A could-do list for October

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

• Make toffee apples – or our liquorice shards

• See how many different coloured leaves you can find

• Tell a ghost story

• Gather some hedgerow hips and haws for a bouquet

• Call a friend for a proper chat instead of texting

• Leave town for the day and go for a countryside walk

• Think about all the good things you have in your life right now and write a list of some of them

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

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Home hacks | Make a terracotta heater

It’s an effective use of all those Ikea tealights, and creates enough heat to keep a room toasty (and energy bills down).

You will need:
4 tealights
Metal loaf tin
Matches or a lighter 2 bricks
Cooling rack
2 terracotta flower pots: one should fit inside the other, with about 2cm of space between the two
Small piece of foil

1 Pop the tealights in the loaf tin and light. Then add a brick on either side of the tin and place the rack on top.
2 Position the smaller of the two pots upside down on the rack, right over the candles.
3 Cover the hole in the bottom of the pot with foil.
4 Then put the larger pot over the first.
5 If and when the candles go out, just slide out the tin to relight or swap in a new tealight.

Note: It heats up quickly and will be too hot to touch after about half an hour, so keep kids and pets away.

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The official rules of conkers

There are varying rules for a conker fight, but these are the ones laid out by The Woodland Trust, so you can run your own back garden championships:

1. Wrap the loose end of the string around your hand. One player should dangle their conker on about 25cm of string, keeping it absolutely still.

2. The other player then swings their conker at it to try to break it.

3. If the attacking player misses, they can have two more chances before it’s their opponent’s turn.

4. Take turns until one of the conkers breaks and you have a winner.

5. A new conker is called a ‘none-er’ as it hasn’t beaten anyone yet. When it beats another conker, it’s a ‘one-er’. If it beats another, it becomes a ‘two-er’ and so on.

Turn to page 64 of October’s The Simple Things for How to do autumn well, including how to pick a prime pumpkin, Apple Day, and how to go mushrooming (without updating your will).

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Recipe | Schiacciata di uva

Schiacciata di uva

A RECIPE TO CELEBRATE HARVEST (SCHIACCIATA MEANS ‘SQUASHED’)

Serves 12

200g raisins
250ml vin santo or moscatel
850g strong white bread flour
2 scant tsp fast-action yeast
435ml warm water (100-110C)
1 1⁄2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing
450g black seedless grapes, washed and stalks removed
2 tbsp demerara sugar
2 tbsp fennel seeds
you will need
A 33 x 22cm baking tray

1 In a small pan, bring the raisins and vin santo or moscatel to a boil, then turn off the heat and set aside for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.

2 Mix the flour and yeast with 1 tsp salt. In a jug, combine the warm water with the olive oil. Pour into the flour mixture and combine, then knead until smooth and elastic. Or use a mixer with dough hook attachment.

3 Brush a thin layer of oil over the inside of a large bowl and put the dough inside, turning it over in the oil. Cover with cling film or a plastic bag and leave in a warm place to rise until doubled in size (about 1 hour 30 mins).

4 Brush a 33 x 22cm baking tray with oil. Divide the dough into two and roll half out to the size of the tray, pushing it into the corners. Drain the raisin mixture and spoon over the dough. Roll out the second half of dough to the same size and sandwich over the first. Pinch the edges to join. Leave in a warm place, covered with a clean tea towel, until risen (at least 30 mins).

5 Preheat oven to 190C/Fan 170C/ Gas 5. When the dough has risen, scatter over the grapes, then sprinkle over the sugar and fennel seeds.

6 Bake in the preheated oven for 45 mins, until you have a golden crust and the grapes are bubbling and releasing their juices. Cool on a wire rack for 15 mins, then cut into generous slices to serve, with coffee or as a dessert in its own right.

Turn to page 24 of October’s The Simple Things for more of our autumn fruit feast, including Blistered grapes, ricotta & toasted sourdough, Parma-wrapped chicken with figs & gorgonzola, Herb-roasted veg Kale & fennel salad, and Poached prunes with Pedro Ximénez.

