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Image: Katharine Davies

Image: Katharine Davies

Don't mind that roses have thorns, be glad that thorns have roses

Lottie Storey June 19, 2016
In Magazine Tags issue 48, june, back cover
Comment
Recipe: Lia Leendertz, photography: Kirstie Young

Recipe: Lia Leendertz, photography: Kirstie Young

Recipe: Lavender lemonade

Lottie Storey June 13, 2016

A refreshing, sweetly herbal fizzy drink for the moment the lavender is at its most fragrant, just as the flowers are starting to open. Add a shot of gin for an adult version.

Makes 6 glasses

500ml water
200g caster sugar
10 lavender flower heads, plus more for decoration
12 lemons
fizzy water

1 Place the water, sugar and lavender flowers into a saucepan and heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Simmer very gently for ten minutes, before removing from the heat and leaving to cool completely. Transfer to a jug or jar, lavender flowers and all, and chill.

2 When you are ready to serve, squeeze the lemons into a jug, tip in the lavender syrup and top up with fizzy water, aiming for about a third of each ingredient. Serve over ice with a lavender stalk and a piece of lemon. 

For more of Lia Leendertz's Seed to Stove midsummer menu, including Gravadlax with dill yoghurt and crispbreads, Latvian midsummer cheese, and Strawberry, apricot and cherry shortcake, turn to page 24 of June's The Simple Things.

 

More from the June issue:

Featured
Jun 19, 2016
Don't mind that roses have thorns, be glad that thorns have roses
Jun 19, 2016
Jun 19, 2016
Jun 13, 2016
Recipe: Lavender lemonade
Jun 13, 2016
Jun 13, 2016
Jun 8, 2016
Gardening: Make your own organic fertiliser
Jun 8, 2016
Jun 8, 2016

 

Read more Seed to Stove recipes:

Featured
sun bread.jpg
Dec 21, 2021
Bake: sun bread for Yule
Dec 21, 2021
Dec 21, 2021
May 2, 2021
Recipe: Wild garlic bannocks with asparagus pesto
May 2, 2021
May 2, 2021
Jul 25, 2020
Recipe: Deep-fried courgette flowers with broad bean, pea and mint puree and basil pesto
Jul 25, 2020
Jul 25, 2020
  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well

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

View the sampler here

In Eating, Growing Tags seed to stove, issue 48, june, lemonade, drink, recipe, lavender
Comment
Image: Kirstie Young

Image: Kirstie Young

Gardening: Make your own organic fertiliser

Lottie Storey June 8, 2016

As well as needing protection from insects and diseases, plants need nutrients, too, particularly if they grow in pots or hanging baskets. Making your own organic fertiliser from comfrey is as simple as making sprays – and very satisfying.

Comfrey is easy to grow, though it is best in a container, as it is rather vigorous.

1. Harvest leaves from the base of the comfrey plant and remove stems. 

2. Chop the foliage and pack tightly into a container with a lid, as the solution can smell as the leaves break down. 

3. Use a brick to weigh down the leaves.

4. After a few weeks, top up with fresh leaves and collect the liquid, storing it in a cool, dark place.

5. Dilute the liquid, one part comfrey to 10 parts water.

6. Water with a rose head for a potassium-rich liquid fertiliser to encourage flowers and fruit to set. 

7. Add ash to the water to boost nutrients for greedy plants such as broad and runner beans, courgettes, cucumbers and squash.

 

Read more from the June issue:

Featured
Jun 19, 2016
Don't mind that roses have thorns, be glad that thorns have roses
Jun 19, 2016
Jun 19, 2016
Jun 13, 2016
Recipe: Lavender lemonade
Jun 13, 2016
Jun 13, 2016
Jun 8, 2016
Gardening: Make your own organic fertiliser
Jun 8, 2016
Jun 8, 2016

 

More gardening posts:

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Jul 16, 2024
Word Origins | Up The Garden Path
Jul 16, 2024
Jul 16, 2024
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Jul 20, 2023
Try Out | Cloud Pruning
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Jul 20, 2023
Emma Wise garden den.jpeg
Jul 5, 2022
Outdoors | Garden Dens for Grown-Ups
Jul 5, 2022
Jul 5, 2022
  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well

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

View the sampler here

In Nest, gardening Tags issue 48, june, homemade, gardening
Comment

Make: Homemade gardener's hand scrub

Lottie Storey June 7, 2016

Give your hands some TLC. Just because you like to get your hands dirty, doesn’t mean you want them to stay dirty. This hand scrub will combat the perma-dirt that any keen gardener is familiar with.

Homemade gardener's hand scrub

Makes 300-350g scrub

60g coconut oil, melted
60ml liquid castile soap
225g sugar
10 drops rosemary essential oil
10 drops peppermint essential oil
5 drops tea tree essential oil


1 In a medium bowl, combine the coconut oil, castile soap and sugar. Let the mixture cool, then stir vigorously with a spoon. This will “whip” the oil for a pourable but creamy texture.
2 Stir in the essential oils then scrape the scrub into a clean jam jar. The hand scrub will last six months, though the scent may fade. If the scrub begins to separate, just give it a good stir.

