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SIM68.MAKES_Panphlets_004.png

Make | A three-hole pamphlet

Lottie Storey February 16, 2018

Give the basics of bookmaking a try by crafting this nifty three-hole pamphlet.

You will need:
2 sheets A2 paper (it should be no thinner than 80gsm and no thicker than 130gsm, short-grain; standard printer paper is 80gsm)
Bone folder (londonbookarts.org)
Shoe knife (or an old butter knife can do the job)
1 sheet colourful or decorative A4 paper thicker than your text paper (no thinner than 100gsm and no thicker than 175gsm, short-grain)
Waste paper
Mechanical pencil
Metal ruler
Scalpel
Cutting mat
Scissors or shears
Awl
Bookbinding needle (ratchford.co.uk)
About 60cm of linen thread, 18/3 or 25/3 thickness (see the selection at londonbookarts.org)

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  • First make two sections from your A2 sheets of paper. Take one sheet and fold in half, short edge to short edge. Make sure the edges are exactly aligned, before making a sharp crease using your bone folder.
  • Slit the paper two-thirds of the length along the fold using a shoe knife. This helps to avoid ‘crow’s feet’ or wrinkles from forming at the corners of the folds.
  • Turn the folded sheet 90 degrees and fold the sheet a second time.
  • As before, slit the sheet two thirds of the way using a shoe knife.
  • Turn the folded sheet 90 degrees and fold the sheet a third time.
  • Do not slit the sheet again. You now have an A5 16-page, or octavo, section.
  • Repeat with second sheet of A2.
  • Take your two octavo sections (16 pages each) and combine the two sections by inserting one inside of the centre fold of the other (step 1). This will give you a 32-page section. 
  • Fold the A4 cover paper in half widthways, or short edge to short edge. Make sure the edges are exactly aligned before making a sharp crease using your bone folder (step 2).
  • Make a sewing station template: take a piece of waste paper and cut to the same height as your pamphlet and roughly 60mm wide (step 3).
  • Make three marks on the edge of the waste paper (step 4): one at the centre (find this by folding the sheet in half lengthwise) and two at either end, around 30mm in from the top and bottom. The sewing stations will be at these points.
  • Place the section inside the folded cover (step 5).
  • Lay the book on the work surface with the spine edge aligned to the edge of the work surface. Open the book to the centre fold and place the sewing station template along the fold. Using an awl or pricker, make holes at each of the sewing stations (step 6).
  • With a needle and about 60cm of linen thread (or a length 2.5 to 3 times the height of the book), begin stitching the section from the centre hole, station B (see step 7).
  • From the outside in, insert needle and thread at station B, leaving a tail end of approximately 3cm.
  • Bring the needle out through the top hole, station C.
  • Go along the spine and in again at station A, then out through central station B.
  • Tie the two ends of thread together with a reef knot and trim any excess thread (step 8). Make sure that the two ends are on either side of the thread running from A to C, so that the knot is firmly in place.
  • Once the book has been bound, close the book, place a sheet of waste paper over the spine and go over the spine with a bone folder. If desired, trim the book.

Extracted from Making Books by Simon Goode and Ira Yonemura (Pavilion).

 

  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well

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

View the sampler here

 

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SIM68.MISCELLANY_HowHardPortrait.png

How to draw a realistic portrait

Lottie Storey February 15, 2018

You may not be quick on the draw, but these suggestions will help you make your mark

Portraiture is hard, especially if you know the person – it’s easy to notice if the likeness isn’t spot on. Suffice to say, you won’t become Leonardo overnight, but if you want to improve your skills, using this process may be helpful...

  • Forget what you think you know about the face. Don’t bother about the details initially – consider the whole head. Lightly sketch out the structure of the head first, using an H or HB pencil: focus on the areas where bones are nearest to the skin: that’s cheekbones, brow, forehead, chin and jawline.

  • You could draw a very light line down the middle of the face to centre the nose, and another for the eyes so they don’t go wonky later.

  • Shade in the shadows with a softer pencil (something like a 3B). Again, go lightly. You could take a photo and change the filter to black and white to help you work out where the shadows should be. Keep blending, using your finger or a smudging tool.

  • Finally, add the details, such as the eyes and lips.