A feast of autumn fruit was inspired by the annual harvest days at Dunleavy Vineyards in the Chew Valley, Somerset, when friends and family join together to help harvest grapes and share a meal in the vineyard afterwards.

Launched in 2008 by Ingrid Bates, the vineyard produces multi-award winning rosé wine from Pinot noir and Seyval blanc grapes. Dunleavy Vineyards’ first sparkling wine will be available from October 2018.

dunleavyvineyards.co.uk

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Nourish | October cover reveal

When all around is setting seed and shutting up shop for the dark months ahead, it’s tempting to follow nature’s lead and hunker down too. But look at what else this month offers – spectacular colours to inspire redecorating, fun in the form of spooky stories, and a harvest rich in fruit, nuts and vibrant squashes. Time to spend a busy afternoon in a steamed-up kitchen as the light fades. Self-care in autumn means nourishing your mind and body by looking out rather than in. And possibly buying a pair of new boots...

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Happy mail | 5 newsletters to subscribe to

Frances Ambler shares her top five newsletters from our September issue feature on the new breed of newsletters: writing that moves, informs and inspires, that you definitely won’t want to leave unread

Domestic Sluttery, domesticsluttery.com

I used to write for Domestic Sluttery when it was a website. Now it’s in a newsletter format, I can’t wait to see what treats they have discovered each day. From inspiring women to the best bargain on the high street, it really does live up to its promise to make your inbox more fabulous.

Thread, bit.ly/jhethread

I’ve started reading more newsletters to read the personal stories and reflection that I used to find in blogs. It’s hard to pick a favourite tinyletter but I’m always pleased when Jean Hannah Edelstein’s Thread arrives. She relates stories from her life so beautifully – it’s always a refreshing pause for thought in my inbox (and her current book, This Really Isn’t About You, is fantastic too).

Laura Olin, lauraolin.com/newsletter

I don’t know how Laura does it, but her weekly newsletter always links to fascinating things on the internet that I just don’t come across elsewhere – things that make you smile, things that make you think. On days when the internet seems to just be people yelling at each other, it’s a reminder how it can be an inspiring, positive space as well.

Black Cardigan Edit, blackcardiganedit.com

“Advices and enthusiasm related to writing, books and creativity”. I don’t think the author of Black Cardigan Edit, Carrie Frye, has featured a book without me immediately clicking ‘buy’ – it’s almost as if her recommendations are specifically tailored for me. It’s a good job it’s infrequent, as otherwise I’d be broke.

Quartz Obsession, qz.com/newsletters/quartz-obsession

A daily dive into something you’ll likely have overlooked, packed with facts and stats. Thanks to Obsession, I’ve learned about vanilla, venus flytraps, sheds, lettuce and the colour purple. It’s the most pleasurably geeky moment of my day.

Turn to page 44 of September's The Simple Things for more newsletters worth reading. 
 

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Nest | Hydrangeas

The mophead blooms of the hydrangea look as good in a vase as in the border.

“They may not be the cheapest cut flowers,” says Ellie Marlow, florist at Catkin & Pussywillow, “but they work well either as statement arrangements or single stems in bud vases. As their name suggests, they are thirsty blooms and like a lot of hydration. Should they droop, dip the stem into boiling water for a minute. That will revive them.”

Photography and flowers: Ellie Marlow, Catkin & Pussywillow, Winchester railway station (catkinandpussywillow.com)
 

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Old railway tracks

Offering unusual routes and easy navigation, old railway tracks are ideal for hiking, biking or just a wander in nature. 

Some former routes have been restored for use as heritage lines, offering passengers the chance to enjoy the full sensory experience of steam: the smoky scent in the air, the magical chuff-chuff of acceleration and the occasional tuneful whistle.

