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Climate activists throw soup at Mona Lisa

<p>Two climate change activists have hurled soup at the bullet-proof glass protecting Leonardo da Vinci’s iconic painting, the Mona Lisa, at the Louvre Museum in Paris. </p> <p>On Sunday morning, local time, a video posted on social media showed two women throwing red and orange soup onto the glass protecting the painting to the shock of bystanders. </p> <p>The incident came amid days of protests by French farmers across the country demanding better pay, taxes, and regulations.</p> <p>The two women, with the words "FOOD RIPOSTE" or "Food Counterattack" written on their T-shirts,  managed to pass under the security barrier and stood in front of the painting, while shouting slogans for a sustainable food system.</p> <p>“What is more important? Art or the right to healthy and sustainable food?” they asked. </p> <p>“Your agricultural system is sick. Our farmers are dying at work,” they added, before the security put black panels in front of the painting, and asked visitors to evacuate the space. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="fr">ALERTE - Des militantes pour le climat jettent de la soupe sur le tableau de La Joconde au musée du Louvre. <a href="https://twitter.com/CLPRESSFR?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CLPRESSFR</a> <a href="https://t.co/Aa7gavRRc4">pic.twitter.com/Aa7gavRRc4</a></p> <p>— CLPRESS / Agence de presse (@CLPRESSFR) <a href="https://twitter.com/CLPRESSFR/status/1751538762687893894?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2024</a></p></blockquote> <p>On its website, the "Food Riposte" group said that the French government is breaking its climate commitments, and they demanded a state-sponsored health care system to be put in to give people better access to healthy food, while providing farmers with a decent income. </p> <p>The protests comes after the French government announced a series of measures for agricultural workers on Friday, which they believe do not fully address their demands. </p> <p><em>Image: Twitter</em><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> </span></p>

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‘Good soup is one of the prime ingredients of good living’: a (condensed) history of soup, from cave to can

<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/garritt-c-van-dyk-1014186">Garritt C Van Dyk</a>, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-newcastle-1060">University of Newcastle</a></em></p> <p>Hot soup on a cold day brings warmth and comfort so simple that we don’t think too much about its origins. But its long history runs from the Stone Age and antiquity through to modernity, encompassing the birth of the restaurant, advances in chemistry, and a famous pop art icon.</p> <p>The basic nature of soup has a fundamental appeal that feels primordial – because it is.</p> <p><a href="https://www.academia.edu/12384834/2015_Speth_When_Did_Humans_Learn_to_Boil_">Archaeologists</a> speculate the first soup might have been made by Neanderthals, boiling animal bones to extract fat essential for their diet and drinking the broth. Without the fats, their high intake of lean animal meats could have led to protein poisoning, so stone age soup was an important complement to primeval nutrition.</p> <p>The fundamental benefit of these bone broths is confirmed by archaeological discoveries around the world, ranging from a gelatin broth in <a href="https://www.archaeology.org/issues/317-1811/trenches/7056-trenches-egypt-giza-livestock-bones">Egypt’s Giza plateau</a>, to <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-11981666">Shaanxi Province</a> in China.</p> <p>The widespread distribution of archaeological finds is a reminder soup not only has a long history, but is also a global food.</p> <p>Today, our idea of soup is more refined, but the classic combination of stock and bread is embedded in the Latin root of the verb <em>suppāre</em>, meaning “to soak”.</p> <p>As a noun, <em>suppa</em> became <em>soupe</em> in Old French, meaning bread soaked in broth, and <em><a href="https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/middle-english-dictionary/dictionary/MED41830/track?counter=1&amp;search_id=24326280">sowpes</a></em> in Middle English. This pairing was also an economical way of reclaiming stale bread and thickening a thin broth. Wealthier households might have toasted fresh bread for the dish, but less prosperous diners used up stale bread that was too hard to chew unless softened in the hot liquid.</p> <h2>From rustic to creamy</h2> <p>New ideas about science and digestion in 17th century France promoted <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340977432_The_Transformative_Influence_of_La_Varenne's_Le_Cuisinier_Francois_1651_on_French_Culinary_Practice">natural flavours</a> and thick, rustic preparations gave way to the creamy and velvety smooth soups we know today.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527415/original/file-20230522-21-dcc0ot.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527415/original/file-20230522-21-dcc0ot.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527415/original/file-20230522-21-dcc0ot.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=450&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527415/original/file-20230522-21-dcc0ot.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=450&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527415/original/file-20230522-21-dcc0ot.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=450&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527415/original/file-20230522-21-dcc0ot.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=566&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527415/original/file-20230522-21-dcc0ot.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=566&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527415/original/file-20230522-21-dcc0ot.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=566&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="People line up for soup" /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">The Soup Kitchen, Antonio de Puga, ca. 1630.</span> <span class="attribution">Museo de Arte de Ponce</span></figcaption></figure> <p>New versions of the liquid food were developed by early modern European chefs, such as the <a href="https://archive.org/details/lenouveaucuisini01mass/page/138/mode/2up">seafood bisque</a>, extracting flavour from the shells of crustaceans.