大象传媒

Labour has appointed a new minister with the specific task of preventing violence against women and girls. Seema Malhotra, the Feltham and Heston MP, will work on issues of trafficking, female genital mutilation and prostitution, sexual violence and forced marriage.听 But with scandals such as the sexual exploitation of young women and girls in Rotherham, and a history of cuts to women鈥檚 services, what changes can she hope to make? She鈥檚 joined by the Director of the umbrella group 鈥楨nd Violence Against Women鈥�, Holly Dustin, to discuss what needs to be done.听

The President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, has made 鈥渞epeated requests鈥� to governments to put forward female candidates for the top jobs at the Commission, saying it would be 鈥渘either legitimate nor credible鈥� without more women, and they would have 鈥渁 very good chance鈥� of leading roles. Appointments are to be made in Brussels this weekend, yet despite this, David Cameron and other governments have failed to act and have nominated men 鈥� risking Britain鈥檚 chances of securing a key role. So why is it so important 鈥� and proving so difficult 鈥� to get more female candidates for these influential posts? Political journalist Anne McElvoy of the Economist joins Jenni to discuss.

It was 鈥楾ipping the Velvet鈥�, 听an adventure based around Victorian Music Hall life, with a lesbian love story at the centre , which got Sarah Waters talked about as one of the most talented writers of her generation. Since then her novels have been nominated for a clutch of awards (she鈥檚 been up for the Man Booker and the Orange Prize).听 Her new novel The Paying Guests is set amid the unrest of London after the First World War and tackles the social upheaval created by an immerging 鈥渃lerk class鈥�.听 Jenni finds out what the intense love affair at the heart of the book tells us about a rapidly modernising society.听

The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters is published by Virago on Thursday 28th August

Why are there so few women conducting professional orchestras? There are four women conductors at the Proms this year; yet more than eighty Proms are being conducted by men. Some male conductors have been less than encouraging about women taking up the baton, with one saying that "a cute girl on a podium means that musicians think about other things", and another that women lack the physical strength to conduct. Sian Edwards is one of the four women conducting at this year鈥檚 Proms. Her career goes back more than thirty years; it took off when she won the Leeds International conducting competition in 1984. She鈥檚 also Head of Conducting at the Royal Academy of Music. Jenni speaks to her about why so few women seem to be attracted to conducting and how to get more women wielding the baton.

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Sian will be conducting at the Cadogan Hall this coming Saturday the 30th August at 3pm as part of the 大象传媒 Proms (A Portrait of Sir Peter Maxwell Davies).

The Glyndebourne Festival celebrates its 80th birthday this year.听 Since its beginnings in 1934 its aim has been to present world class opera in the summer setting of the beautiful Sussex countryside.听 A lot has changed since the early days - the operas themselves now take place in a purpose built auditorium seating 1,200 people听 but the tradition of combining a night of music with an afternoon of feasting has remained and the Glyndebourne picnic is still a gold standard for outdoor eating.听 Some patrons bring their own delicacies but many rely on the in-house caterers who will provide a sumptuous spread to enjoy听before the opera and in the extended half time break.听 In our series in search of the perfect picnic we sent a very lucky Catherine Carr down to Sussex to听 meet Paul, the hospitality manager听and his team as they prepare听 the ultimate evening picnic.

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Glyndebourne Potato, Leek & Cepe Frittata

200 grams red potatoes

120 grams leek

100 grams cepe mushrooms

5 eggs

Pinch of table salt

20 grams parsley

20 grams chive

100 grams feta cheese

80 grams watercress

40 grams peas

100 grams pea shoots

40 grams soya beans

10 grams butter

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Method

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脴听 Peel and boil the potatoes. When cooked, allow to cool and then slice

脴听 Wash and dry the herbs and then finely chop

脴听 Thoroughly wash and thinly slice the leeks. Cook the leeks in butter without colour and drain

脴听 Slice and cook the cepe mushrooms

脴听 Whisk the eggs and add the seasoning

脴听 Combine all of the vegetables in an oven proof dish and coat with the beaten eggs

脴听 Cook in the oven on 145掳C until cooked i.e. not runny in the centre. This can be served either hot or chilled

脴听 Wash and dry watercress and pea shoots. Place on a serving platter and crumble feta cheese over the top and serve as an accompaniment to the frittata.

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Glyndebourne听 Beetroot听 Tabbouleh

160 grams bulgur wheat

100 grams cooked beetroot

40 grams parsley

40 grams dill

40 grams mint

60 ml extra virgin olive oil

Good pinch of salt

200 grams rindless goats鈥� cheese

4 figs

60 grams castor sugar

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Method

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脴听 Place the bulgur wheat in a plastic container and rinse under cold water for 2 minutes, leave in a sieve to drain

脴听 Wash and chop herbs

脴听 Peel and grate the cooked beetroot and mix with the bulgur wheat, herbs, oil and seasoning

脴听 Place the goats鈥� cheese in a bowl and cream by hand

脴听 Cut figs into quarters,听 sprinkle with sugar and glaze with a blow torch or under a hot grill

脴听 Mould the bulgur mix using a pastry cutter or similar

脴听 Quenelle the creamed cheese and place on top of the bulgur

脴听 Decorate with glazed figs

脴听 Care must be taken not to prepare the dish too far in advance as the beetroot will 鈥榖leed鈥� into the cheese