Mini Adventures | The Night Sky

There’s all kinds of magic to be seen in the night sky. Here are a few mini adventures you can have among the stars… without even leaving home

Track the International Space Station

NASA has a handy map and tracker of the ISS to follow its course. It shows where the Space Station is right now, as well as its path 90 minutes previously and where it’ll be in 90 minutes’ time. spotthestation.nasa.gov/tracking_map.cfm

Watch bats

The Bat Conservation Trust is a wonderful organisation with lots of information about bats together with ways that you can support and see these amazing animals year-round. bats.org.uk

See meteors

The Orionid meteor shower is most intense on 21–22 Oct, though you may see it for a week either side of these dates. The meteors are tiny pieces of debris from Halley’s Comet burning up as they enter the Earth’s atmosphere at 41 miles per second.

The ideas above are taken from our feature ‘Overnight Delivery’ in which Dan Richards takes us on a night walk around Galloway. His book Overnight: Journeys, Conversations And Stories After Dark (Canongate Books) will be published in March 2025.

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How to | Revamp Your Woollies for Winter

Spend a Sunday getting your woollies out of mothballs and freshening them up ready to do their duty again as the weather cools

Washing woollies

Modern machines are not a friend to woollies – we’ve all had that bad experience where we’ve accidentally put it on a dry spin and that beautiful woollen jumper has come out horribly shrunk. We’d advise only ever hand-washing your beautiful knits and leaving them to air-dry. If that sounds like a lot of work, the good news is that pure wool doesn’t need to be washed frequently. Rather than washing the full garment, try spot- cleaning any marks instead – there’s a guide at woolmark.com/care on what type of treatment works best for what kind of stain. When storing woollens, it’s best to fold rather than hang them, as they keep their shape better. If you need to pack them away, use vacuum-sealed bags or cloth bags and it’s worth checking on them in the summer months to make sure no bugs have made their way in. Rather than using mothballs, cedar blocks are a natural alternative that smell nice and keep moisture out.

Bobbles, begone!

A common problem with knitwear is bobbles. As you wear clothes, the fibres stretch and break from the friction of being worn, as well as from washing and drying. This creates small balls of fibres. While you can’t stop this from happening, using a liquid detergent, washing woollens inside out and air-drying them can all help to prevent too many forming. To remove bobbles, you can find electric fabric shavers online. A lint roller or Sellotape can also work, but may pull on the threads, so be careful. It’s best to use a lint remover or a new razor – the blades make easy work of bobbles.

The advice above is taken from our October Home Economics feature on mending woollens. You can find it on page 46 of the issue.

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Wellbeing | Feeding the Mind

Supporting your gut microbiome will provide your brain with the nutrients it needs to function well, enabling you to think faster and clearer.

Studies have shown links between higher levels of good bacteria and improvement in learning new information and problem solving. Neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine are produced in the gut to help with digestive function while also having an indirect effect on the part of the brain that influences mood, appetite and energy.

“The focus is shifting from the brain to the gut as we learn that it’s not just about how our brain affects our body but how our gut can,” says Dr Emily Leeming, dietitian, microbiome scientist and author of new book Genius Gut. “There’s a growing understanding of how important the gut-brain connection is in health and disease, where disruptions in the gut can manifest as symptoms in the brain and vice versa.” For example, 80% of people with Parkinson’s disease also have constipation, a symptom which can appear as much as 20 years earlier than other warning signs.

The simplest and most effective way to ensure a healthy microbiome is to feed your gut with more of the foods that it loves and less of those that can deplete the good bacteria. A healthy microbiome isn’t about “a specific nutrient or individual meal or weekend reset, but thinking about the bigger picture and a way of eating that you can sustain,” says Emily. It’s about eating more of the good stuff and reducing the less good, ideally without rules or restrictions.

This extract is from our feature ‘Inside Out’ from our October issue, in which Rebecca Frank looks into the ways in which helping our digestion can improve our wellbeing.