They include:

The Bluebell Railway

Climb aboard splendid steam trains with romantic names such as the Sussex Belle and Golden Arrow running between East Grinstead and Sheffield Park in East Sussex; bluebell-railway.com.

North York Moors Railway

Admire the North York Moors National Park from the steam trains on this not-for-profit, volunteer-led railway, which is fast approaching its 200th birthday – don’t miss Goathland, famous for playing fictitious stations including Harry Potter’s Hogsmeade, as well as a turn in 1990s TV show Heartbeat; nymr.co.uk.

Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways

Indulge in afternoon tea and first-class travel as you steam between Porthmadog and Caernarfon along the world’s oldest narrow gauge railway – the carriages’ windows framing magnificent mountainous views as it passes through Snowdonia; festrail.co.uk.

Turn to page 62 of September's The Simple Things for Ruth Chandler on her love of old railway tracks, or read on for some of her favourite routes.

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Recipe | Preserved roasted peppers

When you have a glut of sweet peppers, one of the most delicious things to do with them is to roast them and preserve them in vinegar and oil. Long slow cooking brings out their sweetness, and they make a brilliant addition to mezze and an excellent pizza topping.

Makes 1 jar
8 peppers
White wine vinegar
Extra virgin olive oil

YOU WILL NEED
450ml Kilner jar or equivalent, sterilised

1 Preheat the grill. Put the whole peppers on a baking tray and grill, turning, until blackened all over.
2 Tip the peppers into a large bowl, cover tightly with cling film and leave to cool completely: the cling film traps the steam and helps to separate the skins from the flesh.
3 Once cool, peel away the blackened skins and discard, then open up the peppers to remove the seeds and stems. Tear the flesh into wide strips and drop it into a bowl, along with as much of the juices as you can capture, then tip everything into a sterilised jar.
4 Pour enough vinegar over the peppers to cover, and use a knife to agitate them a little and get rid of any air bubbles, then top with a small slick of olive oil. Seal the jar and transfer to the fridge. Eat within a month.

Turn to page 38 of August's The Simple Things for more of our staple foods feature on peppers from Lia Leendertz.

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Listen | Songs from the crypt

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Listen to our songs from the crypt playlist now.

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Competition | Win £500 to spend at Garden Trading

This month’s brilliant prize is a £500 shopping spree at Garden Trading. For your chance to win, enter below by the closing date, 7 November 2018.  

Discover the full range at gardentrading.co.uk. 

ENTER NOW

Terms & conditions:
The competition closes at 11.59pm on 7 November 2018. A winner will be chosen at random from all correct entries after this time and notified shortly after. Full terms and conditions are at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules.

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Liquorice shards recipe + growing tips

This hard version of liquorice, to suck rather than chew, is a darkly delicious treat for Halloween. The bicarbonate of soda lightens the texture a little, so the shards are slightly brittle

Liquorice shards

Makes about 550g

Butter, for greasing 
200g caster sugar 
100g golden syrup
100g black treacle  
½ tsp cream of tartar 
1 liquorice root, pounded 

1 tsp powdered liquorice or ½-1 tsp liquorice essence 
65g liquid fruit pectin or 12g powdered fruit pectin 
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 
1 tsp anise extract 

1 Grease a 23cm/9in square cake tin or pan and line with cling film as smoothly as possible. 

2 Combine the sugar, syrup, treacle and cream of tartar with 100ml of water in a heavy pan. Stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Add the liquorice root and liquorice powder or essence, and boil, without stirring, until it reaches 120C. 

3 Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, combine the pectin (add 4 tbsp water if using powdered pectin), bicarbonate of soda and ½ tsp salt. 

4 Pour the pectin mixture into the syrup and stir to combine. Boil again until the syrup reaches 103C, then stir in the anise extract. 

5 Pour the syrup into the prepared tin, discarding the liquorice root, and leave to set for about 4 hours. Turn out on to a chopping board and break into shapes. Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Recipe from Liquorice: A Cookbook by Carol Wilson (Lorenz Books). 

