And looks like it tastes simply delicious too! Maltese bread at its best.

We came across this insight into an artisan bakery in Valletta with protagonist Nenu kneading the dough. One of those cameos of Malta life to be nostalgic about especially if you’re Maltese and living overseas I would think. A ‘no comment’ needed video.

Where to Find ‘Nenu’: it’s part of the Maypole group of bakeries. For its location in Valletta, click here.

That does have its pros of course – firstly, the seafronts are almost deserted during the peak lunchtime hours on Christmas day. So you can enjoy a walk with great views and gulps of sea air while others feast. Your health will be all the better for it, having broken the rule of gluttony on the 25th.

But you may ask:”Isn’t Christmas day in Malta just a bit miserable when the islanders are all inside feasting with friends?” Here’s some reassurance that there is life still for people here as tourists on Christmas holiday.

Are things closed?
Christmas Day, 25th, is the only official public holiday day, along with New Year’s Day. The 26th, called Boxing Day in the UK, is not a public holiday in Malta.

A lot of cafes in major towns, resorts and the cities – Sliema, St Julian’s, Valletta, Mdina, Bugibba, Qawra and Gozo resorts – Marsalforn, Xlendi and so on – will be open. Of course, you’d need to book ahead at restaurants, many of which will be open, if you were intending to eat out on Christmas day. But you won’t be far from a light snack, hot chocolate (it can be cold on those seafront walks) and cappuccino. Hotel cafes will be open should you not find a quainter, trendier or more traditional one open on the high streets or promenades.

Shops will be closed (apart from the enterprising traders who predict that someone will be missing a Christmas present). So some stationers may be open, but it’s the only day in the year newspapers don’t print. Cafes doubling as confectioners or bakeries will be busy as guests buy delicacies to take to their Christmas day hosts. International chains of fast food restaurants will also be open.

What’s the weather like at Christmas?
Obviously it’s a lot warmer than in Northern Europe and even more so this year as northern neighbours endure the big freeze. December daytime temperatures can be a pleasant 16-22 or more if you’re in a sheltered sunny spot. Nights are chill, and wind can swirl around. It can be damp as it’s a maritime climate, but the real cold starts in January-February. Come with layers, and be prepared for stormy periods. See our hints here.

What can I do?
First, check out our What’s On guide for up-to-date info on events (New Year’s parties, exhibitions, clubbing and more).

If you’re wandering the streets, you can find plenty to amuse yourself looking at the various household Christmas decorations! From the traditional door wreaths to the entire plastic Santa village I once saw. The Christmas lights from dusk in Republic Street, Valletta, are magical. Crib viewing is a main Maltese occupation, so join the throngs. You’ll see cribs – Presepji – in all styles from the kitsch and mechnically-operated to the lovingly crafted and historic. Window shutters open to offer a peep of householders’ crib displays, while other residents turn their whole garage into a crib for public viewing. There are several crib displays – Auberge d’Italie, Valletta is one regular, but for sheer exuberance, visit the Bethlehem at Ghajnsielem, Gozo. A word you’ll need to know is’ Pasturi’, which means ‘crib figurines’. There’s a real art and craft to making them that’s carried on in Malta today.

Christmas Shopping hours
Valletta has late-night shopping until 9.00pm in the run-up to Christmas. Sliema shops stay open late too. Bay Street complex in St Julian’s is open until 10pm. Expect to join thick crowds ambling down Valletta’s main drag, Republic Street. It’s a ritual – shopping, supping a coffee, munching a cake, and enjoying the lights. Linger when the shops close and have a relaxed supper at one of the city’s many restaurants in historic piazzas and buildings. Wine bars tempt too!

What’s Happy Christmas in Maltese?
‘Merry Christmas’ in Maltese is ‘Il-Milied it-Tajjeb!’

Christmas Eve & Christmas Day masses
The cathedrals, as well as all parish churches, have their midnight mass on Christmas Eve. The usual parish midnight mass includes the tradition, dating back to 1883, of an altar boy (or girl these days) preaching the sermon, in Maltese, which is on this occasion called ‘Il-Priedka Tat-Tifel’. It will take the child a good few weeks to learn it all by heart! Another traditional sight worth catching, again in many parishes on Christmas Day morning, is the Procession of Baby Jesus. Children from the locality dress up as biblical figures, accompanied by a band.