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Lessons | From Nigella

We can hardly begin to count the excellent lessons we have learned over the years from Nigella Lawson. Here we’ve compiled just a few of our favourites. 

Nigella on life’s simple things

“Good food doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes the simplest dishes are the most satisfying.”

Nigella on chicken

“You could probably get through life without knowing how to roast a chicken, but the question is, would you want to?”

Nigella on peeling beetroot

“Wear gloves when peeling a roasted beet unless you want more than a touch of the Lady Macbeths”

Nigella on custard

“Custard should be firm but not immobile; when you press it with your fingers, it should have a little wobble still within. Soft, warm and voluptuous - like an 18th century courtesan's inner thigh.”

Nigella on being a domestic goddess

"Sometimes...we don't want to feel like a postmodern, postfeminist, overstretched woman but, rather, a domestic goddess, trailing nutmeggy fumes of baking pie in our languorous wake."

Nigella on her ham in Coca Cola recipe

“Only those who have never tried this raise an eyebrow at the idea. Don't hesitate, don't be anxious: this really works. No one who cooks it, cooks it just once: it always earns a place in every repertoire.” Ham in Coca  Cola

Nigella on keeping dinner parties fun

“Tension translates to your guests. They'll have a much better time having chilli and baked potatoes than they would if you did roast duck with a wild cherry sauce and then had to lie down and cry for a while.”

Nigella on her Naan Pizza

“I beg you to keep the wherewithal for this fantastic instant snack-cum-supper in your storecupboard. It's a lifesaver! All I feel strongly is that while shop-bought pizzas are vile, packet naans, when heated, are not.” Naan Pizza

Nigella on cooking

“I don't believe you can ever really cook unless you love eating.”

Nigella on Fondue

“I don't suppose this is ever going to win plaudits from the World Health Organisation, but a cheese fondue is surely the stuff of dreams. On the plus side, health-wise, I love it best with radishes, chicory, spears of radicchio and carrots dipped in, but I don't know why I am trying to engage with that particular argument.Make a vat of this, and supply nothing other than fruit afterwards or, at most, a little palate-tickling sorbet.” 

In our October issue, we remember domestic goddesses from across the years in our feature ‘Household Names’ which starts on page 88. 

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Recipe | Rainbow Minestrone Soup with Basil Mayo Topping

A soup to make when you think there is no food in the house. This simple bowl of veg and pasta is a vibrant creation that brings new life to everyday cupboard ingredients.

Serves 2

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ carrot, diced
1 small red onion, diced
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tin of top-quality finely chopped tomatoes
75g soup pasta
75g frozen sweetcorn
75g frozen peas
2 tbsp top-quality mayonnaise
2 tbsp plain yogurt
1 tbsp basil, torn

1 Warm the oil in a saucepan over a medium-low heat, then add the carrot, onion and a pinch of salt, and fry gently for 10 mins until soft. Add the garlic for the final 2 mins.

2 Add the tinned tomatoes. Fill the empty tin half-full with hot water and add that to the pan. Turn the heat up and, once boiling, add the pasta and cook for 5 mins. Add the sweetcorn and peas for 1-2 mins, then check the seasoning. Remove from the heat.

3 Mix the mayonnaise, yogurt and basil together. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with a dollop of the sauce and parsley, if you have it.

This recipe is from our feature ‘Souper Foods’ from our October issue, which includes recipes for lots of delicious soups, with tasty toppings. The recipes are by Kathy Slack and the photography by Kirstie Young.

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Rituals | Closing the Front Door

Photograph by Elizabeth Doupnik @homeinthehemlocks

Coming home is always lovely, but taking a moment to truly appreciate it can make shutting the door on life outside one of the day’s simple pleasures

On autumn evenings, when it’s dark early, and particularly on days when the wind is up and squally showers are about, there’s nothing like the feeling of stepping inside your hallway and closing the door on the world. 