  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well

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

View the sampler here

 

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In Think Tags february, issue 68, How to, drawing
3 Comments
Illustration: Joe Snow

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How to breathe a bit better

Lottie Storey February 14, 2018

Learn to fill your lungs more efficiently

Check yourself

  • Put one hand on your chest, the other just below the ribcage.
  • Take slow, deep breaths and see which hand moves the most.
  • It should be the one on your ribcage – meaning you are using your diaphragm to breathe, rather than your chest. Chest breathing makes your body stressed.

Then practise

  • Get comfy on a bed or chair, with loose clothing.
  • Sigh out through your mouth – it’ll relax your shoulders and neck muscles.
  • Take slow, gentle deep breaths down to the bottom of your lungs. Breathe in through the nose and out through the nose and mouth.
  • Slow your breath down further, checking that your ribcage is still moving more than your chest.
  • Aim to practise for five minutes each day. You can also use it to relax any time you get tense.
  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well

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View the sampler here

 

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In Think, Wellbeing Tags february, issue 68, wellbeing, mindful, How to
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NW_Simplethings_simplethings_meditation_final.1.png

How to be mindful

Lottie Storey February 13, 2018

Mindfulness - learn the basics of this super-useful sanity saver

“In bringing your attention to the breath, you’re necessarily bringing your attention to the present moment,” says Zen master Julian Daizan Skinner, author of Practical Zen (Singing Dragon). He suggests you aim for 25 minutes, starting with less and building up to that if you need to.

1 Find a comfortable sitting position and create a firm triangular base for your body. You can sit cross-legged on the floor, with your bottom on a cushion so your hips tilt forward, keeping your spine straight, or sit upright on a chair with feet firmly planted on the floor.
2 Make it your intention to sit still, but if you need to move occasionally, that’s fine. Don’t force anything.
3 You can either shut your eyes or keep your eyes gently focused on the ground in front of you.
4 Slowly bring your awareness to your breathing. Don’t try to change it, just watch it. Notice where it is in your body and bring your attention there.
5 Mentally count your breaths. In-breath: one. Out-breath: two. And so on, up to ten. Then start again at one.
6 Thoughts, worries and memories are bound to arise and that’s fine. Just notice them. Allow every moment to be exactly as it is.

Turn to page 85 of February's The Simple Things for more on our Mindfulness special. 

  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well

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

View the sampler here

 

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Recipe | Smoked parsnip soup

Lottie Storey February 12, 2018

With a mug of soup to thaw the hands and warm pasties to tuck into, a winter walk on the beach can be a jolly affair

Root veg cooked over woody herbs make a great soup.

Smoked parsnip soup

Serves 4–6
4 tbsp uncooked rice (any kind)
10 sprigs of rosemary and/or thyme, plus extra to serve
1 cinnamon stick, broken
750g parsnips, topped and tailed but not peeled
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
750ml vegetable stock
2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped
250–500ml almond milk
Zest of 1 lemon, and a squeeze of juice
A pinch of mixed spice

1 Preheat oven to 200C/Fan 180C/400F. Line a heavy lidded casserole with two sheets of foil large enough to fully line the pot.
2 Tip the rice, herbs and cinnamon into the pot, arrange the parsnips on top and set over a high heat.
3 When the rice starts to smoke, add 2 tbsp of water, cover tightly with a lid and smoke the parsnips over a high heat for 10 mins. Transfer to the oven and cook for a further 20 mins or until the parsnips are tender.
4 Meanwhile, in a large pan, simmer the onion and garlic in the stock for 10–15 mins until tender.
5 Cool the cooked parsnips slightly, then either strip the skin off with your fingers or scrape it off with a teaspoon. Transfer the parsnips to a blender, add the apples and blitz, adding the stock a little at a time, until you have a smooth, thick purée.
6 Blend in as much almond milk as you like, until the soup is your preferred consistency and creaminess. Use milk or cream, if you prefer.
7 Add lemon zest, juice, mixed spice and seasoning, to taste. Warm through the soup just before serving, and finish with a sprinkling of fresh thyme and a grinding of black pepper.
  
Blow the cobwebs away with a bracing winter wander on the beach, fuelled en route by toe-warming fare - turn to page 26 of February's The Simple Things for more, including Apple & thyme soda bread scones, Kale & feta rolls, Fish pie pasties, Marmalade brownies and Chai coffee.
 

