developing young minds

ISA campus, main entrance

Setting the stage.

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

ISA_SettingTheStage_135x95.pdf 1 2/21/13 10:25 AM

Taste Life!Kingsalmarkt, the world-famous foodstore!We are known for our wide range of products from countries all over the world. ‘Taste life’ is what we call that. Visit us for your favourite American cornfl akes, brownies and soups, British jams and honey, Mexican tortillas, Spanish tapas and ham, Italian coffee and pasta and French cheese. Of course you can pick up the rest of your groceries too.

Rembrandtweg 621, 1181 GV Amstelveen-noord, tel. 020 643 37 51 www.kingsalmarkt.nl [email protected] reached by car (free parking) and public transport (5 or 51 tram to Kronenburg)Opening hours: Monday to Friday: 9 am – 6 pm Saturday: 9 am – 5 pm

Britsoc food correspondent Nick Nugent

Reporting fromthe four corners

of the Amsterdam kitchen

Bakers and Roasters

NICK’S NOSH

Britsoc food correspondent Nick Nugent

Reporting fromthe four corners

of the Amsterdam kitchen

Bakers and Roasters

Last year I wrote about Little Collins as a brunch venue and as we hurtle into spring I thought it would be good to review another one for those bright Sunday late morning/early afternoon recovery sessions. This review’s venue is Bakers and Roasters (B&R), which is run by some New Zealand entrepreneurs who are aiming to give you a typical Kiwi breakfast. For brunch my benchmark has always been Greenwoods - the one on Singel as it’s slightly better than the other one. They have a great English breakfast and eggs as many ways as you like. B&R, based in the Pijp just next door to Marie Heinkenplein, is a good place to be, although they have some competition from O’Donnells on the Plein for breakfast. I had wandered past B&R about 3 weeks before this visit, after some advice from some Kiwi friends of mine, but it was rammed full. This time I was determined to eat there so I could get this advice to you guys. We arrived this time around 2pm and it was also really full with about 15-20 people waiting for a table, so we put our name down on the list and went away for 30 minutes. When we arrived back there was a small wait of just over 5 minutes before we could sit down. The menu is full of tasty sounding treats all with a Kiwi theme. If you want the brunch menus you have to make sure you are there before 4pm otherwise you have less choice. So, looking at the menu, I was instantly tempted by the NZ brekkie which consisted of 2 rosti’s, sausage, streaky bacon, wedge of toasted bread, pickle, creamy mushrooms and garlicky spinach with 2 poached eggs on top. My companion decided on the seemingly healthy Salmon Stack which consisted of 2 rosti’s,

Bakers and Roasters

poached eggs with hollandaise, topped with a substantial amount of smoked salmon. On the NZ brekkie the rosti’s were quite manageable at about 10cm in diameter. Those on the salmon stack however were enormous, far too much potato as it turns out, but you certainly won’t be hungry after a visit here. To go with it we took tea, black for me, green for my companion, and I additionally took a healthy orange, carrot and ginger juice which could have had a bit more ginger kick to it for my taste, but it still tasted good. So how is the Brekkie then? Well they suffer from purchasing the standard Dutch sausages which have a hard texture, are too sweet and have no other discernable flavour. The rosti’s on my plate were well cooked and a good size, but the enormous lumps on the salmon stack were too big to be cooked well through and were a bit soggy in the centre. All the eggs were well cooked and on my plate the streaky bacon was ok but I much prefer a slick of back bacon for breakfast. The sort of healthy spinach which came with the NZ Brekkie I think was a reasonable touch but the metallic flavour of spinach cooked in garlic I think clashes with all the other rich creamy elements on the plate. The mushrooms were ok. The smoked salmon on the other dish was pretty good quality as was the Hollandaise served with it. Overall I was quite satisfied with the outcome and it hit the spot, but certainly not quite as well as Greenwoods does for this sort of product.This is really one of the hippest places on a Sunday afternoon at the moment. It is packed with 20-30 somethings all discussing worldly affairs or their latest internet venture it seems. We actually must have increased the average age by about 5 years when we arrived although I would hardly consider myself ancient at just over 40! It has a cool minimalist style and the NZ twang coming from most of the staff in there adds a different element from the regular cafes. When they are packed, as they were

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hhttp://www.bakersandroasters.com/

