July Editor's Picks
Henley Regatta
3RD - 7TH JULY
Big hats, striped blazers and plenty of champagne at the ready! Head down to Henley and take your seat in one of the bankside deck chairs, as hundreds of rowing teams from across the globe ready themselves for the famous regatta. Be sure to take a break from cheering and stop by our Henley store: we’ll be serving up Salcombe gin and tonic in celebration of the event.
Holmfirth Arts week
7TH - 13TH JULY
Tap into those creative juices and visit the picturesque town of Holmfirth for one of the UK’s largest open art exhibitions. With over 400 artists displaying a diverse range of sculpture, photography and fine art, there’s truly something for everyone at this vibrant event. Budding artists can also get involved, with a number of children’s arts and crafts activities on offer.
Port Eliot Festival
25TH - 29TH JULY
Missed out on Glastonbury tickets this year? Never fear, you can still get your festival fix at Cornwall’s Port Eliot Festival. The stunning Port Eliot estate will be opening its doors for a whole host of entertainment, ranging from eclectic comedy sets to aerial yoga. Listen to literary discussions from the likes of Lily Allen and Charlie Higson, before dancing into the early hours at the Heavenly Jukebox’s DJ set.
Rachel Ama’s Pavlova
Nothing says summer like the quintessentially British pavlova. Fresh, crisp merengue filled to the brim with cool whipped cream and juicy summer berries: this is a summer-party showstopper. Taken from Rachel Ama’s new book Vegan Eats, this recipe substitutes egg whites for aquafaba, the liquid leftover from a tin of pulses. A crowd-pleasing dessert that everyone can enjoy.
Ingredients
For the meringue:
Liquid (aquafaba) from 1 × 400g tin of chickpeas
1 tsp cream of tartar
175g golden caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
For the filling and topping:
500ml coconut cream
200g mixed frozen berries
Juice and grated zest of ½ lime, plus extra zest to decorate
300g seasonal fruit of your choice (such as raspberries, strawberries, blueberries or redcurrants, sliced figs, mangos or bananas or passion fruit pulp)
Recipe
Preheat the oven to 130°C fan, then line two baking sheets with baking paper and draw a 23cm circle on each sheet. Place the coconut cream in the fridge to chill while you make the meringue.
Using a food mixer or an electric whisk, whisk the aquafaba and cream of tartar at a high speed in a large bowl for around 5 minutes until the mixture has doubled in volume and is light and fluffy. Continue whisking and add the sugar one teaspoon at a time until it has been completely absorbed. Then add the vanilla bean paste and whisk for a further 2 minutes until the mixture forms stiff, glossy peaks.
Divide the meringue between the two circles drawn on the lined baking sheets, spreading the mixture out evenly but making each circle a little thicker around the edges than in the middle. Place in the oven to cook for 1½–1¾ hours or until firm to the touch, then turn off the heat and leave to dry in the oven (or in a cool, dry place) overnight or for a minimum of 4 hours.
When the meringues are ready, prepare the rest of the dish. Place the frozen berries and lime juice in a small saucepan, bring to a simmer and cook on a medium heat for 3–4 minutes or until the fruit is soft and the liquid has mostly evaporated. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool down completely.
Meanwhile, whisk the chilled coconut cream using an electric whisk until light and thick like whipped cream. Once the fruit compote has cooled down, add it to the whipped coconut cream with the lime zest, and fold in gently to create a ripple effect, being careful not to stir too much.
Carefully transfer one of the meringue bases to a serving plate and spread over half the fruity coconut cream, then scatter over half the seasonal fruit. Carefully place the second meringue on top, cover with the remaining coconut cream and seasonal fruit and an extra sprinkling of lime zest. Serve as soon as possible.