Tibi Magda, head chef at Gourmet Pasta Co in Newbury, shares his thoughts about food & local life as he prepares another batch of fresh pasta workshops for fellow foodies!
Newbury’s freshest new indie business on the block, Gourmet Pasta Co, offers both classic Italian and Italian-South American recipes, inspired by the waves of Italians who immigrated to South America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Dishes to make your mouth water include green ravioli filled with spinach and ricotta with a sage butter sauce and pink sorrentinos (South American circular shaped pasta) filled with roasted butternut squash and almonds and an orange butter sauce.
“We make all our fresh pasta in-house, and we also sell our gourmet pasta frozen so you can cook it at home,” says Tibi. “We run regular midweek events including pasta-making classes, cocktail nights, ladies socials, and a monthly live jazz night.”
Originally from Romania, where he says it was amazing to watch the transition from communism to democracy growing up, Tibi has lived in Newbury for nine years, working in a number of local restaurants. His passion for Italian food was also forged while living and working in Caravaggio, Italy for 10 years.
Tibi adds:”Newbury is a lovely historic market town, and it’s a great size – big enough to have lots going on, but small enough so you can walk everywhere, and you bump into friends. Newbury and its surrounding villages offer great off-the-beaten-track culinary hotspots, with independents, Michelin stars, and a very foodie Saturday market right outside Gourmet Pasta Co. I might be biased, but if you like fresh pasta, Gourmet Pasta Co is the best quality and value restaurant in Newbury. We’ve had Italian visitors rave about it, which is a true compliment! There are several other good independent restaurants too.
“It’s nearly the end of the year, but we run a really interesting series of events. It’s great to see the restaurant full and buzzing during these, even if we’re rushed off our feet in the kitchen! Personally, it’s exciting building the perfect team in the restaurant and exploring and innovating creating new fresh pasta dishes.
“As a chef, it’s hard to have a pet, as I work evenings and long days. If I did, I’d have a dog, partly because there are amazing walks in and around Newbury. A great starting place is following the Kennet and Avon Canal towpaths, which run for miles in both directions.”
“If I could make one Christmas wish for the world, it would be a world without borders, so everyone can travel anywhere.”
Gourmet Pasta is at 34 Market Place, RG14 5AG. To find out more please call 01635 635603& visit gourmetpasta.co.uk
Are the darker nights getting you down? Denise Barkley swaps Oxfordshire for Woolacombe to review a break at The Watersmeet Hotel
Half-term and it’s not just the kids who need some time off! Why not make the most of it with a cheeky break beside the sea?
There’s nothing more invigorating than the crash of waves, salt spray in the air and the cry of seagulls – and a perfect spot to indulge in all that is the dazzling Watersmeet Hotel in North Devon.
Named as luxury hotel group Conde Nast Johansen’s Best Waterside Hotel in the UK and Ireland 2024, this is a fabulous hostelry that’s getting everything right at it’s superlative clifftop location just outside surfers’ paradise Woolacombe.
This wildly romantic spot enjoys an inimitable vista of the wild Atlantic crashing on to the rocks of beautiful Combesgate Beach below. The hotel even has its own private steps down to it. When the tide ebbs, it’s body-boarding and rock-pooling central – I remember coming here with my kids many moons ago and it’s just as magical as it was then.
We revisited this summer, hoping for sunshine but figuring that if the weather wasn’t brilliant we could just sit and watch the majesty of the waves, sip a cocktail and put the world to rights. Well, the weather was true-to-form dull, but at least the rain held off and we had a fantastic couple of days cosseted within this delightfully traditional hotel and out in the open air walking the cliffs, getting blown away on the beaches and visiting nearby Ilfracombe where Damien Hirst’s vast statue of pregnant Verity dominating the harbour really is a showstopper – whether you love it or hate it!
In keeping with its dreamy location, Watersmeet is setting the bar high with its slick but warm-hearted hospitality. The 28 individually decorated bedrooms and suites exude contemporary seaside chic, backed up by a two-AA rosette restaurant, galleried terrace for al fresco dining and drinks, indoor and outdoor pools.
We couldn’t fault our ultra-comfortable deluxe sea-view room with its super-comfy beds. At one point, the skies cleared and we could see the island of Lundy on the horizon. It’s a bird-life haven and a popular visitor destination with boat trips from the harbours at Ilfracombe and Bideford.
