Edible flowers: recipe inspiration

Team Simple Things cannot resist anything flowery and perfumed, and our love of edible flowers knows no bounds. Here are three recipes we can't wait to try. White peach lavender soda (above) sounds like the most delightfully delicious way to quench your thirst on a sunny summer's day. Thought up by Emma Christensen, this is one fragrant fancy we're desperate to try. Emma also recommends trying this with a shot of gin.

For the recipe, head to Emma's blog.

Violets are a particularly perfumed flower, and make for a delicate dessert in the form of these violet and lemon eclairs. Head over to Twigg Studios blog for the full recipe.

Raspberries and rose sound like a match made in heaven, coming together in this delightful dessert by Pick Yin. Although the thought of baking a soufflé might be a little intimidating, Pick claims this recipe to be foolproof. Let's give it a go!

For more edible flower goodness, turn to page 38 of May's The Simple Things (buy it here), where Lia Leendertz prettifies salads, desserts and even drinks with edible flowers. Or have a try at making Babousa, a Middle Eastern rose-scented cake.

Gardening: Grow your own smoothie garden

Gardening can be thirsty work, so what could be better than sipping the fruits of your labours? We're planning to try to grow smoothie ingredients in our very own smoothie garden this summer. Plant pots with a range of fruits and leaves to start yourself on a homegrown smoothie adventure.

Perfect Pears

A truly versatile fruit tree, pears can be pot-grown as a standard (tree-shaped) or trained in elegant fans, espaliers or even 'step-overs' (just one branch high and low enough to step over), which make such a great edge to a vegetable patch. Making them especially tempting smoothie ingredients, homegrown pears have a thin skin compared to the tougher commercial varieties that have been bred not to bruise in transit. They'll add a distinctive flavour to your smoothie too.

Beautiful Beetroot

These crimson-fleshed bulbs are easy to grow and delicious to eat fresh. Choose varieties wisely and you can have a supply almost all year round. Adding a deep red colour to a smoothie, their earthy flavour works well with sweeter fruits. Go for 'Boltardy' for an early crop (as its name suggests, it won't bolt either). 'Regala' is ideal for containers thanks to its small, golf-ball size even when mature. You can also use the young leaves in smoothies as a substitute for kale or spinach.

Colourful Cabbage

Don't be put off by the thought of slippery, tough green leaves that your granny might have served along with the soggy sprouts for Sunday lunch. For a start, the Italian variety 'Cavolo Nero' is not only delicious but tender, too. It has dark, almost black-green, spear-shaped leaves that look really striking.

Power-packed Blueberries

Considered superfruits because they're extremely high in antioxidants, blueberries are best grown in their own containers as they need ericaceous (acid) soil. If you have space, grow several varieties to encourage a larger yield. If you go for an early variety like 'Earliblue' and a late one, such as the large-berried 'Chandler', you'll have a harvesting season stretching from July to September.

Lissome Lettuce

Romaine, also known as cos, is ideal fro smoothies. The juicy, crisp green leaves have a sweet flavour, and it's easy to grow, so try sowing thickly for a summer-long supply of baby cut-and-come-again leaves rather than allowing seedlings more room to bulk up into a heart. Direct sow from March and you can keep going until August. 'Jabeque', an organic variety, is a reliable cropper and slow to bolt, while 'Chartwell' is resistant to downy mildew and copes in hot, dry weather.

Moreish Mint

There are so many delicious varieties of mint, it seems a shame to limit yourself to just one. From pineapple mint to ginger mint, strongly-flavoured Moroccan mint to the more familiar spearmint, they're easy to grow and attract bees, butterflies and hoverflies. They're vigorous plants, so keep their growth under control by planting in a large plastic pot and sinking this in a border or within a container. Restricting mint's roots in this way will prevent it from overwhelming neighbouring plants.

Want more?

For more information on the plants outlined above, and for our favourite homegrown smoothie recipes, turn to page 76 of May's issue of The Simple Things (on sale 29 April 2014 - buy here).

