Make: A macrame planter

Projects to perk up the plant life in every corner of your home

Creative gardening need not be restricted to outdoors. Or, indeed, to off-the-shelf plant pots. Making a hanging plant holder is a craftier way to display greenery, and a great project for anyone finding themselves low on either time or space. 

The ancient craft of macramé was a hit with the Victorians, although it’s most associated with 1970s homespun style. Plant hangers are back, given a colourful – and, dare we say, tasteful – makeover. You can, of course, buy one (see page 8 of February’s The Simple Things), if all that knotting brings back painful memories. 

Hanging plant holder

 
You will need: 
textile yarn* 
scissors
2 plant pots, ideally already containing a plant

1 Cut five pieces of the textile yarn, each of about 4m long, and one more of about 40cm (you can adjust the measurements to your desired length).
2 Fold each of the longer pieces of yarn in half. Group all the folds together, then create a loop by wrapping the smaller piece of yarn around the grouped threads several times and tying firmly (A). 
3 Divide the 10 pieces of hanging yarn into five pairs (B). 
4 About 20cm below the top loop, take the first two threads and knot them together. Repeat for each of the pairs (C). 
5 Then, take the right hand thread from the first pair and, further down, knot it with the left hand thread from the second pair. Repeat for each thread until each piece of thread is tied to another (D). 
6 Repeat the process down the length of the yarn. The bigger you make the gap between the knots, the more space you’ll have for the pot, but you’ll need to make the knots closer together to hold the bottom of the pot. 
7 Test for size with your plant pot, before tying a secure knot underneath the pot with the threads. 
8 To add a second pot, repeat under the bottom knot using exactly the same knotting system. 
9 Finish with a large knot containing all the yarn and neaten the ends with scissors.

Project by Laetitia Lazerges, a Paris-based pattern designer who blogs at www.vertcerise.com and www.doityvette.fr. She has also written several DIY books and sells bright and fun paper goods on Etsy at www.vertceriseshop.etsy.com.

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From the February issue

Think posts

Mindfulness posts

Win! A loveseat or armchair from Sofa.com worth £1000! (closed 24 Feb 2016)

WIN! A LITTLE PIECE OF LUXURY FROM SOFA.COM

A cosy loveseat or armchair is the ideal place to cuddle up with your choice of company - whether a loved one, a pet, or a book. 

Sofa.com are makers of beautifully crafted sofas, armchairs and beds. Their extensive range has styles to suit all tastes, from classic and traditional designs, to more mid-century and contemporary pieces. Their selection of house fabrics is something to behold, with over 150 colourways in a number of different fabric types that can be upholstered onto any of their products.

Founded in 2005, they had the aim of making a better sofa, at a better price, than any other high street store, and have since been nominated for numerous awards for personal shopping and customer services.

Because they really care that their customers find the perfect sofa, they also have dedicated areas in their showrooms in Chelsea, Edinburgh and Bath, where you can browse through a host of designer fabrics from brands such as Ralph Lauren, Nina Campbell and Colefax and Fowler allowing you to create the perfect sofa, armchair, or bed for your home.

They’re giving a reader of The Simple Things the chance to spend up to £1000 on any of their armchairs or loveseats. Head of design Emma Williams says, “A loveseat or armchair would be just the thing for those slightly awkward areas such as alcoves or bay window spaces. If you want it to stand out, chairs with fixed backs look great in patterned fabrics to show off the design.”

HOW TO ENTER

The prize is your choice of a loveseat or an armchair up to the value of £1000. Closing date: 24 February 2016. For full T&Cs, see icebergpress.co.uk/comprules - keep scrolling down to enter. (If you're on a mobile device, the ENTER button may be partially hidden behind the social media icons ~ you can still click on it to enter.)

Enter Now

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From the February issue

Competitions

Interiors posts

Escape: How to read your way around a new destination

Whether exploring somewhere new or simply looking beyond your regular patch, wander a little to get to know a city

Getting under the skin of a city, old or new is one of the greatest experiences. Says Erin Spens, “I’ve found over the years the best way to get to know a city is to spend real time in it exploring, listening and following the locals. My strategy has always been to arrive in a city with as little foreknowledge as possible, apart from the necessities, which I’ll get to in a second. Don’t get me wrong, I am endlessly reading travel stories and good travel magazines but (unless I’m working on an issue of Boat magazine) I don’t research a place beforeI go. 