To use: Wet hands, spoon a generous dollop of scrub into your palms. Scrub away, paying particular attention to the sides of the fingers and crease lines where dirt likes to stick. Rinse.

Extract from The Hands-On Home: A Seasonal Guide to Cooking, Preserving, and Natural Homekeeping by Erica Strauss (Sasquatch Books). Photography by Charity Burggraaf
 

Read more from the June issue:

Featured
Jun 19, 2016
Don't mind that roses have thorns, be glad that thorns have roses
Jun 19, 2016
Jun 19, 2016
Jun 13, 2016
Recipe: Lavender lemonade
Jun 13, 2016
Jun 13, 2016
Jun 8, 2016
Gardening: Make your own organic fertiliser
Jun 8, 2016
Jun 8, 2016

More homemade cosmetics: 

Featured
Dec 26, 2016
Christmas Survival Tummy Tonic
Dec 26, 2016
Dec 26, 2016
Oct 8, 2016
Make: Luxurious Body Butter
Oct 8, 2016
Oct 8, 2016
May 31, 2016
Homemade rose face cream
May 31, 2016
May 31, 2016
  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well

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

View the sampler here

In Making Tags homemade, home remedies, hand scrub, issue 48, june, gardening
Comment

Dogs in blankets with Laughing Dog

Lottie Storey June 6, 2016

MURPHY, JACKAPOO, 4 YEARS

“Stop there! No access without a pawsword! Why all the mystery? Well, when not scampering around and chewing things, I’ve been plotting a top-secret plan for dogs to take over the world. It may look like I’m hiding in blankets but they’re actually high-tech, instant-activation, cat- resistant habitation units being issued to each canine comrade around Britain. Instructions will follow imminently, along with emergency biscuits and a cunning disguise. Next step, world domination. But, first, perhaps, a nap.”

Tweet a pic of your #dogsinblankets @simplethingsmag
#doghappy @laughingdogfood

 

Dogs in blankets is brought to you in association with Laughing Dog

Three generations ago, our bakers discovered that slow-baking was the secret to creating deliciously tasty food. By oven-baking we can protect the wholesome goodness of our farm-grown ingredients, creating a delicious taste loved by even the fussiest of dogs.

 

 

To discover more about Laughing Dog’s mission to bake the nation dog happy, visit laughingdogfood.com. Save 25% on your first order! Quote ST16 when ordering

Read more from the June issue:

Featured
Jun 19, 2016
Don't mind that roses have thorns, be glad that thorns have roses
Jun 19, 2016
Jun 19, 2016
Jun 13, 2016
Recipe: Lavender lemonade
Jun 13, 2016
Jun 13, 2016
Jun 8, 2016
Gardening: Make your own organic fertiliser
Jun 8, 2016
Jun 8, 2016
  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well

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

View the sampler here

In Miscellany, Sponsored post Tags dogs in blankets, dogs, issue 48, june
1 Comment

Recipe: Cherry pie

Lottie Storey June 2, 2016

‘No one does fruit pies quite like our cousins across the pond. When I lived in North America, I ate more than my fair share of pie. I couldn’t pass a bakery or coffee shop without being lured in by golden sugared crusts spilling with bubbling, sweet fruit fillings. This is my version of the ubiquitous cherry pie. I use a small heart- shaped cookie cutter to make holes in the top crust, and it always goes down a storm. Eat it for afters with a mug of ‘joe’, like in Twin Peaks.’ - Rosie Birkett

Cherry pie

SERVES 8

for the pastry
2 tbsp granulated sugar
260g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
40g ground almonds pinch of salt
180g cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 large egg, beaten
1 tbsp demerara sugar, for sprinkling

for the filling
100g good-quality black cherry jam
1 tbsp cherry brandy, kirsch or amaretto (optional)
1⁄2 tsp grated nutmeg
1⁄2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp cornflour, mixed to a paste with 2 tsp cold water
500g fresh black or red cherries, pitted and halved

1 For the pastry, put the sugar, flour, ground almonds, salt and butter in a food processor, and blitz until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. With the motor running, add 3 tbsp of the egg and 2 tbsp of ice-cold water, and pulse until the mixture starts to clump together into a dough.
2 Divide the dough into two, flatten each portion into discs, wrap each disc in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
3 Preheat the oven to 200C/Fan 180C/400F and grease a 24cm pie dish. Remove a disc of pastry from the fridge, unwrap it and roll it out on a floured work surface to 3mm thick and about 2cm wider than the dish. Transfer to a floured baking sheet and chill for 10 minutes. Repeat this with the remaining disc of pastry.
4 Heat the jam for the filling in a saucepan with 100ml water, the alcohol (if using), nutmeg and the vanilla extract. When it’s all melted together, add the diluted cornflour, and stir together until smooth and thickened. Add the cherries and gently coat them in the mixture, being careful not to mush them up. Remove from the heat and set aside. 
5 Using a floured rolling pin, transfer one of the chilled pastry sheets to the greased pie dish and drape it across
the dish. Let it sink into the dish, and, holding on to the edges, lift and tuck the pastry into the edges of the dish, all the way round, to line it. Trim off any excess pastry, and lightly prick the base with a fork. Fill the dish with the cherry filling. Use a pastry cutter to cut holes in the remaining pastry sheet, covering an area just smaller than the diameter of the pie dish, leaving a large border intact. Place it
over the pie filling, and fold the edge of the top crust over the edge of the bottom crust, crimping it together with your fingers to seal.
6 Brush the pastry with the remains of the beaten egg and sprinkle over the demerara sugar. Bake for 20 minutes, until the crust is golden, and then reduce the oven temperature to 180C/Fan 160C/350F, covering the top of the pastry with foil if need be, and bake for a further 35–40 minutes, until the filling is bubbling and the pastry is golden and firm. Allow to cool and serve with cream.

