Latest news with #sustainable
Daily Mail
7 hours ago
- General
- Daily Mail
TOM PARKER BOWLES reviews Pasture: ‘The steak is properly seasoned and gloriously charred'
Pasture is a steakhouse in Birmingham 's city centre, airy, cavernous and flooded with light. There's a glass-fronted ageing room, in which sit various hunks of cow, the dark crimson flesh swirled with alabaster fat. And despite it being a Monday lunch time, the place is encouragingly busy, with tables downing wine and beer with the sort of thirsty gusto usually associated with a Friday afternoon. Part of a small group of restaurants (there are two others, in Bristol and Cardiff), Pasture takes its provenance seriously. Its steaks are hewn from British grass-fed beef and dry aged in the aforementioned chamber, while much of the produce is grown at the restaurants' Somerset farm. The birch charcoal used in the vast grills is a by-product of the furniture industry (who knew?), while most of the bread, beer and ice cream is reassuringly local. So far, so sustainable. But while this is all highly commendable, it counts for the square root of bugger all if the food is second rate. Which it's not. There's a plump lozenge of char siu pork belly, soft as a sybarite's resolve, with a crisp curl of crackling, and a blob of wonderful barbecue sauce. Short-rib croquettes, expertly fried, have a low, sonorous moo. Then steak, half a kilo of Chateaubriand, cooked rare, properly seasoned and gloriously charred. I usually prefer the lustier chew of a sirloin or rump, but this is a magnificent piece of meat, with the deep savour of a life well lived. There's even a whisper of funk. Fat chips are fried in beef dripping, and are very fine indeed, especially when dipped in a pot of brown butter béarnaise. Chimichurri, verdantly perky, stops things getting too overwhelmingly rich. Even the tomato salad, so often a sullen, fridge-cold afterthought, is filled with intensely sweet, room-temperature fruit. Service is as good as you'll find anywhere, warm but well-drilled. And this is a place where lingering is positively encouraged, and an espresso martini (or two) makes the perfect pudding. Creating a successful restaurant is about so much more than just food – it's an eternally whirring machine, made up of a hundred different parts, greased by pure hard graft. Pasture does what it does very well indeed and is proof, if proof be needed, that there are shards of the joyous in the general doom and gloom.
National Post
a day ago
- Business
- National Post
Gensource Executes Land Purchase Agreement for Tugaske Potash Project, Securing Strategic Surface Lands
Article content SASKATOON, Saskatchewan — Gensource Potash Corporation (' Gensource ' or the ' Company ') (TSXV: GSP), a fertilizer development company focused on sustainable potash production, is pleased to announce that, through its wholly owned subsidiary KClean Potash Corporation, has exercised its option to acquire 206 acres of surface lands where the main plant for the Company's planned Tugaske Potash Project will be constructed ('Project Lands'). This milestone fulfills the terms of the option agreement announced on October 4, 2018, and represents a critical step in advancing the project forward. Article content Article content The management of the company strategically identified the Project Lands adjacent to key infrastructure, including Canadian Pacific Kansas City (TSX: CP, NYSE: CP) rail, road, gas, water and power. The plant site location provides very efficient access to transportation corridors for the initial phase of the Tugaske Project and for future plant expansion. Ownership of the surface lands provides Gensource with full control over the project site, strengthening its position, further de-risking the Project and setting the stage for construction. Article content Strategic Importance of the Land Acquisition Securing the surface rights is a major milestone in the Tugaske Project's development, as Gensource proceeds with detailed engineering and construction planning. The proximity to rail infrastructure ensures cost-effective logistics, a competitive advantage for the Company's planned scalable and vertically integrated potash production model. Article content 'The exercise of this land purchase agreement is a pivotal moment for Gensource and the Tugaske Project,' said Mike Ferguson, President and CEO of Gensource. 'Owning the surface lands outright not only strengthens our control over the project's timeline but also underscores our commitment to advancing this strategically important asset. With this key piece in place, we are well-positioned to move forward with the next phases of implementation.' Article content Utilizing Gensource's innovative, sustainable, and scalable approach to potash production, the project has the ability to set new environmental standards in the industry with no salt tailings, no brine ponds or cooling ponds, lower water consumption and the ability to scale efficiently module by module. Article content : Article content Gensource is a fertilizer development company based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and is on track to become the next fertilizer production company in that province. With a modular and environmentally leading approach to potash production, Gensource believes its technical and business model will be the future of the industry. Gensource operates under a business plan that has two key components: (1) vertical integration with the market to ensure that all production capacity built