Adventurous with your smoothie ingredients? Tell us about it on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. We'd love to share your ideas.

Recipe: nettle and wild garlic soup

Never eaten stinging nettles? Bethan from Decorator's Notebook wants to persuade you with this recipe for nettle and wild garlic soup. YOU WILL NEED 2 large handfuls freshly picked nettles 1 small bunch wild garlic (about 12 leaves) 1 tablespoon butter 1 leek, washed and sliced 1 onion, peeled and chopped 3 potatoes, peeled and diced 1 litre chicken or vegetable stock ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg Salt and pepper

INSTRUCTIONS Fill the sink with cold water and add a large tablespoon of salt. Wearing rubber gloves, add the nettles and wash thoroughly. Separately wash and thinly slice the wild garlic leaves. Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the onion and leek. Cook gently until soft then add the potato and nutmeg. Cook for a further 5 minutes then pour in the stock. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the potato is tender. Add a splash of water if it needs it. Next prepare the nettles. Put a large saucepan of water on the hob and bring to the boil. Get a bowl of iced water ready. Blanch the nettles for 2 minutes in the boiling water before removing with a slotted spoon and plunging into the iced water. Drain and set aside. When the potato is cooked whizz the soup with a stick blender until smooth. Add all the nettles and most of the wild garlic, reserving a little to garnish. Blend for a couple of minutes more, then season to taste. Serve with crusty bread garnished with a swirl of natural yogurt, a pinch of nutmeg and a few strands of shredded wild garlic leaves.

Photographs and recipe: Bethan John for Decorator's Notebook

Styled with: Enamel milk pan and Reclaimed wood tray, both available online from the Decorator's Notebook shop

Bedtime story illustrator: Christine Rösch

Meet illustrator Christine Rösch, whose work illustrates May's Bedtime Story, Fireflies. Christine Rösch is a German illustrator based in Scotland. She has studied in both Germany and Israel. Her images often incorporate hand-drawn typography and have become more colourful over time which she attributes to her constant desire for summer and spring. In addition to her freelance work, she participates in a creative group called the Pencilcase Collective. See more of her work on her website and at the Pencilcase Collective.

Potato print competition: Get creative to win a great prize (closed 30 June 2014)

Make a potato print - or get your children to do one - and you could win an overnight hotel stay, a Red Hen Original (worth £250) and lots of crisps!

Create a potato print (inspired by the profile of Julia Burns of Red Hen Originals in May's issue of The Simple Things), take a picture of it and post it to our Facebook page, making sure you enter your details, too.

The best potato print, judged by Lisa Sykes, editor of The Simple Things, and Julia Burns of Red Hen Originals, will win a beautiful Red Hen Original - see the full collection - plus dinner, bed and breakfast for two people at a Hand Picked Hotel of their choice. You can choose from 20 historic properties throughout the UK and Channel Islands.

The winner will also receive a year's supply of KETTLE Chips hand-cooked crisps, with no added MSG, artificial flavours or colourings. The prize will include new Seasonal Edition Lime & Black Pepper. Like all KETTLE Chips, it was created with real ingredients. And, like the rest of the range, KETTLE Chips Lime & Black Pepper are made from the finest potatoes, hand-cooked in sunflower oil. For exclusive offers, sign up for the newsletter.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS: Closing date for entries is 30 June. Travel expenses and travel insurance are not included. The prize is as stated. There is no cash alternative. The year's supply of KETTLE Chips consists of 12 cases of 12 x 150g bags in a variety of seasonings, to be supplied in three deliveries throughout the year. The break with Hand Picked Hotels is valid at the winner's choice of all 20 hotels subject to availability, until 30 November 2014. It includes a three-course table d'hote dinner, overnight accommodation in a classic double or twin bedroom and a full traditional breakfast for two people. We reserve the right to print entries in the magazine or post online.

