Garden hacks | Make a colander hanging basket

An old colander can be turned into a nifty hanging home for dry-loving plants

YOU WILL NEED: 
Water-permeable liner
Scissors
Old metal or plastic colander
Strong ropes or chains
Hooks strong enough to hold a container of plants and water (try your garden centre) – one per hanging basket
Compost
Water-retaining crystals
Slow-release fertiliser
Plants such as Mediterranean herbs, ivy or succulents

1 Cut the liner so it fits in the colander and attach your rope or chains.
2 Screw your hook into whatever you’re hanging the colander from. 
3 Mix your compost with the water-retaining crystals and fertiliser.
4 Put a little compost in the bottom of the colander, before arranging your plants. Fill in the gaps around the roots of the plants with more compost.
5 Hang the colander from the hook – water it well, once it’s up.

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Recipe | Picnic Pies

These mini pork and apple pies are portable pockets for flavour, just right for a bank holiday picnic

Picnic Pies

Serves 6
220g pork loin, diced
110g pork belly, diced
3 rashers back bacon, diced
30g chicken livers
1 small onion, minced
1 tbsp chopped fresh sage leaves
1 small garlic clove, peeled and crushed
Pinch of ground mace or nutmeg
1 red apple, peeled, cored and diced

for the pie crust
310g plain flour, plus extra to dust
11⁄2 tsp salt
50g vegetable shortening (such as Trex) 

for the glaze
1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tbsp milk

you will need
1 jam jar (approx 7cm diameter)
Kitchen twine
6 strips of wax paper, about 30x8cm each

1 Preheat oven to 190C/Fan 170C/375F. Put the pork loin, pork belly, bacon and chicken livers in a food processor and blitz to mince. Transfer to a bowl. Mix in onion, sage, garlic and mace, and season to taste.
2 To make the pie crust, sift flour and salt in
a bowl. Put the shortening and 120ml water into a saucepan and heat gently until the fat melts and the water comes to a boil. Pour the
liquid into the flour and, using a wooden spoon, gently bring together into a soft dough. Once the dough is cool enough to handle, knead lightly until smooth.
3 Divide dough into eight pieces and roll six of them into 12cm disks. Invert them, one at a time over an upturned jam jar. Wrap a strip of wax paper around the outside, and tie round the middle with twine (as above).
4 Turn the whole thing over so the dough sits flat. Carefully work the jar up out of the pie crust (you may need to slip a palette knife down between dough and jar). Divide pork filling into six portions and put one portion in each pie. Put the diced apple on top.
5 Roll out the last two pieces of dough and, with a cookie cutter, cut three disks from each piece the same size as the tops of the pies. Put a disk on each pie, press edges to seal, then turn edges in and over to form a rim. 6 Brush the pies with egg-milk glaze. Pierce each top with a fork to let the steam escape. On a large baking sheet, bake for 45–50 mins, or until golden. Remove from the oven, transfer to a wire rack to cool, and serve cold.

Recipe by Louise Pickford from Traditional Pub Grub (Ryland Peters & Small)

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Competition | WIN! A year’s supply of award-winning meat boxes from Pipers Farm

From the green hills and red soils of Devon, Pipers Farm produces slow-grown, 100% pasture-fed meat. And the farm is offering readers the chance to win a meat box every month for a year, including native Red Ruby beef, Saddleback pork, properly free-range chicken, Suffolk lamb and gluten-free sausages and burgers.

Pipers Farm believes in producing food in harmony with nature, encouraging a diverse ecosystem to inhabit the farm alongside the livestock. So fields remain small, with 400-year-old hedgerows marking their boundaries. And Pipers Farm has championed other small family farms who are raising native breeds in a traditional way.

With a commitment not only to high animal welfare but also to creating a truly delicious product, Pipers Farm has received high praise from foodies such as Jamie Oliver (being featured on Chicken Out and Jamie Saves Our Bacon) and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, and was named as one of Rick Stein’s ‘food heroes’.

WINNING DINNERS

The farm is also one of the most decorated food producers in the country, having scooped a multitude of awards, including numerous Great Taste gold awards for its range of delicious meat.

Choose from boxes including The Big Breakfast, Student Survival , BBQ, Wellness or Offally Good – they even do a Doggy Bag box for your pet.

pipersfarm.com 

How to enter

Enter below by 14 July 2017. You can find full terms and conditions on page 129 of June's The Simple Things and at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules. The prize comprises a meat box delivered to your door once a month for 12 months, packed with seasonal cuts, to arrive on a day arranged with the winner. Each box is Pipers Farm’s ‘box of the month’ and is worth £30. 