Plenty of us take five minutes to do some stretches or a meditation in the morning, or to say a prayer or write in a gratitude journal last thing at night. Maybe you even make the most of your lunchbreak by taking a moment in the garden or reading a book… We think That Moment When You Close The Front Door should be one of those milestone moments in a day, too. 

Perhaps you’ve just returned from a long day at work? Maybe you only went out for a run or took the dog for a walk? But when you get home there’s nothing like stepping into the warm and kicking off your shoes, is there? It’s a bit like the moment you get into clean sheets, or take off an uncomfortable bra and fling it in the laundry (if you know, you know). So why let that moment fade and plunge headlong back into your day? 

Before you shout ‘hellooo?’, start unloading the dishwasher or rummaging in the freezer, take a moment to take a deep breath and welcome yourself home properly. We’re all guilty of forgetting sometimes what a privilege it is to have a roof over our heads; this is your opportunity each day to thank yourself for that. 

Take off your coat and shoes, put them away carefully and reach for something more comfortable for your feet. Put on the lights in the nearby rooms. No, not the overhead ones - the ‘good’ lights; the ones that glow gently in the corners. Then draw the curtains so you’re cocooned in your own kingdom. 

Have a ‘shutting the front door ritual’. Light a scented candle if you like or spritz the room with something warming and autumnal and sit down. If space allows, no hallway should be without a Comfy Chair but if not, step into the next room or even just sit on the bottom stairs. Maybe put some gentle music on and spend a few minutes just decompressing or reading a chapter of a book to get you back into ‘home mode’. You could spend it stroking a pet - as long as they’re not going to harrass you to be fed immediately. Whatever you do, don’t make to-do lists in your head or think about the evening’s chores just yet; there’s plenty of time. 

The front door is closed, the world is shut out, you are mistress of your own kingdom. Welcome home, again. 

If you’d like more inspiration for making your hallway a welcoming place, don’t miss our ‘My Place’ pages in our October issue, which this month is on hallways, and includes this lovely space belonging to Elizabeth Doupnik.

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How to | Stock a Storecupboard

While humans can’t hibernate (NASA are working on it), some store cupboard friends can see you through the winter

Stow somewhere cool & dry:
Squash: If kept airy with no bananas, should last to March.
Garlic: As above – not breaking up the bulbs helps longevity.
Potatoes: Pop into the dark for three months of spuds.
Tins (if not dented): ‘Low acid’ contents will last longer, for example, not tinned fruit.
Spices: Ground keep for up to 3 years and whole spices for 5.

Stow somewhere cool, dry – and in an airtight container:
Nuts: Varies by type, reckon on them keeping for 6–9 months.
Rice: The brown type will keep through to spring, while white can last for up to 30 years.
Beans: Tinned beans are fine; dry beans do a whole year.
Beverages: Loose tea keeps longer than bags, but coffee beans (not ground) last for up to 6 months, even when open.
Chocolate: Good news! Solid milk chocolate copes for up to a year, and dark for double that.

The big freeze:
Things last almost forever in the freezer, but suffer taste-wise. Think 3 months for curries, soups and stews, 6 for uncooked meat, 8 for baked goods. Low-water content veg (for example, not the likes of celery) is good for around a year.

The miracle workers:
Honey: The natural stuff is low water/high acidity, a sweet spot meaning it won’t go off. Can use in treating wounds.
Salt: If not ionised, lasts just about forever. Helpful for a saltwater gargle, too.
Spirits: The high alcohol keeps it from going off if unopened: it’ll keep into spring, if you dip in.

This feature is from our October Miscellany where you’ll find lots more seasonal ideas each month.

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Recipe | Apple & Cinnamon Rose Cake

Pretty as the flower, this tastes and smells like autumn. An extra pat on the back for hand-picked apples.

