Recipe: Lemon, hazelnut and rhubarb cake

This crowd-pleaser of a cake is delicious served with cream for dessert and (if there’s any left!) with an afternoon cuppa the next day

Lemon, hazelnut and rhubarb cake

Serves 8–10

115g hazelnuts
225g white spelt flour
2 tsp baking powder
260g unsalted butter, really soft
4 large free-range eggs
130g honey (or golden caster sugar) 
130g maple syrup
finely grated zest of 1 large unwaxed lemon

For the filling and topping
250g caster sugar
1 bunch of pink rhubarb (approx 400g)
350ml double cream
2-3 tbsp honey
fresh flowers to decorate (optional)

1 Preheat the oven to 180C/Fan 160C/350F. Grease and flour two 20cm loose-bottomed sandwich tins.

2 Start by toasting the hazelnuts in the oven for 5-7 minutes; check after 5 minutes as they can burn easily. Once they are starting to change colour and release their lovely nutty aroma, remove them from the oven and leave to cool for a minute or two before rubbing off most of the skins. Whizz the nuts in a food processor into a fine meal.

3 To make the cake, sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl and beat in all the other ingredients using an electric hand mixer. Be careful not to over mix – you want a light cake. Scrape the mixture into your tins and level the tops with the back of a spoon or a palette knife. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the cakes are golden and risen and a skewer inserted into the centres comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 5 minutes before carefully taking them out of their tins and placing on a cooling rack to cool completely. If making ahead of time, the sponges can be double-wrapped in foil and frozen. Be sure to defrost thoroughly before filling.

4 To make the rhubarb topping, mix the caster sugar with 250ml of water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Meanwhile, cut the rhubarb into batons of approx 4cm. Add the batons to the boiling sugar syrup, then immediately remove the pan from the heat. Leave the rhubarb batons in the syrup as it cools. Use a slotted spoon to remove the batons from the syrup. Reserve approx half for the top of the cake and purée the remainder with a hand-held blender, adding a splash of water to loosen. Chill the poached and puréed rhubarb until you’re ready to assemble the cake. If making ahead of time, the rhubarb can sit covered in the fridge for 24 hours.

5 When you are ready to fill and assemble your cake, prepare the honey cream filling by lightly whipping the cream until very soft peaks form. Drizzle in the honey and whisk again until incorporated.

6 If your cakes are very peaked, you may wish to trim the tops for a nice flat surface to decorate. Carefully place one cake on your cake plate, spoon over two thirds of the honey cream, marbling through 1-2 tbsp of the rhubarb purée, and place the second cake on top. Spread the remaining third of honey cream on the top of the second cake, then top with the poached rhubarb and a few seasonal flowers, if you wish.

For the full Easter Gathering menu and projects - Fish pie with crunchy salmon and leek topping, Lemon, hazelnut and rhubarb cake, Felt bunny ears, Dip-dyed place-names - turn to page 24 of the March issue of The Simple Things.

Read more:

From the March issue

Gathering recipes

Cake recipes

Plenty more delicious recipes in the March issue of The Simple Things, out now - buy, download or subscribe

Natural recipe: Mint chocolate face pack

This deeply cleansing face mask is a chocolate lover’s dream. It smells divine, too – almost good enough to eat...

MAKES: almost 250ml

KEEPS: up to six months in a jar 

INGREDIENTS:
11⁄2 tbsp raw cocoa powder
1 tbsp white kaolin powder
10g dried peppermint leaves
40–60ml coconut oil

METHOD
1 Mix the dry ingredients together. 
2 Gradually add the oil until you have a thick paste.
3 Apply to cleansed skin and then leave on for 15–20 mins.
4 Wash off well and moisturise.

Found in The Domestic Alchemist: 501 Herbal Recipes for Home, Health and Happiness by Pip Waller (Leaping Hare Press). Recipe courtesy of Teri Evans.

Read more:

From the March issue

Miscellany posts

Natural remedies

Plenty more delicious recipes in the March issue of The Simple Things, out now - buy, download or subscribe

Create the perfect workspace with The Stuff of Life

Inspired by our workspace feature in the February issue, our Stuff of Life shopkeeper, Louise Gorrod, has taken a screenbreak to bring you her pick of workspace products.

From space-saving bookshelves and seating to decorative notebooks for all those ‘To-Do’ lists, The Stuff of Life will make your 9 to 5 run more smoothly.