</p> <p>The first restaurant as we understand them today opened in Paris in 1765, and was immortalised for a <a href="https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k9785063s/f167.item.r=sante">simple broth</a>, a clear soup made from bone broth and fresh herbs.</p> <p><a href="https://www.rebeccalspang.org/invention-of-the-restaurant">Mathurin Roze de Chantoiseau</a>, the original French restaurateur, created a new type of public space where weary diners could regain their lost appetites and soothe their delicate nerves at all hours.</p> <p>It may appear to be a contradiction that the first restaurant specifically catered to clients who had lost their appetites, yet it seems perfectly natural soup was the cure.</p> <h2>Easy and affordable</h2> <p>Soup was not destined to be limited to fancy restaurants or the long simmering stock pots of peasants. Modern science made it convenient and less expensive for home cooks.</p> <p>In 1897, a chemist at the Campbell soup company, John Dorrance, developed a <a href="https://www.campbellsoupcompany.com/about-us/our-story/campbell-history/">condensed canned soup</a> that dramatically reduced the water content. The new method halved the cost of shipping and made canned soup an affordable meal anyone could prepare.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527409/original/file-20230522-17-ts8u8f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527409/original/file-20230522-17-ts8u8f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527409/original/file-20230522-17-ts8u8f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=387&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527409/original/file-20230522-17-ts8u8f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=387&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527409/original/file-20230522-17-ts8u8f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=387&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527409/original/file-20230522-17-ts8u8f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=486&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527409/original/file-20230522-17-ts8u8f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=486&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527409/original/file-20230522-17-ts8u8f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=486&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="Painting of men at a table" /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">Lunch (The Soup, Version II), Albin Egger-Lienz, 1910.</span> <span class="attribution">Leopold Museum, Vienna</span></figcaption></figure> <p>This revolutionary achievement was recognised at the 1900 Paris Exposition, winning an award for product excellence. Winning the prize was an achievement considering the competition at the world fair. The other technological advances exhibited at the turn of the century included the diesel engine, “talking” films, dry cell batteries and the Paris Metro.</p> <p>The bronze medallion from 1900 still appears on the iconic red and white label, made famous by pop artist Andy Warhol’s <a href="https://www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/andy-warhol-campbells-soup-cans-1962/">32 Campbell Soup Cans</a> (1962).</p> <p>In his work, Warhol appropriated images from consumer culture and the media ordinary people would instantly recognise, from Coca-Cola bottles to Marilyn Monroe. In his famous soup painting, 32 canvases – one for each flavour of soup – are lined up like cans on a supermarket shelf.</p> <p>Some <a href="https://warhol.netx.net/portals/warhol-exhibitions/#asset/108496">interpretations</a> consider this a commentary on the link between art and consumerism, emphasising the ordinary quality of the everyday object. The artist may also have been influenced by his personal eating habits – he claimed he had <a href="https://whitney.org/collection/works/5632">soup for lunch</a> every day for 20 years.</p> <h2>‘One of the prime ingredients of good living’</h2> <p>A steady diet of soup is not guaranteed to inspire famous art, but its appeal is universal. Soup can be humble or fancy, cutting across cultures and classes.</p> <p>Deceptively simple, the warmth and comfort of soup provide a temporary refuge from the winter chill, comforting the diner from the inside.</p> <p>The French chef Auguste Escoffier, famous for enshrining the five basic “<a href="https://www.escoffieronline.com/our-guide-to-escoffiers-5-mother-sauces/">mother sauces</a>” in French cuisine, raised soups to perfection in the early 20th century, developing refined preparations that remain classics today.</p> <p>Escoffier, <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books/about/Escoffier.html?id=JFIDd639wlQC&amp;redir_esc=y">known as</a> “the king of chefs and the chef of kings”, had very <a href="https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/A_Guide_to_Modern_Cookery/KCbkcXHj7qoC?hl=en&amp;gbpv=1&amp;dq=escoffier+guide+culinaire&amp;printsec=frontcover">high standards</a> for soup, claiming “of all the items on the menu, soup is that which exacts the most delicate perfection”.</p> <p>An Austrian apprentice of Escoffier, Louis P. De Gouy, was chef at the Waldorf Astoria for 30 years and wrote 13 cookbooks.</p> <p>He summed up the appeal of soup in a <a href="https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/The_Soup_Book/1tNmDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&amp;gbpv=1&amp;printsec=frontcover">volume</a> dedicated to the dish with over 700 recipes:</p> <blockquote> <p>Good soup is one of the prime ingredients of good living. For soup can do more to lift the spirits and stimulate the appetite than any other one dish.</p> </blockquote> <p>From Neanderthal broth to pop art icon, this humble pantry staple has a rich and vibrant history, giving us both nourishment and food for thought.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/205656/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/garritt-c-van-dyk-1014186">Garritt C Van Dyk</a>, Lecturer, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-newcastle-1060">University of Newcastle</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/good-soup-is-one-of-the-prime-ingredients-of-good-living-a-condensed-history-of-soup-from-cave-to-can-205656">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

