Win a Michelin-starred My hols break in Scotland
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TRAVEL WHERE WAS I? It’s the season for convivial company and a glass of something warming, so join us on our armchair treasure hunt. Save letters from the answers; all bar the first contain seasonal words. Glasses charged, we tackle the first clue: “Festive lady? Book, published 1843. A city suburb (two words, save letters five and seven) where the downtrodden clerk lived.” On to clue two. “Hark! I am 17 years old, wingspan 177ft, height 66ft (Four words, save the penultimate letter.)” Job done, we open the third clue. “Promenade south to a village where a poet, born 1757, penned a poem (save the poem’s last letter). It formed part of the preface to a book and was set to music in 1916.” Much head-scratching later, we open clue four. “Don’t panic! Deep and crisp and even: northeast to a hamlet (two words, letter one), 15 miles west of which scenes for a 1970s sitcom were filmed.” Soon we are thinking about the fifth clue: “Merry men head north-northwest to a clifftop village (three words, letter four). It’s five miles southeast of a larger town (fangs for the memory).” Clue six: “Conflagratory street (two words, letter eight) where September 2 is burnt in history.” Easy. Next: “Prickly-sounding capital suburb street (letter two) where an artist, born 1734, lived. Works include The Ambassadress.” Clue eight: “A tad southwest: riverside suburb, and a brief encounter with a playwright (Christian name, letter three). He was born there; characters include Nicky Lancaster.” Now for the final instruction. “Rearrange your nine letters to find one last Christmassy feature. It could grow on you (but not literally, I hope).” Chris Fautley THE QUESTIONS THE PRIZE 1 What is the name of the hamlet? 2 What is the ‘last Christmassy feature’? LAST WEEK’S PRIZE The answers are Clandon Park and Dame Margaret Helen Greville. Carol Whitehead of Gloucestershire wins a Mediterranean cruise for two, as a guest of MSC Cruises. The winner and a guest will spend three nights, on a B&B basis, at the five-star Isle of Eriska Hotel, on the west coast of Scotland. Set on a private 300-acre island at the mouth of Loch Creran, in Argyll, this country-house hotel is a beautiful and fascinating place: home to otters, roe deer, badgers and herons, and the site of a Bronze Age island house called a crannog. The loch’s biogenic reefs are of international scientific importance. The house dates from 1884, and facilities include a spa and the Isle of Eriska Hotel Restaurant, which was awarded a Michelin star for the second year running in 2015. Two dinners for two, excluding drinks, are included in the prize. For more details, or to book, call 01631 720371 or visit eriska-hotel.co.uk. The prize must be taken between February 1 and June 1, 2016, excluding public holidays and Valentine’s Day. It is subject to availability. HOW TO ENTER Only one entry per person, via our website — thesundaytimes.co.uk/ wherewasi — by Wednesday. Normal Times Newspapers rules apply. No correspondence will be entered into. Win a Michelin-starred break in Scotland WITH THE ISLE OF ERISKA HOTEL One of my favourite places is Cartagena. It has a reputation for violence. We went up there while I was on operations in the south of Colombia. We were carrying — we had to be. It’s funny, you can always tell people who’ve got guns and are doing it for a living, because they’re all sitting there, but no one is drinking alcohol. Diet Coke, ginger beer. That sort of thing. I remember we got a discount in the Hilton because, while we were there, the top two floors were blown up. But it’s an amazing place. I like history, and there are these fortifications going back to the time of Sir Francis Drake. We didn’t do holidays when I was growing up. Summer just meant hanging around the estate in Bermondsey where I was brought up, with maybe the odd trip to Margate. I had a mate on the estate whose family went to Spain one year, and we thought they must be the richest people on earth. His dad had a car lot. We all decided that when we left school, we wanted to sell second-hand cars, because, clearly, then you could afford to get to Spain. Wherever that was. I’m not as good at surfing as I’d like to be. I’ve done a couple of competitions in Costa Rica over the years. Normally I get to the third round, then get beaten by a 14-year-old called Jake or Zac. My biggest wave? Portugal, about 12ft. I don’t go in for all that spiritual stuff, but there’s a moment, you know, when everything just