Enter Now

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Wisdom | Cloudspotting with the Cloud Appreciation Society

Big-sky fan Gavin Pretor-Pinney may be encouraging us all to have our heads in the clouds but there is real purpose behind his passion. Known as ‘the cloud guy’, Gavin founded the Cloud Appreciation Society 12 years ago on a whim, and it has now grown to over 43,000 members in 110 countries. Along with the app, his books – The Cloudspotter’s Guide and The Cloud Collector’s Handbook (plus another on wave watching) – have earned him widespread praise, and he is the go-to expert on the topic for journalists. Today alone, he has already spoken to the BBC and Al Jazeera, responding to news about new types of cloud being added to the International Cloud Atlas.

Watch his TED talk here or turn to page 32 of June's The Simple Things for more of our chat with Gavin.

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Listen: Hopes, Dreams & Wishes playlist

Songs to trigger your imagination and let you ponder...

Listen to our Hopes, Dreams & Wishes playlist now


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Recipe: Rhubarb & sweet cicely shrub with Aperol

With fragrant leaves and flavour-bomb seeds, sweet cicely is as tasty as it is easy to grow. On page 45 of May’s The Simple Things, Lia Leendertz proves sweet cicely’s worth in delicious salads, puds and aperitifs

A shrub is an old method of preserving fruit by boiling it with vinegar and sugar, creating a sharp concentrated syrup that is hugely refreshing topped up with soda water, or used in a cocktail, as here. Rhubarb and sweet cicely are natural friends, the sweet cicely bringing out the fruit’s sweetness.

Rhubarb & sweet cicely shrub with Aperol

To make the shrub:
Makes about 500ml
250ml white wine vinegar
200g granulated sugar
1kg rhubarb, chopped into pieces
A handful of sweet cicely leaves, roughly chopped

1 Put the vinegar and the sugar into a large saucepan and heat gently, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. 
2 Add the rhubarb and simmer until the fruit has disintegrated and the liquid is pink. Remove from the heat, add the sweet cicely leaves, and stir. 
3 Allow to cool and then strain the mixture through a muslin into a sterilised jar.

To make the Aperol cocktail:
Rhubarb and sweet cicely shrub
Aperol
Soda water

Put a couple of ice cubes into a tall glass. Fill a third of the glass with the rhubarb and sweet cicely shrub and the next third with Aperol, then top up with soda water.

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Escape: Get walking

May is National Walking Month and the charity Living Streets is urging us to walk for 20 minutes a day as part of its Try20 campaign. 

If you need motivation, try one of these:

• Borrow a dog
  If you love dogs but don’t own one, sign up to borrowmydoggy.com to make contact with dog owners in your area who need a hand with walking.
   
• Track your walks
  Use an app such as Map My Walk, a Fitbit fitness tracker or a pedometer to keep track of your distance and feel your motivation soar.
   
• Do it for charity
  The app Charity Miles donates money from corporate sponsors to your chosen charity for every mile you walk.
   
• Make it a mindfulness exercise
  Walking is a great way to integrate mindfulness into your day. Instead of walking on autopilot with your legs moving and your mind elsewhere, observe what’s around you and the sensations in your body. Use the regular rhythm of your walk to keep your mind from wandering off and notice how much calmer and clearer-headed you feel afterwards.
  livingstreets.org.uk

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Escape: A very British safari

An out of Africa experience can be had closer to home, if you know where to look. Find exotic and native wildlife on your doorstep (or near enough) on page 64 of May’s The Simple Things. Or read on for our picks of safari glamping and armchair safaris.