"My reason for this is twofold. Firstly, my love for exploring cities grew out of my own time exploring New York City and reading the great travel writers, and neither involved smart phones preloaded with all the information in the world. Those were the days when getting lost really did mean getting lost and so I try to stay true to the way I found my first love: by exploring the streets and the far-flung neighbourhoods like a young, wide-eyed Midwestern girl who’s somehow landed in the city of her dreams.

"The second reason I don’t research the hell out of a place before I get there is because I’ve found that the only constant in a great city is change. Even if you go back to a city you’ve already visited multiple times, or to a neighbourhood in your own hometown that you don’t often frequent, it will be different. An open mind on every single trip helps you to see it fresh each time, noticing the new things rather than seeking out what you remember from last time, or what you’ve read about, or what you’ve seen getting hashtagged.”

Erin’s tips for reading without researching*  

THE LITTLE BOOKROOM BOOKS
If you need a bit more structure and you’ve got time to mosey around a city searching for a random vintage fabric shop or the perfect pain au chocolat, these books are ideal. I once built a whole trip to Paris around things I found in them. littlebookroom.com

GRAB A NOVEL that’s set in the city you’re headed to. At goodreads.com, you’ll find lists of travel books and you can search by location. The ‘Women Travelers’ series from Restless Books is fantastic, too. 

BRING A PHRASE BOOK to refer to when talking to locals. I don’t find it easy to pick up new languages, but I find that locals respond to me making an effort and I’ve had great (if choppy) conversations that lead to secret spots I would never have stumbled upon myself. Penguin’s are very pretty: penguin.co.uk. Lonely Planet’s are a classic: shop.lonelyplanet.com

MY FAVOURITE TRAVEL MAGAZINES are Boat magazine (obviously!); The Travel Almanac; Motherland, and Delayed Gratification.

* If you prefer to be slightly more prepared when you go exploring, turn to page 76 of January’s The Simple Things to read about Herb Lester, which publishes city guides with a difference

Erin Spens is founder and editor of Boat magazine - an independent travel and culture publication that focuses on a different, inspiring city for each issue. From Sarajevo to Reykjavik to Lima, Boat Magazine shines a different kind of light on cities with big stories to tell.
 

For more of this feature, turn to page 74 of January’s The Simple Things. 

Read more:

From the January issue

Escape posts

More reading posts

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

Food from Afar: Som Tam

‘Salad’. It’s a wimpy word for such a vivacious dish. But that is what this Thai street- food staple usually becomes in translation – green papaya salad. Its native name is far more appropriate to a dish that assaults the lips and tongue with its combo of sweet-sour zing and fiery heat: ‘som’ and ‘tam’ could be the percussive thwacks of a comic-book hero, punching you in the mouth.

The true translation of Som Tam isn’t a million miles away: tam means ‘to pound’ (while som is ‘sour’). Traditionally it is made using a pestle and mortar, the green (unripe) papaya – which is mildly savoury and slightly crunchy – grated or hand-sliced into matchsticks* before being gently crushed with garlic, bird’s-eye chillies, toasted peanuts, dried shrimps, cherry tomatoes and green beans. It’s then dressed with lime juice, fish sauce, tamarind water and palm sugar – preferably enough to leave a slurpable puddle at the bottom of the dish to be soaked up by the sticky rice that’s usually served in a bowl alongside it.

Wouldn’t we all love to be scoffing this at a beach café right now? It’s a gap year in a bowl. And if you’re inspired to shine some south-east Asian sun over your own midwinter table, you don’t need to scour the exotic produce aisles for a green papaya. Som Tam dressing is so pungent that it works with any crunchy salad or edible raw root: kohlrabi, cabbage, peeled and deseeded cucumber, courgette, carrot, celariac, beetroot – even that unloved swede that’s loitering in your veg box. As a sinus- busting (and soul-enriching) winter cold remedy, it beats anything you could get out of a lemon-flavoured sachet.

TUCK IN: Som Tam is one of the signature dishes at Sukhothai, which has four branches in Leeds and Harrogate (sukhothai.co.uk).

* It’s what your spiralizer has been waiting for

Inspired to make your own? Head to our Food from afar Pinterest board for recipe ideas:


Follow The Simple Things's board Food from afar on Pinterest.