clicks. I really understand how people can take it up as a lifestyle. Flying’s fantastic. You get to veg out. It definitely feels good when I’m on a plane and I see someone reading one of my books. Sometimes, I’m looking to John Angerson/Camera Press Surfing 12ft waves and sightseeing in crime hotspots gives him a buzz — but not as much as watching people read his books on planes Andy McNab What happened in Paris was shocking. If something happened and I was close enough, I’d definitely intervene see what page they’re on and trying to see if there’s a funny bit coming up, to see if they smile. Many times, I’ve been tempted to tap them on the shoulder. Some people deride my books as airport thrillers. I take that as a compliment — all that matters is that people are enjoying them. There’s definitely a bit of snobbery about books in the UK. When you’ve sold 32m books, mate, then we’ll discuss it. That’s what I always think. With my history with the SAS, I’ve got to be quite sensible where I travel these days. I won’t be running off to Baghdad for a weekend break. I travel under my actual name; Andy McNab is a pseudonym I came up with for my first book. If there’s an opportunity to travel, I feel guilty if I don’t take it. That’s how my trek to the South Pole thing came up. A mate was going and I said, “Yeah, why not?” It was difficult, though, because one of my mates wanted to climb Mount Vinson while there, and I find mountain climbing boring. Thankfully, he’s broken his leg. What happened in Paris was shocking. If something similar happened and I was close enough, then, yeah, I’d definitely feel obliged to intervene. If you’re close enough to do something, you’re close enough to get shot. What stops a lot of people is this sense of disbelief. The books mean I’ve made a few quid, definitely. It means you can get stuff and do things — but we try to keep things sensible. Me and a couple of mates got a private jet lease a few years ago. That was fantastic. We’d bounce around in the jet, going to the States. I love those VIP terminals. But after about three years, it all got a bit too much. After that, we thought, “F*** it, let’s go Virgin.” Andy McNab is a former SAS sergeant turned bestselling author whose account of his exploits during the Gulf War, Bravo Two Zero, was a hit worldwide. This month, he is trekking to the South Pole in aid of the Reading Agency’s #ReadingJourney appeal (readingagency. org.uk/reading journeyappeal). His latest thriller, Detonator (Bantam Press £18.99), is out now. He lives with his wife in London and New York My hols Interview by Duncan Craig W hile Cadbury’s US owners are messing not only with our Creme Eggs, but with our tax system, Belgium continues to produce the finest chocolate on earth. They’ve been making the stuff there since 1663, and in 1884, a law decreeing that the Belgian brown stuff should contain at least 35% cocoa sealed the country’s reputation as the source of the world’s purest chocolate. The best is sold in Brussels, where there are more than 500 chocolatiers at work. Given enough time, and self-repairing teeth, you could try the output of each and every one in order to arrive at your own opinion of which makes the best, but that’s an impossible dream. At master chocolatiers such as Laurent Gerbaud (chocolatsgerbaud. be) or Van Dender (vandender.eu), you’ll be enticed by pharmaceutical displays of pralines and ganaches. The former — invented by Jean Neuhaus in 1912 — comprises a chocolate shell with a nut-based soft centre, ranging from marzipan to more challenging blends flavoured with pink pepper or cardamom. The ganaches are even more tantalising, using lemon and fresh ginger or saffron-infused Ecuadorian chocolate cream. The true chocoholic, however, doesn’t need these fancy distractions. They need the hard stuff — pure cocoa butter cut with a lecithin (natural fat) — and it’s on sale at Pierre Marcolini (marcolini.be). Pierre buys beans direct from the growers. His shop looks like a Prada outlet, his produce like jewellery. (He has stores in London, too — but that would be cheating.) Go for the Grand Cru Carré² tablets, nine squares of single-varietal dark chocolate so intense, you might need to lie down after a nibble. The most remarkable is the Mexican, made from Criollo porcelana beans from the Finca de la Joya estate, in Tabasco, Mexico. Or it might be the Venezuelan Chuao, created with the most expensive beans on earth. Make up your own mind. A pack of four costs £35. Chris Haslam OBJECTS OF DESIRE WHAT TO BRING BACK FROM YOUR TRAVELS #14 BELGIAN CHOCOLATE