Rosie Birkett is a food writer, food stylist and home cook living in Hackney, east London. Her book, A Lot On Her Plate (Hardie Grant) speaks of her love of a good meal and enthusiasm for food generally.

 

Read more from the June issue:

Featured
Jun 19, 2016
Don't mind that roses have thorns, be glad that thorns have roses
Jun 19, 2016
Jun 19, 2016
Jun 13, 2016
Recipe: Lavender lemonade
Jun 13, 2016
Jun 13, 2016
Jun 8, 2016
Gardening: Make your own organic fertiliser
Jun 8, 2016
Jun 8, 2016

More recipe posts:

Featured
Orange Galettes Cathy Pyle.jpg
Aug 9, 2020
Recipe | Orange and Cardamom Galettes
Aug 9, 2020
Aug 9, 2020
R&C jellies Photo Jonathan Cherry Recipe Bex Long.jpg
Mar 14, 2020
Recipe | rhubarb jelly and custard pots
Mar 14, 2020
Mar 14, 2020
Banoffee pie Catherine Frawley.JPG
Feb 12, 2020
Recipe | Banoffee pie
Feb 12, 2020
Feb 12, 2020
  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well

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

View the sampler here

In Gathering, Eating Tags issue 48, june, gathering, cherries, cherry pie, pie, pastry
Comment
Image: Unsplash

Image: Unsplash

Homemade rose face cream

Lottie Storey May 31, 2016

When the roses are in bloom all things floral become a little addictive. Make like a kid and stir up a summer potion for your dressing table 

MAKES: 175ml
KEEPS: 6–12 months

INGREDIENTS
100g coconut oil
25ml avocado oil
1 tbsp honey
5 tsps rosewater
10–15 drops rose (or rose geranium) essential oil

METHOD
1 Melt the coconut and avocado oils and honey in a bain-marie. Warm the rosewater in a separate bowl in the bain-marie.
2 Remove from heat, and whisk the oil and honey mixture, adding a drop of rosewater.
3 Keep whisking and adding rosewater until you’ve used all of it, then whisk until it starts to solidify. Add the essential oils and whisk until well blended.
4 Keep in a sterilised jar.

Courtesy of Lynn Rawlinson. Found in The Domestic Alchemist: 501 Herbal Recipes for Home, Health and Happiness by Pip Waller (Leaping Hare Press). 

Turn to page 123 of June's The Simple Things for more Miscellany wisdom. 

 

More Domestic Alchemist herbal recipes:

Featured
Dec 26, 2016
Christmas Survival Tummy Tonic
Dec 26, 2016
Dec 26, 2016
Oct 8, 2016
Make: Luxurious Body Butter
Oct 8, 2016
Oct 8, 2016
May 31, 2016
Homemade rose face cream
May 31, 2016
May 31, 2016

Read more from the June issue:

Featured
Jun 19, 2016
Don't mind that roses have thorns, be glad that thorns have roses
Jun 19, 2016
Jun 19, 2016
Jun 13, 2016
Recipe: Lavender lemonade
Jun 13, 2016
Jun 13, 2016
Jun 8, 2016
Gardening: Make your own organic fertiliser
Jun 8, 2016
Jun 8, 2016
  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well

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

View the sampler here

In Making, Miscellany Tags issue 48, june, home remedies, the domestic alchemist, roses, beauty
Comment

June cover reveal

Lottie Storey May 26, 2016

The promise of summer is a measure of hope. We eagerly await its sunshine, which brings outdoor living, picnics and trips to the sea. So now it’s here, let’s make the most of it. Set a table in the garden and gather friends in the long evening light. Stay up late to see the stars or rise early and run while there is still dew on the grass. Be busy in the veg plot but make time to smell the roses. Take a moment for a midsummer celebration with fresh cheese, honey and homegrown berries. The glass is always half full when you remember The Simple Things. 