May's issue of The Simple Things

Have a look at the new issue of The Simple Things before it hits the shops. No need to be a teenage May Queen to personify spring. Just wear jeans and plimsolls instead of a white gown; swap the crown of flowers for a sprig of blossom and armfuls of home-grown greenery; and make your speech a quiet hurrah for headspace, pets, tea, cakes and all that stuff your mum calls 'tat'.

And should you feel compelled to hop, skip and jump, just make the nearest sapling your maypole. Lead your own parade through the town. The Simple Things will be at your side.

May's issue of The Simple Things is on sale from 29th April in all major supermarkets, WHSmith, M&S and larger newsagents. If you can’t find a copy, you can buy an issue here.

Sponsored post: April's cut flower patch planting diary

Louise Curley, author of The Cut Flower Patch, shares this month's planting diary.

'Another season on my cut flower patch is starting to come together. After months of poring over seed catalogues and making wish lists of the plants I want for cutting I can actually get started on the best bit – the growing. April is a month of frantic activity with every available surface that gets enough light covered with seed trays and pots. Early sowings in March tend to be indoors to protect them from the fickle nature of spring weather but by now the ground should be warm enough to sow hardy annuals directly into the soil. Country lore used to suggest testing the temperature of the soil by sitting on it with a bare bottom. An easier and less embarrassing way is to see if weed seeds are germinating. If it’s warm enough for them then it’s perfect for your hardy annuals too.

'Sowing directly is an option if you don’t have much space to start off seeds indoors and is the best way to grow certain plants which dislike the root disturbance involved in sowing into trays and then transplanting them. Hardy annuals to sow direct include nigella, cornflowers, ammi, dill, calendula and sunflowers. Direct sown seedlings are vulnerable to slug attack and, as their roots have yet to develop fully, they will suffer in a dry spell, so check over your cut flower patch regularly. Water if necessary and use organic slug pellets to protect your young plants.

'Now is also the time to start off your half-hardy flowers. These are plants which originate from countries such as Mexico. They need warmth to germinate and grow, any hint of frost and they’ll be wiped out. Sow now into seed trays, place on a sunny windowsill and they will be the perfect size to plant out by the end of May when any danger of frost should have passed. Half-hardies perfect for your cut flower patch include zinnias, cosmos, rudbeckia and ten week stocks.'

Louise Curley is the author of The Cut Flower Patch, published by Frances Lincoln.

Bright Bazaar book offer

The first book by The Simple Things Marketplace Editor, Will Taylor, is out now. Bright Bazaar: Embracing Colour for Make-You-Smile Style is a 192-page refreshing take on colour from one of the world’s leading interiors bloggers, Will Taylor.

To order Bright Bazaar at the special offer price of £20 including UK P&P, telephone 01903 828503 or email mailorders@lbsltd.co.uk, quoting the offer code APG137 and the book ISBN 9781909342200.

Will knows how colour can lift your mood. Try his colour cocktails to bring spring freshness to your home in May's issue of The Simple Things.

Recipe: Babousa

In this month's Seed to Stove, Lia Leendertz is prettifying salads, desserts and even drinks with edible flowers. Follow her instructions for crystallising rose petals (page 42), then use them to top Babousa, a Middle Eastern rosewater-scented cake.

Ingredients:

335g semolina 110g sugar 3tbsp desiccated coconut 2tsp baking powder 110g plain yoghurt 55g melted butter 115ml milk

Syrup ingredients:

375ml water 120g sugar 1 vanilla pod 2tbsp rosewater Pinch of saffron soaked in 2tbsp cold water

Method:

Mix semolina, sugar, desiccated coconut and baking powder together in a bowl then stir in the yoghurt, milk and melted butter.

Spread the mixture onto a greased baking tin 6x6in square and leave to rest for 30 minutes.

Heat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4.

Deeply score into squares or diamonds before placing into the oven. Bake for 25 minutes, until the top is golden.

While it is baking make the syrup by putting all of the syrup ingredients into a saucepan and bringing to the boil.