  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well

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

View the sampler here

 

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Stars can't shine without darkness

Lottie Storey February 11, 2018

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  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well

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

View the sampler here.

In Magazine Tags back cover, issue 68, january
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SIM68.MISCELLANY_TippleOfTheMonth.png

Tipple of the month | Pisco Sour

Lottie Storey February 10, 2018

Raise a glass to Peru’s best export (apart from Paddington)

The South American brandy, pisco, made from muscat grapes, was said to have been first made into the famous cocktail by Victor Vaughen Morris, an American bartender working in Peru, in the early 20th century. The first Saturday of February is National Pisco Sour Day.

MAKE IT: pour a 1⁄2 measure of lime juice, 2 measures pisco, 1 tbsp beaten egg white into shaker with ice.
Add a dash of gomme syrup and a dash of angostura bitters.
Shake. Strain into glass.
Salud!

  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well

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Photography: Ali Allen

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Seasonal winter shots

Lottie Storey February 9, 2018

Ginger tops the list of effective natural home remedies. Try these combinations to help settle upset tummies, soothe migraines and ward off viruses

To make: Peel and juice the ginger first, then feed the herb or spice through the juicer. Finally, juice the fruit.

Each of the following recipes makes one winter shot.
Asian Pear Drop: 2cm piece of ginger, 1⁄4 of a stick of lemongrass and half
a pear.
Sunshine Ginger: 2cm piece of ginger, 1 blood orange or 2 clementines and
a dusting of cinnamon.
Winter Ginger: 2cm slice of ginger, 1 apple and a drop of oregano essential oil.
Blushing Ginger: 2cm piece of ginger, 2 cardamom pods (feed whole through a juicer or grind the seeds and add later after juicing), 4cm piece of rhubarb and 1 small or 1⁄2 medium-sized beetroot. Solo Ginger: 2cm piece of ginger,
1⁄4 lemon (zest and all) and a dusting of cayenne pepper.
Persian Ginger: 2cm piece of ginger, 1 tbsp fresh rose petals or 1⁄4 tsp rosewater and 15 pitted cherries.

From Tonics & Teas by Rachel de Thample (Kyle Books).

  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well

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

View the sampler here.

 

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Image: Unsplash

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Floral delights to brighten up February

Lottie Storey February 8, 2018

Awe-inspiring orchids

For an uplifting dose of warmth and colour head to Kew Gardens’ Thai-inspired orchid festival inside the Princess of Wales Conservatory. A magnificent display of orchids among the sights and sounds of Thailand provides a welcome reprieve from the British winter.
10 February–11 March.
kew.org


White carpet walks

Marvel at the first signs of spring during a snowdrop walk at Rode Hall, Cheshire. With around 70 varieties of this much-loved flower, it can’t fail to make you feel optimistic.
rodehall.co.uk


Early bloomers

If you want a glimpse of spring, look out for
the National Trust Valentine’s Day Flower Count. Last year, Saltram in Devon had the highest number of flowers on 14 February (176 blooms) for the second year running. Gardens in the South West are usually the furthest ahead in the UK.
nationaltrust.org.uk

  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well

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

View the sampler here.

 

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SIM68.TRYITOUT_Annie Sloan her very self.png

Life Skills | Furniture painting

Lottie Storey February 7, 2018

Spend a day learning a new skill. Mindful and mind full (in a good way). Clare Gogerty joins an Annie Sloan workshop in Oxford

If you've ever attempted to paint a piece of furniture only to be disheartened by the laborious process of sanding, painting and waxing, the day you discover Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is a day of wonder. Developed nearly 30 years ago, it brushes onto surfaces including wood, leather, concrete and leather, with no need to sand or prime. Suddenly that tired old bedside table can be revitalised with just a coat of paint and a layer of wax.

You can develop your skills at an Annie Sloan workshop. I attended one run by Annie at her Oxford HQ, but her stockists in independent shops nationwide are all trained in her techniques and run their own. The morning was spent painting a wooden box with a neutral colour (Old White, in my case), letting it dry, then painting a thin coat of another colour on top (Paloma, a soft grey) and scrunching it off with newspaper. This process, known as frottage,
creates a two-tone marbled effect similar to rag rolling, and can be used on any surface, not just wood.