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

View the sampler here

 

From the June issue:

Featured
Jun 19, 2016
Don't mind that roses have thorns, be glad that thorns have roses
Jun 19, 2016
Jun 19, 2016
Jun 13, 2016
Recipe: Lavender lemonade
Jun 13, 2016
Jun 13, 2016
Jun 8, 2016
Gardening: Make your own organic fertiliser
Jun 8, 2016
Jun 8, 2016
Jun 7, 2016
Make: Homemade gardener's hand scrub
Jun 7, 2016
Jun 7, 2016
Jun 6, 2016
Dogs in blankets with Laughing Dog
Jun 6, 2016
Jun 6, 2016
Jun 2, 2016
Recipe: Cherry pie
Jun 2, 2016
Jun 2, 2016
May 31, 2016
Homemade rose face cream
May 31, 2016
May 31, 2016
May 26, 2016
June cover reveal
May 26, 2016
May 26, 2016
May 25, 2016
Escape: Wide open space
May 25, 2016
May 25, 2016
In Magazine Tags issue 48, june, cover reveal
Comment

Escape: Wide open space

Lottie Storey May 25, 2016

A weekend away on a deserted beach, Jen Chillingsworth goes glamping in a bell tent in Northumberland

tiyk-june-4.png
tiyk-june1.png
tiyk-june-2.png
tiyk-june-3.png

Our new series comes from online UK travel guide This is Your Kingdom, whose handpicked contributors explore favourite places, special finds and great goings on.

You can read about one we love each month in The Simple Things - turn to page 68 of the June issue for more of this Northumberland glamping adventure - and plenty of others at thisisyourkingdom.co.uk.

 

Jen Chillingsworth is a regular contributor to thisisyourkingdom.co.uk. She is a freelance writer and photographer based in Yorkshire and blogs at little-birdie.com. She shares her northern adventures on Instagram as @jenlittlebirdie. 

Read more from the June issue:

Featured
Jun 19, 2016
Don't mind that roses have thorns, be glad that thorns have roses
Jun 19, 2016
Jun 19, 2016
Jun 13, 2016
Recipe: Lavender lemonade
Jun 13, 2016
Jun 13, 2016
Jun 8, 2016
Gardening: Make your own organic fertiliser
Jun 8, 2016
Jun 8, 2016

More This is Your Kingdom posts:

Featured
SIM64.TIYK_oldelectricshop_cafearea.png
Oct 23, 2017
Escape | A secret 16th century apartment in Hay-on-Wye
Oct 23, 2017
Oct 23, 2017
SIM63.TIYK_p7070131_36013247736_o.png
Sep 12, 2017
Escape | A hipster hideaway in London
Sep 12, 2017
Sep 12, 2017
Aug 8, 2017
Escape | A Welsh eco retreat with room to roam
Aug 8, 2017
Aug 8, 2017
Jul 10, 2017
Escape | A rustic hideaway in Cornwall
Jul 10, 2017
Jul 10, 2017
Jun 21, 2017
Competition | Win a stay at Bude Hideaways in Cornwall with i-escape
Jun 21, 2017
Jun 21, 2017
Jun 18, 2017
Escape: A converted barn in Wales
Jun 18, 2017
Jun 18, 2017
Mar 28, 2017
Escape: A light-filled wooden cabin on Skye
Mar 28, 2017
Mar 28, 2017
Mar 10, 2017
Escape: Shed heaven beside the sea
Mar 10, 2017
Mar 10, 2017
Feb 9, 2017
Escape: A simple, ancient cottage in Kent
Feb 9, 2017
Feb 9, 2017
Jan 16, 2017
Escape: Low-season romance
Jan 16, 2017
Jan 16, 2017
In Escape Tags issue 48, june, this is your kingdom
Comment

Recipe: Strawberry and thyme pie

Lottie Storey May 23, 2016

June means sunshine and strawberries. This eye-catching pudding oozes natural berry sweetness and could happily accompany you on a weekend picnic or take centre stage at a midsummer soirée. Strawberries and thyme are good friends and the addition of the herb adds an interesting twist to the simple flavour.  

Strawberry and thyme pie

Serves 8

for the dough
125g plain flour
125g almond flour (or use 250g plain flour in total)
125g butter
pinch of salt
30g icing sugar
cold water, as needed

for the thyme custard
200ml milk
seeds of 1 vanilla pod
a few sprigs fresh thyme
2 egg yolks
30g icing sugar
150g cream cheese

for the topping
500-600g strawberries
fresh thyme leaves 

Make the dough: Work both flours, butter, salt and icing sugar into a smooth dough. If dough is too dry, add a few drops of cold water. Shape into a flat disc and wrap in cling film. Rest in fridge for 1 hour.

Start the thyme custard: Bring the milk to a near boil with vanilla and thyme. Turn off heat and let steep until ready to use.

1 Preheat oven to 180C/Fan 160/350F.

2 Dust countertop with flour and pat dough into a thin slab that fits a 22cm pie plate or a pie pan with a removable bottom. Grease the pan and line it with the dough. Leave some overhanging the edge. Carefully press a sheet of parchment paper onto the dough, fill with baking beans and blind bake the crust for 15 mins. Use the parchment paper to lift out the beans. Bake crust for 10 mins more.

3 Let crust cool, then neatly trim the edges. Keep the oven on.

4 Return to the custard. Beat the yolks and icing sugar until light and frothy. Pour into the warm milk through a strainer. Whisk it all and pour back into the pan. While stirring, bring mixture to a near boil and reduce it slightly over low heat. Turn off heat and beat in the cream cheese. Pour the mix into the blind-baked crust and put the pie back in the oven for 15 mins.