Transcript of Win a Michelin-starred My hols break in Scotland
TRAV
EL
13 . 12 . 2015 / 19
W H E R E W A S I ?It’s the season for convivial companyand a glass of something warming,so join us on our armchair treasurehunt. Save letters from the answers;all bar the first contain seasonalwords. Glasses charged, we tacklethe first clue: “Festive lady? Book,published 1843. A city suburb (twowords, save letters five and seven)where the downtrodden clerk lived.”On to clue two. “Hark! I am 17
years old, wingspan 177ft, height 66ft(Four words, save the penultimateletter.)” Job done, we open the thirdclue. “Promenade south to a villagewhere a poet, born 1757, penned apoem (save the poem’s last letter).It formed part of the preface to abook and was set to music in 1916.”Much head-scratching later, we
open clue four. “Don’t panic! Deepand crisp and even: northeast to ahamlet (two words, letter one), 15miles west of which scenes for a
1970s sitcom were filmed.” Soon weare thinking about the fifth clue:“Merry men head north-northwest toa clifftop village (three words, letterfour). It’s five miles southeast of alarger town (fangs for the memory).”Clue six: “Conflagratory street (twowords, letter eight) where September2 is burnt in history.” Easy.Next: “Prickly-sounding capital
suburb street (letter two) wherean artist, born 1734, lived. Worksinclude The Ambassadress.” Clueeight: “A tad southwest: riversidesuburb, and a brief encounter witha playwright (Christian name, letterthree). He was born there; charactersinclude Nicky Lancaster.” Now forthe final instruction. “Rearrangeyour nine letters to find one lastChristmassy feature. It could growon you (but not literally, I hope).”
Chris Fautley
T H E Q U E S T I O N S
T H E P R I Z E
1 What is the name of the hamlet?2 What is the ‘last Christmassy feature’?
LAST WEEK’S PRIZEThe answers are Clandon Park andDame Margaret Helen Greville.Carol Whitehead of Gloucestershirewins a Mediterranean cruise for two,as a guest of MSC Cruises.
The winner and a guest will spendthree nights, on a B&B basis, at thefive-star Isle of Eriska Hotel, on thewest coast of Scotland. Set on aprivate 300-acre island at the mouthof Loch Creran, in Argyll, thiscountry-house hotel is a beautifuland fascinating place: home tootters, roe deer, badgers and herons,and the site of a Bronze Age islandhouse called a crannog. The loch’sbiogenic reefs are of internationalscientific importance.The house dates from 1884, and
facilities include a spa and the Isleof Eriska Hotel Restaurant, whichwas awarded a Michelin star for thesecond year running in 2015. Twodinners for two, excluding drinks,are included in the prize. For moredetails, or to book, call 01631 720371or visit eriska-hotel.co.uk.The prize must be taken between
February 1 and June 1, 2016,
excluding public holidays andValentine’s Day. It is subject toavailability.
HOW TO ENTEROnly one entry per person, via ourwebsite — thesundaytimes.co.uk/wherewasi— byWednesday. NormalTimes Newspapers rules apply. Nocorrespondence will be entered into.
Win a Michelin-starredbreak in Scotland
WITH THE ISLE OF ERISKA HOTEL
One of my favourite places isCartagena. It has a reputationfor violence. We went up therewhile I was on operations in thesouth of Colombia. We werecarrying — we had to be. It’sfunny, you can always tell people
who’ve got guns and are doing it for aliving, because they’re all sitting there,but no one is drinking alcohol. Diet Coke,ginger beer. That sort of thing.I remember we got a discount in the
Hilton because, while we were there,the top two floors were blown up. But it’san amazing place. I like history, andthere are these fortifications going backto the time of Sir Francis Drake.We didn’t do holidays when I was
growing up. Summer just meant hangingaround the estate in Bermondsey where
I was brought up, with maybe the oddtrip to Margate. I had a mate on the estatewhose family went to Spain one year,and we thought they must be the richestpeople on earth. His dad had a car lot.We all decided that when we left school,we wanted to sell second-hand cars,because, clearly, then you could affordto get to Spain. Wherever that was.I’m not as good at surfing as I’d like
to be. I’ve done a couple of competitionsin Costa Rica over the years. NormallyI get to the third round, then get beatenby a 14-year-old called Jake or Zac. Mybiggest wave? Portugal, about 12ft. Idon’t go in for all that spiritual stuff,but there’s a moment, you know, wheneverything just clicks. I really understandhow people can take it up as a lifestyle.Flying’s fantastic. You get to veg out.