Growing your own

Did you know liquorice is easy to grow yourself? Grow young plants (try brandycarrnurseries.co.uk) in a sunny spot in good, moist soil, allowing plenty of space between them – as the roots really like to spread! Roots can be harvested three to four years after planting and eaten raw or dried and used as a flavouring. 

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What I treasure | My inherited recipe books

My most treasured books lie hidden. They’re shrinking violets in my kitchen, spines frayed and indecipherable, found among modern volumes from celebrity kitchens and heavyweight classics from renowned masters. My favourite cookery books are often rediscovered by accident and, as I ease them from the shelves, they transport me to half-forgotten times and places in my past.

My Mother’s Be-Ro book, a slim booklet produced by the flour manufacturer, still falls open at the pages consulted by her, and sticky fingerprints offer clues to the ingredients of coconut macaroons and jam tarts. It conjures up memories of my scratchy bottle-green school jumper and toasting bread with my brother in front of a smoky coal fire, Blue Peter on the television.
The Farmer’s Wife book evokes my teenage years. The spicy aroma of the sticky gingerbread contained within gives way to Aqua Manda, the heady fragrance that I applied liberally on Saturday nights.

The Hamlyn All Colour Cook Book heralds early married life and, with its curried eggs and tuna bake, a new and sophisticated period along my culinary journey. As I browse the faded pages, it’s our trendy brown and orange kitchen and primrose bathroom suite (how I longed for avocado) that elbow their way through the mists of time. Fast forward ten years and the Food Aid book from which I make mushroom pâté each Christmas reminds me of the Live Aid concert that inspired its publication.

There are more, each with their own special memories, but it is a small blue book bulging with handwritten notes that means the most. These are the family recipes handed down to me over the years. One glance at the looped script and I am back in the kitchen of my childhood. It’s a sunny Sunday afternoon and my mother and aunts are chatting as they assemble bridge rolls stuffed with tinned salmon, and arrange their specialities – fruit scones, cream meringues and chocolate eclairs – on doilies. I can smell their soap and hear their gentle scolding as my cousins and I play underfoot.

I doubt I’ll be able to resist the new, glossy cookery tomes that will appear this Christmas but, as they join the rest of my collection, I know that my memories will be hiding in their midst.

We’d like to know what you treasure - whether it’s a sentimental artefact, a person, a place or something else. Tell us in 500 words what means a lot to you - email thesimplethings@icebergpress.co.uk

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An expert in anything was once a beginner

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Handwriting taster

When we put pen to paper, we may not realise it but our personality is there in every stroke and mark we make.

Handwriting analysis, or graphology, studies the unique features of writing, from the spaces between letters to the curliness of a ‘g’, to reveal our individual traits and how we interact with the world, cope with stress and express emotions.

HANDWRITING OR BRAINWRITING?

Handwriting, as with all fine motor coordination, is a physical process; the brain sends signals to the arm, the hand and the fingers to manipulate a writing tool (the pen or pencil you are holding). The brain is very much the main control room, which is why our writing can be described as the X-ray of the mind. It is therefore not surprising that no two handwriting styles are the same and they are as unique as a fingerprint.

Before you start, write a few sentences on blank paper – avoid copying text as it will slow down your natural speed – and then sign your name under the text.

Turn to page 74 of September's The Simple Things to analyse your own handwriting. 
 

