Bird Watch | House Martins

House Martins start leaving for warmer climes in late August so now’s a great time to spot and appreciate them.

Look for: A bluey-black head and back and white undercarriage, a white rump that ends in a forked tail and a short, black beak.

Spot them: Darting in and out of their mud nests, which they build in the eaves of buildings. They’re seen all over the UK, other than in the north and west of Scotland, especially in buildings close to woodlands or water, where they can find insects to eat easily.

Listen for: A high-pitched trill, similar to a sparrow.

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Simple Things | Summer's Tiny Pleasures

We’re all about celebrating the simple things in life. Here are a few things we love about summer

• Picnics in odd places: on a tiny roof garden surrounded by tomato plants; in a tree house; on the kitchen floor. A familiar thing in a new place.

• A neatly-packed suitcase: everything, for the moment; beautifully ordered; the ideal number of socks – not too many, nor too few; a smart jacket, well folded; more of life should be like this.

• Celadon blue: or perhaps it is really more a shade of green; hard to decide; it’s serene without being passive; cool and ample – your gaze can rest in it.

• Fresh French bread and butter: so simple, so reliably delicious, it’s the marriage that’s magical – the butter is salty and sleek, the bread is soft, yet chewy and filling.

• The sound of cicadas: the ideal sound of summer, a hot day; work means making a salad for lunch, driving to glance at a ruined temple and an afternoon swim.

• The heat as you step off the plane: it’s physical, in your lungs, on your forehead. It implies afternoon naps, ice, lemons. You’ll be someone slightly different here.

‘Summer’s tiny pleasures’ is taken from Small Pleasures (The School of Life Press) theschooloflife.com. Read more about putting first the things you love in our feature The Pursuit of Pleasure, in our August issue. And if you’re all about the simple pleasures of summer, you also will not want to miss our Gathering feature, Field Day, which includes lots of ideas and recipes for a simple summer picnic in a meadow… or anywhere you choose! From cocktails and chipolatas to toasting marshmallows and tucking into muffins - it’s a recipe for a jolly good summer’s day in the sunshine.

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Recipe | Summer Veg Coleslaw with Coriander

We can’t get enough of this crispy, flavoursome coleslaw. It works as a side for a barbecue, a picnic dish to add zing to your sarnies and sausage rolls or as a filling veggie lunch served with crusty bread

Serves 6

1 fennel bulb, finely chopped
5 spring onions, finely chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander
4 celery stems, finely chopped
1 apple, cored and finely chopped
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Zest and juice of ½ a lime
150g natural yogurt

1 Add the chopped fennel, spring onions, coriander, celery and apple to a medium bowl.

2 In a separate small bowl, stir together the fennel seeds, mustard, vinegar, lime juice, zest and the natural yogurt until blended.

3 Pour the dressing over the chopped veg and stir thoroughly. Season with a pinch of rock salt and some freshly ground black pepper before serving.

This recipe is part of our ‘Gathering’ feature in our August issue, which we have called ‘Field Day’ and which includes lots of recipes for a Summer picnic in a meadow, including Peach Daiquiri cocktails, Courgette & Tomato Tart with Herby Pesto, Chipolatas wrapped in Parma Ham on Rosemary Skewers, Rocket, Pea & Mint Salad and Raspberry & Choc Chip Muffins.

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Cooking | Meals for a One-Ring Burner

Whether you’re camping or caravanning, meals you can make in one pan on a one-burner ring are always a winner… Or make them just for fun at home!

We’ve collated our six favourite meals for cooking on a one-ring burner. (On the seventh night, we think you should head to the pub or get fish and chips). Crack out the Travel Scrabble and gather round the teeny kitchen (or the open fire) and cook up a tiny storm!

One-pan Full English

As good at breakfast as it is for lunch or dinner, here’s how to do a cooked breakfast with just one thing to wash up. 

• Heat the pan high and fry chiplota sausages for around three minutes. 