Colour theory was tackled in the afternoon, with Annie encouraging us to think of colours “like ingredients used in cooking”. She urged us to be brave with colour in our homes and, using her palette of 37 Chalk Paints, fabric swatches and an outline sketch of a room set, we created schemes for a living room and a kitchen/dining area. By the time I got home, no piece of furniture was safe from my brush.

To find your nearest Annie Sloan stockist and your nearest workshop, which also includes gilding and waxing, visit anniesloan.com.

 

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Photography: Will Heap

Photography: Will Heap

Birch Tree Wine

Lottie Storey February 6, 2018

A tapped birch can give around 4 litres of sap over 24 hours (above). Fermented with lemon and raisins, it makes a lovely wine 

Birch tree wine

4 litres of birch sap (as fresh as possible - see the feature on page 36 of February's The Simple Things for how to tap a birch tree)
1kg sugar
200g raisins
Juice of 2 lemons
5g wine yeast (1 sachet)

You will need:
1 large bucket
2 x 4.5 litre demijohns with airlocks*
Sieve
Funnel
4 or 5 x 750ml bottles

1 Give everything a good scrub and sterilise with hot soapy water. Put the sap in a large pan and bring to the boil. Add the sugar and simmer for around 10 mins until the sugar dissolves. Pour into the sterilised bucket and add the raisins and lemon juice. Leave to cool.
2 ‘Activate’ the yeast according to the packet instructions and sprinkle into the bucket. Cover loosely with a cloth and leave to ferment for around 3 days at room temperature.
3 Strain out the raisins and decant into into one of the demijohns. Seal with an airlock. Leave upright in a warm, darkish place for around 4 weeks. Sediment will collect at the bottom of the jar.
4 Decant the liquid into the second demijohn without disturbing the sediment and seal again with an airlock. Discard the sediment. Leave upright in a warm, darkish place until fermentation is complete (when no more air bubbles rise into the airlock). This could take another 4 weeks.
5 Decant the liquid into your sterilised wine bottles, again without disturbing the sediment and seal. Discard the sediment.
6 Store the bottles on their sides in a cool place (if you’re using corks, make sure they’re tight!) and leave to ‘age’ for at least 3 months. Best after a year, if you can wait that long!
 
* For wine-making supplies, try homebrewcentre.co.uk or wilko.com.

Recipe by Kate Turner.
 

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A could-do list for February

Lottie Storey February 5, 2018

Things you might want to do this month (no pressure!)

  • A could-do list for February
  • Eat syrupy pancakes for breakfast
  • Read a short story in one go
  • Wander around your local park
  • Stop every two hours and focus on your breath
  • Go out with friends (even when you don’t feel like it)
  • Do your food shopping somewhere different
  • Write down five things that recently made you smile

What would you add? Come over and tell us on Facebook or Twitter. 

  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well

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View the sampler here.

 

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SIM65.FRESH_Salted+Choc+Honeycomb.png

Things you could give up for Lent

Lottie Storey February 1, 2018

Not planning on giving up chocolate for Lent? Try one of these ideas instead.

Plastic bottles

Carry your own drinking bottle and drink tap water.

News

It can provoke anxiety so give yourself a break every now and then.

Social media

Speak to those you care about and remain blissfully unaware of those you don’t.

Waste

Buy food locally and more frequently to avoid waste and get savvy with sell-by dates and leftovers.

Gossiping

It creates negative energy. If you haven’t got anything nice to say...

What would you add? What are you giving up? Come over and tell us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well

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

View the sampler here

 

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Breathe | February cover reveal

Lottie Storey January 31, 2018

Peek out from under the duvet. Yes, it’s still winter but there are signs of season’s end. It’s time to wrap up, get out there and blow off some cobwebs. A beach walk could work, a potter in the garden or a wander through the woods, all bare branches and new views. Dusk is still early, leaving a lamplit evening for a mindful project or making a meal of dinner for one. And when the dark night settles, come full circle back to your duvet. Sometimes love is nothing more than a warm bed, a hot drink and a good book. 

