Readers answer other readers’ questions on subjects ranging from trivial flights of fancy to profound scientific concepts
The Duke of Wellington in command at the Battle of Waterloo.
Never mind the first world war and D-day, how will we commemorate the bicentenary of the battle of Waterloo (18 June 2015)? Presumably we join with the Germans (Prussians), but should we invite the French?
Sala Montjuïc, Barcelona
The Sala Montjuïc is an open-air cinema festival that takes place each summer in the gardens of Barcelona’s Montjuïc Castle. There’s a mix of classics and new films. Last year I saw Blancanieves, the silent film version of Snow White, backed by a live band. You can get a ticket for €13.50 that includes an organic burger and chips, although there are plenty of people who bring hampers full of beer and snacks.
You can use either russets or Yukon gold for this dish. The russets are trickier to keep from overcooking, the Yukons hold their shape easier. If you end up overcooking the potatoes, you can mash them for pepperjack mashed potatoes.
Significado: troncharse, partirse (de risa).
George Washinton by Rembrandt
“If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.”
George Washington
You can make this zesty pie in advance and keep it in the fridge until ready to serve.
Kraftwerk play the Positivus festival in Latvia in July.
18-20 July
Situated on the Gulf of Riga, Positivius has a whimsical feel and an impressive line up: this year Elbow, Kraftwerk and Anna Calvi are some of the names on the list. Away from the main three stages there is a local arts and crafts market, a cinema tent, circus perfomances, modern dance, theatre and art. It’s not the slickest festival out there but that’s actually something of a bonus as the idyllic setting would be a little at odds with anything sharper.
The hottest days of the summer season
Vernazza, one of the five stunning coastal towns in the Cinque Terre national park, Luguria, north-east Italy.
In the late afternoon, the small, medieval town of Vernazza, on the Italian Riviera, is as perfect as Italy gets. With the daytrippers gone, the scene is impeccable, a Hollywood filmset, rolling every gorgeous, romantic Italian cliche into one. Up in the hills, winegrowers tend to their vines. In the piazza, flat-capped farmers, swept into corners by the last rays of sun, gather to talk and smoke. Pizza cooks over a wood fire in a restaurant. The town florist bursts into spontaneous operatic song. A couple kiss on a street corner. It’s so romantic, so iconically Italian, that it’s surreal.
Ingredients:
Pastry for 2 crusts (recipe below)
8 cups sliced, peeled assorted baking apples – about 3 lbs. (Granny Smith, Cortland, Jonathan)*
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
A sign warns motorists near Orlando, Florida, of the possibility of bear crossings. Both the bear and human populations are increasing in the state.
Pom Pom Island, Malaysia … ‘The feeling of wading into glass-like waters and finding oneself among giant green turtles has to be experienced’.