What is a Maltese Christmas Day lunch?
Today, the same as the traditional British one – turkey with trimmings, Christmas pudding, mince pies or some Sicilian-style desserts from a fine confectioner. The Maltese love the Italian Christmas cake, Panettone, which is dry sponge with either a little candied peel and dried fruit, or chocolate filled. Hotels will offer the traditional lunch, usually as a buffet.

Does public transport run over Christmas?
In previous years, buses have run every day as usual in the Christmas period. But with the change to Arriva as the service provider, we’re not too sure what the timetable will be.  Check the Arriva website nearer the holiday days themselves. Our guess is it will be a public holiday-Sunday service.   Gozo Channel Ferry operates on Christmas Day, with a slightly reduced service.

Are museums open?
Yes, with business as usual apart from on Christmas Day itself. For state museum and sites’ opening hours, see Heritage Malta.

Photo: Leslie Vella 

Joseph is part of the production team from grove to press and onward to Malta. He enjoys seeing the oil he helps produce and bring to Malta enjoyed and shared, perhaps chatted about by a few in the know. The Umbrian olive oil is pressed in time-honoured tradition from tree to bottle in under two days, then packaged exquisitely and imported to Malta in three weeks flat.

It represents a small-volume, specialist product with a niche brand; a true connoisseur’s oil.  It’s peppery to the taste buds; an oil that is part of a dish, not a mere vehicle to cook or dress it in. It’s perfect savoured simply; all you need is a crusty Maltese loaf to accompany it. For how to buy, see article end.

The Story

Joseph and his wife Elsie are frequent visitors to Terni in southern Umbria, a city within striking distance of Rome just 80 km south. In fact, the Roman town of Carsulae whose ruins lie near the olive groves was the last stop of Roman legions returning home. Here, they’d encamp and make ready for a final triumphant march into the capital.  Another stop on the tourist trail nearby is the walled town of San Gemini, famed for its mineral water.

The reason for Joseph’s trips to Italy’s most rural and land-locked region is to liaise with an Italian lab that produces the prosthetics for his dental patients. Over the years, Italian business partners become friends and his trips extended to sightseeing then stumbling across and getting involved with La Poiana, a old farm with an incredible heritage in olive oil.

La Poiana (the buzzard) – the oil’s brand name – is a rambling farm in need of restoration, but Joseph’s Umbrian friends saw the potential of its abandoned olive groves.  Joseph too was drawn to the challenge of restoring the land, replanting where trees had died in the famed killer frosts of Italian winters past.  He became part of their mission to bring back into production some of Italy’s most prized olive growing land.

“I have a passion for wine, but knew that I would never have the time from my career to gain the know-how to start a winery,” Joseph says, explaining how he got in to helping out in the olive business. “Olive growing complements my love of wines and is something I can indulge in learning about.” he explains.

La Poiana Estate 

La Poiana comes from a region renowned for some of the finest oils. In fact, all Umbrian olive production has D.O.P (Denominazione di Origine Protetta) which means the oil is strictly quality controlled and from the region granted the D.O.P. status. La Poiana’s groves are also farmed with organic methods. The estate bottles several single olive oil varieties for the gift and connoisseur market. These are the ‘Laudemio’ oils. In the Middle Ages, Laudemio referred to that part of the crop reserved for the lord, or for the owner of the land and so were always the highest-quality portion of what was harvested. The remainder is sold as a superior blend.

Production is limited with the 400 trees yielding around 600 litres. “At the most, there will only be 550 trees so La Poiana will always be a rare find; a true connoisseur produce,” Joseph says.  The oil in its unusual presentation bottles makes a perfect gift and festive hamper choice. For how to buy, see below.

Olive Oil Varieties 

Three olive varieties, typical of Umbria and Tuscany are grown at La Poiana: Frantoio and Moraiolo are considered strong in taste, while Leccino is usually classified as a mild olive variety

Frantoio: The oil is usually described as fruity (green banana), green, herbaceous (grass and green tea) and pungent – it goes very well on grilled steak, lobster and crab, vegetables like Brussels sprouts and artichoke, pasta, tomatoes and Brousse cheese

Moraiolo: This oil can be described as fruity, green, mildly pungent and quite fruity Its flavour stands out on cooked vegetables and complements fishand pork very well

Leccino: This oil is delicate, mildly fruity, spicy and sweet evoking hints of artichoke, sweet almonds and wild thistle.  It is recommended for dressing salads and meat carpaccios as well as for preparing desserts

How to Buy

La Poiana oils are superb to gift, particularly this time of year at Christmas.  La Poiana is offering Malta Insideout site users a special price of 1 Euro off the recommended RPP for each oil and the blend:

Special Prices:

Single oils, 250ml cube:  Euro 13
Single oils, 500ml cube: Euro 19

Email oliolapoiana@gmail.com to purchase and for delivery information.

