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Recipe by Lia Leendertz, photography by Kirstie Young 

Recipe by Lia Leendertz, photography by Kirstie Young

 

Growing: Fruit and nut trees

Lottie Storey December 1, 2015

In December's The Simple Things, Cinead McTernan explores the world of fruit and nut trees and selects the species most suitable for a domestic garden. Here, we pick out some of our favourite fruit and nut recipes from previous issues.

Spiced pickled quince

Looks stunning in the jar and goes well with soft goats’ cheese or cold meat.

400g granulated sugar
700ml cider vinegar
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp coriander leaves
1 bay leaf
4 quinces

1. Put sugar, vinegar, peppercorns and herbs into a large saucepan and bring slowly to the boil.

2. Peel, core and quarter the quinces; cut each quarter into three and place in the liquid. Bring back to the boil and then turn the heat down and simmer for 40 mins. The quince will soften and turn a rich pink colour.

3. Allow to cool slightly and then spoon into sterilised jars before pouring the liquor over and sealing. They’ll keep for a couple of months.

 

Recipe by Lia Leendertz, taken from issue 29 (November 2014 - buy back issue now)

 

Quick walnut tart

This is very fine if you make your own pastry, but once in a while shop-bought pastry can make the difference between making something and not.

240g sugar
180ml double cream
2 tbsp good honey
1 tsp fennel seed, ground
1 tsp cinnamon, ground
200g walnuts
500g sweet pastry
1 egg, lightly beaten

 

 

 

1 Preheat oven to 180C/Fan 160/350F. 

2 Add sugar to a pan on a moderate heat. Stir as it starts to turn to caramel, and once or twice more until all the sugar turns.

3 With the pan still on the heat, slowly pour in the cream, stirring as you do – it will form ribbons but keep going and it will become smooth. Stir in the honey, fennel, cinnamon and nuts. Leave to cool while you prepare the pastry case.

4 Butter and flour a 22-24cm tart tin.

5 On a floured surface, roll out the pastry to 5mm thick and line the tin.

6 Spike the pastry using a fork and bake for 10 mins. Brush pastry with beaten egg, and bake another 7 mins.

7 Spoon the nut mixture evenly into the tart and bake for about 30 mins in the centre of the oven. Let cool for 10 mins, before removing the side of the tin and leaving to cool on a rack.

Recipe by Mark Diacono, taken from issue 40 (October 2015 - buy back issue now)

 

 

Recipe by Lia Leendertz, photography by Kirstie Young

Recipe by Lia Leendertz, photography by Kirstie Young

Gianduja liqueur

This chocolate and hazelnut liqueur is definitely worth the effort of spending a little time with the nutcracker. Gianduja is the forerunner of nutella, a chocolate and hazelnut paste created in Turin during the Napoleonic era, when a resourceful chocolatier mixed his limited supply of cacao with hazelnuts to make it stretch further. This is adapted from a recipe in Andrew Schloss’s Homemade Liqueurs and Infused Spirits. Siphoned off into pretty little bottles, it makes wonderful Christmas presents.

450g hazelnuts
200g cacao nibs
750ml vodka (40% proof)
300ml simple syrup* (you can buy this but it’s easy to make, see below)

1 In a large, dry frying pan, toast the hazelnuts until they start to take colour, then tip them into a cloth and rub off as many of the skins as you can easily get to come off.

2 Pour the cacao nibs into the frying pan and toast briefly, until the aroma hits your nose. Tip out into a cool bowl.

3 In batches, grind hazelnuts and cacao nibs in a food processor until they are the texture of coarse sand (you could use a pestle and mortar instead, but this will obviously take some time). Tip everything into a large, sealable jar and pour on the vodka. Stir well.

4 After around ten days, strain the mixture into a sterilised and cooled jar. Use a colander lined with muslin, and when the bulk of the liquid has passed through, suspend the muslin above the jar and let it drip through for an hour or so. Don’t squeeze or press on the mixture to extract more liquid, as this will cloud the liqueur.

5 Stir in the cooled simple syrup and it is then ready to drink, or to store for up to a year.

*To make the simple syrup
1 I always use American ‘cups’ measurements for making syrup, because you need an equal volume of water and sugar and this is the most straightforward way to measure them. You will need around 1¼ cups each of sugar and water. But if you prefer, this equates to around 300ml water and about 200g sugar.
2 Put the sugar and water into a saucepan and warm through gently until the sugar has dissolved, then turn up the heat and simmer for a minute. Take off the heat and allow to cool.

