In December 2011 Paula Acton visited Warwick Castle, here are her words and pictures on this incredible historic site that dates back to 914AD. Simply astounding...
Horses Armour on display in the Great Hall it is fascinating to see the work that has been put into the animals protection is of the same quality as that of it’s rider. The armour was not just for battle purposes but a sign of the wealth of its owner very much like todays car the horse was not only a means of transport but also a status symbol.
I hadn’t realized, before watching this film, that the history of New York City could be so intimately tied to the history of oysters in the harbor. From the earliest settlers to the some of the first free blacks, they oyster industry was an undercurrent through it all. Of particular interest in the film was the work for the New York Harbor School, a public school in New York City whose whole curriculum focuses on “water job skills and environmental stewardship by utilizing New York City’s waterways”.
Following the film there was tasting and shucking session with Island Creek Oysters. They brought in a couple different oysters to demonstrate the different tastes. In an early Q&A session with the film maker, the audience was encouraged to think of oysters as grapes and wine. Basically all the same, it matters most where you grow them in regards to their taste. The oystermen told us much the same thing, saying the oysters tasted like the waters of the area they grow in – so much so, that just by swimming in those waters you would be reminded of the oysters.
They also spoke of the phases of taste of an oyster, from the initial brine taste to the sweeter tastes that come next. Rest assured I will be visiting their Kendall Square location ASAP to eat more of their Island Creek Oysters, which were delicious.
Working with Neil on the Shakespeare’s Restless World programmes as series curator, I usually felt I had a pretty good idea of the focus and trajectory of each episode as it reached broadcast point.