The White Sheep website says it’s ‘a hub for good food lovers’. It’s easy to see why. The space itself, on a ‘can’t-miss-it’ corner of Rue d’Argens in Gzira, is a world apart from most experiences of food shopping in Malta. Inside, you’ll come face to face with a stylish, tempting and delectable display of artisan-produced foods, fresh daily on the deli or packed with perfection in the dried and preserved range. No run-of-the-mill supermarket fare here; just produce drawn from some of Europe’s finest, small-scale, mostly family-run producers who are often award winners.

The White Sheep was founded just over two years back by sibblings Tania Attard and Sarah Borg. They left other careers to join forces to pursue an inborn love of quality foods that take some research and tracking down. And they’ve certainly found their niche. The White Sheep has gained an appreciative, die-hard clientele and band of cafe’ regulars. They’ll nip in for an espresso and lunch as well as to stock up on healthy items from the deli for daily needs (The White Sheep specialises in natural preservative and additive-free goods). The store has a vast range of specialty oils, exquisite biscuits, connoisseur as well as homely preserves, fine and exotic teas and choice blends of coffees, plus a whole lot more. The founding duo’s ethos is that good food should be enjoyed on a regular basis; judging by the walk-in trade each day, it’s clear a lot of us agree.

The White Sheep has developed an impressive selection of fresh charcuterie and farmhouse cheeses (none factory-produced) available nowhere else on the Islands. So, if you’re looking for some memories of a meal under the Italy’s Tuscan sun, head here for lardo, guanciale, pancetta and porchetta, and delicately-seasoned salame, bresaola and prosciutti crudi. The meats are from ripe-age pig and cow breeds typical of the region, such as the native cinta senese, the cinghiale and the toro chianino, which forage in the forest for acorn and wild mushrooms. “We also carry the finest prosciutto from San Daniele in the Friuli-Venezia region, award-winning, British wild boar and game salame, as well as acorn-fed Iberian and Serrano jamon, and chorizo,” Sarah adds.

For the non-meat inclined, don’t miss the specialty olives, award-winning cheeses and other fresh delights. A deli counter to be experienced and linger over indeed and true to The White Sheep’s tagline: ‘Good honest food, everyday’.

Offer to Malta Insideout users, 21-26 Nov, 2011

The White Sheep is offering Malta Insideout subscribers a 5% discount on all the store’s range excluding wines and cafe orders. The offer runs for one week, 21-26 November, 2011. To take up the offer, simply “Like” The White Sheep Facebook page and quote “MIO Sheep” offer in the store. There are some seriously interesting products coming along now ready for the festive season, so think ahead and make the most of this offer now.

For all its seasonal allure, the pumpkin is actually on offer all year round in Malta, and pretty much a staple, fail-safe vegetable season in, season out. True, it lends itself better to autumn-winter fare (soups, added to stews, and so on) but it’s just as available in peak summer in 40°C. It’s also everywhere; if you’re out and about in the countryside, you’re bound to come across roofs and walls with pumpkins lined up, picturesquely ripening in the sun.

The beauty of the pumpkin, despite being a rather bland veg, is that it’s cheap. Right now, it’s a snip at the price at 70c/kilo, which is a fraction of one I saw on sale in the UK last autumn. The Maltese actually eat pumpkin a lot, so it’s not sold at a premium lantern-making price – yet.

So, what is it turned into here? Well, Qargha (Maltese for not only pumpkin, but gourd and marrow as well) is a basic veg, so it dominates the medley that goes into Minestra (minestone), which is a regular, traditional lunchtime filler for many families. Pumpkin comes in both white (qargha torka) and orange (qargha hamra) fleshed varieties and adds bulk, and colour to stew (stuffat tal-Qargha Hamra). Occasionally, it’s made into pies, and among cognoscenti of celebrity chefs from beyond these shores, it’s turned into a mean risotto.