Recipe by Lia Leendertz, taken from issue 39 (September 2015 - buy back issue now)

 

Medlar jelly

Little accompanies rich meats and cheese as well as a good jelly. This deep amber preserve has just the right mix of sharp and sweet, with a fruity edge

1kg medlars, quartered (ideally around half bletted, half not)
juice of half–1 lemon
around 500g caster sugar
1 vanilla pod (optional)

 

 

 

 

1. Put the medlars in a large pan and pour in just enough water to cover. Add the juice of half a lemon, more if you fancy a sharper flavour. Bring to the boil, lower the temperature and simmer for an hour.

2. Leave to strain overnight through a jelly bag or muslin into a bowl.

3. Put a small plate into the fridge to chill. Measure the juice and pour it into a clean pan. For each 500ml of juice, add 375g of caster sugar.

4. Split the vanilla pod along its length and add to the liquid. Warm gently, stirring as the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to a rolling boil, then boil unstirred, for 5 mins.

5. Turn off the heat and test for the setting point by spooning a few drops onto the cold plate, leaving it for a minute then pushing it with your finger. It should wrinkle. If not, test again in 5 mins.

6. Pour the jelly into warm, sterilised jars and seal. It will keep in a cool, dark place for at least a year, often much longer. Once open, store in fridge - it should last months.

 

Recipe by Mark Diacono, taken from issue 41 (November 2015 - buy back issue now) 

 

Almond butter

If you want to make homemade almond butter, you just need almonds and a food processor. Head over to digital editor Lottie Storey's blog - Oyster & Pearl - for a very easy recipe.

 

December's The Simple Things is full of festive makes and bakes, wreaths of hawthorn and bay, and twinkly lights a-plenty. Buy, download or subscribe now.


In Christmas, Growing, Eating Tags growing, nut, walnut tree, fruit, fruit recipe, christmas, issue 42, december
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Merry: December cover reveal

Lottie Storey November 25, 2015

You’ll know its here when you can smell the scent of cinnamon, cloves, spruce and pine. The lights too are a clue, twinkling on the tree or glowing brightly outside. Embrace the preparations and nod to festive times past; string a wreath of hawthorn or bay, burn a Yule log and sing carols. Make a party out of making presents, then cross your fingers for snow. Come the day itself there’ll be plum pudding and a jolly table to share your crackers. May your December be merry and your Christmas full of The Simple Things.

December's The Simple Things is out today - buy, download or subscribe now.

In Christmas, Magazine Tags issue 42, december, cover reveal, christmas
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Competition: Win a feel good wardrobe from EKO (closed 31 Jan 2015)

Lottie Storey November 24, 2015

Chase away your winter blues with luxury organic clothing inspired by the simplicity and natural beauty of the Cornish coast.

EKO has designed a range of luxury basics and day-to-evening dresses made from the kindest of eco fabrics. As the evenings draw in, relax and unwind in EKO’s super-soft loungewear or layer up with its casual day dresses and tunics, to create simple and elegant feel-good style.

We have a £250 voucher to give away. The winner will be selected at random from all completed entries. An e-voucher will be emailed to the winner, which can be redeemed online and spent on the entire collection. Enter below before 31 December 2015 and view full terms and conditions at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules 

In Competition Tags issue 42, december, competition
9 Comments
Image: Getty Images

Image: Getty Images

Music: A festive drinks party

Lottie Storey November 24, 2015

Create the right mood for your festive drinks party!

We're with Russ Abbot on this one: we love a party with a happy atmosphere. And the best way to get one going is with a few mood-setting strategies.

❊ Make the house smell festive with mulled wine, scented spicy candles, and warming pastries. See December's Miscellany, page 121, for ideas.

❊ Create an inviting glow by illuminating the path or front door with garden torch candles, and by placing candles strategically around the house (in front of mirrors on mantelpieces, for example).

❊ Decorate generously with boughs of ivy, Christmas baubles and vases filled with flowers.

❊ Play mood-setting music. Get the soundtrack right for your drinks party and you’re halfway there. Nothing too obtrusive, just a selection of easy-listening, recognisable tunes playing at low volume in the background. For the full-on Abigail’s Party effect, you could choose Demis Roussos and José Feliciano, but we suggest playing our Spotify lounge music playlist instead. 

Listen to our Loungemusic playlist now.

Tags christmas playlist
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Image: Getty Images

Image: Getty Images

Starlight Express

Lottie Storey November 24, 2015

We may be cloaked in darkness, but on longer nights there's more opportunity to enjoy a sky full of stars. Taking a moment to look up and discover something bigger and brighter than us can be humbling. And what better time than Christmas to contemplate our place in the universe?

