Tomlinscote @ Goethe Website

Have a look at the Goethe-Institute website, where Tomlinscote is featured with our lovely cookery demonstration back at the end of October. 

Click on the picture of chef Philip and his captivated year 7 audience to follow the link!

 

Once you're on the page, try out your German, or click on the Union Jack to read the text in English.
Form there, you can also download the chef's delicious recipes for Apfelstrudel and potato salad!

Cultura: ¡A la rica comida española!

Cultura: ¡A la rica comida española! - Comida mediterránea

Jamón serrano, Aceite de Oliva, tomates, pan tumaca... ¡Queso! pan, chorizo, pasta, arroz... ¡Paella! Pollo, chuletas, cordero, cochinillo... Tapas.
Cocido madrileño, albóndigas, lentejas, judías verdes, ensalada... ¡Fabada! Marisco (gambas, mejillones, langostinos, calamares, chopitos, cangrejo, ¡ostras!...). Atún, bacalao, sardinas...
Limón, naranjas, melón, sandía, melocotón, fresas. ¡Uvas! Vino tinto, sidra, cava, limonada; especias, frutos secos, miel, galletas, mazapán, turrón, y más.... ¡y mucho más! :D

Todos estos son productos típicos españoles que comemos en nuestras casas a diario, en bares o restaurantes.

¿Te has preguntado qué comida típica vas a pedir cuando estés en un bar de Andalucía, País Vasco, Extremadura, Canarias, Madrid o Cataluña?... 
O si te invita un amigo/a español a su casa en vacaciones, ¿cómo le vas a decir lo que te gusta comer? 
¿Cómo vas a descubrir platos nuevos si no sabes cómo describir los alimentos en español? (Do you know how to describe food in Spanish?)

¡Echa un vistazo a la GASTRONOMÍA Española!:

¿Sabías que en España tenemos muchos 'dichos gastronómicos' (gastronomic sayings)?

Un ejemplo con las lentejas (lentils): 
"Lentejas, comida de viejas. Si quieres las comes, y si no, ¡las dejas!"

 ¡A comeeeer! (Spanish mums or dads say that phrase aloud just before lunchtime at homes).

La comida española es muy variada y se enriquece con las distintas aportaciones de sus regiones (en España hay 17 Comunidades Autónomas más Ceuta y Melilla). 
Se trata de un estilo de comida entre rural, costero y moderno, que representa la diversidad de muchas culturas en el pasado (como la arábica, cristiana, judía, vikinga, sudamericana...).

Costumbrismo de Madrid. Una celebración con comida familiar en Restaurante de cocina tradicional:

Me pongo como ejemplo para contaros una costumbre en un barrio tranquilo y céntrico de clase media llamado 'Chamberí', en Madrid.

Celebramos el cumpleaños de un abuelo con comida rural. Tradicionales asados de carnes en viejos hornos de leña, la huerta con sus verduras y hortalizas, el olivo, el vino y para terminar el dulce que nos dejaron los árabes, el mazapán (típico en Navidad). 

Podríamos haber ido a un restaurante que recomiendo del viejo Madrid que se llama 'Botín' en la c/ Cuchilleros, 17 (junto a la Plaza Mayor y Cuevas de Luis Candelas).
Se fundó en 1725 y según el Libro GUINNESS (Guinness Book) es el restaurante más antiguo del mundo y uno de los referentes de la cocina castellana. Tiene una bodega comedor del siglo XVI y fama internacional.

Sin embargo, fuimos a otro restaurante, 'El pedrusco de Aldealcorvo', también de cocina tradicional y de calidad. 

Os describo el menú típico que comimos:

-       Presentación y entrantes:
• Aceitunas aderezadas y jamón serrano ibérico.
• Una botella de vino tinto (red wine, grape variety: Tempranillo), DO Arlanza-Burgos.

-       Primeros platos:
• Los judiones de la Granja.

Judías cocidas en puchero de cerámica, de tamaño grande típica de la zona fría de la Granja (próxima a la sierra de Navacerrada) en la provincia de Segovia.
El puchero comienza con lento hervor en agua, sal, los judiones y un hoja de laurel. Pasada la hora se va añadiendo tocino de cerdo, luego el chorizo y la morcilla con pimentón.




 • Sopa castellana

Acompañamiento: ENSALADA de lechuga, tomate, pimiento rojo asado, cebolla y aceitunas.


-       Segundos platos:

• COCHINILLO ASADO en horno de leña.

De interés comparativo. Mientras en China, Grecia, Córcega, por ejemplo, existe una tendencia a macerarlo, adobarlo y rellenarlo con una amplia variedad de hierbas aromáticas y frutos picantes, la receta popular segoviana y castellana es sorprendentemente sencilla y natural, solo emplea agua y sal como ingredientes básicos.


-       Postres:

 • Sorbete de limón al cava y pincelada de frutos del bosque.
Es un batido líquido de zumo de limón, cava y azúcar espesado con nata. Este añadía algunas zarzamoras (blackberry-moras; bramble-zarza), arándanos (blueberry ) y frambuesas (raspberry) en el batido.

Cava: Spanish wine produced in the champenoise traditional method. About 95% of all cava is produced in the Catalonia, the two major producers are Codorníu and Freixenet.

