Latest news with #selfReflection
Telegraph
14-06-2025
- Telegraph
Mouthwatering summer recipes from the co-founder of Ottolenghi
In the spring of 2020, my partner and I decided to take a break from the chaos of London. We packed up our house, loaded our two dogs into the car, and drove all the way to our place in Umbria, Italy. What was intended to be a brief few weeks' escape turned into an almost-year-long stay, impacted by Covid. During this time, I went through a period of self-reflection and a mini-meltdown, marking a pivotal moment in my career, after two decades spent managing the operations side of the Ottolenghi food and kitchens business. The tranquillity of the Italian countryside provided the perfect backdrop for introspection and culinary experimentation. Cooking was my therapy – a way to navigate through my thoughts and emotions – and the concept of my new book Boustany was born. The recipes I developed, and share here, are a reflection of my roots. Before 1948, Palestinian cuisine reflected the region's rich culinary heritage, showcasing a diverse array of flavours and ingredients. Since then, local food in Palestine has had a deep cultural and spiritual connection to the land and farming, manifested in its quality. Our diet almost entirely consists of organic food, or baladi, as we refer to it, fresh and grown locally. The deep connection between the people and the land stems, at least in part, from the fact that farming has been, and still is, the main source of income for many Palestinians. Staple ingredients include olive oil, grains, legumes, dates, nuts, seeds and a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Another source of food and income for some Palestinians has been foraging. It's influenced by Palestine's diverse landscapes, offering a variety of wild edibles. Foraging for food is an important part of the culture and cuisine, as it relies on seasonality and involves gathering wild food and medicinal items from the natural environment: herbs such as za'atar and sage, greens such as mallow (khobiza), chicory, purslane, gundelia (akub), dandelion, and also wild fruits such as carob, mulberry, cactus fruit (sabr) and hawthorn (zaerur). This is the way I grew up eating at home. Spending time at my grandparents' house was one of the joys of my childhood. I have fond memories of running around their vast boustan, a garden, which my grandfather tended meticulously all year round. It was a cornucopia of fresh produce, from the crisp, juicy apples and pears in autumn to the stone fruit, leafy greens and tomatoes in spring and summer. My grandfather took immense pride in his garden. He taught me the importance of patience and care in growing food. I vividly remember the delight of picking ripe fruits straight from the trees, and the satisfaction of eating vegetables that had been harvested just moments before. Family gatherings at my grandparents' house were always a feast for the senses. My grandmother would use fresh produce from the garden and mooneh (pantry) to create wonderful meals. My mum and aunties were always eager to lend a hand with cooking, serving and cleaning up afterwards. These moments of togetherness, bonding over plates of delicious, homegrown food, were the best way to celebrate. That is the beauty of the Palestinian kitchen, my childhood kitchen: the platters of steaming maftoul (couscous) topped with chunky aubergine or the fragrant lentil fatteh, which always tastes better the next day. These are the dishes I have known, loved, cooked and shared with friends. Now, I want to share them with you.