• Add bacon, turning repeatedly until in goes crispy

• Add chopped mushrooms and cook until soft

• Drain any fat and liquid off, then spread the ingredients out evenly across the pan’s surface

• Beat some eggs and add to the pan to create a breakfast omelette. Cook for two minutes on a low to medium heat

• Scatter over tomatoes and cheese if liked and continue to cook until melted

• Serve in wedges once fully cooked

Chilaquiles

A holiday twist on nachos. We’re not saying this meal includes all the major food groups (other than crisps) but it is warming, filling and delicious!

• Heat oil high in a pan or skillet and then fry tortilla chips in single layers, draining each layer on kitchen towel as you go

• Reduce heat and gently fry some chopped red onion until softened and add some chopped garlic for the last half a minute

• Tip in some passata or tinned tomatoes and reduce. Once reduced and simmering, put the fried tortilla chips back in and stir to coat them

• Create a well in the middle and drop a few eggs into the sauce, cooking them through gently

• Top with chopped herbs, spring onions, grated cheese and whatever else you fancy

One-pot Orzo with veggies

A clever pasta dish, in which the water boils the pasta and the veggies together and then disappears like magic!

• Prep your veg. Anything that cooks in less than 10 minutes, like the orzo, is good… Asparagus, peas, broccoli and the like

• Put the veg with the orzo, enough water to cover it, a tablespoon of oil and any spices you like to your cooking vessel and bring to a low boil

• Once boiling, cook for a further five minutes until orzo and veggies are tender

• Reduce heat and add grated cheese, and any of the following you fancy: pine nuts, olives, sundried tomatoes, other deli veg

Chick pea and Chorizo Stew

Hearty, warming and pleasingly simple, this stew is great served with crusty bread or any other carb you fancy it with. 

• Heat a little olive oil in a large pan and then fry a chopped onion until it softens. Add chopped carrot, celery and herbs such as thyme and bay leaves. Continue to cook for around three minutes, stirring to prevent the veg sticking

• Add chopped garlic, chorizo and paprika and continue to fry with the veg for a few minutes

• Add a can of chick peas and a can of tomatoes and cook down

• Add a couple of handfuls of spinach and let wilt

• Remove from heat, season and serve with bread

Bubble and squeak

An oldie but classic. Another recipe that works for any meal from breakfast to supper - and it helps you get your greens in, too.

• In your pot, layer a chopped whole cabbage, five medium chopped potatoes and chopped Polish sausage or hot dogs from a jar

• Add a cup of water and simmer for 20 mins

• Once water is all soaked up and veg are tender, serve up

Black bean burgers

You can customise these burgers to your own tastes with many additions. Serve in big burger baps with ketchup. 

• Mash a tin of drained, rinsed black beans

• Mix in a tablespoon of ketchup and the same of mustard if desired along with a third of a cup of instant oats

• Throw in any extras for customisation - chopped onions, leftover diced veg, grated Cheddar etc

• Form the mix into patties, heat a little oil in the pan and then fry on each side until nice and crispy

• Serve in buns with plenty of sauce

If you think the caravanning life might be for you, don’t miss our Home Tour feature in our August issue, which features this beautiful van (above) in Sardinia, as well another retro van on the Kent coast.
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Recipe | Honeysuckle Posset & Fennel shortbread

The nectar of honeysuckle flowers is sweet and alluring (just ask the bees) and adds a floral perfume to this posset recipe. A sweet way to end a summer lunch or dinner

Serves 6

For the posset :
450ml double cream
2 handfuls honeysuckle flowers, petals removed and refridgerated
125g honey, plus an extra teaspoon
Juice of 1 lemon

For the shortbread :
125g unsalted butter, softened
65g icing sugar
2 tsp fennel seeds, dry roasted and crushed
65g cornflour
125g plain flour

1 For the posset, place the cream, chopped honeysuckle flower bases and honey into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to infuse until cool.

2 Stir in the lemon juice before straining the mixture through a sieve. Pour into six small glasses or jars and chill in the fridge overnight.