Dawn to dusk encounters

Safari-style tents for glamping with wildlife on the doorstep

Bear Lodge, Port Lympne, Kent
Family-sized tents look out across the safari park’s rhino, bear and cheetah paddocks aspinallfoundation.org/port-lympne

Knepp Safaris, near Horsham, West Sussex
The Knepp Castle Estate’s rewilding project on arable land. Keep a night vigil for bats, owls and nightingales in your own bell tent or yurt.
kneppsafaris.co.uk

Bleasdale Estate, Lancashire
Wake to the dawn chorus and watch wild deer from a canvas retreat in the Forest of Bowland. lanternandlarks.co.uk

Cledan Valley, Carno, Powys
Hide out at this secluded site and you might spot otters or hares, and red kites overhead. cledanvalley.co.uk

Armchair safaris

Spy on shy species via these webcams (David Attenborough-style commentary, optional)

The ospreys of Loch Garten return each year between April and August to nest at the RSPB’s Abernethy reserve in Scotland.
rspb.org.uk/lochgarten

Grey seals haul out on the spit at South Walney Island.
cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk

The comings and goings of waders and waterfowl at the Wildfowl and Wetfland Trust in Slimbridge, Gloucestershire are mesmerising.
wwt.org.uk/slimbridge

Life inside a bat cave (the roost where some of Devon’s greater horseshoe bats hang out) is just as topsy-turvy as it sounds.
devonbatproject.org

The colony of Atlantic puffins that breeds on Burhou, a small island off Alderney in the Channel Islands, is beamed live from an offshore camera between April and July. teachingthroughnature.co.uk 

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Recipe: Ricotta and tomato tart

Turn May’s bank holidays into a reason to invite friends over, to linger over cocktails, moreish nibbles, a savoury tart and salad. The trick is not to plan anything too formal – just a chance to enjoy good company and the garden in its ready-for-summer prime. Dust down the garden furniture, hang the fairy lights and let the sun set on your holiday-at-home weekend in style.

Ricotta and tomato tart

Tangy mustard and sweet tomatoes with creamy cheese – the vibrant colours of the veg in this line-up celebrate spring’s fresh flavours

Serves 6
1 readymade sheet puff pastry
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
250g ricotta
5 small tomatoes
1 tbsp olive oil

1 Preheat oven to 180C/Fan 160C/350F. Lightly grease a tart dish with butter and line with the puff pastry, leaving an overhang to allow for shrinkage. Leave to rest in the fridge for 20 mins.
2 Spread the mustard over the pastry base then top with ricotta. Slice the tomatoes and dot them on top of the cheese. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
3 Bake for 35 mins until the pastry is cooked and the filling firm to touch. Leave to cool in the dish for a couple of mins before turning out to cool on a wire rack. Serve hot or cold.

Turn to page 24 of May’s The Simple Things for more of our long weekend get together menu, including Blueberry & thyme gin & tonic, Pear & blue cheese crostini, Roasted broccoli & quinoa, Parmesan crackers, Caramelised onions, Grape & raisin salad with honey mustard dressing and Raspberry & pistachio pavlovas.

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Reader offer: 20% off at Beefayre

Make the most of a special discount voucher code for readers of The Simple Things - get 20% off all body & bath and home fragrance products from Beefayre, plus free postage for orders over £40.

Made in the Uk and inspired by nature and the plight of the honeybee, Beefayre donates 3% of profits to bee conservation.  

All the candle and room diffusers are made from natural wax and oils, with unique printed glassware that can be reused as vases or tea lights holders.

The designs are hand drawn by artist and founder Sharon Jervis, who takes her inspiration from the British countryside and the plants and herbs that bees forage on.

Visit the Beefayre website for more information.

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Make: Vanilla linen spray

The rich, sweet scent of vanilla is one many of us find familiar and comforting. Making your own vanilla extract is easy and economical, but you do need to be patient as it takes a couple of months to infuse.

Use it to make this versatile spray, which freshens up bedlinen and doubles up as a body and hair mist (any leftover extract can be dabbed on as a perfume or added to cakes, of course).
 
DIY VANILLA EXTRACT
8 whole vanilla pods (fresh with a strong smell of vanilla)
500ml spiced rum (such as Captain Morgan or any good-quality brandy, unflavoured vodka, bourbon or dark rum) 
Pint-size mason jar with lid
Cling film

Slice each vanilla pod lengthwise and chop into tiny pieces. Add the chopped vanilla to the mason jar, then fill the jar with rum. Place a piece of cling film over the top of the jar and screw on the lid. Shake for one minute.Store the jar in a dark cabinet for two months, shaking daily for 10–15 seconds. There’s no need to strain the vanilla bits, just leave in the jar. The flavouring will get stronger and more aromatic as it ages.

LINEN SPRAY
2 tbsp vanilla extract* 
2 tbsp purified water

Add the vanilla extract and water to a 60ml dark glass spritzer bottle, screw on the top, and shake vigorously. Set aside for 24 hours. Store at room temperature away from heat and light and use within one year. Shake before spritzing on sheets and pillowcases.