There are plenty of apps designed to help you get more out of your stargazing experience.

Night Sky Tools

The winning feature of this app is that it’s almost self-contained, most of its functions don’t need an internet connection. Perfect for when you’re venturing into the wilderness.

 

Sky map

Day or night, just point your phone at the sky and this clever app will reveal the location of constellations and planets, even those you won’t be able to see over the horizon.

 

The Night Sky Lite

As the name implies, this is a more basic app, perfect for beginners.

 

Star Chart

With more than 13 million users, this is one of the best apps for identifying stars.

 

Moon Atlas

You can always see the moon, so this app will make sure you can still learn, even on an overcast night in the city. Mars, Mercury, Venus and Saturn atlases are also available.

 

Brian Cox’s Wonders of the Universe

Professor Brian Cox continues his quest to bring astronomy to the masses with this fascinating app.

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A party without cake is just a meeting

Lottie Storey November 22, 2015
In Magazine Tags back cover, issue 41, november
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Mugs: Where to buy similar to those on November's The Simple Things

Lottie Storey November 21, 2015

We didn't source the mugs on the cover of the November issue, but since we've had so many queries about them, Louise (our wonderful Stuff of Life Shopkeeper) has found some great alternatives. 

Check out www.nativeandco.com, www.maudandmabel.com and www.nomliving.com for their ceramic mugs - sea salt hot chocolate at the ready!

And you lot over on Facebook have been sharing your suggestions too. Try the following:

Julia Smith Ceramics

Seasalt Cornwall

Pyaar

Carmel Eskell Ceramics

Leach Pottery

Charlotte Storrs Stoneware

Paul Mossman Pottery

 

Let us know if you find any others!

 


In Shop, Living Tags the stuff of life, mugs, ceramics, issue 41, november, hot chocolate
4 Comments

How to keep your herbs going over winter

Lottie Storey November 20, 2015

 

Rosemary, sage and bay are hardy fellows and will survive, albeit in go-slow mode if left in the garden over the winter. Your basic garden mint, grown in a pot and kept in a sunny, sheltered spot will muddle through, too. It’s worth providing a bit of extra TLC by mulching around roots to keep out the cold or covering with horticultural fleece.

They won’t put on much growth so don’t demand too much by way of fresh pickings. Go for new leaves and shoots, avoiding old growth if you can.

A few other things you could try:
1. Move varieties like thyme, parsley and oregano into a cold frame or unheated greenhouse, which will help them flourish.
2. You can sow coriander outdoors in February as it copes well with cold weather and will produce leaves within six weeks. 
3. Try dividing perennials like chives, mint, oregano, marjoram and tarragon to encourage plenty of new growth once the growing season starts. Make sure the ground isn’t frozen and dig up the entire plant. Divide the crown and root ball into two or more sections, using a knife or a spade. Protect them once they are back in the ground by mulching or covering with horticultural fleece. 
4. If you struggle without herbs, why not freeze or dry them so you can enjoy a ready supply over the winter months?

 

Read more:

From the November issue

Herb recipes

Gardening tips

Fancy sea salt hot chocolate, cinder toffee and firepit cakes, a celebration of toast plus ways to tell a good story around the fire, subversive cross stitch and how to keep your herbs going over winter? Oh and bibliotherapy, crafternoons and a poem about beautiful librarians. 

All this in our November COMFORT issue. You'll find us in even more Waitrose and Sainsbury's stores this month plus WH Smiths, Tesco and good independents. We're on sale now somewhere near you.

November's The Simple Things is out now - buy, download or subscribe.

In Miscellany, Growing Tags herbs, winter, issue 41, november
1 Comment
Recipe: Sea salt hot chocolate from Hot Chocolate by Hannah Miles, photography Steve Painter (Ryland Peters & Small). 

Recipe: Sea salt hot chocolate from Hot Chocolate by Hannah Miles, photography Steve Painter (Ryland Peters & Small). 

Recipe: Sea salt hot chocolate

Lottie Storey November 12, 2015

This deliciously thick hot chocolate is the perfect combination of sweet and salty, and was deemed beautiful enough to be our November cover star. You can make it with milk, white or dark chocolate and adjust the salt to your own taste.

For a salted caramel hot chocolate and a richer flavour, use a caramel chocolate such as Caramac.