5 Allow the pie to cool on a rack for at least 30 mins.

6 Quarter the strawberries and use them to dress the pie.

7 Serve garnished with thyme. 

From Home Baked by Yvette van Boven (Stewart, Tabori & Chang) 

 

Read more from the June issue:

Featured
Jun 19, 2016
Don't mind that roses have thorns, be glad that thorns have roses
Jun 19, 2016
Jun 19, 2016
Jun 13, 2016
Recipe: Lavender lemonade
Jun 13, 2016
Jun 13, 2016
Jun 8, 2016
Gardening: Make your own organic fertiliser
Jun 8, 2016
Jun 8, 2016

More strawberry recipes:

Featured
Petal sandwiches Kirstie Young.jpg
Jun 5, 2021
Make | Sweet & Silly Sandwiches
Jun 5, 2021
Jun 5, 2021
SIM72.GATHERING_ST Midsummer Jun18_16.JPG
Jun 12, 2018
Recipe | Summer strawberry tart
Jun 12, 2018
Jun 12, 2018
May 23, 2016
Recipe: Strawberry and thyme pie
May 23, 2016
May 23, 2016
  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well

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

View the sampler here

In Eating Tags issue 48, june, strawberry, recipe, cake, summer, pastry
Comment

Listen: Summer party playlist

Lottie Storey May 18, 2016

It’s the summertime and the weather is fine. This month, we’re piling out into the garden and having a party.

Listen now 

More playlists from The Simple Things:

Featured
Dec 26, 2020
The art of the Christmas CD
Dec 26, 2020
Dec 26, 2020
cryptsongs.png
Sep 19, 2018
Listen | Songs from the crypt
Sep 19, 2018
Sep 19, 2018
75 playlist.png
Aug 22, 2018
Listen | Songs of the streets
Aug 22, 2018
Aug 22, 2018

 

Read more from the June issue:

Featured
Jun 19, 2016
Don't mind that roses have thorns, be glad that thorns have roses
Jun 19, 2016
Jun 19, 2016
Jun 13, 2016
Recipe: Lavender lemonade
Jun 13, 2016
Jun 13, 2016
Jun 8, 2016
Gardening: Make your own organic fertiliser
Jun 8, 2016
Jun 8, 2016
  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well

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

View the sampler here

In Living Tags issue 48, june, spotify, playlist, summer, music
Comment

Nest: The Window House

Lottie Storey May 18, 2016

To watch the sunset and see the stars was a couple's simple dream for their home in West Virginia. The finished project is a unique upcycled house.

Turn to page 116 of June's The Simple Things for more about this incredible home and watch the film below to see how it was made.

Film credits:
Filmed by Matt Glass and Jordan Wayne Long
Interviewed by Jordan Wayne Long
Music and editing by Matt Glass

Read more from the June issue:

Featured
Jun 19, 2016
Don't mind that roses have thorns, be glad that thorns have roses
Jun 19, 2016
Jun 19, 2016
Jun 13, 2016
Recipe: Lavender lemonade
Jun 13, 2016
Jun 13, 2016
Jun 8, 2016
Gardening: Make your own organic fertiliser
Jun 8, 2016
Jun 8, 2016
  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well

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

View the sampler here

In Nest Tags nest, interiors, home, issue 48, june
Comment

Win Supper Club essentials worth over £500 from Neptune (closed 15 July 2016)

Lottie Storey May 18, 2016

 

This month's winner will be the proud owner of a set of everyday tableware by Neptune

During the past month, we’ve been enjoying meeting some of you at The Simple Things supper clubs around the country. We’ve also produced complimentary stationery for you to download so you can host your own. It’s been great to hear from everyone who shared their experience.

Thanks to our supper club partner, Neptune, maker of beautiful kitchens, hand-crafted furniture and homeware, we’re now offering readers a chance to win its supper club essentials kit – beautiful crockery and cutlery, relaxed linen tableware and elegant glassware.

New to the whole supper club thing? Think of it as a modern reinvention of the old and stuffy, formal dinner party. It’s what The Simple Things is all about – enjoying delicious food with great company, be it familiar faces or strangers from near and far. And with your supper table looking so fine, it’s sure to be a memorable evening.

For those who are yet to discover Neptune, theirs is a world of exquisitely crafted pieces for the home. Design wise, they’re perhaps most known for kitchens, with their heirloom-worthy dressers not far behind. Their trademark ‘look’ is British. Refined, simple, sturdy, and with an almost obsessive attention to detail. And they’re certainly respected for their commitment to quality. Put simply, they make things they’re proud of, and want you to be, too. Find out more about Neptune at neptune.com, or you visit one of its stores (neptune.com/stores).

HOW TO ENTER

Enter by 15 July. You can see Iceberg Press’ full terms and conditions on page 129 of June's The Simple Things and at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules.

 

Enter now!
 

The prize comprises six each of Croxton dinner plates, bowls, dessert plates, side plates, mugs and sets of Handsworth ‘Mist’ cutlery, Emily napkins & placemats, Barnes wine glasses, Ella tumblers and Lamorran bowls, worth over £500. 