The small, rural locality of Manikata, in the North-West of Malta, holds an Annual Pumpkin Fair. It could be the place to work out what to do with pumpkin beyond making soup! The event, which starts at 10.30, Sunday 30 October, 2011, is run by the Manikata Farmers Cooperative; see their website for full details. The fair should prove an authentically seasonal outing for the kids this coming half term!

Among that latter group is French couple Stephanie and Stephan Samson, who have three children and who’ve just opened their own brand in food retail: The Donut Factory, in St Paul’s Bay, offering sweet donuts, savoury bagels, other light snacks and drinks.

This first in our series looking at expat-preneurs, as we’ve labelled them, ask what issues they faced, how easy it was and what advice they can give to other expats starting out in Malta, particularly in their sector of food and retail.

End day one and every one sold! Co-founders, Stephanie & Stephan Samson (far left), partner Georges Samaha (far right) & Master Chef Maurice Chaplais (centre).

Q. When expats start businesses, they often fall into defined categories – property, retail, tourism & hospitality and so on; areas they see a need that’s lacking locally or one they think serves fellow expats.   How did you decide on which business type to set up in Malta? 

My husband and I have always wanted to set up our own business. As we’re both real foodies, we were often speaking about places in Malta to go have a nice snack or bite.  One day, with close friends, that discussion went further as we started to imagine together what place we would want to create in Malta, offering real indulgence, both in terms of the food and the atmosphere. That conversation turned into a business plan, and we partnered with our friends to turn this idea into reality – it became “The Donut Factory”.

Q. Do you have previous experience in catering and/or retail?  Would it be necessary you think for people starting out in the food sector here? 

Our partners already run a highly successful retail operation abroad, and that experience was extremely handy to get things started. My own background is in sales and marketing, specifically in textile. I have gained a lot of experience in business development in many different European countries. None of us however had any experience in catering, and so very early on we looked for and appointed a highly-experienced bakery consultant. From finding the right location to developing the interior design, from branding to sales strategy, we always tried to identify experienced partners that could really add value and fill our knowledge gap in this industry.  We were extremely lucky to have a fantastic team around us.

Q. Your business is an independent, but did you look at franchise options first – perhaps as a less risky or less stressful business type to set up? 

Yes, the Donut Factory is a pure start-up and a totally independent brand, not affiliated in any way to any international business. In the very first stage of investigation, we spoke to a few interesting brands. It was immediately clear that the small Maltese market was quite a hard sell. We feel they are missing a great opportunity though! We considered both options from the start but quickly decided to go with our own brand, taking into account the high investment of a franchise and the fact that the international brands were often unknown to the Maltese. Creating our own brand made more sense financially and in terms of potential business development abroad.

Q. Malta has a lot of snack and short-service outlets; wasn’t it risky to enter a saturated market?

As in any market, a clear differentiation is essential for success. At The Donut Factory we focus on exceptional and unique products, that have no equivalent today in Malta. We support our products through a very specific philosophy: we call ourselves bakers of happiness. Happiness not only through a really friendly and smiley service, but also because we do products which we really love and are proud of. In that sense, The Donut Factory is not a snack bar or short-service outlets – we have built a brand with a strong identity and fabulous products, a unique experience which does not exist today in Malta.

Q. What about finding suitable premises? I’ve heard finding property at the right price can be a big issue.

It certainly was not easy to find a place which combined all our requirements: large enough to cater for a full-blown bakery and a coffee shop, with an open kitchen visible to all clients. But perseverance always pays, and we think our location in St Paul’s Bay offers many advantages and very strong visibility.

Q. What were the greatest challenges you faced in set up here – staff, legal, tax?

We didn’t have any experience in the catering sector, nor of course setting up a company in Malta. So there was a steep learning curve, and the journey was and is full of adventure. We found the Maltese extremely helpful and positive about our project.

Q. What advice would you give others thinking about moving to Malta and starting out in catering? 

We definitely believe that Malta is a fantastic place to live in and start a business. However I do think that you need to learn about and get to love the Maltese way of life before creating your own business on the Island.

