PUFF-PUFF

What if the world paid attention before it was too late?

What if we start to fight injustice and raise awareness of social issues using the arts? What about taking arts back from pure commoditisation to their political and social purposes?
These are the questions and aims of the Artivist Collective, an American born group of concerned global citizens which combines visual arts and activism in the belief that the arts can change the world. It may sound overwhelming or the dream of a bunch of old-fashioned hippies, but it is a real project, which has taken concrete forms like the Artivist Film Festival.

Showcased in London at the Shawn Theatre, the festival was an international occasion to raise public awareness of human and animal rights and ecological issues and it truly represents an invaluable chance to watch independent films, meet socially conscious artists, have your say and shed some light on the hottest issues of our contemporary world.
Since its first iteration in 2004, the festival has travelled all around the world, representing over 45 countries, reaching and connecting millions of people.

RICOTTA AND HAZELNUT CAKE

Ricotta is a typical Italian dairy product, produced in different Italian areas, from North to South.
Literally it means "recooked", it is as white as snow and the taste quite sweet with a nubby texture makes it ideal in dessert preparation or with fruits like bananas or berries. I eat it with everything really, from chocolate to tomatoes or spinach or just on its own on bread. Generally fairly low in calories, you can eat it without any concern as it is light and healthy. It is cheap and very easy to find in England too. Check in your local Italian delicatessen, or in any supermarket. Even my local “Cost-cutter” has it.

TIRAMISU'

Oh yes, it is that time of the year. Like it or not, it’s Christmas and it would be nice to spend it at home with your beloved persons and with homemade Christmas deli.
Leave the crowds wonder around in the packed city centres and super uber malls and indulge yourself in slow cooking and a glass of red wine. Instead of the usual gifts, why not opt for winter treats like fair-trade honey or homemade fairy cakes dressed up in a lovely box.
Make everything ready, check the cupboard, do the food shopping and enjoy yourself.
The following one is my suggestion for the Christmas dessert. It is not a traditional English pudding, but it has many pros: it is very quick, it is creamy tasty, you can make it the night before and it never lets you down. It has just a con: it is outrageously fattening.
But after all summer is still far away…

BIRTHDAY CAKE

Whatever you do, it is passion that makes the difference. This is the birthday cake for my sweetheart and hey, for a special person a special cake! I could not just buy one, love is priceless and (this is an old grandma advice) to hold a man tight be a good lover in bed and a great cooker in the kitchen. If she says that, after 40 years of happy marriage, well I believe it.

3 medium eggs
100g of sugar
80g of butter
150g of plain flour
Half a glass of milk
Half a teaspoon of vanilla essence
Crashed pinenuts
2 teaspoons of baking powder

Preheat the oven to 180C. Beat the yolks with sugar, mix with flour, baking powder, vanilla and milk. In a separate bowl beat the egg white until fluffy and gently incorporate to the rest. At the end add the baking powder. Bake at 180C for about 30 minutes, until a wooden pick inserted in centre comes out clean.

Autumn Apple Pie

Back to big city life. Summer holidays are already a sweet memory of juicy fruits and fresh red tomatoes ripen in the Mediterranean sun in my grandpa’s garden. Winter is approaching, I can feel the nipping breeze blowing from the northern lands. An apple pie is the ideal treat for these gloomy days in between summer and cold season. Apple pie is easy to make and cheap but it is great in taste. It is necessary just some apples and half an hour to spare. Add some spices, honey and pine nuts to give it an original twist…just like in love affairs, the special ingredient in the kitchen is fantasy. The scent of hot apple baking in the oven warms up also the coldest day.

3 juicy apples
200 gr. plain flour
150 gr. sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoon of baking powder
100 gr. of butter
200 ml. milk
A pinch of salt
2 teaspoons of honey
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
Some crushed pine nuts

Preheat the oven to 180 C.Mix eggs and sugar together, making a soft yellow cream.
Sift the flour and all the other ingredients together until obtaining a soft mixture. Finally incorporate the crumbled apples. Spoon the mixture into a cake tin and bake for 35 minutes

Chocolate and banana muffins

Monday afternoon. It is pouring out there and the sky seems like a concrete wall, grey and impenetrable. I do feel so down when the weather is bad but wondering around still with slippers and pyjama doesn’t help. I call on Eleni, she lives not far from me somewhere in North London. This recipe comes from our girlish afternoon, spent making banana muffins and listening to Calypso music. A bit of sugar and Harry Belafonte are the ingredients not to die of boredom in a miserable autumn day in London.
So tasty and easy to make that it is not necessary to be a pastry chef to do it. Eat them warm with a cup of tea. Delicious! Day-oh, day-oh!

250 g plain flour
75 g porridge oats
3 eggs
175 g caster sugar
250 ml oil
A pinch of salt
2 bananas
Dark chocolate buttons


Preheat the oven to 180 C.
Sift the flour, oats and baking powder together. In a separate bowl beat the eggs, sugar, oil and salt together until pale and fluffy.
Fold this mixture, bananas and chocolate buttons into the flour
Spoon the mixture into muffin tins and bake for 15/20 minutes