February | a final thought

Taken from Be Wild Be Free by Amber Fossey (Harper Collins), artist and mental health expert who instagrams at @zeppelinmoon.

It’s been a slightly surreal few months, and we liked the way this illustration by Amber Fossey from our back cover gave us a bit of a new perspective on it all. Sometimes looking at something in a slightly upside-down way is all you need to gain a new view of the world.

We hope you enjoyed our February ‘Heart’ issue, and it gave you a bit of heart, and something of a lift during the last days of winter. Spring Proper is inches away now and our March issue is in shops from tomorrow or you can order it via our online shop.

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Recipe | Sesame Prawn Toasts

Moreish, prawnish and very celebratory, these tasty triangles will get a feast started on the right foot

Chinese New Year begins on Friday February 12th this year and ends with the Lantern Festival on the 26th, and is a celebration of the arrival of Spring as well as moving into a new calendar year. If you’re marking the start of Chinese New Year this weekend why not make these crispy and very moreish sesame prawn toasts as part of the feast? They’re a bit of effort but well worth it.

Serves 4

200g prawns (if using frozen, defrost in the fridge overnight then pat dry; de-vein and de-shell , if necessary)
1 tsp finely-grated ginger
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
1 egg white
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1 tsp light soy sauce
¼ tsp each of salt and pepper
3 pieces of thick sliced white bread, each cut into 4 triangles
100g sesame seeds (on a plate)
Groundnut or sunflower oil for shallow frying
Chopped coriander, soy or sweet chilli sauce for serving

1 Blitz the prawns, ginger, garlic, egg white, spring onions, soy sauce, salt and pepper in a food processor until you have a thick paste.
2 Spread the blitzed prawn paste on one side of each triangle of bread.
3 Gently press the prawn paste side of each triangle into the sesame seeds on a plate. Set aside for frying.
4 Heat 2-3cm of oil in a wok or frying pan over a high heat. Make sure it's hot, but not so hot it's smoking. Drop small piece of bread into the oil – if it bubbles straight away, the oil is ready.
5 Place two of the triangles (prawn and sesame seed side facing down) in the oil and cook for 1-2 mins, or until the sesame seeds are golden. Fry one or two slices at a time or the oil temperature will drop and you may end up with soggy prawn toasts!
6 Turn the toast over and cook for a further 1 min. Remove and place on kitchen roll to soak up any excess oil. Repeat with the remaining triangles.
7 Serve whilst hot with a sprinkling of chopped coriander and soy sauce or a sweet chilli sauce for dipping.

Cook’s note: If you don't eat them all, let them cool, then freeze in an airtight container. To reheat, defrost in the fridge overnight and oven bake at 200C/Fan 180C/Gas 6 for 7-8 mins, or until piping hot throughout.

This recipe is part of our Feast of Good Fortune menu to mark the start of the Year of the Ox in our February issue. You can find the rest of the recipes, including potstickers and steamed fish, from page 34.

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Galanthomania | Or How To Find Fame on Your Daily Walk

If you go down to the woods today you might be in for a bigger surprise that you think

Hunting for snowdrops is one of the joys of this time of year, and can feel like a natural treasure hunt. Seeing their little white heads poking up through the dark floor, whether you’re in the forest or even just taking a turn around the garden is a magical moment that signals the thaw of winter. And February is Galanthomania time, as Galanthophiles (snowdrop lovers) the world over hunt for new species, which, rather thrillingly, can crop up literally anywhere. 

If you have a couple of different species sneaking up through the lawn in your garden, or know of some woods nearby where they proliferate, it’s worth getting your knees dirty to crouch down and check that what you’re looking at isn’t a rare or brand new species. 

The current record for the sale of a single snowdrop is just under £1,400 for a ‘Golden Fleece’ snowdrop, which would certainly put a spring in your spring step. But how do you tell a (literally) common or garden snowdrop from something a little rarer? 

How to spot a Special Snowdrop

Golden Fleece Snowdrops have an open look. as if they were drapped upon someone’s shoulders (hence the fleece), with splashes of lime green on the petals. Elizabeth Harrisons have a golden ‘ovary’ (the bulb bit between petals and stem) and a yellow shade to the petals. Meanwhile, Green Tears have lime green stripes on the outer petals and are a brighter green inside. You can also look out for varieties with green spots on the inside of the petals, various differences in colours, and petals that flare out or appear a different shape to normal. 

What should I do if I spot Snowdrop Treasure?

You need to ask the landowner’s permission to take just a small piece of the bulb. If you get lucky and they’re in your garden, obviously it’s finders keepers. The way to make money from them is to then grow them on and be able to sell more to collectors. But we think the most magical part is simply being able to become a rare plant collector just by stepping outside your front door. 

You can read more about snowdrop walks and other things to do in your lunchbreak in our feature, Make A Break For It, in our Feburary issue, which is out now.

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How to | Dress Like a Steampunk

Fetch the dressing-up trunk; we’ve found a solid reason for grown-ups to get in on the fun

If you’ve ever been intrigued by Steampunk style, or simply passed someone on the street looking like they’ve wandered out of the 19th century, via a branch of Ann Summers and an RAF outfitters, and wondered what it was all about, here’s a brief explanation: Steampunk is a style, a lifestyle and a philosophy described as ‘a sub genre of science fiction and fantasy that incorporates technology and aesthetic design inspired by 19th century industrial steam powered machinery’. It’s a bit of a hybrid genre, however, and often also incorporates elements of the Gothic, Wild West and more. 

