Arts funding gap in the north must be closed | Letters
It was pleasing to read about Labour’s commitment to the principle of access to art for “everyone” (Editorial, 17 April),Everyone seemingly in London, where a whopping £135m has been invested in the V&A East museum – the latest addition to the buzzing East Bank cultural quarter,When, I wonder, will this Arts Everywhere Fund arrive at what used to be the buzzing cultural centre of the Albert Docks in Liverpool, where the Tate has been closed for more than two years? Where the museum of slavery has closed its doors and where what was a buzzing arts area now looks neglected and abandoned,When will places in the north, such as the once-vibrant towns of Kendal, Barrow and Kirkby Lonsdale, be given the same large sums spent on venue after venue in London?All the towns mentioned above are, incidentally, desperately bidding for UK town of culture 2028 designation in the hope of winning some desperately needed cash to enhance their cultural sector and to bring to these long-neglected and once-thriving centres accessible places where people can share in the joy of music, theatre or heritage, as are enjoyed by our lucky communities in “once neglected areas of London”,Spread the joy, Lisa Nandy, and let’s all have a share in the investment.
Let’s have some of that £1.5bn package invested into our northern arts infrastructure, and give some long-awaited parity to those desperately wanting the same advantages seemingly only on offer in London.Christine BaranskiArnside, Cumbria I agree that the £1.5bn lifebelt the government is throwing out to neglected cultural organisations sounds good.I wonder though, whether a good chunk of that money is going to come back to London.
The V&A, a national museum, holding national treasures, has just opened an “outpost” in east London, costing £135m.Hardly an outpost – it’s seven miles away from the main site.Sorry if I’m not whooping for joy.The Arts Council spends approximately £57 on every Londoner and £28 on those in the north.This has to stop.
Any future “outposts” need to come north if it’s a national organisation.Sharon MaherNew Brighton, Merseyside Have an opinion on anything you’ve read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
Disco hit: Penne alla vodka, popular in New York 80s clubs, is now a menu staple
Despite most traditional Italians considering it sacrilegious, penne alla vodka is quickly becoming one of the most in-demand Italian dishes.Previously popular in suburban Italo-American restaurants during the 80s, the dish is now enjoying a widespread resurgence that is being driven by several factors including nostalgia and social media.Featuring a tomato and cream base with a splash of vodka, the silky smooth sauce sits somewhere between coral and carrot on the colour wheel. The Guardian’s Rome-based food writer Rachel Roddy describes it as “luxurious and a bit racy”.Dara Klein, a chef and founder of Tiella Trattoria in London, says the dish “hits lots of comforting notes”, comparing it to a slightly more grownup take on the Italian childhood favourite pasta al pomodoro which is “eaten from day dot”
Benjamina Ebuehi’s recipe for orange, grapefruit and bay jelly | The sweet spot
You’re never too old for jelly, and I think we should all be eating more of it. Unmoulding a jelly and immediately giving it a good wobble is by far the best bit, and makes me giggle every time. Infusing the mixture with fresh bay leaves brings a grownup feel and gentle, earthy notes. While jelly and ice-cream is a classic combination, I love this just with some lightly whipped, unsweetened cream.Prep 5 min Cook 20 min Infuse 30 min+ Chill 4 hr+ Serves 6Neutral oil for greasing220ml freshly squeezed red grapefruit juice (from about 2 grapefruit)700ml fresh orange juice (from about 8-10 oranges)4 fresh bay leaves120g caster sugar11 gelatine leaves (I use Dr Oetker platinum grade leaf gelatine) 200ml double creamLightly grease the insides of a 1 litre jelly mould with a little neutral oil – you can skip this step if you’re serving the jelly straight from a dish or bowl
‘As intense as perfume’: which eaux de vie are worth trying?
Nearly every European country has its own fruit brandy. Some are a bit agricultural so here’s a taste of the bestThe Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more.“I’ve had people burst into tears tasting these – it takes them straight back to a moment in their past
Folded, whipped or baked into something golden, ricotta is brilliant and adaptable
My record for making ricotta and lemon ring cake is three minutes and 42 seconds. That doesn’t include heating the oven or baking, or finding a recipe, which is in my head. It does include getting out the utensils (bowl, spatula, grater, scale, ring tin) and the ingredients (ricotta, olive oil, flour, sugar, baking powder, eggs, lemons), then speed-mixing everything in one bowl, scraping the batter into the tin and getting the tin in the oven via a discus throw. The timer is stopped as the oven door is closed. This is not relaxing cooking, it is entertaining cooking
Rachel Roddy’s recipe for almond and lemon spiced treacle tart | A kitchen in Rome
It wasn’t that dessert trolleys were banned in Italy during Covid, but guidelines from the Instituto Superiore di Sanità (national institute of health) were so (necessarily) rigorous around these “potential vehicles of the virus” that most places banished them to storerooms. Happily, many restaurants have since retrieved them from their long stay, so they glide or rattle between tables once more, or sit parked in an admirable position. This isn’t my first time mentioning the dessert trolley at La Torricella here in Testaccio, having written about its fabulous puff pastry and cream millefoglie in the past. But another dessert that might catch your eye as you enter the restaurant and look right at the cloth-covered trolley parked under the bar is what owner Augusto refers to as torta medievale, because of its spiced almond and dried fruit filling. It’s an unassuming but extremely good thing
I’m welcoming in spring with big Mediterranean flavours
A combination of the warmer weather, dusting off my sunglasses and the impending release of my new book, MEDesque (out on Thursday!), has got me fully focused on sunshine food and Mediterranean flavours. OK, so I’m not quite in rosé-in-the-garden territory just yet, but it’s close. And I am counting down the days. At home, I am leaning heavily on recipes from the queen of all things Med, Claudia Roden, to get my fix. Big hitters such as her bean stew with chorizo and bacon and chicken traybake with olives and boiled lemon deliver on all fronts, and immediately transport me to my favourite region
From Mother Mary to Foo Fighters: your complete entertainment guide to the week ahead
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