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

View the sampler here, buy back issues or try our sister mag, Oh Comely 

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Feb 15, 2018
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How to breathe a bit better
Feb 14, 2018
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Feb 13, 2018
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Recipe | Smoked parsnip soup
Feb 12, 2018
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  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well

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

In Magazine Tags cover reveal, february, issue 68
Comment
Photography: Faith Mason

Photography: Faith Mason

Recipe | Fluffy Banana Sultana Pancakes

Lottie Storey January 30, 2018

The best thing about February? Pancakes, of course. Bananas and sultanas are meant for each other, especially when snuggled up together in a tender pancake like this.

Makes 8
100g self-raising flour
1⁄2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 large ripe banana, mashed, plus sliced banana to serve
100ml whole milk
1 large egg
1 tbsp melted butter
40g sultanas
Melted butter or vegetable oil, for frying
Runny honey or maple syrup, to serve

1 In a mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, a pinch of salt, the cinnamon, the mashed banana, milk, egg, and melted butter and gently whisk the wet ingredients into the dry until well combined. Be careful not to overbeat the mixture or the pancakes will be tough; some small lumps are fine. Stir in the sultanas.

2 Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and brush with butter or oil. Drop 60ml batter into the pan and cook for about 1 min, or until golden underneath. Adjust the heat as needed to ensure the pancakes don’t burn before they’re cooked through. Flip and cook for a further 30 seconds to 1 min. Repeat with rest of the batter.

3 Serve straight from the pan or keep warm in an oven preheated to 150C/Fan 130F/ 300F while you cook the remaining batter.

4 Serve the pancakes with slices of banana and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup.

Recipe from Posh Pancakes by Sue Quinn (Quadrille)
 

  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well

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Comment
SIM68.HYDROPONICS_PH133258.jpg

Growing | Hydroponics

Lottie Storey January 29, 2018

No longer the preserve of commercial growers, hydroponics - a soil-less method of growing leafy veg - is made for urban edible-gardeners. 

Growing veg can be tricky if you don't have a garden to cultivate or a sunny balcony to fill with tubs. Redemption for would-be urban gardeners, however, could lie with hydroponics, a controlled method of growing plants in water rather than soil

But what to grow?

Stick to leafy salad veg and herbs for the best results. Which varieties you choose to grow will depend on the size of your growing system: the lights of the Ikea Indoor Gardening System, for example, are 30cm above the growing tray, so any plants that grow taller than that won't fit. Plant 1-3 seeds per plug, depending on the plant, and remember that different seeds germinate at different rates. You should see plants with leaves big enough to eat after 5-7 weeks. 

Cherry tomatoes

Small tomatoes often planted in containers will also suit hydroponic systems. 'Balconi Red', 'Bajaja' and 'Sweet 'n' Neat Cherry Red' are all nice and compact.

Chillies

Smaller varieties such as 'Krakatoa' and 'Basket of Fire' will fit hydroponic systems best, but taller plants can be pinched out to encourage width rather than height. 

Lettuce

Most varieties will flourish in a hydroponic system. Ones with looser leaves such as Lollo Rossa, Cos (red and green) and Butterhead varieties suit hydroponic cropping better than tightly packed ones like Iceberg.

Other leaves

Pick the leaves of spinach, rocket, pak choi, oriental mustard and garden cress when they are young for best flavour. They are often found together in salad leaves seed mixes. 

Herbs 

A handful of fresh herbs in snipping distance is a boon to any cook. Most thrive in hydroponic conditions: try basil, chives, coriander, mint, parsley or lemon balm. 

Turn to page 106 of February's The Simple Things for more of our feature on Hydroponics, including what you need to start out. 

  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well

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

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Photography: Steven Joyce

Photography: Steven Joyce

Spinach, sausage and orzo soup

Lottie Storey January 26, 2018

This spinach, sausage and orzo soup offers a whole meal and a big dose of comfort in one bowl for those midwinter days when you want dinner on
the sofa and minimal washing up.

Serves 4
6 plump sausages (ideally with lots of onion or garlic)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, roughly chopped
1 stick of celery, diced
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tbsp tomato purée
A generous pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
A small pinch of dried oregano
800ml chicken or vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
100g orzo or other small pasta
150g spinach, stems removed, roughly chopped
2 tbsp single or double cream 

TO SERVE:
Fresh parsley, chopped
Fresh basil, chopped
Freshly grated parmesan

1 Remove the sausage casings and shape the meat into little meatballs. Place the oil in a heavy-based pan with a lid over a medium-high heat and add the sausage meatballs. Brown them all over, then lift out and set aside. Turn the heat down to medium and to the same pan add the onion, carrot and celery, and season; sauté for 10 mins, until soft and beginning to brown.
2 Add garlic and tomato purée and cook, stirring for 2 mins. Next, add the nutmeg, oregano, stock and bay leaf and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 mins.
3 Add the orzo*, spinach and meatballs and simmer for 4 mins, or until the orzo and meatballs are cooked. Remove from the heat, add the cream and remove the bay leaf and check seasoning.
4 Serve in wide bowls, and garnish with herbs and parmesan.