Times
12-06-2025
- Times
How a quiet holiday to Bali made me reconsider how I travel
Shhh. I hate noise. Well, to clarify, I hate antisocial noise. When people crank up their music so the whole street has to listen to drum and bass, or when fellow passengers on trains watch videos without wearing earphones. Add this to the general din of traffic, roadworks, construction and the relentless bings and dings of tech. Sometimes, I could scream. So when I heard about a festival in Bali called Nyepi, which means 'Day of Silence', my ears pricked up. It's a significant, sacred ceremony marking the new year according to the Balinese lunar calendar, which this year fell at the end of March, and for Hindus, who make up about 87 per cent of the population, it's a time for self-reflection and contemplation. For 24 hours, the entire island becomes pin-drop quiet; no travel is allowed, so there's no traffic and the airport is shut, leaving the skies clear. You won't hear loud conversation or music, and at night, you won't see lights. In fact, for the whole of Nyepi, no one is allowed to leave their homes, which means every street and beach is deserted, with many Balinese also fasting. Local community guards called the Pecalang, who keep order during religious and traditional events, are on patrol to maintain peace. Everyone, including tourists, must remain inside, although visitors can still eat in their hotels and engage in hushed chat. In the days before and after Nyepi, several ceremonies are performed that are anything but quiet. One of the most boisterous, the Ogoh-Ogoh parade, occurs the evening before. Designed to ward off evil spirits, and to the sound of banging gongs and beating drums, giant statues of mythical demons called ogoh-ogoh are carried through the streets, many of which are later burnt in cemeteries. I was keen to experience Nyepi but rather than simply flop at a posh hotel and be quiet for a day, I wanted to get under the skin of this special festival and, being particularly noise-sensitive, I wanted to participate and understand how this annual focus on silence serves the Balinese. The tour operator Untold Story Travel rose to the challenge. My first base was Artotel, a hotel in Sanur, an old seaside town in the southeast of the island not far from Denpasar, Bali's capital, which is the place to see one of the most impressive Ogoh-Ogoh parades and appreciate the contrast between commotion and calm. My host, Sugeng Suprianto, gifted me a special black and grey sarong that ensured I would fit right in when I walked in the Denpasar Ogoh-Ogoh parade that night. I hadn't expected to be that involved. I was duly escorted to the starting point and introduced to one of Bali's most famous artists for sculpting stupendous ogoh-ogoh, Marmar Herayukti. As he was putting the finishing touches to his winged, fanged, fantastical figure, which must have been about 7m high, a massive crowd swelled around him, everyone craning to catch a glimpse. We're talking rock star status. 'Nyepi is a profound period of environmental and spiritual reflection,' Herayukti told me. He explained that the Day of Silence gives everyone time to pause, rest and think about the environment, a subject that's important to him — which is why he only uses eco-friendly materials such as bamboo and papier-mâché. • Discover our full guide to Indonesia Come parade time the statues, which sit on vast bamboo platforms, were hoisted onto the shoulders of supporters. I followed under the watchful eyes of my guides because you need to keep your wits about you, particularly as floats are suddenly spun around to confuse evil spirits but could easily have confused me. After six hours of watching, waiting and parading, elated but exhausted, I headed back to my hotel, wondering what Nyepi would bring. Well, silence. Except for a couple of whispery meals in the dining room, from where I could see the Pecalang in their distinctive black and white chequered sarongs, walking or cycling by. I decided to follow Nyepi as best as I could. No music. No binge-watching. I stayed in my room and read a bit. Pondered a lot. And felt homesick, an unusual emotion for me during a short trip. I missed my husband. My friends. My dog. What I realised is that even though I hate grating, unwanted noise, when I'm travelling, having my own background sound is soothing. It serves as a distraction, stopping me dwelling on stuff. I went to bed early and couldn't sleep. Perhaps it was too quiet. Or perhaps I needed to learn to be quiet with my own thoughts. • Affordable stays in Bali I awoke early the next morning to rain. Crazy rain. And the sound was energising after the Day of Silence. It set me up nicely for my next experience in Bangli Regency, in the northeast of Bali — a purification ceremony at Pura Taman Pecampuhan Sala, an exquisite temple in verdant countryside where two rivers meet. Stepping into its clear pools, I was guided around numerous cleansing