Island Life Magazine Ltd October/November 2014 | Page 99

FOOD

A little bit of France...

A

t midnight on the third
Thursday of November every
year - this year November
20 - over one million cases of
Beaujolais Nouveau begin a journey
through France to Paris for shipment
around the world. Fortunately
for the Isle of Wight, The
Spyglass Inn teams up
with Island-based wine
specialists EuroVines
to bring 10 cases back
to Ventnor, ensuring
Islanders don't miss
out.
For 25 years The
Spyglass has combined
this Gallic treat with a full and
very English breakfast, making it an
annual event not to be missed. 'The
Beaujolais Run', as it was known,
reached its peak of popularity back
in the 1980s, but the Island can
always be relied on to keep a good

tradition going strong.
The atmosphere in 'La Spyglass'
is decidedly Francais on the day,
with the rare sight of Tricolours
flying from the proudly British
pub, French accordion music
and even the option
to indulge in a
little bit French
dress. There’s a
generous prize
for the best
dressed guest.
Booking is
essential and
there's usually
a waiting list. The
cost is just £18.50 per
person and includes your
full English breakfast (vegetarian
option) and your own bottle of
Beaujolais Nouveau. Call (01983)
855338 to reserve your table.

Fruit in season: My darling clementine

A

s the Christmas season draws
closer, many people are beginning
to turn their attention to planning
a few festive treats and traditions, and
clementines invariably crop up on the list.
Clementines not only provide ash
excellent source of vitamin C, they are fat
free, cholesterol free and sodium free.
The natural antioxidants in fruits such
as clementines will help keep your body
working at its best, so consuming a diet
that meets your daily recommended
amount of fruits and vegetables is one of
the best ways to give your body a strong
defence against disease.
According to some sources the
clementine was an accidental hybrid
of a mandarin tree said to have been
discovered by Father Clement Rodier of
Misserghin, Algeria, in the early 1900s,
and was so named in 1902. However,
there are claims it originated in China
much earlier than that.
For many years clementines were an
integral part of a youngster’s Christmas
morning stocking, because in true

Dickensian fashion, you could only afford
fresh fruit like that as a treat at Christmas.
That tradition is still carried out in some
households to this day.
Clementines can be separated into seven
to 14 segments. They tend to be very easy
to peel, like a tangerine, but are almost
always seedless when grown commercially.
For this reason they are sometimes known
as seedless tangerines. They are typically
juicy and sweet, with less acid than
oranges.
With their deep orange colour and
glossy sheen, clementines aren’t
exactly the kind of fruit you’d
expect to be in season at this
time of year. Yet from now to
January, clementines are at
their finest, leaving some
calling them ‘Christmas
Oranges’. Although they
prefer warmer climates
such as Morocco, Spain
and the south of Bosnia and
Herzegovina, clementines
have been available in Europe

for many years. Many local farm shops
will therefore be making a rare exception
and exporting them in from hotter
environments.
It is also worth noting that the clementine
is not always easy to distinguish from
varieties of mandarin oranges. As such,
it should not be confused with similar
fruit such as the satsuma or honey sweet
orange,
or other popular
varieties.

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