is directed, and pre-sold, to a specific market, eliminating market-side risk; and (2) technical innovation which will allow for a modular and economic potash production facility, that demonstrates environmental leadership within the industry, producing no salt tailings, therefore eliminating decommissioning. Article content Further information on Gensource Potash Corporation can be found at Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Article content Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Article content This news release may contain forward looking information and Gensource cautions readers that forward-looking information is based on certain assumptions and risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations of Gensource included in this news release. This news release includes certain 'forward-looking statements', which often, but not always, can be identified by the use of words such as 'believes', 'anticipates', 'expects', 'estimates', 'may', 'could', 'would', 'will', or 'plan'. These statements are based on information currently available to Gensource and Gensource provides no assurance that the actual results will meet management's expectations. Article content Forward looking statements include estimates and statements with respect to Gensource's future plans, objectives or goals, to the effect that Gensource or management expects a stated condition or result to occur, including any offering of securities by Gensource. Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements for many reasons such as: failure to finance the Tugaske Project or other projects on terms which are economic or at all; failure to settle a definitive joint venture agreement with a party and advance and finance the Tugaske Project; changes in general economic conditions and conditions in the financial markets; the ability to find and source off-take agreements; changes in demand and prices for potash; litigation, legislative, environmental and other judicial, regulatory, political and competitive developments; technological and operational difficulties encountered in connection with Gensource's activities; and other matters discussed in this news release and in filings made with securities regulators. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of Gensource's forward-looking statements. These and other factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on Gensource's forward-looking statements. Gensource does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by Gensource or on its behalf, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content
The Guardian
a day ago
- The Guardian
Giving back to the land: an off-grid eco-guesthouse in a ‘quietly radical corner' of south-west Ireland
The drive south through County Cork grew prettier with every turn. From Gougane Barra, where a tiny chapel sits at the lake's edge, the road winds through old rebel country, into deep forests where foxgloves bloom along the mountainside. Bantry House – a magnificent estate overlooking a lovely bay – marked our path toward Ballydehob, West Cork's boho village just north of the Mizen Head peninsula. It's a suitably impressive setting for Native, a new off-grid eco-guesthouse just a stone's throw from the village. The brainchild of Didi Ronan (who previously worked in public policy and the music industry) and husband Simon (who runs the sustainable landscape architect studio SRLA), the aim was to create somewhere that has a positive impact on both the environment and local community. Previously a derelict farmhouse, the chic three-bedroom B&B, set in beautiful gardens, celebrates Ireland's craft heritage, too. From the communal living room – with its art books and antique maps – to the timber-clad garden sauna, every element is carefully considered. The bedrooms lean into a modern-meets-vernacular aesthetic, with muted tones and tactile textures. Ours opens on to a private patio, and above the bed are hundreds of vintage National Geographic magazines – collected by Didi's grandmother – arranged in artful symmetry across a bespoke bookshelf. Over dinner, a delicate crab risotto with fresh farm greens (evening meals, booked in advance, are intimate home-cooked affairs), the couple share their vision. Sparked by a flash of clarity Simon had while designing high-end eco-resorts in the Maldives, when the true cost of tourism on Indigenous land and ecology became unavoidable, they began dreaming of a new kind of hospitality. 'Could a hotel not only tread lightly, but also give back to the land?' they wondered. Sustainability is baked into the whole project, from the build to what they do with their profits. Instead of conventional plaster, Didi chose hemp – a more natural alternative – while Simon ensured that every existing material was reused, from the original foundations to the retaining walls. Two new cabins opening this summer aim to be the 'gold standard in sustainable architecture', made of local timber, hemp and wood wool fibre. A newly restored barn will open as a creative hub for workshops, natural wine tastings, and collaborations with foragers and craftspeople, too. But perhaps most impressive of all is that 20% of Native's profits go directly to their 75-acre rewilding site nearby – a living laboratory of native tree planting, invasive species removal, and ecological education. Guests are encouraged to visit – and the next day we drive 10 minutes along winding roads and walk across fields, their dog, Peig, darting ahead through rushes and briars, to learn more. 