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From the January issue

Food from afar

How to combat a common cold

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

How to debobble your jumpers

Banish bobbles and purge pills with these nifty knitwear tricks

• Lay your jumper on a flat surface and glide a single blade razor down it, following its contours. Go lightly and carefully to remove the bobbles (also known as ‘pills’).
• The blog, A Thrifty Mrs (athriftymrs.com) recommends velcro rollers as a less risky alternative. Pull the area taut and roll them outwards and upwards. 
• Or try rubbing a foot pumice stone down your jumper in a similar way.
• Mechanised de-bobblers are also available – the Philips Fabric Shaver (John Lewis, £9.95) rates highly in reviews.

AND TO PREVENT THE PILL: 

• Pull on your favourite pullovers less frequently, leaving at least 24 hours between wears. 
• Brush down regularly with a lint roller. 
• When washing, turn the knitwear inside out, wash on a gentle cycle and allow to dry naturally to keep them jumpering for joy.

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From the January issue

Miscellany posts

Make: Homemade salt scrubs

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

Nest: Winter cabin style and a Swiss fondue recipe

You don't have to have a cosy snow-topped cabin to sample Alpine comfort food or enjoy candlelit rustic style. 

January's The Simple Things contains two features built for winter dreaming. Turn to page 24 for six winter cabin cooking recipes, or page 96 for a look around the cabin of our winter dreams, deep in the snow of a Norwegian mountainside - order your copy now.

Meanwhile, here's a classic recipe for traditional cheese fondue.

Traditional cheese fondue

What could be more comforting – or delicious – than a melange of warm, oozing Alpine cheeses? Traditionally they are melted with white wine and grappa or kirsch; this version, with beer, is a little more subtle. A true Swiss fondue is a mixture of Gruyère and Vacherin Fribourgeois – a semi-hard cheese with a lovely nutty flavour. A fondue pot* gives the best results, as it sits above a flame that keeps the cheese melted and gently bubbling. 

Serves 6–8
1 fat garlic clove, halved
2 tsp cornflour
400ml hoppy lager beer
800g grated mixture of Swiss or French Alpine cheeses, such as Gruyère or Comté, Vacherin Fribourgeois, good-quality Emmenthal and Beaufort (choose two or three)
1–2 tsp whisky, to taste
1 large loaf of slightly stale country white bread, cut into cubes
gherkins, pickled silverskin onions and charcuterie, to serve

1. Rub the garlic all over the inside of a fondue pot. Mix the cornflour with a little of the beer to make a smooth paste, then add this and the rest of the beer to the pot.
2. Put over a low heat, add the cheese and stir until it is melted and steaming but not boiling. If it is too thick you can add a little more beer. Add the whisky and then transfer to the fondue stand and light the burner.
3. Dip the slightly stale bread into the melting cheese and serve with lots of pickles and charcuterie.

*If you don’t have one, these are easy to pick up second-hand

Recipe taken from Winter Cabin Cooking by Lizzie Kamenetzky. Photography by Nassima Rothacker. Published by Ryland Peters & Small.
Readers of The Simple Things can buy Winter Cabin Cooking for the special price of £13.99 including postage and packaging (RRP £19.99) by calling 01256 302 699 and quoting the reference GLR EB6.

Want to set the scene? Eva Gill's snowy hillside home may be a world away from your own abode, but touches of rustic cabin chic are well within reach. Here are Eva's stylish tips for cabin fever:

Don't stint on candles

Because there is no electricity in the cabin, Eva keeps the lighting moody and atmospheric with plenty of candles, tea lights and oil lamps.

Smother furniture with sheepskin

Nothing is as cosy as sinking into fleecy warmth as the snow falls outside.

Fall in love with wood

There's no need to decorate a timber building when the colours and texture of wood are so lovely. Eva also chooses wooden kitchen accessories, mugs - even toothbrushes.

Keep fabrics neutral

Bright colours and patterns don't suit a cabin. Eva prefers natural fibres - linen, cotton - and simple stripes or subdued tartans.

Get inspired by beautiful wintry cabins on our Nest Pinterest board or head over to The Simple Things shop for a browse of our simple and stylish picks.

Follow The Simple Things's board Nest: Interiors and style on Pinterest.