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Images from top, left to right: In Flight Print by Quince Living, £26.00 | Fläpps Shelf by Ambivalenz, from £119.23 | Jungle Fever Notebook by Kith & Kin, £3.50 | Gold Wall Clock by Home Address, from £75.00| Mini Book Rack by Agustav, from £75.00 | Memo Card & Envelope by Alfie’s Studio, £1.50 | Fläpps Folding Chair by Ambivalenz, from £173.08 | Recycled Pickle Jar Light by Cachette, £42.31 | Concrete Holder by Cachette, £20.00.

Share: March cover reveal

If you like your spring weekends bright and breezy, fresh and clean, full of fun and flowers, then you’re in the right place. First, let’s start the day right with eggs – fresh, baked or chocolate? We’ll peg out the laundry, pop on a pair of loafers or some cool trainers and take the dog for a walk, stopping to admire the blossom as we explore the neighbourhood. There’ll be time for tea, with something from the biscuit tin, and to find a quiet spot with the crossword before a long family lunch and Easter games. Share the moment with us, share The Simple Things

The March issue of The Simple Things is out today - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here

Recipe: Eggs en cocotte with sorrel

Eggs are a symbol of new life and, eaten with handfuls of bright green sorrel, bring a little colour and sustenance to early spring days

Sharp and lemony sorrel is plentiful now, and it is wonderful in egg dishes. Try it in Lia Leendertz's Eggs en cocotte recipe.

Serves 2
butter, for greasing
75g crème fraîche
4 sorrel leaves, washed and finely sliced across
2 large eggs
salt and pepper

1 Preheat the oven to 180C/Fan 160/350F.
2 Lightly butter four ramekins, then put a spoonful of crème fraîche in the bottom of each, with a pinch of salt and pepper and the sorrel, making a ‘nest’ to hold the egg.
3 Crack an egg into each ramekin, then place another spoonful of crème fraîche in, and add another sprinkling of salt and pepper.
4 Place the ramekins into a deep baking dish and pour in enough boiling water to come about half way up their sides. Bake for about 15 mins. 
5 Serve with toasted soldiers for dipping.

Read more:

From the March issue

Seed to Stove recipes

More egg posts

Plenty more delicious recipes in the March issue of The Simple Things, out now - buy, download or subscribe

Staple foods: 1. Eggs

Baked, boiled, poached, fried or scrambled, this healthy favourite is an everyday treasure, as sure as eggs is eggs

Words: LAURA ROWE 

The humble hen’s egg is one of the most readily available, cheap and endlessly versatile food stuffs around, but did you know that it is also one of the most ancient? Us humans have been eating all things ovoid since the Neolithic period, chomping our way through varieties of fowl egg from chickens, geese, quail, pheasant, plovers and guinea fowl, to ostriches, emu, pelican, pigeon and gull (the latter is without a fishy taste, apparently, contrary to rumour).

It’s little wonder, really. The egg is nature’s perfectly packaged hand-held, bite- size snack. It’s packed with vitamins (A, B, D and E) minerals (iodine, phosphorous, selenium, zinc and iron) and it’s a ‘complete’ protein, meaning that it has all of the essential amino acids that our bodies need. Eggs are also a cook’s friend – delicious in sweet or savoury dishes, whole or separated, on their own or as a component ingredient to bind, set, leaven, thicken, enrich, emulsify, glaze or clarify.

They can be boiled (older eggs are best here, as they are easier to peel), scrambled with butter (slow and low), poached (whisk the water to create a vortex before you crack in a fresh egg) or fried (butter and oil are good but bacon fat is better). They can also be baked (see page 43), or ‘shirred’, as the Americans call it, with cream and topped with cheese and breadcrumbs.

Whatever you do to them, they are best approached at room temperature, particularly in baking. You can check just how fresh they are, too, by placing them carefully in a glass of water. If they sink to the bottom they are good to go, while a floater can be discarded, that is unless you’re in China. Thousand-year-eggs are a delicacy here. Preserved in a combination of salt, lime and ashes, the egg is left for 45 to 100 days, whereupon the white turns yellow, firm and raw, presumably eaten with noses firmly pinched thanks to the strong smell of ammonia.

