MASTERCHEF
He flicked through the cookbooks , marvelling at the pictures . The terminology was a whole new lexicon , and he revelled in the sounds : Bouquet Garni ; Soffrito ; simmer ; coddle ; broil .
“ Don ’ t worry , love . I ’ ll make dinner ,” he said .
Proud of his new skill , he considered what he could pull together from the store-cupboard ingredients they had . Possibilities rolled through his imagination .
He put the ingredients on the side , placed his tools in an orderly fashion and began . His wife would no doubt have used a wooden spoon , he chuckled to himself , shaking his head – he found a plastic spatula more effective as it didn ’ t destroy soft ingredients as he stirred .
Heat low , but not too low , he set to work . He was using salted butter – supposedly worse for you than margarine , but worth it , as seasoning was key . He grated Double Gloucester ; nuttier than Cheddar , he found . As the sourdough bread grilled , he added haricot beans and a pinch of pepper for good measure . Eventually he layered each element carefully on the plate . Finished with a sprig of Flat Leafed Parsley . Presentation was important .
It was a simple dish , but flavoursome . “ Beans on toast is ready ,” he called up the stairs , proudly .
Dreena Collins
TIME OF MY LIFE
Boring . Boring . Boring . Bored of board games . Cardboard . Cupboard . Boardroom . Keyboard . Surfboard . … Skateboard .
That ’ s it … skateboard ! They ’ re always banging on at me about learning new stuff , why not give it a go ? Show ‘ em what you can do ?
Finding it in the garage wasn ’ t easy . A million years ’ worth of useless and outgrown toys were stacked in a long forgotten dusty corner . Found it by pulling the rusty wheels out from behind a box of dismembered Barbies ; it looked ok . Fairly steady I ’ d say . How hard can it be eh ?
It took some doing I can tell you . A full week . Every day , practice , practice , practice . On the weekend I was ready , I ’ ll show ‘ em , making their crafty plans for me . They were all there ; in the living room gormlessly glued to their latest gadgets .
It was all worth it . Never before have I seen such panic and horror in their eyes as I smoothly skated past the window up and down .
‘ Grandad , what the hell are you doing ?!’ Staying out of a home that ’ s what .
Carol Tyrer
AYIANA PANNETTER
Level 3 Extended Diploma Art & Design
Although the College was unexpectedly closed for months , this did not mean that learning simply stopped . New and novel ways were developed to engage with our students and to ensure that their education continued ; lessons moved online and projects were still completed . For Ayiana the lockdown period proved to be one of reflection and inspiration . With the various restrictions in place , her art became a way to express herself . She soon embarked upon her own project inspired by facemasks .
Following an essential trip to
Glasgow , and after experiencing the far tighter restrictions in place there , Ayiana began to reflect on the erosion of identity caused by the use of facemasks . She developed a very real sense that in many places people were ‘ no longer people , they were numbers instead ’.
Interactions in St Helier had changed , they were awkward , distant and at times faceless . Ayiana began to take note of where face coverings could be commonly observed pre- COVID , and her project evolved into one that explored people ’ s perceptions of face coverings and those who wear them .
Ayiana ’ s project is still a work in progress but is testament to the fact that inspiration is all around us .
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