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From the January issue

Nest posts

Winter recipes

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

Home remedy: Vinegar socks

This Alpine remedy, familiar to most Austrian children, provides a natural way to lower fever* (and an alternative use for an abundance of Christmas socks)

500ml cool water
1-2 tbsp vinegar
1 pair of long, woolly socks one or two towels

1 The ill person should be in bed resting. Fill a bowl with cool water and add vinegar, which stimulates blood flow. 
2 Soak the socks in this solution, wring them out slightly, keeping them nice and wet, and slide them over the feet and calves. Put a dry towel around the socks to prevent the bed from getting wet. After 45 minutes, if the patient’s temperature hasn’t gone down, replace them with freshly-soaked socks.
3 Remove the socks if your patient’s feet or hands are cold or if the patient starts shivering.

From Vinegar Socks, Traditional Home Remedies for Modern Living by Karin Berndl and Nici Hofer (Hardie Grant Books)

* If the person is shivering this recipe is not appropriate, and you should seek medical advice.

Read more:

From the January issue

Take a soak in a spruce needle bath

How to combat a common cold

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

Recipe: Soda ale bread

Still ploughing through the remains of your new-year bash? This loaf neatly absorbs those half-bottles of beer or cider you find hanging around after a party. The brew gives the bread a distinctive, deliciously yeasty character, great with soup or cheese

butter or oil, for greasing
350g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
250g wholemeal flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp light brown sugar or honey
1 tsp salt
dash of rapeseed or olive oil
300ml buttermilk or thin yogurt
200ml beer or cider

1 Preheat the oven to 220C/Fan 200/425F. Lightly grease a baking sheet and dust with a little flour.
2 In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients. Make a well in the middle and quickly stir in the oil, buttermilk or yoghurt and beer or cider with a knife, working just enough to bring the dough together into a rough ball. The quicker you work, the better the texture will be. If it seems dry, add a dash more beer or water – the dough should feel quite soft but not be too sticky.
3 With floured hands, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it very briefly – just enough to bring it together into a rough round, about 7cm high.
4 Transfer to a baking sheet, sprinkle generously with flour and use a sharp knife to cut a deep cross in the middle of the loaf.
5 Bake for 15 mins, then lower the oven setting to 200C/Fan 180/400F and bake the loaf for a further 20–25 mins, until it sounds hollow when tapped on the base. It’s best eaten warm, with plenty of butter, but it’s also good toasted the next day.

Recipe from Love Your Leftovers by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, photography by Simon Wheeler (Bloomsbury Publishing)
 

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From the January issue

Wisdom: Allegra McEvedy

Bread recipes

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

Think: Whole year resolutions

How much more meaningful to commit to a project for a year, giving yourself time to learn and grow. It’s not about abstinence or breaking bad habits but rich new experiences and a re-shaping of your world view. It doesn’t even have to start in January...

Caroline Jones, aka ‘Knickers Model’s Own’ – pledged to wear only charity shop clothes each day for a year. Except for her underwear, that is. The idea was inspired by Caroline’s mother, who’d sadly died of cancer the previous year. She’d volunteered for 13 years at her local Cancer Research UK shop so Caroline wanted to fundraise for the charity in her memory and, in part, to give herself a focus.

She was up for a challenge but, truthfully, thought this one wouldn’t be too tough. “I’ve always worn secondhand clothes so I assumed it would be easy,” she says, “a giggle for my friends, and something Mum would have loved.”

Her focus shifted on day six, when a BBC journalist discovered her Facebook page – it meant more than 97,000 people saw Caroline’s pictures within the first week. Her fundraising target increased from £1,000 to £36,500. And she realised there was no going back. It became, she says, the “hardest thing I’ve ever done”.

Caroline admits she didn’t consider the practicalities, like who would take her photos, before starting (she had to rope passers-by into taking many of the shots). Or the necessity of taking 14 different outfits on holiday.

Harder still was the mental challenge. “I’m not naturally a completer/finisher,” Caroline admits, “but I had to see this through. And I wanted to do it well.” Her advice to anyone attempting a year-long resolution is to take it in small stages, a week or day at a time.

Although Caroline deliberately kept her posts positive (and wore nothing black the entire year), the pictures became a kind of diary of her first year without her mother. On what would have been her mum’s birthday she wore a sea green coat and pillbox hat. “It was actually lovely,” she says. “People saw me and smiled. Wear something great and people respond.”