Recipe from Making Love Potions by Stephanie L Tourles (Storey).

 * If you don’t have time to make your own, use an extract made with Madagascar Bourbon or Tahitian vanilla pods.

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Gin is the tonic

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Nest: Lilac

A lilac bush is the most bountiful of plants, festooned with frothy blooms and swathed in a heady scent

Snip off a few branches and bring armfuls inside – it won’t miss them. Put the blooms in a suitable vase, bottle or jug, relish the prettiness of the tiny mauve flowers and inhale deeply. 

Heavenliness ensues. 

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Cake in the house: Lemon olive oil cake

Made with oil rather than butter, this citrussy cake is light as a feather, bringing to mind warm summer evenings. Enjoy with a digestif for a fine end to a meal

LEMON OLIVE OIL CAKE

2 large lemons
125g plain our, sifted
5 egg yolks and 4 egg whites
220g caster sugar
180ml olive oil
tsp salt

Decoration:
250g icing sugar, sifted
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Grated zest of 1 lemon

You will need:
23cm round loose-bottom or springform cake tin, greased and lined with baking parchment

1 Preheat oven to 180C/Fan 160C/350F. Finely grate the zest from both lemons and mix together with the flour. Halve one of the lemons and squeeze the juice into a small bowl.

2 Place the egg yolks and 150g of the sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or use a hand-held electric whisk and large mixing bowl) and beat on high speed until thick and pale, about 3 mins.

3 Reduce the speed to medium and add the olive oil and 2 tbsp of the lemon juice, beating until just combined (the mixture may appear separated). Use a spatula to stir in the flour mixture until just combined.

4 Place the egg whites and salt into another large, grease-free mixing bowl. Make sure the whisk is completely clean, then whisk on medium-high speed using a hand-held electric whisk until foamy. Add the remaining 70g sugar gradually, whisking continuously until the egg whites form soft peaks, about 3 mins. Gently fold one-third of the whites into the cake mixture, before folding in the remaining whites thoroughly.

5 Spoon the batter into the prepared cake tin and gently tap against the work surface to release any air bubbles. Bake in the preheated oven for 40–50 mins or until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

6 Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, transfer to a serving plate.

7 To decorate, place the icing sugar into a bowl and mix in the lemon juice using a hand whisk or fork until it’s a pouring consistency similar to double cream. Gently pour over the cake, allowing it to drizzle down the sides. Sprinkle with grated lemon zest and serve.

Recipe from Lola’s: A Cake Journey Around the World by Lola’s Bakers and Julia Head (Ryland Peters & Small).  

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Make: Giant paper flower

This huge, decorative bloom is a sunflower you can enjoy all year

YOU WILL NEED:
Assorted colours of tissue paper
Scissors
Fuzzy pipe cleaners

1 Carefully stack approximately 12 sheets of tissue paper, lining up all the edges carefully. The flower pictured uses four yellow sheets for the centre, these are stacked on top, then two or three white and then six sheets of orange. (To make smaller versions, just omit the inside yellow pieces and use fewer sheets, cut smaller, for the outer petals.)

2 Start to fold all sheets over at the same time in 5cm folds. Now fold back the other way, and repeat accordion-style until you have folded all the paper.

3 Unfold all the paper carefully and take out the yellow paper that will be used for the centre of the flower. Fold the yellow paper back in pleats, then fold the folded paper in half widthways. Trim off half of the unfolded ends.

4 Make 5cm-long cuts into the trimmed edge of the folded yellow paper.

5 Now fold the white and orange sheets back up together and fold in half widthways. Trim the unfolded edges together with a rounded edge for your petals. If you find them too thick to trim all together, do half at a time.

6 Carefully unfold all of your papers, place them back in their original stacked order and then fold them back up all together in the concertina style.

7 Fold this in half and wrap a pipe cleaner through the centre of the folded tissue paper. Twist to secure.

8 Starting with one side of the yellow paper, gently pull out and fluff up one piece of the tissue. Separate each piece as you work through the layers of the tissue paper. Be careful not to pull too hard on the papers as they rip easily.

9 Continue on the other side, gently separating and pulling up each piece of tissue paper and fluffing it until you have a full flower shape.

Adapted from Decorate for a Party by Holly Becker and Leslie Shewring (Jacqui Small) 

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