*** for Sunday brunch, the service can be quite stretched. In fact it did not calm down until after 4pm when we were about to leave. I did not check if you could book but if it’s possible and you are interested to try this place then I would suggest to give it a go. We ended our brunch with the flourless chocolate cake which was from their selection of about 6 cakes on the dessert platter. It was pretty good. On the whole it has some great touches and a lot of potential, but if they just refined a few things like the rosti and got better quality sausages (actually which is also my complaint at Greenwoods) then this would definitely be a “go to” brunch spot for me in Amsterdam. For now it is only one I would consider if I’m in de Pijp and it’s not too full! Contact: [email protected]

CONTACT DETAILS

Bakers and Roasters Eerste Jacob van Campenstraat 541072 BH AmsterdamMobile +31 (0) 614699645Serving brunch all day, Bakers and Roasters is the perfect stop before or after a trip to the Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk, Van Gogh Museum, Albert Cuypmarkt or the Heineken Experience.

Bakers & Roasters (website coming soon)

Karen Vivers

Super Speedy Spicy, Sweet and Sour Prawns

food glorious/

food glorious/

Karen Vivers, originally from Scotland, has lived here in Amsterdam since 1997, and

has set up the Cooking Coach to help inspire people to get back into the kitchen. The basis of the cooking lessons are easy, tasty, healthy recipes. Each course starts with a free introduction session, to make sure that you only cook what you like to eat. As well as cooking lessons, Karen offers Culinary Tours in Amsterdam, is a passionate Food Blogger and works freelance as a

Culinary Consultant, specialising in small and medium businesses, helping them get started, grow and deal with commercial challenges.

Super Speedy Spicy, Sweet and Sour PrawnsAny excuse to make a sweet and sour! I love the stuff! I suppose it’s not so trendy as it used to be, I mean, some may say it has had its day, I suppose. Not that that would bother me in the slightest! I think it’s time to celebrate the good old sweet and sour.

In this time of readily available ingredients from all over the world, all those spices, all those fragrant Thai, Chinese, Asian flavours are at our fingertips. Ingredients that European cooks of the past could only dream about (if in fact they had even heard of them). It is hard to imagine that I used to think for many years that a good sweet and sour was the pinnacle of haute cuisine. It was exotic and special.

We were only allowed a Chinese take-away once a month, to celebrate mum’s pay day. I’m not sure if I developed the excitement myself or if mum’s take away joy rubbed off on me. Whatever it was, it has stayed with me. On pay day Thursday, mum and I would head for the only Chinese restaurant on the island. In the beginning, when I was but a novice, my choice was chicken chow mein. However, once I discovered Sweet and Sour Chicken (or pork) Hong Kong style, I never looked back. Through my teenage years, student life, my initial working years, every time I gazed upon the hundreds of meals on offer at whatever Chinese restaurant in whichever town I lived, it was always sweet and sour that I chose. Although I often toyed with the idea of something in garlic, or with cashews or chili, it was just a fantasy. I wondered whether or not I would regret my choice, but I never did.

My mum passed away a couple of years ago, and when I was clearing out her kitchen cupboards I came across a very familiar collection of recipes. In a sturdy plastic box, mum had filed a collection of Marguerite Patten’s recipe cards. There were hundreds. In amongst all those 1970’s and early 1980’s recipe delights such as duck a l’orange,

grapefruit cups and fried scampi, I found my mum’s Sweet and Sour Pork recipe. It was well worn, well used. Not only by us, but she lent it out to friends and family. It even found its way onto the menu at the local primary school via a dinner lady friend.

I was so pleased to have found it. Although I had recreated it many, many times from memory, it was much more special to have the original, which is a great recipe. I always thought though it took a bit of time, and I don’t always have that. After even more playing around with the recipe, I have distilled it to this super speedy and simple version. Believe me, it hits all the taste spots and is ready in a fraction of the time of its 1980’s cousin.Preparation Time: Less than 10 minutes

Cooking Time: Less than 10 minutes

Ingredients for 4 servings

For the Stir fry2 x tbsp sunflower oil (or other flavourless oil)1 x red chili chopped finely3 x garlic cloves chopped finelyA thumb sized piece of ginger, grated550gr / 1.2 lb prawns (shrimp), raw, but peeled, de veined and cleaned1 x pak choi (or 2 baby pak choi)4 x spring onions (scallions) chopped to about 1 cm / 0.5in. piecesSome fresh coriander (cilantro) roughly chopped to dress

For the sauce4 x tbsp tomato ketchup2 x tbsp light soy sauce2x tbsp Chinese rice vinegar2 x tbsp honey2 x tsp Shao Xing rice wine (optional)

Method1. Mix the sauce ingredients together in a bowl,

taste it to check if you like the balance of flavour and adjust if you wish. Set this aside.