'First, you eradicate invasive species. Then you conserve what you have, protect it from overgrazing, and then plant native trees to help things along,' Simon says. At the ridge, the land opens into a sweep of sea and scattered islands. Below us lies Roaringwater Bay; behind, the skeletal remains of an old cottage clings to the earth. Didi gestures toward a patch of young trees. 'The problem is huge – biodiversity, climate – but the solution's simple: trees, wetlands, space.' We carry on down towards an artificial lake, where dragonflies hover and moorhens skitter through the reeds. There we meet Sam Keane, a coastal forager and artist who runs immersive coastal tours guests can book, unlocking the powers of the sea, and demonstrating the tastes and powerful healing properties of seaweed and other ocean plant life. Native is just a short stroll from the heart of Ballydehob, a village of just a few hundred but with plenty of pubs, and later that day I wander the pretty streets, soaking up a different kind of energy: human, social, alive. It's a place that over-delivers, not in size but in spirit. At Levis Corner House the Wednesday market spills out on to the street. The heart of a thriving community, Levis is a pub, concert venue that hosts live performances from behind the old shop counter, and essentially a welcoming village living room. There's a lively art scene here too. The late potters Christa Reichel and Nora Golden helped found the local craft movement in the 1970s, still seen in venues like The Working Artist Studios on Main Street, and in the homegrown ceramics, textiles and artisan food shops crammed between colourful pub fronts and gable-end murals. It's a village that's hard to leave, but the next day I set out to explore the area further. A 12-arch viaduct from the old rail line arcs across the estuary at the town's edge. Pastel shop fronts curl along the hill. The 17th-century Butter Road leads from Ballydehob to Schull, a bright little harbour village. I stop and follow a walking trail through green lanes and quiet country roads, a soft scenic route, edged by hedgerows and sea glimpses, once used to carry churns of West Cork butter to market. From here, Mizen Head begins, a tapering peninsula where the past is never far away. A Neolithic portal tomb lies accessible, close to the roadside overlooking the bay. I follow a path to Three Castle Head. Fields give way to a wide sweep of jagged coastline, steep tufty hills rising and falling in tandem with the Atlantic. The hike climbs gradually, then steeply, and the ruins of three weather-beaten towers, 15th-century remnants of a defensive castle on a limestone ridge, come into view. From a distance, they seem almost grown from the rock itself, overlooking an indigo bay cupped in a lush green valley. Back in the car, the road dips and rises again toward Mizen Head Signal Station, mainland Ireland's most southwesterly point. The footbridge to Fastnet signal station arches across sheer cliffs, a solid span above the Atlantic, cinematic in scale. That evening, back in Ballydehob, I discover Chestnut, a Michelin-starred restaurant, where former pub walls now host a dining room led by chef Rob Krawczyk. His tasting menu captures the season with clear flavours: preserved, foraged and grown. Everything is impeccable and in keeping with the narrative I've uncovered in this progressive, ecologically minded, quietly radical corner of West Cork. As Didi put it, 'Sustainability is only part of the story – regeneration is the next step.' The trip was provided by Native. Double rooms from €200 a night B&B (two-night minimum). Exclusive hire of the guesthouse, sleeping six, from €650 per night, and garden sauna experience €75. Cabins, sleeping two, from €350. For more inspiration visit
The Guardian
2 days ago
- The Guardian
Giving back to the land: an off-grid eco-guesthouse in a ‘quietly radical corner' of south-west Ireland
The drive south through County Cork grew prettier with every turn. From Gougane Barra, where a tiny chapel sits at the lake's edge, the road winds through old rebel country, into deep forests where foxgloves bloom along the mountainside. Bantry House – a magnificent estate overlooking a lovely bay – marked our path toward Ballydehob, West Cork's boho village just north of the Mizen Head peninsula. It's a suitably impressive setting for Native, a new off-grid eco-guesthouse just a stone's throw from the village. The brainchild of Didi Ronan (who previously worked in public policy and the music industry) and husband Simon (who runs the sustainable landscape architect studio SRLA), the aim was to create somewhere that has a positive impact on both the environment and local community. Previously a derelict farmhouse, the chic three-bedroom B&B, set in beautiful gardens, celebrates Ireland's craft heritage, too. From the communal living room – with its art books and antique maps – to the timber-clad garden sauna, every element is carefully considered. The bedrooms lean into a modern-meets-vernacular aesthetic, with muted tones and tactile textures. Ours opens on to a private patio, and above the bed are hundreds of vintage National Geographic magazines – collected by Didi's grandmother – arranged in artful symmetry across a bespoke bookshelf. Over dinner, a delicate crab risotto with fresh farm greens (evening meals, booked in advance, are intimate home-cooked affairs), the couple share their vision. Sparked by a flash of clarity Simon had while designing high-end eco-resorts in the Maldives, when the true cost of tourism on Indigenous land and ecology became unavoidable, they began dreaming of a new kind of hospitality. 