Simmer for three minutes then remove from the heat.

When the cake is ready, remove it from the oven and pour the syrup all over it.

Leave to cool and to absorb all of the syrup.

Serve with thick yoghurt.

Recipe and video found here.

Sow and grow

The Simple Things Gardening Editor, Cinead McTernan goes back to gardening school, with a course on sowing seeds. Read her top tips for healthy sowing and growing. No matter how many times I sow seeds nothing quite beats the buzz of seeing little green shoots as they start to germinate. The journey from seed to plant is like some form of alchemy and it still amazes me that in a matter of months these tiny things provide a season’s worth (or more) of foliage, flowers and crops.

If you’re new to growing, it’s a good idea to read up about sowing seeds or, better still, find a course that will take you through the basics and ensure you have success when it comes to growing your own plants.

I recently spent the most inspiring morning with garden writer Zia Allaway. She runs half day and day workshops from her Garden Room at her Hertfordshire home. She covers an interesting range of subjects from sowing to propagating, and from container growing to planning a veg garden.

I chose to brush up on my seed sowing techniques and though I’ve sown a fair few seeds in my time I picked up some clever tips that will ensure I get my seeds off to the very best start this year. Thanks to Zia I will try to be more vigilant when it comes to spotting the moment my seeds start to germinate when they’re in a propagator (or covered seed tray). Removing the plastic cover as soon as the green shoots appear will help prevent the dreaded damping off disease from killing-off a tray or pot of seedlings.

Knowledge is power as they say, and we spent an interesting hour or so going over the science behind seeds - why and how they grow. Zia believes that understanding the whole picture will give you useful pointers about how to look after your seedlings and plants when you start sowing yourself. It’s a great way to approach other aspects of gardening too - if you’re choosing a new plant, knowing where it originally came from indicates where it will grow best in your own garden: If a plant is used to the dry hot Mediterranean conditions found in its native habitat, chances are it won’t be very happy in a damp, woodland area.

The other great thing about gardening courses is that you have the chance to get your hands dirty. After coffee and cake Zia took us through sowing dahlia seeds and pricking out dahlia seedlings. Not only great fun, it helped boost confidence levels for those attendees that weren’t familiar with the techniques. I found it thoroughly inspiring and a morning spent talking seeds with Zia prompted me to do another round of seed-ordering when I got home that afternoon. It also sowed the seeds of an idea to grow extra plants to sell on my doorstep!

Wordless Wednesday

Inntravel the Slow holiday people

Nest: Keith Stephenson and Mark Hampshire of Mini Moderns

Keith Stephenson and Mark Hampshire of Mini Moderns let The Simple Things in for a look around their stylish railway carriage holiday home.

On the Dungeness headland in Kent, this Victorian guard's carriage was nothing special when the clever couple got their hands on it. Now a comfortable holiday home with two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen and bathroom squeezed within a small footprint, the carriage is decorated with a predominantly white scheme, but with Keith and Mark's colourful, midcentury style.

Want to get the look? Our top six picks will add instant, elegant style to your home.

Clockwise from top left:

1. A Mini Moderns Pavilion cushion features throughout the couple's holiday home. Pavilion cushion, £35

2. Scour Etsy for classic Bakelite kitchenalia, like this sleepy Bournvita mug. Planet Utopia, £24

3. Industrial lighting is a good option when space is tight; hang this braided cord lamp from a hook or wall. Baileys, £38

4. In classic 'Whitby' design, this tea towel is archetypal Mini Moderns. Whitby tea towel, £8

5. Design classics such as this Eames chair look right at home in all sorts of settings. DSR Side Chair, £223

6. The only piece of technology in Keith and Mark's living room is a portable record player. Crosley turntable, £160

For more home and interiors love, buy The Simple Things April issue now.

Join The Simple Things for a day in the country with Yeo Valley

Join us for a special day, hosted by Yeo Valley exclusively for readers of The Simple Things Learn more about growing organically, watch a butter-making demonstration and receive some expert tuition on arranging flowers.