“At one point, the skies cleared and we could see the island of Lundy on the horizon”
If you’re an ardent foodie, then Watersmeet is for you. Head chef John Cairns is doing great things and my breakfast Eggs Benedict is probably the best I’ve ever had! Dining revolves around the elegant lounges, superb terrace and, the piece de resistance, the gorgeous Rocks restaurant where the wrap-round picture windows ensure you enjoy those sea views from dawn til spectacular sunset.
From the lunchtime fresh crab sandwiches on arrival to the gourmet delights of dinner, the Watersmeet is a foodie gem. And there’s no teeny-weeny portions here – my asparagus with crispy hen’s egg starter followed by an entire sole drenched in brown shrimp butter were entirely divine. Another Watersmeet tradition is afternoon tea. It’s just a question of pacing yourself! And they do a cooked ‘high tea’ until 5pm for smaller children.
Come rain or shine, Watersmeet Hotel offers hospitality in the best tradition. It’s a comfortable base for enjoying all the delights of this scenic region. If you and the kids are feeling energetic then there’s surfing, kayaking, coasteering, horse-riding and gold – there’s two world-class links courses close by at Saunton and Westward Ho.
The Verve frontman – whose album Urban Hymns remains one of the best-selling in UK history – will perform at the five-night Nocturne Live concert series on 19th June, supported by Lightning Seeds and The Zutons
Richard Ashcroft is the first headliner for next summer’s Nocturne Live concert series, which returns to the 10,000-capacity UNESCO World Heritage Site of Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire from 18th to 22nd June. Richard will headline on Thursday, 19th June, with support from Lightning Seeds and The Zutons.
As the mercurial frontman of 1990s rock band The Verve, Richard carved a reputation as one of his generation’s most iconic performers. Since The Verve disbanded in 1999, he has enjoyed a thriving solo career with the release of seven UK top five albums and a string of hit singles including A Song For The Lovers from 2000’s Alone With Everybody, and Break The Night With Colour from 2006’s Keys To The World. Ashcroft has received Ivor Novello Awards for Songwriter of the Year and Outstanding Contribution to British Music.
Nocturne Live transforms Blenheim Palace’s Great Court into a spectacular 10,000-capacity open-air concert venue and since its inception in 2015 has gone on to become one of the UK’s most popular stately home concert experiences. Over the years the series has presented shows from a host of huge international stars including the likes of Lionel Ritchie, Elton John, Kylie Minogue, Nile Rodgers, Lauryn Hill, Noel Gallagher, Gregory Porter, Van Morrison, Tears for Fears, Gladys Knight, Elvis Costello, Simple Minds and Ennio Morricone amongst many others.
Richard Ashcroft, Lightning Seeds and The Zutons tickets start at £54 and go on sale at 9am on Friday, 25th October. Pre-sale is available to those signed up to the Nocturne Live mailing list and begins at 9am on Tuesday, 22nd October. Tickets, along with a limited number of VIP packages – which provide an exclusive opportunity to dine in the State Rooms of Blenheim Palace – are available at nocturnelive.com
British/Italian soprano Carly Paoli is thrilled to announce the release of her highly anticipated Christmas album, Carly Paoli The Christmas Collection, on 8th November.
Available on CD and digital formats this album, released on the Abiah label, is a heartfelt celebration of Christmas, featuring 15 festive tracks that promise to bring holiday cheer to listeners around the world.
A true star of the classical and crossover genres, Carly has earned international acclaim with performances on some of the world’s most prestigious stages, sharing the spotlight with luminaries such as Andrea Bocelli, Elaine Paige, David Foster, Aled Jones and Alfie Boe.
Most recently Carly performed at the Rockefeller Center’s iconic Rainbow Room in New York with Sir Rod Stewart in aid of The Kings Foundation. Her impressive resume also includes performances for various members of the Royal Family at Windsor Castle and St James’ Palace, and she was famously praised by Pope Francis, who when he heard her rendition of Ave Maria described her as having ‘the voice of an angel.’