That’s far from the most unusual way to eat eggs, though. Head to South East Asia, specifically the Philippines or Vietnam, and you might stumble across a balut – a boiled, fertilised 17-20 day-old duck egg.

Read more:

From the March issue

Taste infographics

Recipe: Goose egg lemon curd

Plenty more delicious recipes in the March issue of The Simple Things, out now - buy, download or subscribe

Extract from Taste: The Infographic Book of Food by Laura Rowe, illustrations by Vicki Turner by Aurum Press, £20. Buy your copy here.

How to make your own ink

It doesn’t need blood, sweat or tears. Unlike deciding what to write

Ink is pigment mixed with a carrier, such as water, and something to help it stick to paper – 1 tsp gum arabic. Kitchens are full of pigment possibilities – try these out. Wear gloves!

BLACK: Mix gum arabic, an egg yolk and 100ml honey. Stir in 1⁄2 tsp of lamp black (the soot created when a plate – or similar – is held over a flame).

DARK BROWN: Cover 6 to 8 whole blackened walnuts with water and simmer for up to an hour. Strain through muslin, before mixing with water, gum arabic and vinegar.

BROWN: Pour boiling water over 5 tea bags and steep for around 15 minutes. Squeeze bags. Add gum arabic to the liquid and strain through muslin.

BLUE: Simmer two handfuls of elderberries in vinegar. Squish, strain and mix with gum arabic. 

Store your inks in lidded jars. They’ll work best with traditional dip pens.

Read more:

From the February issue

Miscellany posts

Making projects

February's The Simple Things is out now- buy, download or subscribe. 

Win! A week exploring Sweden's West Coast (ended 15 April 2016)

This month’s winner will travel along West Sweden’s sublime Bohuslän coast, courtesy of Inntravel

The Bohuslän coastline in West Sweden is an eye-pleasing confection of bright-blue sea and more than 8,000 granite islands, many of them dotted with traditional red wooden fishermen’s cottages. Inland, cocoa-coloured cliffs shelter mysterious Bronze Age rock carvings, while the ports of Fjällbacka and Fiskebäckskil are ideal jumping points for a number of exciting island-hopping adventures.

We have teamed up with Inntravel to offer one lucky reader and a companion the chance to explore this sublime coast by car, with opportunities to visit remote islands by boat, savour possibly the best seafood in Europe, enjoy memorable views, and learn about the region’s rich sea-faring past. You will stay in two atmospheric waterfront hotels, and in the city of Gothenburg.

You start with three nights in the pretty coastal town of Fjällbacka, from where you can discover the craggily beautiful Koster Islands on foot or by bike, or explore the Kosterhavet Marine National Park by sea kayak. Leaving Fjällbacka, you drive south to reach the bustling harbour of Fiskebäckskil for the next three nights. Here, you have time to relax on golden sands, perhaps, or to embark upon a seafood safari with local fishermen, before dining on succulent seafood at a waterfront restaurant. Your final two nights are spent in vibrant Gothenburg, where your 24-hour City Card entitles you to free use of local transport and entry into many museums. Discover the city’s thriving café culture, its historic treasures and its growing gastronomic reputation.

HOW TO ENTER

The prize is for two people and includes flights, car hire, eight nights B&B, six dinners and a 24-hour City Card in Gothenburg. Departures from 1 June to 30 September.

Enter now!

Closing date 15 April 2016. For full T&Cs, see icebergpress.co.uk/comprules

Read more:

From the March issue

More competitions!

Sign up to our fortnightly newsletter for more competitions and offers

Read more in the March issue of The Simple Things, out 24 February.

Meanwhile, get hold of the February issue - buy, download or subscribe. 

Winter beaches: Pubs to watch the waves from

Every blustery winter walk should end hunkered down in a cosy pub with a pie and a pint. Even better, the pub should be by the sea to watch storms roll in and winds whip up the waves as a fire crackles comfortingly beside you.