• Flan de queso al caramelo
• Nuestro tradicional ponche Segoviano del Pedrusco.
• Esponja de chocolate templada con borbotones de chocolate.

Licores que el restaurante nos regaló. Si tienes suerte, en España puedes tener algunas tapas o bebidas gratis en los bares o restaurantes.

¡Qué aproveche! (Enjoy the food!) ;)

Ah, algunos de los mejores cocineros del mundo son españoles, ¿os suenan Ferrán Adriá, José Andrés Puerta, Martín Berasategui, Juan Mari y Elena Arzak, Carme Ruscalleda...?

Natalia Ordoñez

Tourists' language skills survey

British holidaymakers seem to rank at the bottom of the class when it comes to conversing in a foreign language: Only 11% said they could speak another language fluently, compared to more than half of the French and Italian tourists. The Spanish are a little less fluent with 43%, while the clear majority of Germans (70%) say they can hold a conversation in another language.

This is the result of a survey of over 6000 European travellers, who were asked by TripAdvisor about their language skills.
The survey has revealed that the vast majority of Brits (94%) do make an effort to learn at least some basic local language. However, almost three quarters of British tourists expect those they meet to speak English.

Country	Speak another language fluently	Speak only the basics of another language	Do not speak a word of any other language
Germany	70%	29%	1%
Italy	51%	46%	3%
France	50%	42%	8%
Spain	43%	51%	6%
UK	11%	67%	22%

While two thirds of Brits claim they can at least speak the basics of another language, almost one quarter (22%) admits they do not speak a single word of another language. Worringly, 19% of British travellers also expect public signs in another country to be displayed in English as well as in the local language.  

TripAdvisor spokesperson, Emma Shaw, comments like this: “It’s easy to blame our poor grasp of other languages on the fact that English is so universally spoken, but expecting all signs to be in English reveals just how presumptuous some of us have become when travelling. However, it’s good to see that while we might expect locals to speak English, most of us at least attempt to learn the basic pleasantries before we go on holiday.”

Luckily, at Tomlinscote we buck the trend and make everyone learn a foreign language, with all intentions to make them fluent and able to hold a conversation. If you succeed, you certainly will stand out when looking for a career! And you will be able to explain to your fellow travellers what those signs mean, which strangely are all in Spanish...

for more info go to:
http://tripadvisoruk.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/que-three-quarters-of-brits-expect.html?m=1

St. Martin's Day and Lanterns 2012

The 11th of November is St. Martinstag (Saint Martin's Day).

In Germany, children go around the neighbourhood in the evening, ring on doorbells and sing songs. In return, they get rewarded with sweets. (Much nicer than scaring and threatening people like on Halloween!)

This is to celebrate St Martin, a kind knight who was made a saint. One story goes like this: On a cold winter day, Martin was riding on his horse, when he encountered a beggar dressed in rags and freezing cold. Feeling pity, Martin took his sword to his own warm winter coat, cut it in half and gave one half to the beggar. To commemorate this, people also share a baked sweet on St Martin's day.

Another traditions for this day (and the whole of November) is Laternegehen, or to walk in lantern processions. In all German towns you can see children and their parents walking with lanterns, singing songs and lighting up the dark cold winter evenings. Often there are proper processions with brass bands and sometimes they end with a bonfire and hot chocolate.

In many German schools, classes make their own lanterns. So that's what pupils at Ravenscote (one of our feeder primary schools) did this week in their German lessons.

to find out more information about St. Martin's Day, some instructions to make lanterns and links for a song, follow this link:
http://www.ukgermanconnection.org/kids-stmartins-day

Call Me Maybe - in German!!

Alexi Bexi has gained huge popularity on youtube by singing pop hits in German.
Here's Call Me Maybe by Carly Jae Jepsen:


If you want to sing along:
Hey, ich traf dich gerade
und das ist irre
hier ist meine Nummer
also, ruf doch mal durch!

Angry Olympics: Weird Language Learning Videos

Do you like languages? Want to learn some grammar features or practise your language skills? Fancy something completely different? Like a wacky sense of humour? Check out a language you haven't learned yet?
Here are some MFL videos for you which are truly educational and truly weird. Pick your language and have a look. If you like them, there are plenty more on youtube to choose from, just search Angry Olympics and your language.....

PS they might take a while to load but are definitely worth the wait!

Here's one on the comparative and superlative in Spanish:



Here is the same video in French:


Or if you're learning German, watch this:


Here is another video in French on time expressions:

Another odd German video with two trees talking about their leisure activities (!)

And finally, a Spanish one on directions (I loved learning left and right, although it's VERY silly):
 
Have fun with it!

Student of the Month

Our Student of the month for October has been nominated by Ms Yamanouchi, our Japanese teacher:
Eloise Warren in 8P has stood out
 for constantly achieving the highest grade in her class across the tests, for having full attendance and being enthusiastic in class. 

Well done!

Fantastic French Work

Have a look at these leaflets produced by students in Year 9:  

They invented theme parks and created leaflets to advertise them! 
Aren't they fantastic?

We proudly present 'Aqua Cascade' by Katie Yeung:

And here is 'Paradis Parc' by Emma Paizes:

Magnifique!

Merci to Madame Tsang for passing them on to us!