Enter more competitions:

Featured
gtc competition.png
Sep 19, 2018
Competition | Win £500 to spend at Garden Trading
Sep 19, 2018
Sep 19, 2018

Read more from the June issue:

Featured
Jun 19, 2016
Don't mind that roses have thorns, be glad that thorns have roses
Jun 19, 2016
Jun 19, 2016
Jun 13, 2016
Recipe: Lavender lemonade
Jun 13, 2016
Jun 13, 2016
Jun 8, 2016
Gardening: Make your own organic fertiliser
Jun 8, 2016
Jun 8, 2016
In Competition Tags june, issue 48, supper club
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Competition: Win a three-night stay on the Isles of Scilly! (closed)

Lottie Storey May 18, 2016

Just 28 miles off the coast of Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly offer a world apart from everyday life. Endless white sandy beaches, rocky coves and stunning seascapes let you wind back the clock to a more carefree time of simple pastimes and pleasures.

You can win a piece of this unspoilt paradise with a three- night break for two on the island of St Mary’s, courtesy of Mincarlo guest house and Adventure Scilly.

The laidback and friendly Mincarlo guest house sits in a quiet corner of the bay overlooking St Mary’s Harbour. Start the day at Mincarlo with a homemade breakfast, made using fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. Come and go as you please – take one of the local boats to another island, explore St Mary’s by foot or bicycle, sit on the terrace in the evening sun and simply take in the stunning surroundings. At Mincarlo, you can enjoy a relaxed atmosphere and a warm welcome, with breathtaking views.

HOW TO ENTER

The prize consists of a three-night stay for two at Mincarlo guest house on a B&B basis. It includes activities offered by Adventure Scilly and two Skybus return flights from Land’s End airport to St Mary’s. The competition winner may travel in September/October 2016, or March/April/May 2017, subject to availability.

Closing date 30 June.

For full T&Cs, see icebergpress.co.uk/comprules

Enter now
 

The prize includes a bespoke choice of activities, too: take part in a complimentary uplifting yoga session, a scenic trail walk/run around the island or experience a coastal swim in crystal clear waters with Adventure Scilly. Or find a quiet, secluded cove to relax and enjoy a beach barbecue.

Idyllic beaches and a prevailing sense of calm make the Isles of Scilly a delight. St Mary’s is the main island but is a world away from the hustle and bustle of mainland Britain. Covering an area of just six square miles, it boasts some of the finest beaches in the UK, as well as spectacular flowers and plant life, rare birds and sensational sea views from a number of spectacular vantage points.

Your prize also includes return Skybus flights from Land’s End airport, courtesy of Isles of Scilly Travel. Flying over to Scilly on an eight or 19-seater Skybus takes just 15
minutes and is a unique way to visit this special destination. 

Terms & Conditions

The prize is valued at up to £1,000; there is no cash alternative available. Breakfasts are included, as is a beach barbecue on one lunchtime or evening (weather and tides allowing).  All other meals, drinks and sundries are not included in the prize.

There are Isles of Scilly Travel Skybus flights to St. Mary’s, Scilly’s main island, from Land’s End, Newquay and Exeter airports six days a week, Monday to Saturday. From Land’s End and Newquay airports these flights run all year round; from Exeter Airport, March to October. The Isles of Scilly Travel passenger ship, Scillonian III, sails from Penzance harbour to St. Mary’s six days a week from March to November, and there are Sunday sailings in high season.

Delayed or cancelled travel:
Every effort is made by Isles of Scilly Travel to operate at the times specified on the ticket. However, Isles of Scilly Travel is not liable for additional costs, loss or damage incurred by passengers resulting from delayed or cancelled travel.

If it is not possible to operate flights, passengers may be offered alternative transport or the option to remain at the airport and wait for a flight to become available. These may not necessarily be on the same day. Winners must hold a valid passport.

 

For more information, go to visitislesofscilly.com

Enter more competitions:

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Sep 19, 2018
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More from the June issue:

Featured
Jun 19, 2016
Don't mind that roses have thorns, be glad that thorns have roses
Jun 19, 2016
Jun 19, 2016
Jun 13, 2016
Recipe: Lavender lemonade
Jun 13, 2016
Jun 13, 2016
Jun 8, 2016
Gardening: Make your own organic fertiliser
Jun 8, 2016
Jun 8, 2016
In Competition Tags issue 48, june
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Recipe: Guacamole

Lottie Storey May 18, 2016

Guacamole is an authentic accompaniment to the tacos on page 38 of June's The Simple Things. The rest of the menu? Baby potato and rosemary pizzas, Bagna càuda Melting pork tacos, Cumin and garlic black beans, Cherry pie...

Guacamole

1 tomato, finely chopped
2 ripe avocados, stoned and chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed with ½ tsp sea salt
½ red onion, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
15g coriander, leaves and stems chopped, and some leaves reserved for garnish
juice of ½ lime

Put the tomato, avocado, garlic and onion in a bowl and mash together with a fork. Season with sea salt and pepper, then add the chilli, coriander and lime juice and incorporate. Taste for seasoning and garnish with coriander leaves.