Caroline’s huge number of social media followers loved her style as much as her sentiment. Although she’s naturally drawn to 1960s fashions, the challenge encouraged her to be more adventurous, resulting in an inspiring array of looks. Her now finely honed formula for charity shop success is to always try things on. Caroline ended the year determined to continue fundraising and resolved “never to spend £65 on a new cardi again.” However, there was one aspect of fashion that even Caroline struggled with. “Wearing other people’s old shoes is hard!” she says. “I kept thinking, ‘oooh, I can’t wait to get a new pair. That’ll be so lovely’.”

Fancy contributing to Caroline's cause? Head to her Justgiving page. 

This is just one of many Whole year resolutions on page 33 of January's The Simple Things. 

 

Read more:

From the January issue

More Think posts

Seasonal mindfulness tips

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

How to: Write a thank you note

Top manners = repeat invitations

We all know the value of saying “thank you” at this time of year, (even if Nanny Vi did send bath salts again). These days, we have lots of easy ways to say it, from a blanket shout-out on Facebook to a quick text. But nothing tops a hand-written note. Here’s how to compose the perfect message.

BEGIN WITH A GREETING
Always use the correct form and spelling of the person’s name. 

EXPRESS THANKS
Kick off with the most important words: ‘Thank you.’ Or something fancier: ‘It made my day when I opened your gift...’ 

ADD SPECIFIC DETAILS
Tell them how you plan to use or display the present. Even if it was cash, describe how you might spend it (if it’s beer and pick ‘n’ mix, you have permission to make something up). 

LOOK AHEAD
Mention the next time you might see them, or just let them know you’re thinking of them. 

RESTATE YOUR THANKS
Add extra details: ‘I know my friends will be jealous of the beautiful reindeer jumper you knitted for me!’ 

SIGN OFF
‘Sincerely’ is a safe standby but for closer relationships, choose something warmer. Show the love!

January's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe now.

Sponsored post: Story Horse

Story Horse offer a collection of toiletries, luggage, knitwear, jewellery and outdoor accessories at affordable prices that are a bit different from what’s on the high street.

After recently launching its new collection aptly themed ‘Chilly days out and Cosy nights in’, the new collection is bursting with autumnal shades in abundance. From mustards and greens to blues and rich purples, creating a lasting, visual impression which is key for Story Horse this season.  The collection also uses a range of durable materials like cotton and polyester for luggage and a wool acrylic mix for knitwear.

The latest collection from the Story Horse brand marks a new direction, which will continue to evolve from season to season; aiming to create practical yet visually appealing lines which are a testament for real and style conscious women all over the world.

Escape: January cover reveal

If ever there was a time for comfortable pleasures, it’s the new year. See old friends for tea, share plates of hearty food and afterwards, make plans. There are new neighbourhoods to explore and a project to throw yourself into. Need to escape the dark days? Seek out snow, hold a fondue or find sunshine in a fiery salad if the southern summer is too far away. Lose yourself in a play or poem and, if it all gets too much, sit down to supper on the sofa. The Simple Things will see you through. 

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

Recipe: Christmas Breakfast

Easier and lighter than a full English, these cute bacon and egg toasts look really impressive and don’t take much effort. A good one for hungover guests

Christmas Breakfast

3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
6 medium slices white or brown bread
6 rashers smoked streaky bacon
4 spring onions, thinly sliced
6 eggs
salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 Portobello mushrooms, grilled, to serve
vine tomatoes, roasted, to serve

1 Preheat the oven to 190C/Fan 170/375F) and grease a muffin tin with the melted butter. 
2 Flatten the slices of bread by rolling over each one a few times with a rolling pin. Use a 10cm round biscuit cutter to cut a circle out of each slice of bread. If you don’t have one, you can use a pair of kitchen scissors to cut the circle instead. 
3 Cut one of the circles in half and push one half down into a mould in the muffin tin, with the curved edge at the top, so the edges of the bread stick up out of the mould. 
4 Then push the other half in the mould so that the two halves overlap slightly and completely line the mould. If you find you have some gaps, just use some of the bread you cut off to fill them in. Brush the bread with the remaining butter. 
5 In a heavy-based frying pan, fry the bacon on one side over a medium heat for four mins. 
6 Lay a piece of bacon, cooked side down, into each muffin cup. Sprinkle some spring onion over the bacon, then crack an egg into each muffin cup. 
7 Season and bake in the oven for 20 mins. 
8 Run a small knife around the bread, which will now be toasted, and pop out each muffin from the tin. 
9 Serve immediately with a large grilled mushroom and some roasted vine tomatoes to make a complete dish. Otherwise they’re great on their own for a little ‘elevenses’.