Malta offers a lot of advantages (fiscal, regulatory…) in a number of sectors such as finance, i-gaming and insurance; it’s however not the case in catering.  We spoke to Malta enterprise but there were no relevant schemes for our activities.  So there is no specific reason to come to Malta to start such a business. In our case, we had been here three years before we took the decision to start The Donut Factory in Malta.

Where to Find Them:

The Donut Factory
“Chapelle Court” , Mosta Road
St Paul’s Bay, SBP3111
Mob 99 26 08 30
facebook.com/thedonutfactory
Google map

Heads I lose, tails I lose!

It’s Lampuki season. I can hear her shout. It’s barely light, just 6am or so but the fish hawker’s cries drift into my bedroom from the village square.   A couple of weeks ago, the Lampuki were small, perhaps too young to be caught and served up on her mobile trolley cum freezer on wheels.  Now, the fish are weightier, longer and glisten with silvery freshness. Firm, clear eyed, they look as alive as they no doubt were a few hours ago.

The Lampuka, also known locally as the dolphin fish (it’s the dorado or mahi mahi to other cultures), is a seasonal catch.  It migrates past Malta at this time of year and is found for sale from around mid to late August to November.  Traditional fishing methods which some say date from Roman times are used to fish Lampuki. Out on the open ocean, fishermen use a floating raft of woven palm fronds and wait for the Lampuki to gather underneath in the shelter and shade.  Then, they circle the shoal with nets and gather them in.   The technique is called Kannizzati.

The eating of the Lampuka is almost a rite of autumn.  Their arrival signals the seasons changing. With the glut of Lampuki, it’s traditional to eat a lot of it right now but we also freeze portions in slices (not fillets, but slices!).  Its round meatiness means you just chop through the body and store in thick bits like fish burgers.

So what can you do with the fish? 

There’s Lampuki Pie and Lampuki simply shallow-fried in slices. Obligatory potatoes (they sometimes appear in the pie anyway), spinach, capers, mint and olive oil and perhaps the fried fish is lightly floured or breaded. Contemporary Mediterranean-styled restaurants in Malta are putting traditional dishes on their menus, so Lampuki isn’t relegated to the pure Maltese cuisine establishments.  The place it’s being celebrated at its best though is in homes, and at its simplest.

We found a good old Lampuki Pie recipe in a yellowed copy of a cookery booklet called ‘Cooking the Maltese Way’ compiled by Marie Vella and published in 1967 by Cordina’s Emporium General Stores, Valletta.  It’s a recipe that stands the test of time as it’s Lampuki Pie just as it always was.  We can’t but agree more with Marie Vella in the preface when she says: “Most of us, now-a-days, follow the continental way of cooking, but many, especially foreigners, do like a native dish…”.

PS. We’d love to put the recipe up here. We’re trying to find out who has the copyright to the booklet. Anyone know?

Photos: courtesy of Timmy Gambin.  See more of his stunning photos here. 

But in a couple of weeks, Zejtun, a village in Malta’s South, celebrates the start of the olive harvest in its now annual Zejt iz-Zejtun festival held this year on 24th – 25th September.  The event is about the humble but precious olive in all its glory from oil to olive breads and is a window on the industry in times past in Malta.

Zejtun has delved into its history to pull out pedigree origins to stake its claim to hold  the olive festival:  it takes its name from the Sicilian Arabic for “olive”- zaytun  and Zejtun’s etymology also stems from similarly sounding words for oil in Spanish and Portuguese, “aceituna” and “azeituna” respectively.  Zebbug means olive in Maltese, but the town of that name wasn’t first to bag the olive festival it seems.

I am always fascinated by the revival of interest in the olive oil industry in Malta, which dates back to Roman times. Especially as the islands today aren’t exactly thick with olive groves.  A large olive grinding stone was found near Burmarrad at San Pawl Milqi on the site of a largish agricultural settlement with villa.  Apparently, four agricultural villas dating from Roman times and showing evidence of olive oil pressing have been discovered on the islands. You can see the San Pawl Milqi stone in the courtyard of the Mdina Cathedral Museum.

There’s been an olive planting programme taking shape though: roadsides are home to a number of olive reforestation schemes, mainly because the trees make an attractive evergreen vista.  But there is another initiative that’s seeing Malta revive a truly ancient type of olive that can trace its roots to those Roman trees. Some 1,000-year-old olives in Malta’s north have provided the grafts to recreate that Ur-alt native olive which, it’s being proven, has some unique antibacterial properties.  Farmers have been keen to plant and harvest it. So the tide is turning and Malta is aiming to be a producer of a niche oil of exceptional quality and with some interesting properties.

