#CookForSyria is the international movement that set out to both showcase and preserve Syrian culture, while raising funds to help Unicef in its work protecting Syrian children and families. Much of this was achieved through themed supper clubs that gained worldwide traction and interaction, and the well-received #CookForSyria cookbook.
The second instalment of this global charity campaign started last year and is known as #BakeForSyria. As well as street-party-style bake sales and pop-up events, this includes a cookbook, too.
The #BakeForSyria Recipe Book is a one-off collection of desserts and bakes influenced by the country and its surrounding area. It features recipes contributed by Syrian families and refugees, alongside dishes from high-profile chefs, bakers and bakeries. All proceeds from the book’s sales go towards Unicef’s appeal for the children of Syria via Unicef Next Generation London.
Best-for: Keen bakers who enjoy whipping up everything from cookies, cakes and desserts to savoury tarts and pies.
Must-try recipes: Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh's tahini brownies; boreka with labneh and pomegranate jam by Bill Granger; and Melissa Hemsley's gluten-free fig, feta and almond tart.
Recipe: Melissa Hemsley’s fig, feta and almond tart from ‘#BakeForSyria’
Fig, feta and almond tart
“This fig, feta and almond tart is one of my favourite new dishes to make and share,” writes Hemsley. “I love it served warm with a big, tangy lemony pile of dressed green leaves or eaten the next day as a snack. Because of the almond pastry case, it’s also naturally gluten-free. ”
Ingredients
For the pastry case
375g ground almonds 2 tsp sea salt ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 30g butter, at room temp 2 medium eggs
For the filling
1 tbsp butter 1 large (red) onion, finely sliced 2 fat garlic cloves, finely diced 5 eggs 250ml almond milk or regular milk 100g cherry tomatoes, halved 1 large handful fresh parsley 1 tsp dried thyme or oregano 1 tsp sumac Sea salt & black pepper, to taste 125g feta 4 medium figs, halved
Method
Mix the pastry ingredients by hand to form a dough and then roll into a 3mm-thick disc between two sheets of baking parchment. Line a 24cm-diameter dish or tin with the almond pastry, trimming away excess. Line the case with greaseproof paper, fill with baking beans and chill in the fridge for 20 mins.
Preheat oven to 180°C. Put the tart case in the oven for 10 minutes, then remove the baking beans and paper, and cook further until slightly browned. Set aside and reduce the oven temperature to 170°C.
Fry the onion in the butter for 12 to 15 minutes until caramelised. Add the garlic for the final few minutes.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and almond milk, add the onion and most of the crumbled feta before seasoning with salt and pepper, thyme and sumac.
Pour the egg mixture into the tart case. Top with the halved cherry tomatoes and halved figs (cut side up), and push them down slightly. Crumble over the remaining feta and a sprinkling of parsley, and cook for 35 minutes until golden brown on top and just set in the middle. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving.
In addition to the Emirates and Etihad programmes, there is the Air Miles Middle East card, which offers members the ability to choose any airline, has no black-out dates and no restrictions on seat availability. Air Miles is linked up to HSBC credit cards and can also be earned through retail partners such as Spinneys, Sharaf DG and The Toy Store.
An Emirates Dubai-London round-trip ticket costs 180,000 miles on the Air Miles website. But customers earn these ‘miles’ at a much faster rate than airline miles. Adidas offers two air miles per Dh1 spent. Air Miles has partnerships with websites as well, so booking.com and agoda.com offer three miles per Dh1 spent.
“If you use your HSBC credit card when shopping at our partners, you are able to earn Air Miles twice which will mean you can get that flight reward faster and for less spend,” says Paul Lacey, the managing director for Europe, Middle East and India for Aimia, which owns and operates Air Miles Middle East.
Favourite Emirati dish: I have so many because it has a lot of herbs and vegetables. Harees (oats with chicken) is one of them
Favourite place to go to: Dubai Mall because it has lots of sports shops.
Her motivation: My performance because I know that whatever I do, if I put the effort in, I’ll get results
During her free time: I like to drink coffee - a latte no sugar and no flavours. I do not like cold drinks
Pet peeve: That with every meal they give you a fries and Pepsi. That is so unhealthy
Advice to anyone who wants to be an ironman: Go for the goal. If you are consistent, you will get there. With the first one, it might not be what they want but they should start and just do it
Chennai Knights, Lahore Sikandars, Pakhtoon Blasters, Abu Dhabi Stars, Abu Dhabi Dragons, Pakhtoon Warriors and Hyderabad Nawabs.
Squad rules
All teams consist of 15-player squads that include those contracted in the diamond (3), platinum (2) and gold (2) categories, plus eight free to sign team members.
Tournament rules
The matches are of 25 over-a-side with an 8-over power play in which only two fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle. Teams play in a single round robin league followed by the semi-finals and final. The league toppers will feature in the semi-final eliminator.
French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
New Zealand police began closer scrutiny of social media and online communities after the attacks on two mosques in March, the country's top officer said.
The killing of 51 people in Christchurch and wounding of more than 40 others shocked the world. Brenton Tarrant, a suspected white supremacist, was accused of the killings. His trial is ongoing and he denies the charges.
Mike Bush, commissioner of New Zealand Police, said officers looked closely at how they monitored social media in the wake of the tragedy to see if lessons could be learned.
“We decided that it was fit for purpose but we need to deepen it in terms of community relationships, extending them not only with the traditional community but the virtual one as well," he told The National.
"We want to get ahead of attacks like we suffered in New Zealand so we have to challenge ourselves to be better."