Carly Paoli The Christmas Collection marks Carly’s first Christmas album, and it includes a delightful mix of Christmas classics and medleys, each infused with Carly’s signature elegance and emotive artistry. Highlights from the album include a duet with renowned American singer David Phelps on Hark The Herald Angels Sing, as well as cherished favourites such as O Holy Night, Bless Us All from The Muppet Christmas Carol, Somewhere in my Memory, the theme from Home Alone, Irving Berlin’s Let It Snow, Silent Night, Grown-Up Christmas List by David Foster, Believe from The Polar Express and My Christmas Dream which sees Carly duet with musical theatre star Rachel John. The album also features two special medleys, Carol of the Christmas Bells and Christmas Medley, re-imagined with Paoli’s unique style.
“I’ve always been captivated by the magic and warmth of the Christmas season,” says Carly who is an ambassador for CPRE Wilts. “This album is a celebration of that magic and a tribute to the joy and togetherness that define this time of year. I hope it brings as much joy to my listeners as it has brought to me in creating it.”
Reading Family Aid’s Toys and Teens Appeal is back to put smiles on people’s faces in time for Christmas 2024!
Reading Family Aid is a local charity supporting disadvantaged children and their families. Each Christmas, the Toys and Teens Appeal helps guarantee that children who would otherwise not receive a single present have something to open on Christmas morning.
The Reading area seems so prosperous that many people might find it hard to imagine there are desperately deprived families here, but the cost-of-living crisis continues to hit families hard in so many ways and your support makes a real difference to every family.
Last year, more than 2,500 children received a gift at Christmas, thanks to the generosity of wonderful donors and supporters, but the charity needs your help again this year and there are two ways you can do this:
1. Donate toys at one of the donation points (or they will collect) 2. Donate money to the appeal, to go towards additional toys
If you are buying a new gift please try to limit the cost to a maximum of around £30 per item. Secondhand items must really be ‘as good as new’ so they must be clean, complete, working – good enough that the receiving family can’t really tell they are not new. Sorry, no soft toys, audio cassettes, computer games, DVDs or CDs, baby equipment or clothes.
Nothing electrical or rechargeable unless it is brand new still in its sealed packaging – if it has a plug on the end and is not new, the team are not insured to donate it.
Please make sure that all the pieces of a set are bagged up together and all the pieces of a jigsaw are together in the original box.
Originating at The Watermill Theatre last year, director Paul Hart’s The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale promises to be the theatre smash of next year
The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale will embark on a new journey as this timeless tale unfolds in this critically acclaimed and breathtaking theatrical production, playing Theatre Royal Plymouth from 4-11 October 2025. This is an exclusive UK presentation of this award-winning production, following its seasons in Chicago, Auckland and Australia, with tickets on sale from Tuesday 22nd October at Theatre Royal Plymouth
Originating at The Watermill Theatre in 2023, and told from the Hobbits’ perspective, director Paul Hart’s production is a unique theatrical interpretation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic trilogy. Hart and the original creative team evolved the acclaimed production to play larger venues. The enhanced production played a highly successful season during the summer of 2024 at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, and will play upcoming seasons in Auckland, New Zealand and this November, then Sydney, Australia from January 2025, with additional Asia Pacific dates to follow.
With a UK cast, the show will return to British audiences at Theatre Royal Plymouth before embarking on a European tour presented by People Entertainment Group, with details to be announced soon. The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale is performed live by a 32-strong ensemble of actors and actor-musicians.
The production features a score by international composers A.R. Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire), Finnish folk band Värttinä, and Tony Award winner Christopher Nightingale (Matilda the Musical), with book and lyrics by Shaun McKenna (Maddie, La Cava) and Matthew Warchus (Groundhog Day).
As the Hobbits celebrate Bilbo Baggins’ eleventy-first birthday in the Shire, he gifts his nephew Frodo his most precious belonging – a gold ring. This fateful moment launches Frodo on a legendary and perilous quest across Middle-earth to the darkest realms of Mordor to vanquish evil with his loyal Fellowship.
As producer Kevin Wallace said, “Paul’s wonderful production, invites us all to become Hobbits in the company of Hobbits, celebrating Bilbo Baggins’ birthday as this incredible journey begins.”
The original 2023 production, which sold out its 12-week run at The Watermill Theatre, won a WhatsOnStage Award for ‘Best Regional Production’, and scooped eight Broadway World Awards, garnered 4- and 5-star reviews, with critics praising its innovative use of projections, puppetry, and live music. The production has been described as ‘exhilarating’ and ‘rewarding’ for both long-time fans of The Lord of the Rings and newcomers to the story. The following year, having evolved to include an ensemble of 30, The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale had its U.S. premiere at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, where it was described as ‘a must see’ and ‘a visual marvel’.