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What to eat when you have COVID – and why reaching for the chicken soup is not a bad idea

<p>Got COVID? Again?</p> <p>Deciding what to eat can be mentally taxing, especially when you are not feeling well. However, our diet plays a role in preventing and managing poor health, including COVID.</p> <p>Having a healthy diet is associated with a <a href="https://gut.bmj.com/content/70/11/2096">reduced risk of COVID</a>. And, if you do have COVID, a healthy diet is associated with <a href="https://gut.bmj.com/content/70/11/2096">milder symptoms</a>.</p> <h2>What should I eat during COVID infection?</h2> <p>When we are sick it can be challenging to even think about food. However, the best way to fight the infection is by providing your body with foods that best support you to <a href="https://www.emro.who.int/nutrition/covid-19/nutrition-advice-for-adults-during-the-covid-19-outbreak.html">heal</a>.</p> <p>Fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains and various forms of protein are broken down into substances by the body to support your immune system. </p> <p><a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/guidelines/australian-guide-healthy-eating">The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating</a> suggests we eat a variety of fresh foods every day including:</p> <ul> <li> <p>two serves of fruit and five serves of vegetables</p> </li> <li> <p>whole grains, such as wholemeal pasta, brown rice or wholemeal bread</p> </li> <li> <p>healthy fats, such as avocado or olive oil </p> </li> <li> <p>meat and meat alternatives (such as lean beef, chicken, tofu or legumes) and dairy (such as cheese or milk). </p> </li> </ul> <p>Eating these kinds of foods every day helps provide our body with the nutrients required to fight infections and remain healthy. </p> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10050587">Avoiding processed and ultra processed foods</a> is also encouraged due to the high levels of salt and sugar and lack of nutrition found in these types of foods.</p> <h2>What about chicken soup or similar?</h2> <p>A great way to get all the nutrition your body requires when sick with COVID is through homemade chicken soup, chicken avgolemono, chicken congee or other similar dishes. </p> <p>Why? Here are four good reasons:</p> <p>1. It’s easy and cheap to make</p> <p>The great thing about chicken soup is you can pop it in one pan (or into a slow cooker), throw all the ingredients in together and let it simmer away. </p> <p>While the ingredients in chicken soup pack a powerful nutritional punch, they don’t cost the Earth.</p> <p>2. It’s easy to absorb</p> <p>The boiling process releases the <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10071456">nutritional elements</a> found in the ingredients and aids in digestion and absorption of these vital nutrients. </p> <p>3. It’s full of vitamins and minerals</p> <p><a href="https://scuj.journals.ekb.eg/article_119478.html">Essential vitamins and minerals</a> found in chicken soup include: iron, magnesium, sodium, potassium, calcium, chromium, copper, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12. </p> <p>4. It’s flavoursome and powerful</p> <p>The tasty flavour of chicken soup is enhanced by the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10942912.2017.1291678">seventeen different amino acids</a> found in chicken soup. These amino acids also provide strength for your <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17403271/">immune system.</a></p> <h2>Nutrition can support immune health but it’s not the only answer</h2> <p>The best way to treat and manage a COVID infection is to avoid it in the first place. So remember to practise good hygiene, like washing your hands regularly, and maintain your recommended <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/covid-19-vaccines/advice-for-providers/clinical-guidance/clinical-recommendations">vaccine schedule</a>. </p> <p>Practising a healthy lifestyle will also reduce your risks of not only contracting COVID, but also developing chronic disease. This includes not smoking or vaping, maintaining healthy physical activity habits, getting enough sleep and reducing alcohol consumption. </p> <p>The current <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/news/australian-alcohol-guidelines-revised#:%7E:text=To%20reduce%20the%20risk%20of,risk%20of%20harm%20from%20alcohol.">recommendation</a> for maximum alcohol intake is ten standard drinks in one week, and no more than four standard drinks in one day. </p> <h2>Don’t forget to drink plenty of water</h2> <p>Water is <a href="https://health-study.joinzoe.com/post/how-much-fluid-should-i-drink-if-i-have-covid-19">crucial</a> when you’re sick. </p> <p>Being dehydrated can enhance symptoms of colds and infections, including COVID. It is also associated with a higher risk of developing <a href="https://ccforum.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13054-022-04203-w">long COVID</a>. </p> <p>Aim to drink at least two litres of water per day, even more if you have a high body weight or have been losing fluids through vomiting or sneezing/runny nose.</p> <p>If you don’t feel like having plain water, there are many healthy alternatives such as tea, broth or soup.</p> <h2>Let’s remember to eat healthy anyway</h2> <p>Eating a healthy and balanced diet is an important part of maintain good health and vitality.</p> <p>Getting caught up in fads or buying supplements can be expensive and there is <a href="https://theconversation.com/dont-listen-to-gwyneth-paltrow-ivs-are-not-a-shortcut-to-good-health-202621">controversy</a> around their effectiveness. </p> <p>In the long run, eating healthy will make you feel better and save you money.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-to-eat-when-you-have-covid-and-why-reaching-for-the-chicken-soup-is-not-a-bad-idea-202338" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

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Soup on Van Gogh and graffiti on Warhol: climate activists follow the long history of museums as a site of protest