Sea salt hot chocolate

SERVES 2

250 ml milk
250 ml double cream
100 g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped
1 tbsp caster sugar
1⁄2 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 egg yolk

1 Place the milk, cream and chopped chocolate in a saucepan with the sugar and salt, and heat over low heat until the chocolate has melted, whisking all the time.

2 Taste to see whether you need to add a little more salt for an extra salty kick. Remove from the heat and whisk in the egg yolk to thicken the hot chocolate.

3 Pass it through a sieve, then pour into two cups and serve immediately. 

 

Read more:

From the November issue

Buttered bourbon mulled cider

Chocolate recipes

Fancy sea salt hot chocolate, cinder toffee and firepit cakes, a celebration of toast plus ways to tell a good story around the fire, subversive cross stitch and how to keep your herbs going over winter? Oh and bibliotherapy, crafternoons and a poem about beautiful librarians. 

All this in our November COMFORT issue. You'll find us in even more Waitrose and Sainsbury's stores this month plus WH Smiths, Tesco and good independents. We're on sale now somewhere near you.

November's The Simple Things is out now - buy, download or subscribe.

In Eating Tags issue 41, november, comfort, chocolate, hot chocolate recipe, hot chocolate, hygge, hygge post
6 Comments
Woman in a raincoat in the rainImage: Getty Images

Woman in a raincoat in the rain
Image: Getty Images

Grey sky thinking

Lottie Storey November 11, 2015

There's no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing
Alfred Wainwright

Wainwright's right. And once the clothing is sorted, there's no reason not to make the best use of a soggy spell, whether you decide to delight in the drizzle or stay warm and dry.

If you're a pluviophile - a person who finds joy in rainy days - you might enjoy our Grey Sky Thinking feature on page 38 of November's The Simple Things: have a read for ideas to create a dream rainy day on the sofa (complete with snacks, entertainment and warm socks); ways to bring nature inside; how to fix and finish those niggly jobs; and easy crafternoon ideas.

Meanwhile, this wet weather trivia should make you smile whatever the weather.  

Umbrella: The brolly is a pretty ancient device, and in primitive times would have been an improvised transportable shelter of leafy branches. According to Chinese legend, however, the earliest umbrella can be dated back to 2000BC, when it would have been a mark of rank.

Sou'wester: This collapsible waterproof hat designed to repel wind and rain and beloved by seamen was originally worn by New England fishermen in the 19th century who donned oiled clothing to stay dry. Its name is an appreciation of 'southwester', describing quite literally a strong wind blowing from the south west.

Wellington boots: These British icons were first loved by Georgian patriots, rakes and dandies in the early 19th century after the Duke of Wellington instructed his boot maker to cut his boots below the knee to make them more comfortable with the newly fashionable trouser. But they were first officially called 'Wellingtons' when a Scottish manufacturer began producing them in rubber rather than the original calfskin.

Cagoule: This foldaway lightweight waterproof coat was first invented by the aptly named Peter Storm and launched in the UK in the 1960s. The word has French origin and comes from 'cowl', meaning a long hooded garment.

 

Name your rain

There's no surprise we Brits have so many different words for rain. Here are four regional favourites:

Plothering: When it's 'plottering' in the Midlands you're going to have to make a dash for it, because there's no escaping these big fat vertical rain drops that are hammering down.

Siling: If it's doing this in the North East, prepare to get soaked.

Letty: The kind of weather that South West famers hate, since it's 'just too blooming letty' to work outside.

Mochy: If a Scot or an Irishman says the weather is mochy it's going to be exactly how it sounds - wet, damp and misty. Brr...

 

Read more:

From the November issue

Ingredients for a cold-weather reading session

More Think posts

Fancy sea salt hot chocolate, cinder toffee and firepit cakes, a celebration of toast plus ways to tell a good story around the fire, subversive cross stitch and how to keep your herbs going over winter? Oh and bibliotherapy, crafternoons and a poem about beautiful librarians. 

All this in our November COMFORT issue. You'll find us in even more Waitrose and Sainsbury's stores this month plus WH Smiths, Tesco and good independents. We're on sale now somewhere near you.

November's The Simple Things is out now - buy, download or subscribe.

In Think Tags issue 41, november, rain, weather, ideas, trivia
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Danish dream cake recipe from The Scandi Kitchen by Brontë Aurell (Ryland Peters & Small). Photography by Peter Cassidy.

Danish dream cake recipe from The Scandi Kitchen by Brontë Aurell (Ryland Peters & Small). Photography by Peter Cassidy.