You'll spend the morning in the tranquil Yeo Valley Organic Garden, meeting the friendly garden team as you pick an array of flowers from the six and a half acres of meadow and planting beds (you'll be using those later!).

A two-course homemade lunch follows in the Yeo Valley tea room after which the head chef will be hosting a butter-making session.

In the afternoon Somerset florist Bee will help you display the blooms you picked in a flower arranging class.

The day ends with what else but tea and freshly baked cake before you head home with your pretty flowers, Yeo Valley goodie bag and a copy of your favourite magazine!

The Yeo Valley Day Out takes place on 21st May 2014 at Yeo Valley Organic Garden, Holt Farm, Bath Road, Blagdon, North Somerset BS40 7SQ.

Limited to just 25 places, tickets cost £50 per person.

Book now - email Jill at events@yeovalley.co.uk or call 01761 461425.

Escape: Wheel Women (and their cycling accessories)

In April's issue of The Simple Things, we get back on the road with a quick spring bike health-check (page 20) and a look back at the history of women and cycling, as told through a Victorian cycling manual for ladies (p86). Fellow bike lovers, gather round. We've picked some of our favourite cycling accessories to make this season's riding as pretty as a picture.

Clockwise from top left:

1. 'Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride' - we wholeheartedly agree! Emu Designs, £11.62 2. This clever gadget solves the dilemma of how to transport a bottle on a bike picnic. Bicycle wine rack, Cycle Chic, £34.99 3. Cycling helmets don't have to look so, well, practical. We love this super sleek gloss helmet by Sahn, Cycle Chic, £89 4. Carry your laptop safely with this charcoal pannier, Bolzano, Cycle Chic, £55 5. Buy British! We love the sound of this bell made by the only company manufacturing bicycle bells in the UK. Lion Bellworks, from £14.95 6. Keep your bicycle tools close and hand in this stylish leather bag. Trick and Thread, £38.17

For more cycling love, buy The Simple Things April issue now.

Simple style: The denim jacket

Read our potted history of the trusty, tireless denim jacket in April's issue of The Simple Things? Investing in a classic denim jacket should see years of wear. But what to wear with it? Here are our top denim jacket style picks. Clockwise from top left:

1. Go nautique with a classic Breton tee, Toast £49 2. Not just for colder months, lightweight scarves such as this mini tassel scarf are perfect for cooler evenings , Jigsaw £39 3. Sunglasses and denim jackets are like coffee and cream: made for each other. Le Specs, £35 4. Maxi dresses can be styled up to make the transition from day to evening a breeze. Hush, £40 5. Just the right side of Western, these ankle boots are a cowboy classic. Office, £160 6. Double denim is a difficult look to pull off, but white jeans are an easier option. Gap, £44.95

Turn to page 26 of The Simple Things April issue for more denim jacket style. Buy your copy now.

Win a luxury hamper worth £150 (closed)

From large family-friendly properties to romantic boltholes, New Forest Living offers a collection of luxury holiday cottages across the New Forest National Park.

For a taste of what the New Forest has to offer, New Forest Living is giving one lucky new Facebook liker the chance to win this wonderful artisan hamper worth £150, filled to the brim with a unique selection of luxury local New Forest produce... just in time for Easter.

From scrummy locally made chocolate to delectable wine from the local vineyards, there’s something in the hamper to delight everyone in the family this Easter.

The prize includes: 1 bottle dry white wine and 1 bottle rose from Setley Ridge Vineyard; Three Thornback and Peel cotton handkerchiefs from Norris Gifts and Furnishings, Beaulieu; bergamot, lemon and grapefruit soya wax candle and three soaps from New Forest Aromatics; New Forest Honey; Raspberry dark chocolate egg, box of chocolates, Turkish Rose chocolate bar, Milk Nutty chocolate bar from Beaulieu Chocolate Studio; Fig and Olive chutney, Apple and Rosemary Jelly, Red Chilli Sauce, herb-infused olive oil from Spice and Easy. Wild Island raspberry balsamic dressing. Blackcurrant Naked Jam. Six Hampshire duck eggs.