<p>Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Cans at the National Gallery of Australia are just the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/nov/09/climate-activists-target-andy-warhols-campbells-soup-cans-at-australias-national-gallery">latest artistic target</a> of climate protesters, who have been throwing <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/oct/14/just-stop-oil-activists-throw-soup-at-van-goghs-sunflowers">soup</a>, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/climate-protesters-throw-mashed-potatoes-at-monet-painting/2022/10/23/cc39e636-52f0-11ed-ac8b-08bbfab1c5a5_story.html">mashed potatoes</a> and <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/climate-protesters-throw-mashed-potatoes-at-monet-painting/2022/10/23/cc39e636-52f0-11ed-ac8b-08bbfab1c5a5_story.html">cake</a> at art worth millions of dollars.</p> <p>The actions have received a <a href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/in-doha-four-museum-directors-talk-the-climate-protests-1234644472/">muted response</a> from some museum directors, but the protesters know exactly what they are doing. </p> <p>As the activists who threw soup on Van Gogh’s Sunflowers <a href="https://www.frieze.com/article/interview-just-stop-oil">said, "</a>We know that civil resistance works. History has shown us that."</p> <p>Indeed, there is a long history of museums and art being used for political protest.</p> <h2>For women’s suffrage and women artists</h2> <p>In 1914, suffragette Mary Richardson <a href="https://womensarttours.com/slashing-venus-suffragettes-and-vandalism/">slashed</a> the canvas of Velázquez’s Rokeby Venus at London’s National Gallery. </p> <p>Richardson wanted to attract publicity to Emmeline Pankhurst’s imprisonment for her suffragette actions. Richardson selected this painting in part because of its value, and because of “the way men visitors gaped at it all day long”.</p> <p>Her tactics are credited as <a href="https://www.surfacemag.com/articles/just-stop-oil-protests-museums-environmental-activism/">motivating</a> Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil.</p> <p>Since 1985, the <a href="https://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/25207/1/Camillabrownpaper.pdf">Guerrilla Girls</a> have been exposing sexual and racial discrimination in the art world.</p> <p>Their actions have usually occurred at the outskirts of museums: in museum foyers, on nearby billboards and on New York City buses. Perhaps their most famous work <a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/guerrilla-girls-do-women-have-to-be-naked-to-get-into-the-met-museum-p78793">asked</a>: “do women have to be naked to get into the Met Museum?”</p> <h2>Against corporate sponsorship and artwashing</h2> <p><a href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/decolonize-this-place-kanders-whitney-nine-weeks-of-art-and-action-12207/">Decolonize this Place</a> brings together campaigns against racial and economic inequality. </p> <p>They organised a campaign beginning in 2018 targeting the then vice-chair of New York’s Whitney Museum, Warren B. Kander, whose company sold tear gas that had reportedly been used against asylum seekers along the US-Mexico border. </p> <p>The campaign’s first event was held in the museum’s foyer. <a href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/no-space-profiteer-state-violence-decolonize-place-protests-whitney-vice-chair-warren-b-kanders-11507/">Protesters burned sage</a> to mimic tear gas, which wafted through the lobby until the fire department arrived. </p> <p>The protesters argued Kander’s business interests meant he was not fit to lead a globally significant cultural heritage institution that sought relevance for a wide and diverse public constituency. Kander <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/25/arts/whitney-warren-kanders-resigns.html">resigned</a> from the museum’s board in 2019.</p> <p>Since 2018, artist <a href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/sackler-nan-goldin-victoria-albert-1704450">Nan Goldin</a> and her “Opioid Activist Group” have been staging “die-ins” at the museum to protest against the galleries named for sponsorship from the Sackler family.</p> <p>The Sackler family business is Purdue Pharma, infamous for OxyContin, a major drug in the US <a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/03/03/1084163626/purdue-sacklers-oxycontin-settlement">opioid crisis</a>. </p> <p>Activists have targeted galleries around the world, and so far the Sackler name has been removed from galleries including the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/18/arts/sackler-family-museums.html">Louvre</a>, the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/mar/25/british-museum-removes-sackler-family-name-from-galleries">British Museum</a>, the <a href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/sackler-name-change-guggenheim-museum-2110993">Guggenheim</a> and, as of last month, the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2022/oct/01/campaigners-celebrate-as-va-severs-sackler-links-over-opioids-cash">Victoria and Albert Museum</a>.</p> <h2>For the return of cultural artefacts</h2> <p>The highest-profile actions against the British Museum have targeted its rejection of calls to return objects including the <a href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/parthenon-marbles-british-museum-protest-1234632365/">Parthenon Marbles</a> of Greece, the <a href="https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/british-museum-closes-gallery-in-response-to-protesters">Benin Bronzes</a> from modern-day Nigeria, and the <a href="https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/british-museum-closes-gallery-in-response-to-protesters">Gweagal shield</a> from Australia. </p> <p>In 2018, a group of activists performed a “<a href="https://camd.org.au/stolen-goods-tour-of-bm-protest/">Stolen Goods Tour</a>” of the museum. Participants from across the world gave a different story to what visitors read in the museum’s object labels and catalogues, as the activist tour guides explained their continuing connections with objects in the collection.</p> <p>The tour did not convince the museum to return cultural items, but drew extensive global attention to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/11/nigeria-benin-repatriate-bronzes-smithsonian">ongoing campaigns</a>seeking restitution and repatriation.</p> <h2>In the culture wars</h2> <p>Protests using art and museums aren’t just the domain of the left.</p> <p>In 1969, <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Museums-and-Social-Activism-Engaged-Protest/Message/p/book/9780415658539">an arsonist destroyed</a> a display at the National Museum of American History that commemorated Martin Luther King Jr, who had been recently assassinated. The perpetrator was never identified.</p> <p>In 2017, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jun/18/noose-found-hanging-washington-museum">nooses</a> were left at various museums of the Smithsonian, including The National Museum of African American History and Culture. No groups ever came forward to claim responsibility or express a motive, but the noose is a potent and divisive symbol of segregation and racially motivated violence.</p> <p>In December 2021, doors to the Museum of Australian Democracy in Canberra were <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-30/act-protesters-set-old-parliament-house-on-fire/100731444">set alight</a> twice by protesters with a number of grievances, including opposition to COVID-19 vaccines.</p> <p>The museum’s <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-01-20/multimillion-dollar-repair-bill-for-old-parliament-house-fire/100770268">director said</a> the “assault on the building” would force the museum to rethink its commitment to being “as open as possible, representing all that is good about Australian democracy”, and at the same time keeping it protected.</p> <h2>‘Direct action works’</h2> <p>The past two decades have seen a surge of art-focused demonstrations. </p> <p>In 2019, Decolonize this Place and Goldin’s anti-Sackler coalition met with members of 30 other groups in front of Andy Warhol’s “The Last Supper” (1986) at the Whitney. </p> <p>They were there to celebrate the Tate Museum in London and the Guggenheim Museum in New York, who had announced they would stop taking funding from the Sackler family. One participant cried “<a href="https://hyperallergic.com/491418/decolonize-this-place-nine-weeks-launch/">direct action works!</a>” </p> <p>Even when protests at museums and art achieve less concrete outcomes than this, they remain central tools for building public awareness around political and social issues. </p> <p>It is unlikely actions against museums and art will subside anytime soon.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/soup-on-van-gogh-and-graffiti-on-warhol-climate-activists-follow-the-long-history-of-museums-as-a-site-of-protest-193009" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

Art

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Climate activists attack Van Gogh’s Sunflowers with soup

<p dir="ltr">Two people have attempted to destroy an iconic Van Gogh artwork in London’s National Gallery in the name of climate activism. </p> <p dir="ltr">The two perpetrators, who are members of the organisation Just Stop Oil, threw cans of tomato soup at Van Gogh’s <em>Sunflowers </em>(1888), the museum confirmed in a statement.</p> <p dir="ltr">Luckily, the painting was saved by the glass covering, with the frame only suffering minor damage. </p> <p dir="ltr">Immediately after throwing the soup, the activists glued themselves to the wall under the painting in an act that was filmed and shared on Twitter by the Guardian‘s environmental correspondent Damien Gayle.</p> <p dir="ltr">“What is worth more, art or life?” declared one protester. “Is it worth more than food? Worth more than justice? Are you more concerned about the protection of a painting or the protection of our planet and people?”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">“What is worth more, art or life? … are you more concerned about the protection of a painting or the protection of our planet and people?”<a href="https://twitter.com/JustStop_Oil?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JustStop_Oil</a>’s activists explain their action <a href="https://t.co/mGNZIO6RbK">pic.twitter.com/mGNZIO6RbK</a></p> <p>— Damien Gayle (@damiengayle) <a href="https://twitter.com/damiengayle/status/1580865060347383808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“The cost of living crisis is part of the cost of the oil crisis,” they continued. “Fuel is unaffordable to millions of cold, hungry families. They can’t even afford to heat a tin of soup.”</p> <p dir="ltr">After the incident, gallery staff cleared visitors from the room and called police to the scene. </p> <p dir="ltr">The two activists were then arrested.</p> <p dir="ltr">The attack on Van Gogh’s <em>Sunflowers </em>is the recent statement made by climate activists, who have drawn in a flood of attention by targeting artworks around the world. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Art