Recipe: Danish dream cake

Lottie Storey November 10, 2015

In 1965, a young girl baked her grandmother’s secret family recipe in a competition and won, and the cake has been a Danish favourite ever since... 

DANISH DREAM CAKE

Serves 10–12

for the cake:
3 eggs
225g caster sugar
1 ⁄ 2 tsp vanilla sugar
225g plain flour or cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
150ml whole milk
75g butter, melted

for the topping:
100g butter
150g desiccated coconut
250g cups dark brown sugar
75ml whole milk
a pinch of salt

equipment:
23cm springform or round cake tin, greased and lined with baking parchment

1 Preheat the oven to 190/Fan 170/375.

2 In the bowl of a food mixer, whisk the eggs, caster sugar and vanilla sugar on high speed for a few mins, until white and light. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, sift the flour and baking powder together.

3 Carefully fold the flour into the egg mixture. Mix the milk with the melted butter in a jug and carefully pour into the batter, folding it in until incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin.

4 Bake for 35–40 mins or until almost done (try not to open the oven door for the first 20 mins of the total baking time).

5 To make the topping, gently melt all the ingredients in a saucepan together.

6 Remove the cake from the oven and carefully spread the topping all over the cake.

7 Return to the oven. Turn up the heat to 200C/Fan 180/400F and bake for a further 5 mins. Allow to cool before eating.

 

Read more:

From the November issue

Cake recipes

Download our Copenhagen city guide

 

Fancy sea salt hot chocolate, cinder toffee and firepit cakes, a celebration of toast plus ways to tell a good story around the fire, subversive cross stitch and how to keep your herbs going over winter? Oh and bibliotherapy, crafternoons and a poem about beautiful librarians. 

All this in our November COMFORT issue. You'll find us in even more Waitrose and Sainsbury's stores this month plus WH Smiths, Tesco and good independents. We're on sale now somewhere near you.

November's The Simple Things is out now - buy, download or subscribe.

 

In Eating Tags issue 41, november, cake recipe, cake, comfort, danish
1 Comment

The Stuff of Life: Home Tour Inspiration

louise gorrod November 9, 2015

White walls in the home are smart, modern and a blank canvas, but have you ever hankered after something a little more dramatic? If you’ve read the home tour in our current issue, you too might be tempted to move over to the darker side of the paint chart.

Peter Win’s Shoreditch flat has won us over: dark and moody grey with startling pops of colour, texture and beautiful decorative objects. Inspired by this beautiful home we’ve shopped The Stuff of Life to get the look. It’s time to get bold indoors.  You can read the full feature and see more images of Peter’s flat in the November issue of The Simple Things, available now.

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Images from top, left to right: Summery Quilts by Lisa Watson, from £245.00 | Black & Gold Brass Bowl by Home Address, £24.00 | Edible Botany Calendar by Alfie’s Studio, £12.50 | Gold Wall Clock by Home Address, £65.00 | Rose Bowl Vase by Home Address, £20.00 | Everyday Mug by Emma Lacey, £27.00 | Quick Brown Fox Wallpaper by Identity Papers, £65.00 per 10m roll | Sunflower Oblong Cushion by Stuff of Dreams, £30.00 | Wild England Limited Edition Print by Occipinti, from £28.00 | Belly Basket by Olli Ella, £25.00 | Faux Fur Throw by The Glam Camping Company, £230.00 | Red Vintage Lampshade by ByMarie, £25.00.

In Living, Nesting, Shop Tags the stuff of life, home tour, interiors, grey, colour, texture, homes, nesting
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Turning leaves: why they change colour and where to see them

David Parker November 3, 2015

Never mind all that mists and mellow fruitfulness malarkey, it’s autumn’s turning leaves that provide this season’s true high point, with the bonus of a science lesson on the side. Find out why they change and where to witness this magical scene.

The annual gold rush, when deciduous leaves change colour, is produced when the days get shorter, with cool, but not freezing, nights. This prompts trees to reduce green chlorophyll production, giving other pigments a chance to shine, albeit briefly.

Leaf shedding, called abscission, is all about preparing for winter; leaves are fragile things that could dessicate or freeze during the coldest months. To prevent damage they drop off, but not before withdrawing valuable pigments like chlorophyll and forming a thin band of dead cells at the base of the stem that separates leaf and stalk. When it dies and drops to the forest floor, any useful nutrients can be reabsorbed as the leaf decomposes.

Where to see the leaves turning

Go down to the woods today… and you’ll catch one of nature’s finest displays. No matter how many times we’ve seen it before, the vivid hues of red, gold, yellow and orange that cloak the trees and carpet the ground this month never lose impact. A walk in the woods, park or simply down a tree-lined road provides an instant mood-lift.