Tapenade

Health benefits aside, my simple favourite pleasure in olives lies in Tapenade, a king of dips.  Tapenade is the Catalan and Provencal name for the gutsy paste made with capers, anchovies and black olives crushed up with a twist of lemon and olive oil.  No need for a recipe for this one, just rough measures:

• three handfuls of pitted olives (buy whole and pit them yourself for a better taste – painstaking but worth it)
• half a handful of capers (rinsed from salt or brine)
• as many jar anchovies strips as you fancy

Then whiz all these up in a food processor (or crush by hand in a large mortar) and add a squeeze of lemon juice and glugs of olive oil while whizzing until the Tapenade takes shape into a firm paste.  Top with some chopped parsley. Add chopped fresh chili if you like it hot.  Grab some Maltese Galletti crackers and set off on the black olive serenade!  Drink water all night if you put in lots of anchovies!

Want to see and taste Malta’s olives? 

Zejtun Olive Harvest Festival - more details here

ta’ Zeppi – a working olive farm in Fawwara, near Siggiewi, that produces its own organic oil and runs tours and tastings by appointment. Details here

Wardija Olive Oil: Sammy Cremona is the man credited with reviving Malta’s ancient olive root stock, a type of olive unique to Malta, with the help of EU, government, and private sector funding. His own olive farm in Wardija offers tours, tastings and a typical Maltese farmers lunch. By appointment only and usually for small groups. His wife Matty is a well-known local cookery expert. Call Sammy Cremona on: +356 79582294. See more about Sammy and the project here.

Merille Eco Tours - This is a niche, eco-tourism company that offers highly informative and off-the-beaten track eco tours including olive oil production and tasting and other itineraries including Maltese delicacy tastings. Details of the Olive tour here.  It caters to small groups and individuals.  Until 30 October, Merille is offering Malta InsideOut site users a 20% discount on its Maltese delicacy tasting tour. See Special Offers for details.

Photo: header courtesy Avlyxz

The new Maltese cool: watermelon ice just the number for sultry August days

We’ll let the pictures do the talking!  So just a line or two today…

The humble watermelon: bountiful, beautiful and bursting with the right kind of vitamins and oh so sweet! Malta grows them by lorry loads and you’ll drive barely a kilometer on the islands without passing a couple of roadside stalls heaped with them.   For a few tips about picking the ripest from the heap, click here.  You need to give them a good tap – a hollow echo indicates they’re ripe. Cheap and cheerful, whack them in the fridge and cut a hunk when thirst pangs start.

But if you want something a little more special and tempting, yet almost as effortless, try this watermelon yoghurt ice recipe from local food blogger The Desperate Kitchen Goddess, aka Susan Attard.  Just four ingredients, a food processor or blender, a freezer and you’re done.  As the DKG says, ‘what’s not too like’?   Watermelon ice, the perfect antidote to Malta’s hot, humid August days.

Desperate Kitchen Goddess has a lot of inspiring recipes using Malta’s produce.

Photos: Main and centre: Susan Attard. Other photos, see Watermelon cubes & Watermelon inside.

Valletta is becoming more lively in the evenings in the past year or so. Visitors linger to dine and locals from elsewhere come for arts events and decamp to wine bars after. There’s still a way to go before Valletta has an evening vibe like most European capitals. So it’s little surprise that the Malta Arts Festival opens this year with an attempt to get us active in Valletta: the Strada Wine & food festival that takes place along South Street and Strait Street 1, 2 & 3 July from 19.00.

It’s a popular dairy date: this year sees the 6th Festival Strada, one of the most sought-after events of the arts festival and a summer precursor in a way to October’s Notte Bianca. Strada is known for its relaxed atmosphere which encourages us to sup and sip as we stroll along enjoying open-air music and visual arts. When Strada is over, we need to think of more reasons to go to Valletta in the evening; that would be the real legacy of Strada, which is another of those annual one-off events.

Entrance is free. More information, see Malta Arts Festival.

Photo: by Rene Rossignaud courtesy of Malta Council for Culture & the Arts.