Please note, the competition is open to UK residents only.

To enter, go to the New Forest Living Facebook page, hit Like, and enter your details.

Good luck!

Reader offer: Luxury cottage retreat (closed 30 April 2014)

10% off bookings at beautiful holiday cottage: Cappele Cottage, Snowdonia Standing alone in a peaceful valley, Cappele Cottage near Corwen, Snowdonia effortlessly mixes contemporary style with rustic character. Cappele's idyllic location is perfect for hiking and biking in the Snowdonia Hills or simply relaxing and romancing and enjoying some of the wonderful food that Wales has to offer.

After a day outdoors you can indulge yourself with a long soak in the claw-foot bath looking out onto the rolling valley, then take your pick from one of the two bedrooms, each with their own bathroom and unique style.

This month The Simple Things has teamed up with luxury holiday company Sheepskin to offer 10% off bookings of four nights or more at this cosy, traditional farmhouse with a modern twist.

This offer is available for all bookings made by 30 April 2014. For more information on Sheepskin's holiday cottages call 01865 764087 or visit www.sheepskinlife.com.

Asparagus with Gill Meller, River Cottage

River Cottage's head chef explains why home-grown asparagus is worth waiting for, in April's issue of The Simple Things. "We've been waiting three years for our asparagus bed at River Cottage to yield anything considered ripe for cutting," says Gillon Meller. "Patience, our gardener insists, is the watchword when growing this delicate little plant."

"The first asparagus of the season always signals the beginning of good things to me. Maybe it's the promise of better weather or perhaps it's the variety it brings to the kitchen for the few weeks it's with us. In late March and April, I make it my culinary mission to find the freshest cut spears I can. That can mean going to quite some lengths, but it's well worth it.

"There's such a big difference between week-old asparagus and that which has been cut within hours of eating. The natural sugars found in this superb short-seasoned vegetable quickly start converting to starch, which means they lose their sweetness as each hour passes. We'll often jump in the car a few hours before service and hare up the old track to our local grower's patch in order to pick up spears cut fresh to order."

In his menu for The Simple Things, Gill has paired asparagus with 'one of the most delicious cuts of meat known to all good men - the humble pork belly'.

For the full recipes, see The Simple Things, April issue:

Slow roast pork with chargrilled asparagus and mint

Lamb's kidneys with mustard & cream

Purple sprouting broccoli with taramasalata, preserved lemon & smoked paprika

Gillon Meller is head chef at River Cottage HQ, which is found on the Devon and Dorset border. He also contributes to cookbooks, teaches at the River Cottage Cookery School and appears regularly on the River Cottage TV programmes.

To book your place on a course at River Cottage HQ visit www.rivercottage.net

Follow Gill on Twitter: @gillmeller

Food from afar: Bomboloni

Bomboloni: delightful to say, even more delightful to eat. And possibly even onomatopoeic, if you attempt to exclaim "bloomin' lovely!" while you're eating them! Doughnuts fulfil a basic human craving the world over and countless countries have their own spin on them - there's the French beignet, the Turkish tulumba and the Israeli sufganiya to name but a fraction. Bomboloni are the Tuscan contribution to the planet's exhaustive list of things to do with sweet, deep-fried dough and, dare we say, one of the best.

Read more about these delicious little mouthfuls of delight in April's issue of The Simple Things - buy now or look through.

And if you feel like making your own, this recipe looks tempting.

Kirstie Allsopp presents The Handmade Fair

We are delighted to announce that we’ve teamed up with Kirstie Allsopp and Hobbycraft to bring you The Handmade Fair, coming this September to Hampton Court Palace!

Join The Handmade Fair mailing list to get all the latest updates and for access to the ticket pre-sale.