The Blue Rock-thrush, known locally as Merill, is Malta’s iconic national bird, frequently seen gracing the rugged cliffs and valley walls of the Maltese Islands. Standing approximately 20cm tall, these striking birds are easily identified: males boast a vibrant blue body with dark wings, while females present a subtle mottled grey-brown. You’ll probably first notice...
A short walk across Comino is enough to realise that its vegetation feels markedly different from that of Malta and Gozo. This is not just an impression: Comino’s flora is genuinely distinct. Because the island has remained sparsely inhabited, many of its natural habitats survive in an almost pristine state, largely free from the invasive...
If you’ve been following our work recently, you may know that we have a simple but ambitious mission: to make sustainable food the norm in Malta. Food choices are not just personal choices. They are shaped by our food environments: what is affordable, what is promoted, what our friends eat, and what is offered to...
With the arrival of a new year, Friends of the Earth Malta (FoEM) renews its commitment to working tirelessly for a better environment and a sustainable future for both people and the planet. As the NGO reflects on the achievements of the past year, it also celebrates a significant milestone.
As the year draws to a close, so does Friends of the Earth Malta’s (FoEM) celebration of the 40th anniversary since its founding as Żgħażagħ Għall-Ambjent. The NGO is humbled to have reached this milestone and deeply grateful for the journey thus far.
Risotto is a plate from Northern Italy in which the rice is slowly cooked until it becomes creamy. In this version, it is served with a creamy pumpkin sauce. Ideal for the cold days of autumn!
Wild Rocket is an abundant wild plant from the cruciferous family of vegetables—which includes cabbage, broccoli, kohlrabi, mustard, and rucola. It closely resembles rucola in appearance and taste, with a similar peppery flavour.
Every day, millions of tiny plastic pellets known as nurdles spill into the environment. These small, lentil-sized beads, typically about 2–5 millimetres in diameter and often round or oval in shape, are the raw material for most plastic products, from bottles to packaging, and they’re causing a quiet but serious environmental crisis. In Malta, as across the world, they wash up on our beaches, pollute the sea, and harm marine life.
Seasonal ingredient: peaches! Peaches in Malta are prized for their flavor, especially flat peach varieties. The taste is markedly richer due to Malta’s sun-drenched climate and quick-to-market handling. One visitor compared the experience of tasting them to “a party in my mouth,” praising their superior sweetness and tenderness compared to peaches from other regions.
Today's harvested ingredient: purslane! Purslane is one of the few wild greens that remain vibrant and edible throughout the hot summer drought, when most other greens have withered. It’s often mistaken for a weed, but it's one of the most nutritious wild plants around, rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and perfect for summer cooking.