Try these:

l The Butt and Oyster, Pin Mill, Suffolk

At high tide, the River Orwell reaches the walls of the pub and pints have been known to be handed to sailors through the windows. debeninns.co.uk/buttandoyster

l Pandora Inn, Mylor, Falmouth, Cornwall

Sitting above the Restronquet Creek, this 13th-century pub is the place to perch with a bowl of mussels and watch the tide creep in. Alternatively, wrap up warm and eat outside on the pontoon. pandorainn.com

l The Little Gloster, Gurnard, Isle of Wight

The generous deck looks over the Solent – sit here and watch the yachts drift past or eat in the restaurant and watch the sun set over the horizon. thelittlegloster.com

l The Pilot Inn, Dungeness, Kent 

Head here after a tramp along the UK’s biggest (and most atmospheric) shingle spit for fish, chips and mushy peas. thepilotdungeness.co.uk

l The Harbour Inn, Solva, Pembrokeshire

Sitting above the harbour in Solva National Park, this pub is rambler (and dog) friendly providing a comfortable stop-off along the coastal path. harbourinnsolva.com

Turn to page 64 of February's The Simple Things to read Clare Gogerty's piece on the invigorating yet melancholy pleasures of winter beaches.

Read more: 

From the February issue

The essential winter beach kit

Islands of adventure: Britain's coastline

February's The Simple Things is out now- buy, download or subscribe. 

The essential winter beach kit

Inspired by our February issue, in which Clare Gogerty takes us on an exhilarating journey to some of our finest winter beaches, our shopkeeper, Louise Gorrod, has compiled the essential The Stuff of Life winter beach kit for those wishing to head coastal and blow away those late winter cobwebs. 

Warm layers, wellington boots, waterproof coats and bags, a packed lunch to feast on and your own portable tea making facility will set you up nicely for such an adventure.

For those not willing to brave the sand and shingle quite so early in the year, there are some great coastal inspired homewares and stationery products on the shop too. Don't forget to send us a postcard!

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Images from top, left to right: Seasalt tea towel by Ulster Weavers, £6.50 | Oilcloth bag by Ulster Weavers, £19.00 | Organic print sweatshirt by Lost Shapes, £32.00 | Wellington Boots by Story Horse, £35.00 | Raincoat by Story Horse, £40.00 | Yay! lunchbox by Quince Living, £7.50 | Ghillie Kettle by The Glam Camping Company, £47.50 | Pack away bucket by The Glam Camping Company, £19.95 | Set of coastal greeting cards by Alfie’s Studio, £8.00

Follow your dreams, they know the way

Event: Puddle jumping and pancake racing this half term

This month release your inner child and get your wellies on and frying pan out

In half term the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust hosts National Puddle Jumping Competitions at its nine centres. Marks are awarded for enthusiasm, style and size of splash. This one’s for kids only, but you could always host your own.

We all love Shrove Tuesday (9 February) so why not join your local race? The original pancake race was said to be in Olney, Bucks, where they’ve been racing since 1445. Now, the town holds many races, flipping competitions and prizes for best fillings.

Visit wwt.org.uk/bigsplash or olneypancakerace.org

Read more:

From the February issue

Pancake posts

Listen to our bus journey playlist 

February's The Simple Things is out now- buy, download or subscribe. ​

Recipe: Allium broth

This delicious broth has many uses. Use it instead of water for cooking pulses and beans and it brings them to life immediately. Add some diced or shredded green vegetables and simmer until they soften for a nutrient-rich soup or simply stir in some green pesto and lemon juice and pour into a mug for a light lunch on the go.

Allium broth

Makes 1.2 litres
2 large white onions, skins on, sliced
2 leeks, green ends included, sliced
1 bunch spring onions, sliced vertically
4-6 garlic cloves, rolled and smashed, skins on
4 small shallots, skin on, sliced into rounds
2.25 litres water
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
4 cloves
2 bay leaves
1 tsp black peppercorns

1 Combine all the ingredients in a large pan. Cover with a lid and bring to the boil.
2 Lower the heat to a simmer, and continue cooking for 2 hours until all the allium vegetables have softened, become totally transparent and are almost reduced to a pulp.
3 Strain the broth through a sieve, pushing through the finer vegetables with a wooden spoon. Set aside to cool.
4 Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days, or freeze for up to three months.

Recipe from Broth by Vicki Edgson and Heather Thomas. Photography by Lisa Linder (Jacqui Small Publishing).

Read more:

From the February issue

Soup recipes

Supper on the sofa

February's The Simple Things is out now - buy, download or subscribe. 