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Know a thing or two... Ethical fashion

On the eve of London Fashion Week, here are some starting points for dressing with a conscience

ON DEMAND & CUSTOM MADE
Encompassing made-to-order, tailormade, and DIY. Campaigners believe that the fashion industry should be more responsive to consumer demands, rather than make in bulk. Consumers can put this into practice, too. If we play a role in the production of our clothing, we’re more likely to look after it and hang onto it. Getting custom-made is an increasingly affordable option, thanks to the likes of Fox in a Glove, foxinaglove.com, offering modern styles made in Europe, and Brighton-based Dig For Victory, digforvictoryclothing.com, which specialises in vintage-inspired shapes. Clever sewers can make their own clothes. For fashionable patterns, try the Sewing Your Perfect Capsule Wardrobe project book by Arianna Cadwallader and Cathy McKinnon (Kyle Books), Sew Over It (sewoverit.co.uk) and Tilly and the Buttons (tillyandthebuttons.com).

GREEN & CLEAN
Try to buy green, where you can – and ideally items that are green through every step of the process. The textile certification helps identification, but in general look for organic, natural fibres, such as wool, cotton, silk, lyocell and hemp, rather than the likes of petroleum-derived polyester, nylon or acrylic, which don’t typically degrade in nature. Ideally you’d be able to track a garment’s credentials at every stage of production – virtually impossible at the moment, so join the campaign for greater transparency from clothing brands at fashionrevolution.org/about/transparency.

HIGH QUALITY & TIMELESS DESIGN
When you buy, try to buy better. The WRAP Love Your Clothes campaign offers best buy guides at loveyourclothes.org.uk/guides/best-buy-guides that highlight what to look for to get the most from an item of clothing. Livia Firth’s #30wears campaign is simply a prompt to ask yourself before buying if you’ll wear something at least 30 times – it’s surprising how many garments won’t reach this criterion.

FAIR & ETHICAL
Referring to traditional production, artisan crafts and animal rights. As with the Green & Clean, try to find out who made your clothes – and if anybody or anything has been harmed in the process. This can feel impossible to ascertain, so demand better and join in Fashion Revolution Day on 24 April by asking companies, Who Made My Clothes? To educate yourself further, try a copy of Fashion Revolution Zine (fashionrevolution.org), or a free course exploring the subject; futurelearn.com/courses/who-made-my-clothes.

REMAKE, REPAIR OR UPCYCLE
Extending the life of a garment by nine months reduces its impact on the environment by 20–30%. Learn the quick fixes – replacing a broken zip, sorting a wayward hem – to keep a garment in use, or up the ante and try remaking your clothes entirely. Dressmaking courses around the UK are listed at thesewingdirectory.co.uk/workshops-and-courses/ – or take advantage of the skills of a local tailor to keep beloved items in use.

RENT, LOAN OR SWAP
There’s a wealth of desirable clothing that won’t cost you a penny, if you decide to borrow from friends and family. ‘Swishing’ parties – pooling donated clothing and accessories – are a social way to share unworn clothes. And for big occasions, consider hiring rather than buying
an unlikely to be worn again frock: wearthewalk.co.uk and girlmeetsdress.com offer fashionable rental options.

SECONDHAND OR VINTAGE
Extend the life of an item of clothing by buying secondhand or vintage. See issue 63 of The Simple Things for pleasurable ways to shop secondhand, from car boots to charity shops. On Instagram @knickers_models_own offers plentiful inspiration on how to style pre-loved clothes: Caroline Jones did a full year of only dressing in clothes sourced from Cancer Research shops. And it goes both ways: hand on your own items, rather than throw away. Even garments that are no longer wearable can go for textile recycling.

Green Strategy, a Swedish consultancy on improving sustainability, suggested these seven ways we can start to shop and dress more sustainably. You can read all about it by searching ‘seven’ at their website, greenstrategy.se.

Turn to page 89 of September's The Simple Things for more on our ethical fashion feature.

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My Plot | Natural born swimmers

Sarah and Will Murch dreamt of wild swimming in their garden. So they turned a disused patch into a tranquil pool, now a haven for wildlife a well as their family.