Here are our top five spots:
Westonbirt, the National Arboretum in Gloucestershire, famous for its riot of autumnal colour and the UK’s largest collection of Japanese maples (acer), which are at their best right now.

Salcey Forest near Northampton, for a bird’s eye view of the forest in all its glory, from the Tree Top Way.

Crinan Wood, Argyll and Bute, Scotland – the warm, moist climate in this magical wood means it’s often described as Scotland’s rainforest. It’s home to a wide variety of ferns and lichens, too.

Brede High Woods, Cripps Corner, East Sussex. This is a large wood where you can spot many varieties of tree, as well as some of the UK’s most important creatures, including the great crested newt, badgers, fallow deer and the brook lamprey dormouse.

Bedgebury Pinetum, Kent – the largest collection of conifers in the world. Lots to keep kids entertained, too, from the Gruffalo trail to the Go Ape adventure park.

 

Read more:

From the November issue

Pressed leaves - craft ideas

Five ways to use up your pumpkins

 

Turn to page 70 of November's The Simple Things for more on arboretums, kicking leaves and making the most of autumn.

November's The Simple Things is out now - buy, download or subscribe.

 

In Escaping Tags autumn, autumn leaves, issue 29, november, leaves, walking, woods
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How to use up discarded pumpkins

Lottie Storey November 1, 2015

No need to jack in your jack-o-lantern: give it a new lease of life

Plant pot: Plant an annual within the soil-filled shell and dig into the ground. As it decomposes, it’ll fertilise your plant.

Compost: Put leaves inside the shell to speed the process. Break it into small pieces for a wormery.

Pumpkin printing: A potato printing alternative – cut into pieces and add paint.

Ant colony: Place your pumpkin near an existing colony (outside!). Honey or something sweet will bring all the ants to the gourd.

Bird feeder: We whipped one up last Halloween. Find out how to make a Halloween pumpkin bird feeder here. 

And a few suggestions from the internet that we don’t recommend:

Base for decorative floating candles: That’s likely to be one leaky vessel.

Eating it: Come November, it’s debatable how appetising your old Halloween lantern will look. 

 

More pumpkins! Here at The Simple Things, we love an outdoor gathering and Halloween is a great excuse to wrap up warm and enjoy all things pumpkin. Download our guide for how to use and eat pumpkins, and we’ve got a recipe for a bonfire parkin, too.  

And we could resist including this fella - knit a pumpkin hat (pattern from Cats in Hats by Sara Thomas (Hamlyn) octopusbooks.co.uk) 

Read more:

From the October issue

Pumpkin coconut curry recipe

Salted caramel toffee apples

October's The Simple Things is on sale - buy, download or subscribe now.

In Miscellany Tags issue 40, october, halloween, pumpkin, pumpkin craft
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Comfort: November cover reveal

David Parker October 28, 2015

Weather is what defines November. The joy of a crisp, bright day, just right for a walk among the autumn colours. Wrap up warm on a cold night for spicy food under the stars. On a rainy afternoon, will you hole up on the sofa with a homemade hot chocolate and toast or perhaps some cake and ale? Light a fire and try out a new skill – subversive cross stitch, anyone? Learn to mend things and make them last. On a grey day, make breakfast in bed and tell a story. There’s comfort to be had in The Simple Things. 

November's The Simple Things is out today - buy, download or subscribe now.

In Magazine Tags comfort, cover reveal, issue 41, november
7 Comments
Recipe: Mandarin, pear and ginger cake. Photography by Miles New

Recipe: Mandarin, pear and ginger cake. Photography by Miles New

Recipe: Mandarin, pear and ginger cake

David Parker October 27, 2015

A sticky but fresh-tasting cake, that’s just as good with a glass of ginger beer or lemonade as with a cup of tea. And this is one that would make an ideal Bonfire Night bake.

MANDARIN, PEAR AND GINGER CAKE

Makes 18 slices

9 small pears, peeled and cored
juice of 1⁄2 lemon
350g plain flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1⁄4 tsp ground allspice
1⁄4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
4 tbsp milk
100g mandarin marmalade
100g black treacle
175g golden syrup
175g light muscovado sugar
175g butter
5cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
50g medium oatmeal
2 large eggs


1 Preheat the oven to 170C/Fan 150C/325F. Line a 20cm by 5cm square deep cake tin with non-stick baking parchment. Keep the pears in a bowl of water with a squeeze of lemon juice until needed.