Recipe from Leon Happy Soups by Rebecca Seal and John Vincent (Conran Octopus).

 

  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well

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

View the sampler here.

 

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In Eating Tags issue 67, january, comfort food, marmite, cheese, welsh rarebit, soup, sausage, spinach, pasta
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break up songs.png

Listen | Break up songs

Lottie Storey January 25, 2018

What becomes of the broken hearted? They sit around and listen to sad songs…

Listen to our break up songs playlist now.

  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well

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rawpixel-com-274862.png

Storytelling

Lottie Storey January 22, 2018

Once upon a time...

...we used to tell stories and now we probably don’t so much. It’s National Storytelling Week this month (28 Jan–3 Feb) – a great reason to rediscover the delights of the spoken story

Many of us stop reading aloud or making up stories when we don’t have children to read to, but there’s nothing to stop you from reading to your partner or a friend – it can be a surprisingly bonding experience, great for a winter’s night.

Or, you could offer to read to an elderly relative or neighbour or volunteer in a local care home. To Read Aloud by Francesco Dimitri (Head of Zeus) is a collection of 75 extracts from different writers with time taken to read aloud from just 3 to 15 minutes. Choose from themed chapters (change, love, nature etc).

As you get more confident with reading aloud, try making up your own stories. Base them on your own experiences if you find it easier and visualise (rather than write) the beginning, middle and end, before you start. For inspiration, try going to a storytelling event – there are plenty this month (see sfs.org.uk).

For a bit of fun at home, play a storytelling game, such as Rory’s Story Cubes, where you roll the ‘dice’ and create a tale using all the pictures. Board games such as Tell Tale (for younger families) and The Awkward Story Teller (for adults and teenagers) work well, too.

  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well

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

View the sampler here.

 

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In Think Tags issue 67, january, bedtime story, storytelling
Comment
Photography: Nassima Rothacker

Photography: Nassima Rothacker

Marmite and cheddar welsh rarebit

Lottie Storey January 21, 2018

Winter comfort food doesn’t get much better than this

Serves 2
4 slices sourdough
20g unsalted butter
20g plain flour
200ml amber ale
100g mature cheddar, finely grated, plus extra for sprinkling
1–2 tsp Marmite, to taste

1 Preheat grill to high. Toast the sourdough, either under the grill or in a toaster.
2 Put the butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Once the butter has completely melted, add the flour and beat to a thick paste with a wooden spoon.
3 Still on the heat, add a splash of the ale and beat in. The mixture will turn into a very thick paste but just keep beating. Add the ale gradually, beating well after each addition. As the mixture gets looser, switch to a whisk and whisk continuously, while pouring in the ale – it’s easier to get rid of any lumps while the mixture is thicker, so whisk like your life depends on it and add the ale gradually. Allow the sauce to come to
a boil then reduce to a gentle simmer and leave it to cook for about 10 mins,
stirring occasionally.
4 Once the floury taste has cooked out of the sauce – test it to be sure – add a generous pinch of black pepper (I wouldn’t use any salt until the end as Marmite can season this enough). Add the cheese and stir over a low heat until melted. Add the Marmite a little at a time, to taste – you may think more is more, but do go carefully; a little goes a long way. Taste for seasoning, adding more pepper and salt if required.
5 Spoon the sauce onto the slices of toast and sprinkle over a little more grated cheese. Place under the hot grill for a minute or two, until the sauce bubbles up and burnished, blackened little flecks appear.

Recipe from Comfort by John Whaite (Kyle Books). 

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In Eating Tags issue 67, january, comfort food, marmite, cheese, welsh rarebit
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  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well
Feb 27, 2025
Feb 27, 2025

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Feb 27, 2025
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The Simple Things is published by Iceberg Press

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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