Recipe: Beetroot and caraway seed loaf cake

Based on a traditional seed cake, this is quick to make and is a sweet way to use up leftover roots*, especially beetroot, which gives it a cheery colour

BEETROOT AND CARAWAY SEED LOAF CAKE

100g cooked beetroot**
2–4 tbsp milk
50g ground almonds
11⁄2 tsp caraway seeds
150g butter, softened, plus extra to grease the tin
150g caster sugar
3 large eggs, lightly beaten 150g self raising flour, sifted
2 tbsp pearl or demerara sugar, to finish

1 Preheat the oven to 160C/Fan 140C/310F. Lightly grease a 1.5-litre loaf tin and line with baking parchment, then butter the parchment.
2 In a bowl, mash the beetroot with some of the milk until smooth. You can do this in a food processor or with a stick blender
if you like. Mix in the ground almonds and caraway seeds.
3 Using a hand-held electric whisk or mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs a little at a time, beating well after each addition.
4 Gently fold in the flour, followed by the beetroot mixture, until just combined.
5 Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and gently smooth the surface. Sprinkle the pearl or demerara sugar over the top and bake for 55–60 mins, until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
6 Leave in the tin for 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. This cake keeps well; if anything, it’s better after a couple of days stored in an airtight tin.

Recipe from Love Your Leftovers by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. Photography by Simon Wheeler (Bloomsbury).

* You can replace the beetroot with roast carrots or parsnips. You can use mashed or puréed veg too.
** These can be roasted (or boiled) with salt and pepper, even with some bay and/or thyme, but don’t use any roasted with garlic.

Read more: 

From the February issue

Cake in the house recipes

Winter dauphinoise recipe

February's The Simple Things is out now - buy, download or subscribe.

Supper on the sofa with The Stuff of Life

Home Truths, our monthly magazine series on what really goes on inside a home, discusses ‘Suppers on the Sofa’ in our January issue. As the long month draws to an end we can think of nothing better than curling up on the sofa, a tray on our lap and our favourite box set at the ready.  

Our shopkeeper, Louise Gorrod, has selected some must-have products from The Stuff of Life for those wishing to treat themselves to an evening supper away from the dining table.

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Images from top, left to right: Navy & White Tray by Home Address, £15.00 | Dipped Bowl by Home Address, £15.00 | Gold Cutlery by Home Address, £30.00 | Dot Linen Napkin by The Linen Works, £13.50 | Solid Birch Stool by Stuff of Dreams, £149.00 | Deco Sofa by Archer + Co, £2,300.00 | Sherbert Blue Blanket by Mourne Textiles, £96.00 | Groove Lamp by Stuff of Dreams, £155.00 | Comet Moth Rectangular Cushion by Kith & Kin, £56.00.

Top image by ciaodesserts

Chinese New Year recipe: Braised belly pork

At this time of year the Chinese choose dishes that are symbolic of prosperity, longevity and a fresh start. So tuck in!

What February needs is something to liven things up, to add a splash of colour and a bit of energy to the dog-end of winter. Lucky then that we can adopt the vibrant annual celebration of Chinese New Year* (In 2017 it falls on 28 January and marks the start of the Year of the Rooster). 

Jenny Linford always takes time to celebrate it: “I spent part of my childhood living in Singapore and my memories from that time revolve around food: from eating satay, freshly cooked over charcoal, to family outings with my cousins to dine on tasty Hainanese chicken rice.
Chinese New Year is huge in Singapore. As a child, I loved collecting the ‘ang pow’ (envelopes of money) given to me by family and friends, as is traditional, and feeling very rich! Though I live in London, I still mark the day by cooking a Chinese-inspired meal for family and friends. Bringing together loved ones to feast and talk is always meaningful – and convivial.”

Braised belly pork

A homely stew with a kick is always a welcome sight. Fluffy rice will mop up the juices nicely

Serves 6
1kg belly pork, skin on, boned, cut into 2.5cm chunks
1 tbsp oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 leeks, trimmed and chopped
2.5cm piece of root ginger, peeled and sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
2 star anise
1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
3 tbsp Chinese rice wine or Amontillado sherry
1 tbsp tomato purée
600ml chicken stock, preferably fresh
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
salt, to taste
chopped green spring onion, to garnish

1 Heat a large, heavy frying pan. Put in the belly pork, skin side down, and cook over a medium heat for 5-10 mins until the skin crisps and browns, then turn over and fry briefly until the flesh whitens.
2 Heat the oil in a large casserole dish. Fry the onion, leeks, ginger and garlic, stirring to prevent browning, until softened.
3 Add the fried pork belly and star anise to the casserole dish and sprinkle over the five-spice powder, mixing well. Add the rice wine and fry, stirring for 2–3 mins.
4 Mix in the tomato purée and add the stock, soy sauce and sugar. Bring to the boil, cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 mins. Season to taste with salt.
5 Uncover and simmer for 30 mins to reduce the liquid, stirring now and then. Cover, cool and chill until required, then heat through thoroughly. Garnish with chopped green spring onion and serve.