2 Put the flour and spices into a large bowl. In a cup, mix the bicarbonate of soda with the
milk and set aside. Mix 2 tbsp of marmalade with 1 tbsp of black treacle, then set aside.

3 Place the remaining marmalade in a pan with the remaining treacle and the syrup, sugar, butter and ginger. Pour in 150ml water and heat gently until melted.

4 Beat the marmalade mixture into the spiced flour along with the oatmeal, followed by the eggs and milk. Pour a thin layer of the cake mixture over the base of the tin and bake in a preheated oven for 10 mins.

5 Drain the pears. Take the tin out of the oven and push the pears into the base. Pour the remaining cake mixture around them and return to the oven for 1 hour 25 minutes.

6 Warm the reserved marmalade and treacle mixture in a small saucepan and brush over the hot cake to glaze. Serve warm or cold.


Recipe from The Seasonal Cookbook by Bonne Maman (Simon & Schuster). Photography by Miles New

 

Read more:

From the October issue

Bonfire Night posts

Cake recipes

 

 

October's The Simple Things is on sale - buy, download or subscribe now.

In Eating Tags issue 40, october, bonfire night, cake, cake recipe
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Light up your life with The Stuff of Life.

louise gorrod October 26, 2015

So the clocks went back yesterday meaning our evenings will now get darker all the sooner. It needn’t be all doom and gloom though – with the right lighting you can create a warm and cosy home. Over at The Stuff of Life we have the perfect selection of lighting to see you through the darker months.

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From a statement design to a colourful drum shade, a new ceiling pendant can really uplift a living space, while a stylish table lamp will transform dark corners into cosy corners.

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Group together a small cluster of tea lights or candlesticks, stock up on candles and create a cosy glow in the evening. Or if you’re feeling crafty, why not create your own lampshade? One of these DIY lampshade craft kits is all you need.

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Images from top, left to right: Lampshade selection by Humblesticks, sold with a lamp base, £160.00 | Bike Lampshade by ByMarie, £45.00 | Geometric Beech Suspension Light by Cachette, from £43.00 | Recycled Can Suspension Light by Cachette, from £43.00 | Purple & Pink Vintage Lampshade by ByMarie, £45.00 | Bright Lanterns Demijohn Lamp by Humblesticks, £160.00 | Blue Paisley Vintage Lampshade by ByMarie, £ 25.00 | The Groove Lamp by Stuff of Dreams, from £155.00 | Pink & Brown Block Flower Shade by Lou Hopper Shop, £35.00 | Petal Lanterns by Quince Living, from £12.00 | Mercury Tea Lights by The Glam Camping Company, £7.50 for a pack of 4 | Bakula Candle Stick by Quince Living, £18.00 | Mini Jelly Mold Tea Light by From Victoria, £16.00 | Lampshade Craft Kit by Quince Living, £20.00

In Living, Shop, Nesting Tags the stuff of life, interiors, lighting, shopping, winter, autumn
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Passing on traditions: Putting the clocks back

Lottie Storey October 24, 2015

Thank you Apple and all your techie friends for changing the way we officially end summertime and embrace dark nights and more sleep. Somehow you just ‘know’ when British Summertime ends and adjust the clocks on our phones, laptops and tablets accordingly. Spoilsports. Now we have only the memories of mishaps caused by forgetting to put the clocks back (or forward). We know it always happens at 2am the last Sunday of October in the UK but that never stopped someone you knew being an hour out of step right into the following Monday.

However, not every clock is digital and there’s something of a ritual about marking the changing of the seasons by altering the hands of a clock or watch. And come Christmas, a well- meaning relative is bound to point out the one clock no-one could be bothered to change and the rest of the family has learned to live with.

There’s an established lobby for aligning us with the continent by keeping daylight saving time all year round, but in parts of Scotland the sun wouldn’t rise until 10am in winter; farmers, milkmen and newspaper delivery kids aren’t keen. No, how much better to stay out of step until spring when the return of light evenings ushers in the sequel: Putting The Clocks Forward.

 

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Need a new clock? Try one of these from The Stuff of Life shop - clockwise (ha ha) from top left:

Gold wall clock / 3 piece wooden clock / Pallet wood clock / Wooden clock set

 

Read more:

From the October issue

Passing on traditions

From The Stuff of Life

October's The Simple Things is on sale - buy, download or subscribe now.