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Garden-fresh asparagus soup

<p>Love the healthy snap of a bright-green new-season asparagus stalk? Enjoy their uniquely grassy, sweet flavour and their healthy-bacteria-boosting proteins in this fresh and uplifting soup.</p> <p><strong>Ingredients:</strong></p> <ul> <li>2 tablespoons butter</li> <li>2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve</li> <li>2 spring onions (scallions), finely chopped, plus extra, curled in cold water, to serve</li> <li>1/2 teaspoon curry powder</li> <li>1/4 teaspoon ground ginger</li> <li>1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric grated zest and juice of 1 lemon</li> <li>2 medium turnips, peeled and diced</li> <li>750 ml (3 cups) vegetable stock</li> <li>270 ml tin additive-free coconut milk</li> <li>175 g (1 bunch) asparagus, cut into 1.5 cm pieces</li> <li>1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt</li> <li>freshly cracked black pepper, to taste</li> </ul> <p><strong>Directions:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Melt the butter with the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.</li> <li>Add the spring onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft. Add the curry powder, ginger, turmeric, lemon zest, juice and turnip and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.</li> <li>Add the stock, coconut milk and asparagus, and simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes or until the turnip is tender, then add the salt.</li> <li>Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly, then purée the mixture in batches in a food processor or blender until smooth.</li> <li>Reheat gently if necessary, then drizzle with olive oil, grind over black pepper and garnish with curled spring onion.</li> </ol> <p><em>Recipe and image from <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.murdochbooks.com.au/browse/books/healthy-cooking/Heal-Your-Gut-Lee-Holmes-9781743365601" target="_blank"><span>'Heal Your Gut'</span></a> by Lee Holmes (Murdoch Books).</em></p> <p><em>Republished with permission of <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/garden-fresh-asparagus-soup.aspx" target="_blank">Wyza.com.au</a>. </em></p>

Food & Wine

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Delicious roast tomato and capsicum soup with crispy chorizo and fresh basil

<p>Packed with flavour you’ll be making this soup again and again, it’s perfect for the whole family and really cheap to make.</p> <p><strong>Ingredients</strong></p> <ul> <li>4 large capsicums</li> <li>6 large vine ripened mixed tomatoes (yellow, purple, red etc)</li> <li>1 punnet cherry tomates</li> <li>2 garlic cloves</li> <li>2 celery stalks</li> <li>1 red onion</li> <li>1 tbs tomato puree</li> <li>120g chorizo sausage (cut into cubes)</li> <li>½ bunch basil</li> <li>1 tin kidney beans</li> <li>Olive oil</li> <li>Salt and pepper</li> </ul> <p><strong>Directions</strong></p> <p>1. Cut the top off your capsicums and scoop out the seeds then place upside down onto an oven proof tray lined with greaseproof paper. Slice the large tomatoes into ¼s and place on the tray with the whole cherry tomatoes. Slice your red onion into ¼s and add them to the tray.</p> <p>2. Drizzle with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper and make sure all the veg is coated. Roast in the oven at 220°C for 15-20 mins until they start to colour and the skin from the capsicum blisters. Once cooked remove and leave to one side.</p> <p>3. In a pan slowly fry the chopped garlic and sliced celery. Remove the thin skin from the chorizo and dice then add ½ of the sausage and some finely chopped basil stalks to the pan. Cook for 2-3 mins until golden brown.</p> <p>4. Next add the tomato puree to the chorizo and cook for another 2 mins, add a little water so the tomato puree doesn’t burn.</p> <p>5. Once the capsicum has cooled, carefully remove the skin then roughly chop. Add the capsicum, roasted tomato and onion to a large thick bottomed pan along with the chorizo mix in the pan.</p> <p>6. Add 1 litre of boiling chicken stock to the pan and bring back to the boil. Whilst the soup is coming to the boil fry off the other half of the diced chorizo until really crispy then tip onto some kitchen roll to remove some of the grease.</p> <p>7. As soon as the soup starts to boil remove from the heat. Blend until smooth and adjust the seasoning, careful not to add too much salt. Add ½ bunch of basil leaves and blend once more.</p> <p>8. Finally mix in a tin of drained kidney beans into the soup and serve. Top with crispy chorizo.</p> <p><strong>Tips</strong></p> <p>Double the batch and freeze it until you need a quick dinner one evening. Remember this has meat in it so make sure to remove from the freezer the night before and heat until piping hot before serving.</p> <p>Recipe courtesy of Richard Kerrigan, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/rkthebeachlife/">The Beach Life</a>, Qualified Chef and Personal Trainer.</p> <p><em>Republished with permission of </em><a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/roast-tomato-and-capsicum-soup-with-crispy-chorizo-and-fresh-basil.aspx"><em>Wyza.com.au.</em></a></p>

Food & Wine

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The best recipe you need to try: Green Pea and Asparagus Soup