This recipe is taken from issue 44 of The Simple Things (February 2016). Back issues are available from our shop, but as this one has sold out you can find a PDF of the full menu here. 

More Gathering posts:

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here

Calm: February cover reveal

Who says the end of winter has to be gloomy? Treat it as a time of calm before the outdoor pleasures of spring. Conserve your energy with a green tea by the fire, hot allium soup, or a slice of seed cake. Need a boost? Try hugging a hot water bottle, hanging a houseplant or flipping a pancake. Cabin fever? How about puddle jumping or a windswept walk on an empty beach. Reach inside yourself to find kindness in your heart and peace in your mind. If it’s contentment you seek then look no further than The Simple Things.

February's The Simple Things is out today - buy, download or subscribe now. View the sampler to see what's inside.

Think: Wind-down stretches

Try these to help relax your muscles, expel some of the tension of the day and prepare you for a good night’s sleep. This idea and the illustrations come from Calm by Michael Acton Smith (Penguin)

Shoulder rolls

Stand with a straight back, your legs hip-width apart. Let your arms hang loosely. Shrug both shoulders forward and up, then slowly roll them back and down. Repeat this several times. This helps to loosen the shoulders, neck and back.

Standing forward bend

Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Slowly bend at the hips and fold your torso towards the ground. Keep a small bend in your legs to avoid straining your back. Either let your hands rest on the ground, or fold them to hold your elbows. Straighten your legs gently to stretch out the back of your legs.

Back stretch

Lying on your back, bring your right knee towards your chest, then let it fall to your left. Rest your left hand on your right knee and stretch your right arm out straight. Bring your gaze to the right, or slowly let your head fall to the side. Repeat on the opposite side. This twist will gently stretch your spine.

Read more:

From the February issue

Think posts

Mindfulness posts

February's The Simple Things is out on Wednesday 27 January - buy, download or subscribe. 

Nest: Hellebores

When there is little else to pick in the garden, the hellebore* steps up.

Or bows down, such is the coy nature of its earth- gazing blooms. You could snip a few flowers and float them in a bowl for coffee table showiness, but better to cut a longish stem and pop into a vase, like this splendid swan.

Sarah Raven advises ‘conditioning’ – lowering stem ends (about 2cm) into boiling water for 30 seconds – first, and if that keeps them flowering longer, we’re all for it.

* The hellebore is also known as ‘Christmas rose’ due to its early flowering. Still pretty good in the new year, though.

And look out for more welcome winter blooms in the form of snowdrops gracing our February cover - out Wednesday 27 January.

Read more:

From the January issue

More Nest posts

More gardening posts

January's The Simple Things is out now - buy, download or subscribe.

Make: A nest box for small birds

Why not give our feathered friends a helping hand by making them a nest box? An old boot can create a unique bird box, as well as being a good alternative to a hole found in trees.

1 Cut a length of weatherproof wood, 15mm thick and 400mm long (check your boot fits on the board with room for a roof). Don’t use CCA pressure-treated timber, as the leachates may harm birds.

2 Cut two 150mm lengths of the same wood at right angles to make the roof. Drill and nail the pieces together, then place the roof on the backboard and drill and nail into place.

3 Attach the boot to the backboard with glue, toe facing down, and tilted forward so rain falls off. Fix, two to four metres up a tree, or a wall. Try to face the boot north-east to avoid strong sunlight and wet winds. There should be a clear flight path to the nest.

4 Different species will be attracted to different sizes of hole. Tie the laces tightly, to 25mm for blue, coal and marsh tits; 28mm for great tits, tree sparrows and pied flycatchers; 32mm for house sparrows and nuthatches and 45mm for starlings.

5 Clean the boot with boiling water in August once the birds have stopped using it to get rid of any parasites.
 

Read more:

From the January issue

Making projects

Miscellany posts

January's The Simple Things is out now - buy, download or subscribe.