Note: If you’re making the guacamole in advance, pop the avocado stone into the bowl with the guacamole and cover with cling film (plastic wrap) to stop it from going brown.

Read more from the June issue:

Featured
Jun 19, 2016
Don't mind that roses have thorns, be glad that thorns have roses
Jun 19, 2016
Jun 19, 2016
Jun 13, 2016
Recipe: Lavender lemonade
Jun 13, 2016
Jun 13, 2016
Jun 8, 2016
Gardening: Make your own organic fertiliser
Jun 8, 2016
Jun 8, 2016
  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well

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

View the sampler here

In Eating, Gathering Tags issue 48, june, guacamole, avocado, mexican, midsummer
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My City: Stockholm botels

Lottie Storey May 18, 2016

Enjoy a spell of midsummer magic as the sun shines in Sweden's cool capital city. Turn to page 62 of June's The Simple Things for a tour around Stockholm with Lola Akinmade Åkerstrom.

Nigerian-born Lola (lolaakinmade.com) is an award-winning writer and photographer whose work appears in National Geographic Traveler, The Guardian and many more. She is the editor of Slow Travel Stockholm (slowtravelstockholm.com). 

Lola says:

Stockholm has some fantastic boat hotels called botels, which are refurbished remnants of the city’s nautical past, now used as modern-day lodgings. 

A list of some botels in Stockholm worth checking out - http://www.slowtravelstockholm.com/historical-stockholm/staying-afloat-stockholms-botels/

Read more from the June issue:

Featured
Jun 19, 2016
Don't mind that roses have thorns, be glad that thorns have roses
Jun 19, 2016
Jun 19, 2016
Jun 13, 2016
Recipe: Lavender lemonade
Jun 13, 2016
Jun 13, 2016
Jun 8, 2016
Gardening: Make your own organic fertiliser
Jun 8, 2016
Jun 8, 2016
  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well

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

View the sampler here

In Escape Tags issue 48, june, My City, stockholm, sweden
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Recipe: Honeycomb (for the chocolate honeycomb biscuit cake)

Lottie Storey May 18, 2016

Real honeycomb

Makes about 150g

2tbsp honey
2tbsp golden syrup
100g caster sugar
1 heaped tsp bicarbonate of soda

Line a small baking tray with baking parchment. In a heavy bottomed, deep-sided saucepan (you need to allow room for the mixture to bubble up), combine the honey, golden syrup and caster sugar over a low heat, stirring a couple of times until the sugar has dissolved. Turn up the heat, bring to the boil and continue to cook until the mixture turns amber in colour. There’s no need to use a thermometer here, but if you want to check, it should read 150C.

Remove from the heat and add the bicarbonate of soda: the mixture will bubble ferociously. Whisk quickly to combine – about 5 seconds – but don’t overdo it or the bubbles will start to collapse in on themselves. Pour onto the prepared tray and leave to set at room temperature. Once set bash your honeycomb into bite-sized pieces. It will keep in an airtight container for several days. 

Turn to page 55 of June's The Simple Things for the recipe for Chocolate honeycomb biscuit cake.

 

Read more from the June issue:

Featured
Jun 19, 2016
Don't mind that roses have thorns, be glad that thorns have roses
Jun 19, 2016
Jun 19, 2016
Jun 13, 2016
Recipe: Lavender lemonade
Jun 13, 2016
Jun 13, 2016
Jun 8, 2016
Gardening: Make your own organic fertiliser
Jun 8, 2016
Jun 8, 2016
  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well

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

View the sampler here

In Eating Tags honeycomb, cake, cake recipe, issue 48, june
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Kate Turner’s Henkeeping Factsheet

Lottie Storey May 18, 2016

For a taste of the good life and your own freshly-laid eggs on the doorstep, keeping chickents can be great fun and is surprisingly simple, says Kate Turner. 

Kate Turner is an allotment gardener, forager, recipe writer and author, who wrote this month’s henkeeping feature on page 48 of June's The Simple Things. She loves growing organic veg and raising ‘free-range’ children. Read more at about her flock at homegrownkate.com and read on for her tips on keeping hens.

Becoming a henkeeper

1. Choosing a chicken

There are so many fabulous breeds to choose from, all with different looks and personalities to boot. Start by looking through books, poultry magazines or online to get an idea of what you like and then contact a local breeder or poultry society or go to an agricultural show to take a look.

It’s worth considering whether you want hybrid, pure or rare breeds and what size chicken you’re after. Hybrids are cross-bred for high egg production (250-300 a year) and live for around three to five years. Pure breeds are a single breed and usually live longer (six to 12 years). They won’t lay quite as many eggs as hybrids (anything from 50-250 depending on the breed), but they do come in an incredible array of colours, characters, shapes and sizes. Rare breeds are pure breeds whose numbers are low, so keeping rare breeds helps preserve that species, which is great.

It’s also worth considering what size chicken you’re after. Do you have the space for large hens or would you prefer a little bantam flock? A cockerel or ladies only? Start with two to three chickens and go from there. Most hens are very family friendly, easy to care for and a real joy to have in the garden.