'Could a hotel not only tread lightly, but also give back to the land?' they wondered. Sustainability is baked into the whole project, from the build to what they do with their profits. Instead of conventional plaster, Didi chose hemp – a more natural alternative – while Simon ensured that every existing material was reused, from the original foundations to the retaining walls. Three new cabins opening this summer aim to be the 'gold standard in sustainable architecture', made of local timber, hemp and wood wool fibre. A newly restored barn will open as a creative hub for workshops, natural wine tastings, and collaborations with foragers and craftspeople, too. But perhaps most impressive of all is that 20% of Native's profits go directly to their 75-acre rewilding site nearby – a living laboratory of native tree planting, invasive species removal, and ecological education. Guests are encouraged to visit – and the next day we drive 10 minutes along winding roads and walk across fields, their dog, Peig, darting ahead through rushes and briars, to learn more. 'First, you eradicate invasive species. Then you conserve what you have, protect it from overgrazing, and then plant native trees to help things along,' Simon says. At the ridge, the land opens into a sweep of sea and scattered islands. Below us lies Roaringwater Bay; behind, the skeletal remains of an old cottage clings to the earth. Didi gestures toward a patch of young trees. 'The problem is huge – biodiversity, climate – but the solution's simple: trees, wetlands, space.' We carry on down towards an artificial lake, where dragonflies hover and moorhens skitter through the reeds. There we meet Sam Keane, a coastal forager and artist who runs immersive coastal tours guests can book, unlocking the powers of the sea, and demonstrating the tastes and powerful healing properties of seaweed and other ocean plant life. Native is just a short stroll from the heart of Ballydehob, a village of just a few hundred but with plenty of pubs, and later that day I wander the pretty streets, soaking up a different kind of energy: human, social, alive. It's a place that over-delivers, not in size but in spirit. At Levis Corner House the Wednesday market spills out on to the street. The heart of a thriving community, Levis is a pub, concert venue that hosts live performances from behind the old shop counter, and essentially a welcoming village living room. There's a lively art scene here too. The late potters Christa Reichel and Nora Golden helped found the local craft movement in the 1970s, still seen in venues like The Working Artist Studios on Main Street, and in the homegrown ceramics, textiles and artisan food shops crammed between colourful pub fronts and gable-end murals. It's a village that's hard to leave, but the next day I set out to explore the area further. A 12-arch viaduct from the old rail line arcs across the estuary at the town's edge. Pastel shop fronts curl along the hill. The 17th-century Butter Road leads from Ballydehob to Schull, a bright little harbour village. I stop and follow a walking trail through green lanes and quiet country roads, a soft scenic route, edged by hedgerows and sea glimpses, once used to carry churns of West Cork butter to market. From here, Mizen Head begins, a tapering peninsula where the past is never far away. A Neolithic portal tomb lies accessible, close to the roadside overlooking the bay. I follow a path to Three Castle Head. Fields give way to a wide sweep of jagged coastline, steep tufty hills rising and falling in tandem with the Atlantic. The hike climbs gradually, then steeply, and the ruins of three weather-beaten towers, 15th-century remnants of a defensive castle on a limestone ridge, come into view. From a distance, they seem almost grown from the rock itself, overlooking an indigo bay cupped in a lush green valley. Back in the car, the road dips and rises again toward Mizen Head Signal Station, mainland Ireland's most southwesterly point. The footbridge to Fastnet signal station arches across sheer cliffs, a solid span above the Atlantic, cinematic in scale. That evening, back in Ballydehob, I discover Chestnut, a Michelin-starred restaurant, where former pub walls now host a dining room led by chef Rob Krawczyk. His tasting menu captures the season with clear flavours: preserved, foraged and grown. Everything is impeccable and in keeping with the narrative I've uncovered in this progressive, ecologically minded, quietly radical corner of West Cork. As Didi put it, 'Sustainability is only part of the story – regeneration is the next step.' The trip was provided by Native. Double rooms from €200 a night B&B (two-night minimum). Exclusive hire of the guesthouse, sleeping six, from €650 per night, and garden sauna experience €75. Cabins, sleeping two, from €350. For more inspiration visit
Telegraph
3 days ago
- General
- Telegraph
Pork medallions with charred courgettes and courgette salsa
If you grow your own courgettes you'll know the feeling – one minute there are none, and the next you've got a glut and no clue what to do with them all. Here we're grilling some lovely round discs of courgette, which just so happen to be the perfect size to match chunks of pork fillet. Also shaved raw, they make a great salad or a fresh little garnish alongside, and whatever's left goes into a zingy salsa. Nothing wasted.