<p>Bursting with veggie goodness, this yummy soup makes a nutritious light meal served with your favourite bread.</p> <p>Recipe provided to the <a href="http://www.asparagus.com.au/">Australian Asparagus Council</a> by Liz Posmyk.</p> <p><strong>Ingredients </strong></p> <ul> <li>2-3 teaspoons olive oil</li> <li>1 large onion, chopped</li> <li>2-3 garlic cloves, chopped</li> <li>2 bunches asparagus, woody ends removed, chopped</li> <li>2 cups vegetable stock</li> <li>2 cups frozen green peas</li> <li>1/2 cup roasted or raw cashews</li> <li>Salt flakes and pepper to taste</li> <li>Fresh herbs such as baby basil leaves to serve</li> </ul> <p><strong>Method </strong></p> <p>1. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat, add oil and stir-fry onion for 1 minute. Stir in garlic, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 2 minutes.</p> <p>2. Add asparagus and stir over heat for 1 minute. Stir in stock, cover and bring to the boil. Cook over low to medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Stir in peas and cashews and return to the boil. Reduce heat and cook until asparagus and peas are just tender and still bright green, 2-3 minutes.</p> <p>3. Blend until smooth, reheat gently and season to taste. Serve with freshly ground pepper and fresh herbs.</p> <p><strong>Tips</strong></p> <ul> <li>For a thinner consistency add a little more vegetable stock when blending.</li> <li>Adding cashew nuts helps provide a lovely creamy texture without needing cream.</li> <li>For this recipe to be gluten free, avoid using stocks, sauces and condiments containing wheat. Take care to check ingredient labels on all products you use.</li> <li>For this recipe to be dairy-free, avoid using prepared and packaged foods containing dairy products. Take care to check ingredient labels on all products you use.</li> </ul> <p><em>Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/green-pea-and-asparagus-soup.aspx">Wyza.com.au.</a></em></p>

Food & Wine

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Creamy carrot and coriander soup with parmesan toasts

<p>Looking for a delicious way to increase your calcium and dairy intake? This indulgent creamy vegetable soup will delight!</p> <p>Recipe and image from the Diary Kitchen</p> <p><strong>Ingredients</strong></p> <ul> <li>1 tablespoon olive oil</li> <li>1 teaspoon ground cumin</li> <li>1 small onion, chopped</li> <li>500g carrots, chopped</li> <li>1 cup vegetable stock</li> <li>1 cup milk</li> <li>2 tablespoons finely chopped coriander</li> <li>1/2 cup natural yoghurt</li> </ul> <p><strong>Parmesan toasts</strong></p> <ul> <li>2 slices sourdough bread</li> <li>1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese</li> <li>1 tablespoon grated cheddar cheese</li> </ul> <p><strong>Method </strong></p> <p>1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan. Add onion and cumin, sauté for 3-5 minutes or until softened.</p> <p>2. Add carrot and stock, cover and bring to the boil. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, or until carrots are tender.</p> <p>3. Remove from heat and process with a stab blender until smooth.</p> <p>4. Return to heat and stir in milk and coriander. Reheat gently until warmed through.</p> <p>5. Serve with a dollop of yoghurt.</p> <p><strong>For Parmesan Toasts</strong></p> <p>1. Grill bread on one side until golden.</p> <p>2. Turn over top with combined cheeses and grill until cheese is bubbly and brown.</p> <p>3. Serve warm with soup.</p> <p><em>Republished with permission of </em><a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/creamy-carrot-and-coriander-soup-with-parmesan-toasts.aspx"><em>Wyza.com.au.</em></a></p>

Food & Wine

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Warm up with chicken noodle soup

<p>This is light, full bodied and fresh – and our take on this classic Asian comfort food.</p> <p><strong>Serves: </strong>4 to 6</p> <p><strong>Ingredients</strong></p> <p>4 large dried shiitake mushrooms</p> <p>250g egg noodles</p> <p>1 tablespoon olive oil </p> <p>1 garlic clove, minced</p> <p>1cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped </p> <p>1 bird’s eye chilli, thinly sliced</p> <p>1 tablespoon light soy sauce</p> <p>1 tablespoon rice wine</p> <p>2 litres (8 cups) chicken stock </p> <p>200g boneless, skinless chicken breast fillet, poached and shredded </p> <p>100g corn kernels (shaved off a cob of corn) </p> <p>4 baby bok choy (pak choy), trimmed, leaves separated </p> <p>2 spring onions, shredded, to garnish</p> <p><strong>Directions</strong></p> <p>1. Soak the mushrooms in warm water for 30 minutes. Drain, discard the stems and thinly slice the caps. Meanwhile, cook the egg noodles following the manufacturer’s instructions. Drain and set aside.</p> <p>2. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based saucepan large enough to hold all the ingredients. Add the mushrooms, garlic, ginger and chilli and sauté over medium heat for 3–4 minutes without colouring.</p> <p>3. Stir in the soy sauce and rice wine, then add the stock and bring to the boil. Add the noodles, chicken, corn and bok choy and return to the boil. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.</p> <p>4. To serve, lift the noodles out first and divide among soup bowls, then top with the soup and remaining ingredients. Garnish with spring onion.</p> <div class="article-body"> <p><em>Image and recipe from </em><a rel="noopener" href="http://t.dgm-au.com/c/185116/69171/1880?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.booktopia.com.au%2Fall-day-cafe-stuart-mckenzie%2Fprod9781743368404.html" target="_blank">All Day Café</a><em><a rel="noopener" href="http://t.dgm-au.com/c/185116/69171/1880?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.booktopia.com.au%2Fall-day-cafe-stuart-mckenzie%2Fprod9781743368404.html" target="_blank"> by Stuart McKenzie</a> (Murdoch Books RRP $39.99). Photography: © Armelle Habib 2017.</em></p> </div> <p><em>Written by Wyza. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/chicken-noodle-soup.aspx">Wyza.com.au.</a></em></p>

Food & Wine

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Spice it up: Indian curried yellow split pea and coconut soup