In Think Tags passing on traditions, issue 40, october, clocks, the stuff of life
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Recipe: Roasted root vegetables with a fruit vinegar glaze

Lottie Storey October 23, 2015

The addition of fruit vinegar to a pan of roasted vegetables gives them a little extra something. The bright colour and sweet-and- sour tang are a feast for the eyes and the taste buds alike. You can mix and match with other vegetables such as fennel or sweet potato, and serve on its own or with a roast or some chops. 


ROASTED ROOT VEGETABLES


SERVES 4
1.5kg mixed carrot, parsnip, beetroot and celeriac (in whatever proportions you like)
2 sprigs thyme
75ml olive oil
25g butter
2 red onions, peeled and cut into 6 wedges
1 bulb garlic, broken into individual cloves, skin on
3 tbsp raspberry vinegar* 
salt and pepper

1 Heat the oven to 200C/ Fan 180/400F. Peel the root vegetables and cut them into largish chunks. 
2 Put them in a roasting
dish with the thyme, pour over the olive oil and mix well to coat the vegetables. 
3 Add the butter in small pieces over the top and season with salt and pepper. 
4 Roast for half an hour, then add the onion and garlic cloves.
5 Turn the vegetables and baste them, ensuring that everything is well coated and browning evenly.
6 Roast for another half an hour, then splash in the fruit vinegar, mixing well.
7 Cook for 10 mins, until the vegetables are soft in the centre and coated with a shiny, caramelised glaze.


* For a raspberry vinegar recipe, also from Fern Verrow, visit thesimplethings.com/blog/raspberryvinegar

Recipe from Fern Verrow: Recipes from the Farm Kitchen by Jane Scotter and Harry Astley (Quadrille).


For beautiful enamelware, have a look at The Stuff of Life, The Simple Things’ shop. Here are four picks.

 

Clockwise from top left:

Enamel coffee pot / Enamel espresso cups / Four season bowls / White enamel cutlery


Read more:

From the October issue

Autumn recipes

From The Stuff of Life

October's The Simple Things is on sale - buy, download or subscribe now.

In Eating Tags recipe, issue 40, october, vegetables, vegetable recipe, enamel, the stuff of life
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Photograph: Getty Images

Photograph: Getty Images

Win! A bibliotherapy session from The School of Life worth £80 (closed)

Lottie Storey October 21, 2015

With more than 180,000 books published annually in the UK alone, how are we to differentiate between the friends and foes of the fiction world? Which is where bibliotherapy, the concept of prescribing literature, comes in. It came to prominence in World War II when doctors doled out Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility to shell-shocked soldiers because it was thought the solid English values and romantic plot lines would cure depression and mental troubles.

But never has the practice been more popular than it is now, thanks to the pioneering sessions of Ella Berthoud and Susan Elderkin, who’ve been offering one-to-one and virtual bibliotherapy at The School of Life in London since 2008. In the last year, they have taken their service on the road, dispensing reading remedies everywhere from the Port Eliot Festival in Cornwall to the Jaipur Literture Festival in India. Their book, The Novel Cure (Canongate), came out in paperback in September, and they’re currently writing a children’s version called A Spoonful Of Stories (out in 2016).

“When choosing what to read, you are usually at the mercy of Amazon, bestseller lists and recommendations by friends – all perfectly valid but not tailor-made to help you,” explains Ella. “Through a questionnaire and a one- hour chat, we explore your reading habits and your bigger life issues, whether it’s career crises, relationship trouble or the menopause (all popular
reasons for bibliotherapy), and recommend six books that touch on similar themes or are ultimately uplifting.” 

Though not trained therapists, Ella and Susan, who met at Cambridge University, have an impressive back catalogue of literature at their fingertips. “I read at least three books a week to expand my knowledge and, when writing The Novel Cure, we got through hundreds,” says Ella. They know that stories get you through the toughest of times. “Reading the right book at the right time can change your life,” says Ella. “There are certain titles I go back to whenever I’m feeling depressed or wondering what life is all about. Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins is an upbeat and quirky favourite, a magical realist work about the god Pan and the quest for immortality. I also love The Moomins stories by Tove Jansson – they’re for children, but they cover adult themes like melancholia and OCD.” 

Turn to page 80 of November’s The Simple Things (out 28 October 2015) to read Ruth Tierney’s feature on bibliotherapy.
 

WIN A SESSION ON THE COUCH 

We have a free bibliotherapy session from The School of Life, worth £80, to give away to one lucky reader. It can be taken either remotely or in person at the school in London.

 

Read more:

More competitions

Ingredients for the perfect cold-weather reading session

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In Competition Tags reading, books, november, issue 41
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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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