shrines, which included fountains and sparkling waterfalls. The ritual was certainly head-clearing. As I sat taking it all in, I thought about home again and a realisation dawned. I have everything I need. My life doesn't have to be all about pursuit. It can also be about pause. Does that sound fake or woo-woo? I hope not because that's the penny that dropped in that peaceful place. The perfect sequel to the Day of Silence was staying at Buahan, a Banyan Tree Escape, one of the most extraordinary hotels I've visited. In central Bali, high in the jungle — not far from Ubud — the 16 private villas are out of this world, although very much in the natural world as they have no windows or doors (although the garden has a gate). While the bedroom area is tastefully luxe, the view is vast and uninterrupted. Of course, you can still hear everything. Which you think might not be much. But the less noise I made, the more I began to hear — and appreciate. Birds. Cicadas. Rain. Breezes. • Bali's best hotels Before dinner, which is created with 70 per cent plant-based ingredients, much of them grown in the hotel's farm, I had cocktails in the Botanist Bar where you look down onto a panorama of treetops and one of the world's most photogenic swimming pools (cocktails from £8). A radiant rectangle of turquoise reaches into the rainforest, surrounded by scarlet umbrellas and loungers, an oasis of relaxation. With Buahan as my base, I went to the ancient temple of Gunung Kawi, Bali's Valley of Kings, saw dramatic rice terraces and tried ebiking (with a support van and a luxury picnic). I also had a session of sound healing in the spa, during which the therapist used singing bowls, their resonant vibrations helping me to float away on the sound waves (£110 for 90 minutes). This trip also honed my view of the kind of holiday you can enjoy in Bali. I'd always thought of it as a party island and yes, it has plenty of busy beaches and tourist hotspots such as Seminyak and Canggu on the southwest coast. But I enjoyed heading north to explore inland, following winding roads and passing little towns and villages. I realised what a deeply religious place Bali is, with every home having its own temple. There's also a great sense of local community. And the Buahan hotel has become somewhere I imagine when I want to feel calm. But look, whisper it. We don't want to encourage the crowds, bringing their chaos and disturbing the Masters was a guest of Untold Story Travel, which has seven nights' B&B from £6,000pp, including activities, transfers and a visit to the Ogoh-Ogoh parade ( Fly to Denpasar This article contains affiliate links, which can earn us revenue By Siobhan Grogan On Legian beach on Bali's west coast, Legian Beach Hotel is surrounded by tropical gardens, koi-filled ponds and palm trees with golden sand just steps away. There's a family pool with a waterslide and an adults-only pool with swim-up bar, plus a gazebo for alfresco cooking classes and a spa offering traditional Balinese healing practices and t'ai chi sessions. All-white rooms contrast with dark teak furniture and have balconies or terraces overlooking the garden. Take your pick from five restaurants for dinner including a teppanyaki, an Italian and the beachfront Lais, which serves traditional Indonesian dishes. Details Seven nights' B&B from £1,435pp, including flights and coach transfers ( • Best villas in Bali Temple visits, daily yoga sessions and a healing ceremony are all included on this small-group tour with G Adventures. You'll spend three nights in an Ubud resort exploring Bali's spiritual side with a sacred bathing ritual at Hindu temple Tirta Empul, guided meditations and an organic cooking class, before travelling on to Pemuteran for two nights with activities including a Balinese healing yoga session and an afternoon snorkelling on Menjangan Island. The tour concludes with three nights in a hotel in Nusa Dua, near Sanur, for a hike to Munduk waterfall, trekking on the Jatiluwih Rice Terrace and options to try a Balinese dance class or take a course in massage. Details Eight nights' B&B from £997pp, including arrival transfers, yoga, daily activities and some extra meals ( Fly to Denpasar Strictly for the adventurous, this small-group tour starts with two nights in a hotel in Ubud before ticking off two-night stays each at hotels and guesthouses in the Mount Agung foothills, Amed, Senaru and the Gili Islands, plus a night's camping just below the crater's rim at Mount Rinjani on Lombok. There's an action-packed itinerary along the way including white water rafting, a day cycling through bamboo forests and local villages, treks to Tirta Gangga water palace and Lempuyang Temple and a snorkelling trip in a motorised wooden boat around the three tiny Gili Islands, just off the coast of Lombok. Details Eleven nights' B&B including one night camping from £1,136pp, including activities and some extra meals ( Fly to Denpasar
The Sun