The show will make its New Zealand premiere at The Civic Theatre in Auckland, running from 5 November to 1 December 2024, and will then, with an Australian cast, head to Australia for a limited season at the State Theatre in Sydney from January 7, 2025, with further dates to be announced soon.
Kevin Wallace continues, “This production began its journey at The Watermill, realised by an exceptional creative team led by Paul Hart and, in collaboration with our colleagues at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, they went on to thrill US audiences with the US Premiere at The Yard Theatre in Chicago. Together with Middle-earth Enterprises and GWB Entertainment, we are thrilled to bring it back to the UK, where it will play exclusively at Theatre Royal Plymouth before heading to Europe. It’s been an incredible experience seeing performers from each production make these roles their own, and we look forward to this new chapter, once again with a British company.”
Fredrica Drotos, Steward Brand & Licensing at Middle-earth Enterprises adds that “bringing this production to audiences across the globe has been a privilege and a delight, and now, A Musical Tale embarks on another adventure, touching home in the UK briefly before setting off again with an immensely talented cast and crew, poised to infuse each and every performance across the continent, with a palpable purity of spirit.”
James Mackenzie-Blackman, CEO of Theatre Royal Plymouth said, “We are incredibly proud to be hosting The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale as the exclusive UK venue in 2025. This production has captured the hearts of audiences worldwide, and we are excited to bring it to Plymouth. It’s a truly unique theatrical experience, combining music, storytelling, and a multi-skilled ensemble of performers. We can’t wait to share this production with our audiences before it embarks on its European tour.”
Director Paul Hart says, “To tell this most epic and beloved story onstage, we had to start small and think big. Very much like a Hobbit! What began as an intimate production at The Watermill has grown into something larger than we ever imagined, traveling across continents and captivating audiences with its music and storytelling. It’s been an exhilarating journey, and I am thrilled to bring the show back to the UK before we embark on the European tour. Each night, we create this world anew, and I hope audiences leave feeling a little more like the Hobbits we all have within us—hopeful, wide-eyed, and daring to do the impossible.”
For more information on all worldwide productions, visit www.lotrmusical.com.
You’re all invited to find out more about this friendly group, between 11am & 4pm on Saturday, 2nd November
Now in its fourth exciting year, the WLHG’s annual open day offers visitors a valuable opportunity to engage with the remarkable heritage of Windsor and surrounding towns and villages.
This free event is open to everyone and will take place on Saturday 2nd November at Windsor Baptist Church, Victoria Street, SL4 1EH. Please tell family, friends, colleagues and any individuals who would enjoy learning more about the local area.
Maps, photographs, letters, videos and other artefacts provide fascinating cultural snapshots of these communities, some of which began as early as Saxon and Norman times.
++ Hot off the press ++!!
The latest edition (No. 38) of Windlesora, WLHG’s regular publication, is now available – still only £5! – and will be on sale along with past Windelsora editions, local reference books and other publications and materials. Please feel free to take along your own memorabilia too – the group would be delighted to hear your stories and learn about any research!
Oxfordshire couple Richard and Sian Liwicki, aged 65 and 62 years, have just completed a month-long cycling trip along the longest river in France to raise funds for local charity Wild Oxfordshire
In spite of awful weather they pedalled more than 1,150km along the Loire, climbed a total of 11,200m, carrying all their belongings in paniers.
The couple planned the trip and organised all the logistics themselves. Richard says: “We had cycled the Rhine before so we knew what we needed to pack, and how to organise and navigate all the stages in this long trip. We trained for weeks. What we had not planned for was the wettest September in France in 25 years. We cycled through two icy storms and faced strong headwinds in the mountains. We regularly got wet so getting dry for the next day was an added challenge. However, we knew we could not stop and the French locals were incredibly helpful and kind. Motorists are used to a vibrant cycling culture in France.”
Sian who has been a supporter of Wild Oxfordshire for many years adds: “We wanted to really spend time getting to know this beautiful part of France and travel sustainability. We used public transport to get to the start and for our return journey. We wanted to raise funds for nature in Oxfordshire because we knew it would spur us on during this challenging trip. We were even more determined when we heard that Butterfly Emergency in September.