3 To make the shortbread, cream together butter and icing sugar and then stir in the fennel seeds. Sieve the cornflour and flour together and combine with the butter/sugar mix and form into a log around 5cm in diameter. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate until firm, at least an hour.

4 Preheat the oven to 180C/Fan 160C/Gas 5. Take the dough out of the fridge and unwrap, then slice the log into ½cm circles. Transfer them to a greased baking tray and bake for 15-20 mins until just golden.

5 Cool on the tray for 10 mins before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

6 Remove possets from fridge. Brush the remaining honeysuckle petals with the teaspoon of honey and divide between the six possets as a garnish. Serve with the shortbread.

This recipe is part of our series on edible flowes, which we’ve called ‘Pick n Mix’, by Lottie Storey. This month we’re using honeysuckle and lemon verbena to make the pud above as well as a honeysuckle vodka and lemonade, heritage tomato and lemon verbena salad, and herby fish en papilotte.

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Tipple | Ginger Shandy Pitcher

For those who like a beer on a hot day, this drink – with lashings of ginger beer and ale – will have them ditching the cans in favour of a large glass of refreshing shandy.

Serves 6

1 ltr beer (we used Hoegaarden wheat beer)
330ml chilled ginger beer
Ice
1 lemon, thinly sliced
Mint sprigs, to garnish

In a large pitcher, combine the beer with the ginger beer. Add ice, the lemon slices and mint sprigs and briefly stir before serving.

This Ginger Shandy is from our feature, Tipples to Share, in our July issue. The recipes, by Louise Gorrod, also include a Paloma, Blueberry Thyme Gin Fizz, Rose Sangria and a Watermelon Lemonade. The issue is in shops now.

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Project | Ideas for a Summer Journal

Whether you’re at home, abroad or away in the UK, you can record your adventures in multimedia and create wonderful memories

If you haven’t yet picked up our August issue and seen the beautiful travel journals, in our feature Spotting and Jotting, it is not one to miss. Whether you’re off on the trip of a lifetime abroad, heading to one of the most beautiful corners of the British Isles or simply making the most of what’s on your doorstep this summer, a journal is a mindful and meaningful way to record and remember the summer. 

Painting, writing, drawing and jotting is a great start, but there are lots more things you can add to your journal that will make it unique and give it ‘texture’, allowing you to recall the memories for years to come as you turn the pages and run your fingers over the words, pictures and scrapbook bits and pieces. Some will be physical things you stick in, others will be prompts or concepts for things to jot down. Here are a few ideas for ‘nice little extras’ to add to your summer journal…

1. Ticket stubs, from transport, gardens or museums

2. Pressed flowers

3. Local phrases from your holiday location

4. A tiny envelope or ziplock bag of sand or soil (only take a pinch)

5. Flat sea shells

6. Dried seaweed

7. Recipes or food ideas from your destination

8. Myths, legends and folklore from your holiday town

9. Pieces of sweet or biscuit wrappers

10. Menus, or selected bits of menus

11. Memorable sections of map

12. Photographs (leave room for these for when you’ve printed your favourites or invest in a polaroid and capture the moment immediately

13. Your own drawings of architecture or landscape

14. A pretty leaf

15. Rubbings of bark, stone or even a manhole cover

16. Stickers from sightseeing tours, stately homes or food packaging

17. A photo or sketch of a skyline

18. A record of the constellations visible from your destination at that time of year

19. Reading list of books set there or nearby for when you get home

20. A playlist of music from the area, or that you enjoyed while there, or that just reminds you of your holiday

The image above is by Jennie Maizels, an illustrator and founder of Sketchbook Club which offers online and in-person courses. If you’re inspired by keeping a summer journal this year and fancy honing your skills, Jennie’s next Holiday Sketchbook course is on 5 October.

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Playlist | Lazing on a sunny afternoon

Sunny afternoon? Take a listen to our laid-back soundtrack here
Or search the rest of our playlists right here