09-06-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Bukayo Saka feared he wouldn't be the same player after Arsenal injury hell as kind gesture to hospital staff revealed
BUKAYO SAKA lay in his hospital bed on Christmas Eve, doubting whether he would be as good a player in the future as he had been in the past. But thanks to a self-help book and the mindful joy of a new puppy, the England and Arsenal star has returned from hamstring surgery focused only on the present. 6 6 And it is that perspective that can help put a frustrating campaign — that began with a Euros final loss for England and ended trophyless for his club — behind him. Saka, 23, said: 'I was not happy with last season — how it went and how it ended. 'But the only thing I can do now is look forward and try to be the best version of myself and help my team-mates be the same.' The Londoner went under the knife on December 24 after sustaining the injury three days prior in a 5-1 win at Crystal Palace. In typical, kind fashion, he opted to do the procedure 24 hours before Christmas so the surgeons could be with their nearest and dearest the following day. He made it home to spend Christmas with his loved ones but what followed was nearly four months out which he used for self-reflection. The Gunners talisman said: 'I had gone from five years straight playing football, either involved with the team every single day training or playing games. Everything stops. 'You are on crutches, in hospital and need help around the house for the first few weeks. 'I got to spend more time with my family and got to do little things around the house that I wouldn't have even paid attention to when I was playing. 'On that note it was nice and I've come back with a bit more of a balanced head about football and life, and I'm trying to balance them better. It definitely helped me mentally. Arsenal star Bukayo Saka's glam girlfriend Tolami Benson steals the show in daring outfit at The Fashion Awards 6 'The first two days were the toughest, that realisation that I've got what I've got and I need an operation. 'You start to think, 'Am I going to be the same?' as players came back from this injury and weren't the same. 'After two days my surgery was done, and successful, and you just look forward. I was really positive and put in all the work I needed with my diet, in the gym, on the pitch and the physios would say the same. I feel I've come back in a good place.' Saka is a keen reader of non-fiction and was inspired by a recommendation from Arsenal assistant coach Carlos Cuesta during his time sidelined. It is called The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle and its message struck a chord with the talented winger. He added: 'It's a really good book. It's about not thinking about the past, not thinking about the future, just being in the moment. 'Sometimes I can think, 'Oh, am I going to come back in the best shape?' Or, in the past, 'What could I have done to prevent injury?' 'But all that is not necessary. It's only going to bring bad energy, negativity to your body. 'One of the best things I took from the book is always ask yourself, what's necessary in this moment right now and try to live that way.' Saka spent Christmas Day in a brace and on crutches at his cousin's, having had surgery at 5am the previous day. He claimed it took him 'ten minutes' to get to the dining room for dinner. So when his lively new Cockapoo called Tucker turned up soon after, it was not easy 'to get after him', as Saka put it, even if having the pooch has been a 'good and funny experience'. On Tuesday against Senegal at Nottingham Forest's City Ground, Saka hopes to feature for the first time under Thomas Tuchel, who he describes as 'demanding and intense' on the grass but 'relaxed and nice' off it. Former Chelsea and Bayern Munich chief Tuchel has been brought in with the sole remit of winning the World Cup next year after a series of near-misses under predecessor Gareth Southgate. The German has won all three of his games, without conceding a goal, but underwhelmed with performances, especially in Saturday's drab 1-0 victory over Andorra in Barcelona. And Saka admits England sometimes have a motivation issue against the smaller nations. 6 6 But the bottom line — and Saka knows this best after a tough 12 months — is that winning is what matters most. He added: 'Every player is different and I can't answer for every player but naturally in the bigger games everyone is going to give a bit more. 'In these other games we need to find a level where we can maintain that same quality and drive and hunger for the whole game. 'It's not easy at times but we need to find that and get these games over the line. 'The Andorra game, we still won, got another three points on the board and kept a clean sheet. It's job done. 'The expectation is to win, rather than entertain. If you can have both, then perfect. But we feel more the expectation is to win than to entertain.'