2. Heat the oil on a very high heat in a wok. If you don’t have a wok, a non-stick frying pan is fine. Get the oil as hot as you can, just below smoking point. Check the heat by dropping a piece of spring onion (scallion) and if it sizzles immediately, the oil is hot enough.

3. Add the chili, garlic and ginger, stir and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the spring onions (scallions) and cook for a further minute.

food glorious/4. Add the shrimp (prawns) cook for about 2

minutes or until they turn pink.5. Add the sauce, keeping the heat high so that

as soon as it hits your pan or wok, it sizzles and reduces.

6. When the sauce has thickened a little, add the pak choi, mix through and cover it, cooking only for a minute.

7. Serve with simple boiled white rice and sprinkle with some fresh coriander (cilantro).

Tips and Variations• This meal works great with chicken or pork too.

The cooking time will be longer though.• Mix up your vegetables for variation. I often add

some beansprouts, pineapple chunks (a bit retro, but I love it!) and sweetcorn. Some other, longer cooking vegetables that work well are carrots and red peppers – I like to cut them into match-sticks.

• Once you get to know this recipe it is nice to play around with the sauce. By adjusting the ratios of the ingredients you can make it tangier, sweeter, saltier, whatever your taste or your mood.

• I cannot stress enough, how important it is to get your oil and your pan hot. So many people seem to be afraid of the hot oil, but you really need it for this recipe to work. If you don’t get your oil hot, the meal will get watery and the sauce will not reduce.

Karen’s COOKING BOOK

“Love Food, Live Healthy” now available on Amazon.

Learn How to Cook the Healthy, Tasty Meals you

WANT to Eat!Karen has recently published her first book ‘Love Food, Live Healthy’ ,which is ideal if you want to eat more consciously or lose weight without compromising on flavour or your enjoyment of food. A very achievable, common sense approach to healthy eating and cooking. With over 150 no-fuss,

The Cooking Coach Love Food, Live Healthy

www.thecookingcoach.eu

Mobile : 06 1424 0009Email: [email protected]

contemporary recipes suitable for cooks of all skill levels. As well as the recipes in the book showing you what to eat, there is lots of information about how to eat to stay healthy.This book started life as a collection of recipes used by Karen to lose over 40kgs. Karen was diagnosed with a Binge Eating Disorder (B.E.D ) in 2003 and had lost and gained 100’s of kgs over her teenage and adult life. Karen realized that she had to face her fear (and her great love) – food - and take a whole new approach. This became the start of her successful and sustainable weight loss and the inspiration for her business “The Cooking Coach”.The book can also be downloaded to kindle and other E-readers and is compatible with tablets and smartphones as well as laptops and PCs.

John McCrae & Jesse Pope

poetscornerIn Flanders FieldsIn Flanders fields the poppies blowBetween the crosses, row on row,That mark our place; and in the skyThe larks, still bravely singing, flyScarce heard amid the guns below.We are the Dead. Short days agoWe lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,Loved and were loved, and now we lieIn Flanders fields.Take up our quarrel with the foe:To you from failing hands we throwThe torch; be yours to hold it high.If ye break faith with us who dieWe shall not sleep, though poppies growIn Flanders fields.

by John McCrae, May 1915

The CallWho’s for the trench--Are you, my laddie?Who’ll follow French--Will you, my laddie?Who’s fretting to begin,Who’s going out to win?And who wants to save his skin--Do you, my laddie?

Who’s for the khaki suit--Are you, my laddie?Who longs to charge and shoot--Do you, my laddie?Who’s keen on getting fit,Who means to show his grit,And who’d rather wait a bit--Would you, my laddie?

Who’ll earn the Empire’s thanks--Will you, my laddie?Who’ll swell the victor’s ranks--Will you, my laddie?When that procession comes,Banners and rolling drums--Who’ll stand and bite his thumbs--Will you, my laddie

By Jesse Pope (1915)

poetry

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Nuclear Summit Jokes #1

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