<p>Korma curry powders are milder than many other Indian spice mixes, so this is a great way to introduce aromatic food to your family. Add less if your loved ones are still getting used to spiciness.</p> <p><strong>Ingredients:</strong></p> <ul> <li>2 tablespoons olive oil</li> <li>2 brown onions, finely diced</li> <li>3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced</li> <li>1 leek, white part only, washed, thinly sliced</li> <li>1 carrot, diced</li> <li>1–3 tablespoons korma curry powder</li> <li>660 g yellow split peas, rinsed</li> <li>2 litres good-quality vegetable stock</li> <li>300 ml coconut milk</li> <li>45 g baby spinach leaves</li> <li>juice of 2 limes, or to taste</li> <li>1 long red chilli, thinly sliced diagonally </li> <li>Greek-style yoghurt and coriander (cilantro) leaves, to serve</li> </ul> <p><strong>Directions:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Heat the olive oil in the insert pan of a slow cooker or a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, leek and carrot and sauté for five to seven minutes, or until tender. Add the curry powder and stir for 30 seconds, or until aromatic.</li> <li>Return the insert pan, if using, to the slow cooker, or transfer the vegetable mixture to the slow cooker. Add the split peas and stock. Cover and cook on high for three and a half hours, or until the split peas are very tender.</li> <li>Stir the coconut milk through. Purée the mixture to a rough consistency, using a stick blender, food processor or blender, leaving some of the soup un-puréed if desired. (You may need to add a little extra coconut milk to reach your desired consistency.) Stir in the spinach and lime juice, to taste. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.</li> <li>Ladle into bowls and serve topped with chilli, yoghurt and coriander.</li> </ol> <p><em>Images and recipes from Slow Cooker Vegetarian by Katy Holder, Murdoch Books. Photography by Alan Benson.</em></p> <p><em>Republished with permission of <span><a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/indian-curried-yellow-split-pea-and-coconut-soup.aspx">Wyza.com.au</a></span>.</em></p>

Food & Wine

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Chilled cucumber and avocado soup

<p>As we get closer to spring, this delicious chilled soup is perfect to cool down on warm days, and healthy to boot!</p> <p><strong>Ingredients:</strong></p> <ul> <li>1 cucumber, peeled and sliced (reserve 6 slices for decoration)</li> <li>2 avocados, peeled and de-stoned</li> <li>2 jalapeno peppers, halved and deseeded</li> <li>4 spring onions, roughly chopped</li> <li>20ml extra virgin olive oil</li> <li>100g natural yoghurt</li> <li>40g crème fraiche</li> <li>200ml chicken or vegetable broth</li> <li>5-10g fresh dill</li> <li>1 lemon, juice only</li> <li>Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper</li> </ul> <p><strong>To serve:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Extra virgin olive oil</li> <li>6 cucumber slices</li> <li>Dill sprigs</li> <li>1 tomato, deseeded and diced</li> <li>Hot sauce, such as cholula</li> </ul> <p><strong>Method:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Put all the ingredients for the coup into a food processor or blender and blitz for about 5 minutes until silky smooth.</li> <li>Scrape any soup from the sides down and blitz for another minute or two.</li> <li>Taste, and add a pinch of salt and some pepper, if you think it needs it.</li> <li>To serve, divide between two bowls and top with a good drizzle of olive oil, the cucumber slices, dill sprigs, tomatoes and a few dashes of hot sauce.</li> </ol> <p>This is an edited extract from <a href="http://t.dgm-au.com/c/185116/69171/1880?u=https://www.booktopia.com.au/pioppi-diet-dr-aseem-malhotra/prod9781405932639.html"><em>The Pioppi Diet  by Dr Aseem Halhotra &amp; Donal O'Neill</em></a>, Penguin Books, RRP $24.99.</p> <p><em>Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/chilled-cucumber-and-avocado-soup.aspx">Wyza.com.au</a>.</em></p>

Food & Wine

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Broccoli and rocket soup

<p>This thick, creamy soup is fresh and full of flavour – perfect for a cool night or a rainy day.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>1 brown onion, roughly chopped</li> <li>1 leek, pale section, roughly chopped</li> <li>2 teaspoons olive oil</li> <li>1 brushed potato, peeled and roughly chopped</li> <li>1 cup rocket, finely chopped</li> <li>2 cloves garlic, crushed</li> <li>½ cup dry white wine</li> <li>1 large head of broccoli, stems included, roughly chopped</li> <li>1 litre vegetable stock</li> <li>Natural yoghurt/sour cream</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <ol> <li>Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Cook the onion, potato, leek and garlic, stirring for five minutes.</li> <li>Add the white wine to the pan and cook for an additional minute. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Simmer and cook for two minutes.  </li> <li>Add the broccoli and rocket to the pot and bring to the boil again. Turn the heat down and allow the soup to simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender. Turn off the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.</li> <li>Add the soup to a blender and blend until smooth (alternatively, use a stick blender to pulse until smooth). Return to the saucepan and heat over a low setting. Season with fresh salt and pepper</li> <li>Serve with crusty toasted bread and a hearty dollop of fresh yoghurt or sour cream.</li> </ol> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/06/asparagus-soup/">If you like this, you’ll love our asparagus soup</a></strong></span></em></p> <p><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/06/clam-chowder/">This New England clam chowder will warm you from the inside out</a></strong></span></em></p> <p><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/06/cauliflower-mash/">As an alternative to potatoes, try our cauliflower mash</a></strong></span></em></p>

Food & Wine

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Apricot and spring onion pork rib soup

<p>Add a splash of hot sauce to your individual bowl of this flavoursome apricot and spring onion pork rib soup to add some extra kick. Grill some garlic bread on the side for dunking.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves:</span></strong> 4</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>2 racks pork ribs</li> <li>1 tablespoon kosher salt</li> <li>1 teaspoon finely ground freshly cracked black pepper</li> <li>100 g unsalted butter</li> <li>2 tablespoons plain (all-purpose) flour</li> <li>3 spring onions (scallions), finely chopped</li> <li>375 ml apricot nectar</li> <li>200 ml beef stock</li> <li>1 teaspoon garlic powder</li> <li>1 teaspoon onion powder</li> <li>1 teaspoon celery powder</li> <li>2 tablespoons hot sauce</li> <li>1 cup bean sprouts, trimmed</li> <li>1 red chilli</li> <li>¼ bunch coriander</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <ol start="1"> <li>Remove the membrane from the underside of the pork ribs and season lightly with salt and pepper. Brown in a frying pan.</li> <li>Melt the butter and mix with the flour.</li> <li>Add all of the ingredients, except the bean sprouts, chilli and coriander, to a pressure cooker and stir well to combine. Add the pork ribs and cook for 45 minutes.</li> <li>Remove the pork ribs from the soup and coarsely pull the pork rib meat from the bones, discarding the bones. Return the pulled pork to the soup and allow to stand for 15-20 minutes before serving.</li> <li>Serve with bean sprouts, finely sliced red chilli and coriander to garnish.</li> </ol> <p><img width="122" height="134" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/44906/ribs-cover_122x134.jpg" alt="Ribs Cover (2)" style="float: right;"/></p> <p><em>This is an extract from </em>Ribs<em>, New Holland Publishers RRP $45.00 available from all good bookstores or online, www.newhollandpublishers.com.</em></p> <p> </p>

