Conservation Cuisine

LIONFISH, one of the most destructive invasive fish species ever to reach the #Caribbean, are wreaking irreparable damage on coral reefs by eating practically everything they come across. And they eat a lot: A lionfish's stomach can expand up to 30 times its normal size.

It has become of particular concern to environmentalists who lament the fact that lionfish, with no natural predators in the Caribbean, continue to grow at an alarming rate, with scientists fearing the invasive species may never be entirely eradicated from the region's seas.

But, a high-end resort company in St. Lucia is doing its bit by including the fish as part of its famed cuisine.

Karolin Troubetzkoy, executive director of Jade Mountain and its sister resort Anse Chastanet, together with her culinary team, have launched a "conservation cuisine" initiative preparing the lionfish as a delicacy.

"It is not much of a stretch," declared Troubetzkoy. "Lionfish is a white flaky, but firm, fish with a flavor between grouper and mahi mahi."

To ensure diners get to try as many takes on the fish as possible, Troubetzkoy said, "we are serving a multi-course dégustation menu with paired New World wines, in which we showcase the quality and taste of this very unique fish."

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Picture Credit: A Lionfish meal compliments of the culinary team at Jade Mountain and Anse Chastanet resorts.

Gothenburg launches its first indoor street food market

WITH a constantly changing line up of different stalls, the new Lindholmen Street Food Market in #Gothenburg is a food lovers’ paradise. 

Many of the top restaurants from Gothenburg and further afield are popping up at the market, alongside local breweries, coffee sellers and bakers. All the stalls offer tapas style small portions for around SEK 50 (£4.50), allowing market-goers to try several dishes. 

The market is open on Saturday afternoons from 12pm – 6pm (excluding 17 June to 26 August when it is closed for the summer). 

www.facebook.com/lindholmenstreetfoodmarket

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Game, Set and Match

AS all eyes turn to the 140th instalment of #Wimbledon for the world’s best loved tennis tournament, Spabreaks.com has put together its pick of Britain’s very best spa resorts and packages for tennis enthusiasts. Whether you’re a wannabe Murray or more of a Cliff Richard, get yourself in shape with a break at one of these great spa hotels.

Best for serious players: Stoke Park, Buckinghamshire
The location for the annual ‘oh-so-British’ pre-Wimbledon Boodles tennis tournament, Stoke Park offers three indoor carpet courts, four clay courts and six Wimbledon specification grass courts – not to mention an award-winning luxury spa.

Best for fair weather players: Chewton Glen, New Forest, HampshireWith two indoor and two outdoor tennis courts, Chewton Glen is the perfect place to practice your volleys regardless of the changeable summer weather! 

Best for health enthusiasts: Champneys Tring, HertfordshireA bastion of health since it opened in 1925, Champneys Tring offers numerous spa treatments from the traditional to the innovative, as well as health facilities including two floodlit outdoor tennis courts.

Best for ladies who lunch: Crowne Plaza Resort Colchester Five Lakes, Essex
Deep in the Essex countryside, Five Lakes offers eight outdoor tennis courts, as well as badminton, squash, table tennis and a spa area with sauna and steam room – plus a relaxation room with three four-poster beds in which to doze or catch up with friends.

Best for groups: Carden Park Hotel, Cheshire
Set on a one thousand acre estate, complete with its own onsite vineyard, at Carden Park tennis is just one of the seemingly unending supply of great activities. The spa features a sauna, steam room, hydrotherapy pool, ‘chatty’ relaxation room and tepidarium beds, and other facilities include a full-size football pitch, golf course and mountain biking trails.

www.spabreaks.com

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Travelodge targets business travellers

BUDGET hotel chain Travelodge has announced it will be targeting cost-conscious business travellers looking for bargain alternatives to their trips to foreign countries.

The announcement came after the chain reported a £5 million rise in annual revenue in 2016, as revenue rose year-on-year by almost seven per cent to almost £600 million.

There are currently a total of 543 Travelodge hotels offering 40,847 rooms across the world. A total of 19 of these were new hotels that opened last year and a further 15 hotels are expected to open in 2017, with this number expected to rise to as many as 25 new hotels by the end of next year.

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Keep safe in Vermont this Summer

TO help Vermonters and visitors enjoy themselves at the beach and on the water this summer, health officials are encouraging people to learn how to watch for and avoid cyanobacteria - also known as blue-green algae.

Warmer weather creates ideal conditions for cyanobacteria to grow in Lake Champlain and elsewhere. In large numbers, these tiny microorganisms can form blooms on the water's surface and wash up along shorelines. Blooms are usually green or blue-green, and can make the water look like pea soup or spilled paint, but can be other colors too. Cyanobacteria blooms are a public health concern because they sometimes produce toxins harmful to humans and animals.

The #Vermont Department of Health says the best way to protect yourself from cyanobacteria is to know what they look like, and to stay out of the water when you think you see a bloom.

To help people know what to watch for, the department has created a video available at healthvermont.gov/cyanobacteria.

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Picture Credit: WickedVT  22591167@N08/2877543146 Burlington Boathouse via photopin.

Light up your life

EACH fall, two festivals turn #Berlin into a sparkling metropolis. Brandenburg Gate, the TV Tower, and other icons will shine in the brightest colours.

Berlin leuchtet: various locations, 29 September - 15 October 2017, berlin-leuchtet.com

Festival of Lights: various location, 6 - 15 October 2017, festival-of-lights.de

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Travelling with sports equipment can be costly

SPORTS-mad Brits, inspired by high-profile competitions including the Tour de France, the Olympics or the golf majors, need to read airlines’ small print before heading off to tackle one of the world’s iconic sporting challenges according to Cheapflights, the global flight search and travel deals website. Failing to do so could see them incurring hundreds of pounds’ worth of extra costs.

It doesn’t pay to be spontaneous about taking sports equipment on holiday. Most airlines charge an extra £10 each way for items that haven’t been pre-booked. Equally, it is best to be decisive about which item to take when flying with easyJet, as the airline only allows one piece of sporting equipment per passenger.

Phil Bloomfield, Global Head of Communications at Cheapflights says: “Each airline has its own rules about how sports equipment must be packed to travel, and it pays to check these well in advance and be prepared. For example, Jet2.com asks cyclists to remove bike pedals, deflate the tyres and wrap bicycles in stiff cardboard; whereas Monarch demands that pedals should be padded but tyres can remain inflated. British Airways, meanwhile, asks that bikes are carried in a recognised protective bike bag. We urge travellers to research the varying regulations on airlines’ official websites and, if in doubt, double check over the phone. Most importantly, make sure that you have insurance for these items. Taking them onboard a flight is at your own risk and any damage can not only be very costly, but also ruin your holiday.”

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