It definitely feels good when I’m on aplane and I see someone reading one ofmy books. Sometimes, I’m looking to
John
Ange
rson/
Camera
Pres
s
Surfing 12ft waves and sightseeing in crimehotspots gives him a buzz — but not as muchas watching people read his books on planes
Andy McNab
What happened in Paris wasshocking. If somethinghappened and I was closeenough, I’d definitely intervene
see what page they’re on and trying tosee if there’s a funny bit coming up, tosee if they smile. Many times, I’ve beentempted to tap them on the shoulder.Some people deride my books as airport
thrillers. I take that as a compliment —all that matters is that people areenjoying them. There’s definitely a bit ofsnobbery about books in the UK. Whenyou’ve sold 32m books, mate, then we’lldiscuss it. That’s what I always think.With my history with the SAS, I’ve got
to be quite sensible where I travel thesedays. I won’t be running off to Baghdadfor a weekend break. I travel under myactual name; Andy McNab is a pseudonymI came up with for my first book.If there’s an opportunity to travel, I feel
guilty if I don’t take it. That’s howmy trekto the South Pole thing came up. A matewas going and I said, “Yeah, why not?”It was difficult, though, because one ofmy mates wanted to climb Mount Vinsonwhile there, and I find mountain climbingboring. Thankfully, he’s broken his leg.What happened in Paris was shocking.
If something similar happened and I wasclose enough, then, yeah, I’d definitelyfeel obliged to intervene. If you’re closeenough to do something, you’re closeenough to get shot. What stops a lot ofpeople is this sense of disbelief.The books mean I’ve made a few quid,
definitely. It means you can get stuff anddo things — but we try to keep thingssensible. Me and a couple of mates got aprivate jet lease a few years ago.That was fantastic. We’d bouncearound in the jet, going to theStates. I love those VIP terminals.But after about three years,
it all got a bit too much. Afterthat, we thought, “F*** it, let’sgo Virgin.”
Andy McNab is aformer SAS sergeantturned bestsellingauthor whose accountof his exploits duringthe Gulf War, BravoTwo Zero, was a hitworldwide. This month,he is trekking to theSouth Pole in aid ofthe Reading Agency’s#ReadingJourneyappeal (readingagency.org.uk/readingjourneyappeal). Hislatest thriller,Detonator (BantamPress £18.99), is outnow. He lives withhis wife in Londonand New York
My hols
Interview
byDu
ncan
Craig
While Cadbury’s US ownersare messing not onlywith our Creme Eggs,but with our tax system,
Belgium continues to produce thefinest chocolate on earth.
They’ve been making the stuffthere since 1663, and in 1884, a lawdecreeing that the Belgian brown stuffshould contain at least 35% cocoasealed the country’s reputation as thesource of the world’s purest chocolate.
The best is sold in Brussels, wherethere are more than 500 chocolatiersat work. Given enough time, andself-repairing teeth, you could trythe output of each and every one in
order to arrive at your own opinionof which makes the best, but that’san impossible dream.
At master chocolatiers such asLaurent Gerbaud (chocolatsgerbaud.be) or Van Dender (vandender.eu),you’ll be enticed by pharmaceutical
displays of pralines and ganaches.The former — invented by JeanNeuhaus in 1912 — comprises achocolate shell with a nut-based softcentre, ranging from marzipan tomore challenging blends flavouredwith pink pepper or cardamom.
The ganaches are even moretantalising, using lemon and freshginger or saffron-infused Ecuadorianchocolate cream.
The true chocoholic,however, doesn’t needthese fancy distractions.They need the hard stuff— pure cocoa butter cutwith a lecithin (naturalfat) — and it’s on saleat Pierre Marcolini(marcolini.be). Pierre buysbeans direct from the growers.His shop looks like a Prada outlet, hisproduce like jewellery. (He has storesin London, too — but that would be
cheating.) Go for the Grand CruCarré² tablets, nine squares ofsingle-varietal dark chocolate so
intense, you might need to liedown after a nibble.
The most remarkable isthe Mexican, made fromCriollo porcelana beansfrom the Finca de la Joyaestate, in Tabasco,Mexico. Or it might be theVenezuelan Chuao, created
with the most expensivebeans on earth. Make up your
own mind. A pack of four costs £35.
Chris Haslam
OBJECTS OF DESIREWHAT TO BRING BACK FROM YOUR TRAVELS# 1 4 B E L G I A N C H O C O L A T E