'Every time I visit the pool, I am blown away by its magic; it always surprises me. It doesn’t matter if it’s a dull day, windy or sunny – it is always beautiful and every time I swim, I am gobsmacked that we built this. The wildlife that is drawn to the garden is a big thing for me. Sitting by the water and seeing the swallows dip and the dragonflies hover is pretty amazing. It is also the place we all come together as a family – we are all drawn to the water. It is where we gravitate, it calms and revitalises, and not just when swimming in it but also by being beside it. It is a very special place.'

Turn to page 110 of September's The Simple Things for more on how Sarah and will created their pool.
 

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Stories behind superstitions | New shoes

Why is it bad luck to put new shoes on a table? Turns out this bold move may be a step too far

There are many reasons why it’s considered bad luck to put your shoes on the table – none of them pleasant. Let’s look at the death-related reasons first.

It may be because criminals were often hanged still wearing their shoes, or because it’s associated with a laid-out corpse. Back when shoes were more expensive and poorer folk had only one pair, it could also be a way of identifying a body. Which brings us to why new shoes are thought unlucky; when shoes were pricy, they’d be passed from the dead person onto another family member, as a “new” pair.

If not for deathly reasons, you don’t need to be a mastermind to understand why you might want to keep the soles of shoes away from anywhere involved with food. Back in less hygienic, less medicated times, it was quite possible the resulting illness could lead to another pair of shoes going spare...

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Recipe | Silken pear cake

Barely any flour is used in this clever recipe, resulting in a mere whisper of a cake – fairy light, pale gold and studded with morsels of juicy pear

SILKEN PEAR CAKE

90g unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
3 eggs
130g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla essence
35g plain flour, sifted
30g cornflour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder, sifted
3 ripe pears, peeled, cored and cut into 2cm dice
FOR THE CHANTILLY CREAM (OPTIONAL) 
300ml whipping cream
30g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract or paste or essence

1 Preheat oven to 170C/Fan 150C/Gas 3. Grease the ring of a 24cm springform tin, then turn the base upside down, so it no longer has a lip. Place a piece of baking paper over it, then clamp the ring around it to secure.
2 Combine the eggs, caster sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl, and whisk with an electric mixer on high speed until the mixture has tripled in volume.
3 Using a hand whisk, gently fold in the plain flour, cornflour and baking powder with a pinch of salt until you have a smooth batter. Pour in the melted butter and fold with the whisk until totally combined, tilting the mixing bowl to make sure you’re reaching right to the bottom, where remnants of the butter might be sitting.
4 Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, then scatter the chunks of diced pear evenly over the surface. Don’t worry if there are a few pieces peeking through the top of the batter.
5 Bake for about 45 mins, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. The cake will balloon up when cooking, then collapse a bit after cooling, but this is entirely normal.
6 Cool completely in the tin before sliding a paring knife around the edge of the cake to release the ring. Carefully slide the cake onto a serving plate (leave it on the baking paper as the texture is very delicate). Serve with your choice of cream.
7 To make the chantilly cream, combine the cream, icing sugar and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl and whisk by hand or with an electric mixer until medium peaks form, being careful not to overwhisk.

Recipe from Poh Bakes 100 Greats by Poh Ling Yeow (Murdoch Books).

Cake in the House is our monthly recipe feature - get a cake recipe every month in The Simple Things!

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September horoscopes | Virgo

The start of a new season is a natural time of transition, where we pause to reflect and plan for the next phase of the year. Astrologer Donna Taylor looks at the coming season in your star sign and offers her guidance on how to find balance and contentment in the months ahead

Virgo

23 August – 22 September

“If you’re not happy at home, you’re not happy anywhere else,” said actress, Angie Harmon. Your domestic life may have been a theme for some time now, from your home to your family ties. This year is likely to have seen a lessening of difficulties but the real turning point comes in November when a much happier phase begins. Why is this important? Because the more happy and secure you feel in your foundations, the more able you’ll be to go out into the world and shine your light. This autumn is about new beginnings after which you’ll find it easier to make progress.

Turn to page 125 of September's The Simple Things for the other twelve star signs.

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