Recipe from Breakfast Morning, Noon & Night by Fern Green (Hardie Grant)

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From the December issue

Christmas posts

Breakfast recipes

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.

Make do and mend: Homemade deodorant

How much more meaningful to commit to a project for a year, giving yourself time to learn and grow. It’s not about abstinence or breaking bad habits but rich new experiences and a re-shaping of your world view. It doesn’t even have to start in January...

View Jen Gale’s Ted Talk on ‘My Make Do and Mend Year’.

And try her Homemade Deodorant recipe. 

Homemade Deodorant

6-8 tablespoons of coconut oil
¼- ½  cup of bicarbonate of soda
¼ cup of cornflour
8-10 drops of essential oils of your choice (optional)

With the exception of the essential oils, all of the ingredients can be sourced from the supermarket. However, as I use bicarb for cleaning, and coconut oil for all kinds of things (moisturiser, and hair conditioner to name two!), I buy both in bulk online from a site called Summer Naturals as it works out cheaper. 

The exact ratio of ingredients will vary from person to person.

The bicarb can be quite astringent, and I find that if I use ½ cup, it can cause some redness and irritation. So it might be better to start with ¼ cup, and if don’t experience any problems, and want to ‘boost’ the anti-perspirant powers of the deodorant, then go up to ½ a cup.

My own personal version is: 8 tablespoons of coconut oil, ¼ cup bicarb, ¼ cup cornflour, and 5 drops each of lemon verbena, and tea tree essential oils.

Method:

1. Use a fork to mash all the ingredients together in largish bowl until well combined. (At first it looks like it will never all come together, but keep mashing and squishing the coconut oil and you will end up with a smooth paste.)
2. All you then need to do is find a suitable container to keep it in – I re-use a cleaned out body moisturiser tub, which is just about the right size.
3. To use it, scoop up a small amount on the end of your index finger, and apply! You only need the tiniest bit, and the coconut oil melts at body temperature, so it goes on really smoothly.

Outing: Local theatre

The Simple Things’ resident theatre-goer (and former actress) is art editor Cathy McKinnon. Here are her favourite theatres outside London. Matthew Austin, director of Bristol’s Mayfest contemporary theatre festival, chooses the theatre he thinks we should look out for. There’s more on local theatre in the January issue.

The Wardrobe Theatre, Bristol

Founded in 2011 by a group of young theatre-makers with a passion for live performance, The Wardrobe Theatre is now an established artist-led organisation and arts venue that has been providing Bristol with fantastic theatre, comedy and regular local nights for over four years. It pulses with energy and invention.

The Watermill Theatre, Newbury

From their home in a converted Watermill in rural West Berkshire, which seats just 220 people, they have produced award-winning work that has been recognised throughout the UK and abroad.

The Rondo Theatre, Bath

Each year over 90 different companies visit this 100-seat intimate space, bringing with them a wide variety of theatre, music and comedy performances. It also runs a youth theatre, a scriptwriters group, theatre workshops and afternoon tea concerts.

The Bike Shed Theatre, Exeter

At the end of an alley in the middle of the city of Exeter, the Bike Shed Theatre has a 60-seat subterranean auditorium and vintage cocktail tavern. Always a great evening out!

Slung Low’s The HUB, Leeds

Slung Low’s aim is to transport audiences to new places and to make them see familiar places from new perspectives. Its original adventures each have a powerful, moving story at their heart. It’s home is Holbeck Underground Ballroom (The HUB), five railway arches in south Leeds.

Tramway & Oran Mor, Glasgow

Formerly Kelvinside Parish Church, Òran Mór is Gaelic for ‘great melody of life’ or ‘big song’, is a thriving arts venue that hosts ‘A Play, A Pie and A Pint’ lunchtime theatre.

Theatre in the Mill, Bradford

A studio in Bradford situated on the University of Bradford Campus. The theatre supports innovate artists to create new work.