2. The coop and run

While we use an ‘open’ coop and a battery-powered electric fence to protect our flock, there are lots of other options to suit all situations and budgets. If you’re tight on space an ‘A’ frame, ark or Eglu might suit – these portable frames incorporate coop and run and can be moved around your garden to make the most of fresh grass, usually housing two to four smaller hens.

You can convert an old shed into a brilliant chicken house, buy a gypsy caravan hen house on wheels or even recycle a metal bed frame and a waterproof canvas sheet! At night, each hen will need around 20cm of perching space in the coop and the more space you can give your chickens to roam during the day, the better. Once your chosen coop is up and running, you’ll need to keep it clean – ‘mucking out’ once a week is usually fine.

3. Food and water

Fresh water should always be available, with or without the addition of apple cider vinegar, and food needs to be offered once or twice a day – the main meal in the morning and a treat in the afternoon works well. We don’t leave food out permanently because it can attract unwanted ‘guests’, plus we enjoy going to the allotment to feed our chickens.

As a rule of thumb, a double-handful of food is about right for each hen, but you’ll get a feel for what suits your flock. You could just feed them organic layers pellets and some mixed grain as a treat, but they will really appreciate kitchen scraps, foraged nuts, berries and weeds. We also make an occasional ‘green mash’ that is packed with nutrients, which they adore. In addition they need a little ‘grit’ for healthy digestion and hard eggshells.

4. Natural remedies

A fresh-air, free-range lifestyle is always the best way to ensure good health, but there are also some really useful natural products for your chickens. Diatomaceous earth is a very fine dust made from tiny fossilised water plants that mites and parasites loathe. Every few months we puff it into the nooks and crannies of their coop, their favourite dust-bathing spots, even into their food. Verm-x is another great herbal product for deterring parasites.

Once a month, we dish out the pellets and they must taste delicious because our hens love them! Daily Hen Health is a fabulous vitamin and mineral-rich addition to their water, containing apple cider vinegar and a mixture of herbs, seaweed and garlic - we just add a little to their water whenever we change it. And finally, plain and simple wood ash – a brilliant addition to dust-bathing spots, especially in the winter months.

5. The moult and hen-pecking

Once a year towards the end of summer your lovely fluffy hen will lose many of her feathers and lay fewer eggs. This is called the moult and is perfectly normal, although it can look quite alarming. Your hen is simply replacing her old feathers in a process that can take six to 12 weeks. Hen-pecking can be equally alarming and is also pretty normal when introducing new chickens to your flock. Expect a bit of argy-bargy as the hens decide who’s the boss and what the ‘pecking-order’ is. Introducing new hens at night can help – put them straight on the perch with the roosting flock and they may wake up none the wiser.

 

READING & SUPPLIES

There are lots of publications and websites out there offering advice on keeping chickens. These are some of my favourites:

Books

The Illustrated Guide to Chickens by Celia Lewis (a gorgeously illustrated & practical guide to keeping chickens)

Chickens by Suzie Baldwin (a comprehensive book covering everything you need to know)

The Complete Herbal Handbook for Farm & Stable by Juliette de Bairacli Levy (a natural chicken keeping bible)

Collins Pocket Guide: Wild Flowers (a handy pocketbook for identifying wild herbs & weeds)

 

Specialist magazines

·      Practical Poultry

·      Country Smallholding

·      Fancy Fowl

·      Your Chickens

 

Websites for coops, fencing, food & herbs, plus UK agricultural shows:

Coops

www.flytesofancy.co.uk

www.omlet.co.uk

www.greenfrogdesigns.co.uk

www.smithssectionalbuildings.co.uk

 

Food/Herbs/Treatments

www.organicfeed.co.uk

www.hiltonherbs.com

www.verm-x.com

www.diatomretail.co.uk

 

Fencing

www.countrystoredirect.com

www.rappa.co.uk

 

Agricultural Shows

www.ukcountyshows.co.uk

 

 

General info

www.poultryclub.org (lots of info about pure breeds )

www.rarepoultrysociety.co.uk (protects & promotes rare breeds)

www.rbst.org.uk (Rare breeds survival trust. Lots of info)

www.bhwt.org.uk (British hen welfare trust – rehomes hybrid commercial layers)

www.feathersite.com (US-based and a bit clunky, but loads of infophotos about all breeds)

 

Read more from the June issue:

Featured
Jun 19, 2016
Don't mind that roses have thorns, be glad that thorns have roses
Jun 19, 2016
Jun 19, 2016
Jun 13, 2016
Recipe: Lavender lemonade
Jun 13, 2016
Jun 13, 2016
Jun 8, 2016
Gardening: Make your own organic fertiliser
Jun 8, 2016
Jun 8, 2016
  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well

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

View the sampler here

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Nest, Living, Growing Tags henkeeping, hens, chickens, issue 48, june
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  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well
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The Simple Things

Taking time to live well

We celebrate slowing down, enjoying what you have, making the most of where you live, enjoying the company of of friends and family, and feeding them well. We like to grow some of our own vegetables, visit local markets, rummage for vintage finds, and decorate our home with the plunder. We love being outdoors and enjoy the satisfaction that comes with a job well done.

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