Food & Wine

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Chicken ginger udon soup

<p>Noodles, chicken, ginger, greens: you just can't ask for better than this soup. It's quick to prepare and extremely good for you. I love it – and it's an especially good thing to make after a weekend of excess.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves:</span></strong> 2</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>4 green (spring) onions</li> <li>4 cups chicken stock</li> <li>45g ginger, peeled and sliced</li> <li>2 star anise</li> <li>200g chicken breast, skin off</li> <li>1 bunch baby bok choy, washed and leaves separated</li> <li>200g udon noodles</li> <li>1 Tbsp low-salt soy sauce</li> <li>1 cup coriander leaves</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <ol start="1"> <li>Finely slice one of the spring onions on the diagonal and reserve. Coarsely chop remainder.</li> <li>Combine stock, ginger, star anise and coarsely chopped green (spring) onion with two cups of water in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.</li> <li>Add chicken and simmer for eight minutes or until just cooked through.</li> <li>Remove with a slotted spoon and stand to cool. Slice or shred chicken once it's cool enough to handle.</li> <li>Strain broth into a large bowl and discard ginger, star anise and green (spring) onion.</li> <li>Return liquid to the pan, bring to a simmer and add bok choy, noodles and soy sauce.</li> <li>Stir until leaves have wilted and noodles have softened. Add chicken, coriander and reserved spring onion to serve.</li> </ol> <p><em>Written by Michelle Bridges. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>.</em></p>

Food & Wine

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Smoky minestrone soup

<p>The smoked paprika in this soup intensifies the tomato colour and creates a lovely smoky undertone. If you can't find thick-cut pancetta, regular thinly sliced pancetta will create the same flavour. For a vegetarian version, use vegetable stock and omit the pancetta.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves:</span></strong> Six to eight</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>2 tablespoons ghee or olive oil</li> <li>4 x 1cm-thick slices pancetta (about 200g ), cut into chunks</li> <li>2 carrots, cut into roughly 1cm cubes</li> <li>1 red onion, finely chopped</li> <li>2 sticks celery, finely chopped</li> <li>2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika</li> <li>2 teaspoons fennel seed, ground in a mortar and pestle</li> <li>400g (1 bunch) rainbow chard or silverbeet, shredded</li> <li>4 cloves garlic, crushed</li> <li>2 sprigs fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary or sage), leaves chopped finely</li> <li>1 large glass red wine</li> <li>400g can chopped tomatoes</li> <li>1 teaspoon salt</li> <li>400g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed</li> <li>1½ litres (6 cups) chicken bone broth or stock</li> <li>Shaved parmesan to serve (optional)</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <ol> <li>Heat ghee or oil in a large, heavy-based pot and fry the pancetta for 3 minutes. Add carrots, red onion, celery, paprika and ground fennel seed and gently fry for 10 minutes.</li> <li>Add chard, garlic and half the chopped herbs. Stir for a couple of minutes then add wine, tomatoes and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.</li> <li>Add beans and broth. Bring back to the boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.</li> <li>Check seasoning and stir in remaining herbs. Serve topped with shaved parmesan if desired. </li> </ol> <p>Have you ever tried a dish like this?</p> <p><em>Written by Andrew McKenna. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz.</span></strong></a>  </em></p>

Food & Wine

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Can chicken soup really ease a cold?

<p>Chicken soup has long been touted as the perfect dish for cold and flu sufferers – since the <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-chicken-soup-really-cure-body-and-soul-52357" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">second century BC, in fact</span></strong></a> – but does it actually beneficial for health? Or is it just a much-needed comfort for those of us with the sniffles?</p> <p>According to Sydney chef and nutritionist, Teresa Cutter, “there’s nothing better” than a chicken soup made from homemade stock, garlic, ginger and turmeric. “Garlic, ginger and turmeric are all anti-inflammatory and detoxifying,” she explains to <a href="http://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/2016/07/13/can-chicken-soup-really-help-your-cold" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">SBS</span></strong></a>. “They clear out mucus and they’re intensely hydrating.”</p> <p>Funnily enough, <a href="http://time.com/money/4226215/colds-flu-soup-grubhub-zocdoc/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">research</span></strong></a> by US food delivery service GrubHub in 2014 found that as the number of cold- and flu-related doctor’s appointments increased, so did the number of soup orders. “Mentions of having a sore throat, being sick or having the flu are 283 per cent more likely to appear in delivery instructions of orders containing soups than orders without,” they found.</p> <p>As it turns out, there’s some scientific backing to this delicious miracle cure. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/359266" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">A 1978 study</span></strong></a> found that drinking chicken soup was more beneficial for clearing nasal congestion than hot (or cold) water. Two years later, Dr Irwin Ziment found that chicken soup (particularly spiced soup) helped thin out mucous in the lungs. His findings were again backed up in 2000 by <a href="https://www.unmc.edu/news.cfm?match=9973" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stephen Rennard</span></strong></a>, who found that by reducing the mucous in the lungs, chicken broth inhibited the movement of white blood cells, enabling them to concentrate on repairing the upper respiratory tract.</p> <p>So, what’s the best chicken soup recipe to soothe a cold or flu? <a href="https://www.unmc.edu/publicrelations/media/press-kits/chicken-soup/recipe.html" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Here’s the exact recipe</span></strong></a> Stephen Rennard used in his landmark study, but if you want something quick and easy, <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/07/chicken-vegetable-soup/)" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">give our recipe a go</span></strong></a>.</p> <p>Tell us in the comments below, do you believe chicken soup has curative properties? We’d love to see your recipe!</p>

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