ARC, Stockton on Tees

With over 250 performances each year ARC is a multi platform venue in the heart of Stockton on Tees. It has a programme packed theatre, music, comedy and spoken word as well as regular film nights.

Theatre companies to watch

Still House

Dan Canham is making some seriously interesting work through his company Still House, including Of Riders and Running Horses that premiered at Bristol’s Mayfest theatre festival in 2015. It’s since toured the UK and will tour internationally next year. Inspiring outdoor dance work by six female dancers.

You Me Bum Bum Train

This company makes large-scale theatre for an audience of one. Each audience member is taken through a rapid fire series of rooms, including a rock concert, a press conference, a court room etc etc. Everyone’s hyping them at the moment…

Selina Thompson

Brilliant young black theatre maker, who has just toured a work called Dark and Lovely, and is currently making a new show called salt that explores the history of slavery and afro-carribean heritage.

Scottee

Amazing performance artist who makes theatre work and hosts a cabaret called CAMP, that is a blast. 

Sleepdogs

Duo that makes brilliant sound-theatre work, and are currently making a new sci-fi horror for the stage called Dark Land Light House.

Recipe: Buddha bowls

Cold January days call for a hot bowl of nourishment, something that will liven up your tastebuds and pack a punch of nutrients to help ward off all those bugs that are flying around. This curry will warm you from the inside out. 

Buddha bowls

SERVES 4

For the paste

½ teaspoon fennel seeds
½ teaspoon coriander seeds
seeds from 6 cardamom pods
½ tsp black peppercorns
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp dried chilli flakes
1 thumb-size piece of fresh ginger
1 shallot
1 stalk of lemongrass
1 large bunch of fresh coriander
2 cloves garlic
coconut oil

For the curry

500g new potatoes
150g unsalted peanuts*
1 × 400g tin of coconut milk
2 tbsp tamarind paste
1 tbsp runny honey
sea salt
200g green beans, trimmed
200g firm tofu
2 slices fresh pineapple

The rest

150g brown basmati rice
coconut oil
2 medium carrots
1 lime
a squeeze of runny honey
a splash of rice wine vinegar
150g kale
50g mixed toasted seeds (I use a mixture of poppy, sesame and pumpkin)

1. Fill and boil a kettle and get all your ingredients and equipment together. You’ll need a small food processor or blender for the paste, a couple of large saucepans and a frying pan.

2. Keeping the skin on, chop the potatoes into 1–2cm chunks. Put them into a pan, cover with boiling water, add some salt, then bring to the boil and cook until tender – this should take about 5 mins.

3. Put the brown rice into another pan with twice its volume of cold water, some salt and a knob of coconut oil and put on a high heat to boil for 20–25 mins. Keep an eye on the rice while you do the other jobs, making sure it doesn’t boil dry.

4. Next, make the paste. Toast the fennel, coriander and cardamom seeds and the peppercorns in a dry pan for a couple of mins, then put into a food processor with all the other ground spices and the chilli flakes. Peel and roughly chop the ginger and shallot, discard the tough outer layer of the lemongrass and chop the inner stalk, then add it all to the processor. Cut the stalks off the coriander and add these with the garlic. Add a couple of tablespoons of coconut oil and blend on high until you have a paste.

5. Heat a large pan on a high heat, then add the peanuts and stir for a minute before adding the paste. Fry for a couple of mins more, then add the coconut milk, tamarind, honey and a good pinch of salt. Drain the potatoes, add them to the sauce and cook for 5–10 mins until it’s a good consistency.

6. To make the quick pickle, grate the carrots into a bowl and add the zest and juice of a lime, a squeeze of honey, a splash of vinegar and a pinch of salt. Finely chop the coriander leaves and add to the bowl, then put to one side.

7. Use the pan you toasted the spices in to pan-fry the kale on a medium heat in a little coconut oil, adding some salt and freshly ground black pepper, until wilted but starting to crisp.

8. Once the potatoes have had 5 mins in the sauce, add the green beans. Cut the tofu into 1cm lengths, then cut the pineapple into pieces about the same size, discarding the skin. Add both to the curry and simmer for a few mins, topping up with hot water if the curry is getting dry.

9. Once the rice and curry are ready, ladle the rice into bowls and top generously with the curry. Finish off with a pinch of carrot pickle, some greens and a sprinkling of seeds.