In more layman’s terms, it’s dressing up in fabulous costume, adding technological accessories and having a jolly nice time enjoying all the best aspects of Victoriana and indulging in some hearty afternoon teas, to boot. 

In our February issue, we meet some Steampunks, in our Modern Eccentrics series, but if you’re keen to get in on the Steampunky action before that (we know we were) there’s nothing to stop you gathering together a Steampunk dressing-up box at home. You could hold your own Steampunk afternoon tea knowing at least that no one is going to surprise you with a visit, or look forward to surprising the postman or supermarket delivery driver if you’re feeling almost ready to take your new look out to the world. 

Here’s a guide on how to dress like a Steampunk

1. Choose your theme. Your basic Steampunk look is Victorian with a steam-powered twist, but within that are various sub genres. Some of the popular looks are Gothic, military, aviator, adventurer, explorer and pirate (we told you it was all jolly good fun, didn’t we?) but you can choose your own and give your costume your own twist, related to your own career, hobbies or heritage. 

2. Source a top with a strong Victorian style, but a bit of glamour too. A corset is ideal. Clearly stepping out in just a corset would have given Queen Vic herself an attack of the vapours, but that’s the fun of Steampunk; it takes the bits of Victorian style that are fun and leaves the judgement back in the 1870s. A laced-up corset that would look at home in a bodice-ripper novel is ideal, but if you feel more comfortable in something a bit less risque, look for blouses with big sleeves, and anything wreathed in lace. 

3. Hunt out tiered and gathered skirts that show a little leg, or trousers with a lot of attitude. Leather is very much encouraged but skirts with multiple layers and lengths are also de rigeur. It can get a bit hot under all those layers and leather so skirts are often gathered higher at the front to let a little air in. 

4. Rediscover your waist with a cinch and add a bustle. Steampunk is all about the exaggerated silhouette. And while the cinch may slightly hinder your efforts at putting away cake and cucumber sandwiches, there’s plenty of room under that big skirt for seconds.

5. Boot up with something sturdy. Long leather boots are ideal but an old pair of DMs paired with fancy tights works equally well. ‘Hardy’ and ‘a fine turn of ankle’ are your watchwords.

6. Adorn your shoulders with a faux fur stole, or a bolero, or a nice tweed jacket... whatever you like. You will never be cold as a Steampunk, even standing in front of dark satanic mills in February, trying to get a good selfie. 

7. Here’s where it gets even more fun: add lots of cogs, gears and general ‘industrial’ paraphernalia. You can go mad with brass buttons that look like nuts and bolts, earrings and necklaces made of cogs and heavy chains to adorn your jacket. As long as you look like you might chug instead of breathe, you’ve done well.

8. Add some lace into the mix. Lace is a bit of a must for Steampunks; definitely essential for the Gothic style but frankly it looks just as good if you’re going for a pirate look. Even the most intrepid Steampunk aviator’s style is improved by the softening effect of a little lace at the neck. 

9. Pop some specs on; the tiny little round ones are best, but anything that gives you an air of Miss Marplesque curiosity is what you’re going for. You don’t even have to have them on your nose; simply perch on your head, pop in a top jacket pocket or wear them on a chain around your neck.

10. Accessorise with some time pieces: as many as you like. Clocks are a big part of the Steampunk look. You can go for a beautiful pocket watch pinned to your person, or just a nod to it with some tights or a tattoo that references the inner workings of clocks. Or go all out and drape them everywhere. You’re aiming for a look that is somewhere between legendary clock-wearing rapper Flavor Flav and The White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland. 

11. Pin some medals on yourself. In Steampunk circles we are told many people wear crosses and stars to celebrate their victories. What victories these are, we aren’t certain. Perhaps getting into those corsets or lacing up those boots? Who knows. Either way, if you’ve ever yearned to be decorated, now’s your chance: make free with the medals, get sewing them on your jacket and feel heroic. 

12. Invest in a pair of flying goggles. We wouldn’t say they’re a <must> for a Steampunk but they do help in adding that ‘adventurey’ look you want and they’re just the best bit. Being a Steampunk without goggles is a bit like going to a fancy dress party as Dracula without the teeth. They’re historically significant due to the Victorian need for cinder goggles when riding on the newly expanded railways and later for driving, with the advent of the motor car. And stylistically, well, a Steampunk might need them for any eventuality: to throw on when jumping in the cockpit of one’s bi-plane, for protecting one’s eyes during a pirate battle or in a mad scientist’s laboratory, or simply as protection against generic ‘industrial steam’. One can never be too careful. Also, they look really, really cool. 

13. Get an airship. Because why wouldn’t you want an airship?

Meet some Steampunks in our February issue, out now.

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Make | blockprint sweater template

Give an old sweatshirt a new look in an afternoon and feel very clever indeed

In our February issue, we have a feature on how to upcycle an old sweater into something a little lovelier. All the items you need and the instructions are on page 42, and you can print out the template you will need for your blockprint below.

Blockprint template

Good luck! And don’t forget to send us pictures of your new jumpers!

More craft projects for cold afternoons…

More from our February issue…

Playlist | Heart

“Something’s gotten hold of my heart, Keeping my soul and my senses apart”

Listen here.

More from our February issue…

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