“Cycling is our way of experiencing and celebrating nature up close. We wrote a wildlife and travel blog along the way, and it was inevitable that we would make comparisons between our county along the Thames, and the Loire countryside.
“Our friends and family have been very encouraging and we are over half way to hitting our target of £7,000. We have just got to get around to telling everyone that we made it!”
Camilla Burrow, Cheif Executive Wild Oxfordshire, says: “As a long-term supporter of Wild Oxfordshire, we’re so delighted and grateful for Sian and Richard’s fundraising efforts. The funds will contribute towards our work enabling more people to take action for nature across Oxfordshire. Our sincere thanks to all those already contributing to nature’s recovery, and we look forward to working with even more people in the future.”
Inspired by his grandma, Isaac Hay has set himself the challenge of trying his hand at 100 sports to raise money for Rennie Grove Peace
Movement coach Isaac is taking his love for exercise up a notch and has kicked off a challenge to try out 100 different sports in a year. He is using the challenge to raise money for charitable causes, including local hospice charity, Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care.
“I’m supporting Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care as one of my three chosen charities,” he says. “The organisation is close to my heart as its nurses cared for my grandma before she passed. My whole family has supported the charity since then, so I’m really please to be able to use this challenge to raise funds to support vital hospice care in the local area.”
Isaac’s challenge will run until September 2025 and will see him turn his hand to team sports like baseball, lacrosse and rugby. He will also attempt individual activities like boxing, ballet, pole vault and an ultra-marathon. While he’s tried some of the sporting activities before, many are completely new to him. To end his monumental challenge, he is taking part in an Iron Man event on 22nd September 2025.
The inspiration for the challenge came from his work as a movement coach where he noticed that a big barrier to people getting involved in new sports or physical activity is a lack of confidence or fear of the unknown. He hopes to show that trying new sports is fun and not scary.
Isaac says: “When thinking of a fundraising challenge I could have chosen one sport and trained really hard in it to do the biggest, hardest, most extreme version of it that I could. But that didn’t feel so accessible. I want people to see my challenge and think ‘I could do that’ without having a sports background or needing to train for years. I want people to see this and think ‘maybe I could give a new sport a go’. On top of the fundraising, that would be the best outcome for me!”
On Monday, 28th October, bake-off winner & restauranteur Candice Brown will join head chef Scott Smith for a special dinner that celebrates the very best of British Pub cuisine.
The Oarsman, Marlow’s beloved bistro-pub, has been cooking up something special for the next instalment of its Great British Pub Series.
Candice Brown, co-owner of The Green Man in Eversholt and Winner of The Great British Bake Off 2016, will join The Oarsman’s head chef Scott Smith for a special dinner that celebrates the very best of British pub cuisine on 28th October.
Candice will bring her unique flair and passion for traditional British food to The Oarsman for one night only. The evening’s menu (£60pp) will feature six expertly created courses that showcase the culinary talents of both Candice and Scott, and that highlight exactly why we’re a nation of pub food lovers.
The six-course feast will include:
• Beetroot and feta, Nigella seed soda bread with whipped roasted garlic butter • * Scallop, XO sauce • * Ham hock and chorizo Scotch egg, Scotch bonnet jam • Cod, Cullen Skink • Beef shin ale pie with suet pastry, cheesy leek mash • Sticky toffee pudding, skillet pan cookie
For wine enthusiasts, each course can be expertly paired with a handpicked selection of wines, curated by The Oarsman’s owner and resident oenophile, Nigel Sutcliffe.
Born in north London, Candice grew up in the pubs her parents ran, an upbringing that she immortalised in her gingerbread showstopper on GBBO. Since her triumphant win, Candice has pursued a variety of exciting ventures, and in 2018, along with her brother Ben, she embarked on an exciting new chapter, taking over The Green Mann in Eversholt. Following a full refurbishment, the pub reopened in February 2019 to widespread acclaim and continues to be a hub of culinary innovation and community spirit.
“We are delighted to welcome Candice Brown to The Oarsman for what promises to be an unforgettable evening,” said Scott Smith, Head Chef at The Oarsman. “Candice’s creativity and love for British pub classics perfectly align with our own philosophy, and I’m looking forward to getting in the kitchen with her to create something really special for our guests.”
Join The Oarsman for a night of exceptional food, great company, and the best of British pub culture! Tickets can be purchased here.
The Oarsman, 46 Spittal Street, Marlow, The Oarsman