Recipe from A Modern Way to Cook by Anna Jones, photography Matt Russell (Fourth Estate).
First published in The Simple Things, January 2016 - still available on special order

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View the sampler here.

More from the January issue:

More recipe inspiration:

Sushi identifier

Know your sashimi from your sabazushi? It’ll be all rice on the night with our handy guide 

Dragon roll 

A western style of sushi, so called because of its ‘scales’ of avocado topping, rather than its (mild) flavour, which is unlikely to make you breathe fire. 

Uramaki 

Inside-out rolls, with nori on the inside. These were supposedly devised to get Americans to eat their seaweed, making them the courgetti of their day. 

Sabazushi 

Traditional to Kyoto, salt-cured mackerel with pressed rice – use your knowledge of this lesser- known sushi to impress maki-guzzling friends. 

Sashimi 

Something fishy about this item and that’s because it’s not actually sushi at all. The two are frequently mistaken, sashimi is raw fish, served without rice. 

Inarizushi 

Named after the Shinto god of fertility, rice, agriculture and foxes (his favourite food). No foxes are harmed in the making of these tofu pouches. 

Hosomaki 

Small but perfectly formed sushi rolls with nori on the outside. Originally using only one filling, this example is spruced up with caviar. 

Futomaki 

The fat boy of the sushi roll world. Big is beautiful in this case - they’re prized for their attractive combination of fillings. 

Gunkanmaki 

The ‘warship’ roll means you can go into battle with softer toppings, such as roe, oysters and scallops. A strip of nori puts up the defence. 

Nigri 

Raw fish served over a rice ball. Soy sauce etiquette agrees that only the fish side should get a dip. 

Find out more about sushi and see the full Sushi Rolls menu at sushirolls.co.uk/2016

Wisdom: Allegra McEvedy

Allegra McVedy talks about why the kitchen table is such a special part of home in an interview with her in January issue. Best known for her egalitarian restaurants and ‘economy gastronomy’, here she offers some thoughts on Christmas cooking and how to use those leftovers.

“I generally over-cater; I can’t help it,  I just do.” Her Christmas cooking, she cheerfully admits, is “quite trad. It’s the time of year where you do a goose and a turkey and a ham.  The ham just keeps on giving; I like to send people away with big chunks of it.”

For festive day side-dishes she usually does “a daugh of sort some – turnip, kohlarabiand mooli last year, which had a crunch to it.” She also “loves” Brussels sprouts. “I don’t know what the fuss is about; they’re just baby cabbages, delicious. I do think Ottolenghi did a great job of Brussels PR a few years ago when he said just halve and sauté them.” 

Christmas cooking, of course, results in Christmas leftovers and here Allegra, as befits the author of the Economy Gastronomy cookbook, is clear. “If you do have a turkey, then make stock with it. I think turkey makes the best stock in the world.  Use your freezer and freeze the stock. Use leftovers and stock to make pies – don’t make a curry! - and lots of soup. If you have a ham, use the ham stock to make pea and ham soup.”

Her enthusiasm is infectious and her down-to-earth approach makes total sense. “Basically, it’s a bloody big cook Christmas, so don’t waste anything that comes out of it.”

Competition: Win a week in the Swiss Alps! (closed 31 January 2016)

The prize includes seven nights’ B&B (for two people sharing a room), three dinners, British Airways or Swiss flights from London Heathrow to Zürich and connecting transfers (as detailed on The Glacier Express in Winter holiday on Inntravel’s website). 

The prize must be taken between February 2016 and March 2017 within the given season dates (excluding Bank Holidays) and subject to availability. Inntravel’s normal Booking Conditions apply. The prize winner and companion are responsible for all incidental expenses, for obtaining travel insurance and having a valid passport. The prize is non-exchangeable and not redeemable for cash or any other prize. 

Competition ends 31 January 2016

The prize includes seven nights’ B&B (for two people sharing a room), three dinners, British Airways or Swiss flights from London Heathrow to Zürich and connecting transfers (as detailed on The Glacier Express in Winter holiday on Inntravel’s website). 

The prize must be taken between February 2016 and March 2017 within the given season dates (excluding Bank Holidays) and subject to availability. Inntravel’s normal Booking Conditions apply. The prize winner and companion are responsible for all incidental expenses, for obtaining travel insurance and having a valid passport. The prize is non-exchangeable and not redeemable for cash or any other prize.