Serves 8-12

For the apple topping:
50g unsalted butter
4 tbsp soft brown sugar
4 apples, washed, cored and finely sliced
Juice of 1 lemon

For the cake:
280g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
100g unsalted butter at room temp
100g caster sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
Zest of 1 lemon
100ml milk
1 apple, washed, cored and grated
1 tsp ground cinnamon, plus ¼ tsp to sprinkle on the top~
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 tbsp sieved icing sugar to decorate

1 Start by making the topping. In a large saucepan, heat the butter and brown sugar for a few minutes, stirring until melted. Add the apple slices and the lemon juice, and heat for a few minutes until the apple slices start to soften. Set aside.

2Preheat the oven to 190C/Fan 170C/Gas 5 and grease a 25cm cake tin.

3 In a large bowl, stir together the flour, a pinch of salt and the baking powder.

4 In a stand mixer, whisk 100g butter and the caster sugar until blended. Add the eggs, vanilla extract and lemon zest, and continue mixing until the mixture is smooth. Add the milk and blend until combined.

5 Add the dry ingredients slowly to the mixer on a slow speed. Stir the grated apple into the mixture along with the cinnamon before adding to the greased cake tin. Tap the tin to

level the mixture.

6 Take your bowl of preprepared apple slices and lay them in an overlapping circle on top of the mixture, with the sliced edge facing down into the batter. Sieve a ¼ tsp of ground cinnamon on top.

7 Bake in the preheated oven for 35–40 minutes. Test it is baked by putting a metal skewer into the middle; it should come out clean. Grate the nutmeg over the cake and sieve the icing sugar on top too.

This recipe is taken from our feature ‘Life is Brewtiful’ from our October issue, a menu designed for an autumnal late afternoon tea. It also includes recipes for Ginger Fizz, Pear & Cheese Toasties, Smoked Fish & Kale Quiche, Parmesan & Chive Savoury Scones, Spiced Autumn Tea and Spiced Biscuits. The recipes are devised and styled by Kay Prestney and photographed by Rebecca Lewis.

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Playlist | Night-walking

DJ: Dan Richards
Image: Vanessa Grzywacz

In our October WEAVE issue, Dan Richards takes us along on a night walk through Wigtown. He’s shared a taster of his soundtrack with us: you can take a listen here.

Competition | Win Seasonal Soups (plus a microwave to heat them up)

HungryHead soups are packed with flavour and are ready to enjoy in just a minute

With the hustle and bustle of modern life, finding time to enjoy a delicious, wholesome meal can be a challenge, let alone making every meal from scratch. But thanks to HungryHeads, you can now savour stunning soups in no time at all.

To celebrate the launch of its new range, HungryHeads is inviting readers of The Simple Things the chance to win a microwave that’s packed with rich servings of SoupHead meals to keep you warm in the cold months to come, plus two additional meal bundles to give you even more bowl-ready options. In total, the prize is worth more than £200.

The SoupHead range is made up of five sensational flavours – vegetable and sweetcorn, tom yum, yunan congee, hot and sour, and tom kha gai. The winner will be well stocked up with Asian-inspired, flavour-packed meals that you can have piping hot on the table in 60 seconds. They’re just what you need to keep you well fed during your busy day.

SoupHead is just one of the tantalising varieties available. NoodleHead, PastaHead, Mac ’n’ CheeseHead and RamenHead ensure that whatever else you’re in the mood for – a hearty noodle dish, a pack-a-punch pasta, a cheesy pleasure or a soothing ramen – HungryHeads will fill you up.

Find HungryHeads in Tesco. Discover more at thehungryheads.com/noodlehead and follow on Instagram @Be_a_noodlehead

How to enter

For your chance to win a microwave and range of soups, enter our competition by clicking the button and answering the question below by the closing date of 13 November 2024.

Q: How many flavours make up the SoupHead range?

Terms and conditions

The competition closes at 11.59pm on 13 November 2024. One winner will be selected at random from all correct entries received and notified soon after. The winner cannot transfer the prize or swap it for cash. Details of our full terms and conditions are on p125 and online at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules.