Table of contents for August 2016 - Issue 50 in The Simple Things

As we put the finishing touches to this, our 50th issue, Andy Murray had just won Wimbledon, three British riders were at the top of the standings in the Tour de France and my daughter won the sprint at her school sports day. There will be more winners as the Olympics begins this month and though it may seem contradictory, recognising these achievements is appropriate in the SLOW issue. Slow is an amorphous concept but ‘doing one thing well’, be it baking a cake, making art, running fast or learning to ride a unicycle (above) is certainly part of it and what gives us that glow of satisfaction. A summer of slow has nice ring to it, don’t you think?…

LOUISE GORROD Our Wishlist Editor, Louise, is also our Stuff of Life shopkeeper (shop.thesimplethings.com). Look out for this symbol for items in the shop. Louise also blogs, bakes and photographs at Buttercup Days: buttercupdays.com…

Morning! What’s helping you rise and shine? English Breakfast tea. Strong. Milk. One sugar. Once I have my first brew, all is well with the world. What is your day like? I work part-time in marketing for an independent cinema, as a freelance writer/digital type and I write the lifestyle blog, Mathilde heart Manech. I mostly work from home with Polly, my dog, for company. Every day is different, but I usually have a strong builder’s tea in the morning while I design marketing materials or edit photographs, and in the afternoon I do work that involves more concentration, such as writing and proofing. Do you like to use a particular mug? I’ve so many, it’s hard choosing one. My current favourite is a Joules mug with a lighthouse on.…

• Leave your emails unchecked next time you’re waiting in a café. Sit and smell the coffee instead (it worked for J.K. Rowling). • Go for a walk. Boredom novices find it hard to sit still and stare into space. Repetitive, mindless exercise, such as walking or swimming, leaves your mind free to wander while satisfying your guilt-prone conscience. • Visit green spaces. The sights, sounds and sensations of the natural world are gentle distractions that encourage the mind to go walkabout. • Embrace screen-free Sundays. Disconnect from all electronic media for one day a week and reconnect with your inner and outer worlds. • Listen to your boredom. Is it telling you that you’re unhappy in your job or lifestyle? Research shows that boredom can motivate us to become…

• Reuse as much as possible. We were determined to repurpose any fixtures and fittings that were already in the house and not throw anything into a skip. • We always use VOC-free paints, glues and finishes. It’s important for us that the children are brought up in the safest home possible. • Dawn loves yellow, which works beautifully as an accent colour and complements the grey sofa and the wooden floors and screens. • Introduce pattern but do so sparingly. The neutral decoration of the house sets off the colourful rugs, cushions and upholstery.…

The collector community operates on many different levels; think of them as leisure-time athletes. There are fun-runner collectors, never knowingly leaving a tourist attraction gift shop without picking up a badge. Above them, the collector-as-club-athlete, boasting finely honed ‘mouse fingers’ to put in the hard yards on eBay, determined their collection should be all it can be. Finally, there are the Olympics-level collectors, travelling the globe to attend international gatherings, the better to add to collections running into the tens of thousands, fit to be turned into museums. Markus Osterwalder is, in every sense, an Olympian collector. This May, he was following his pursuit in Gothenburg. The year before it was Lake Placid. “Somewhere in the world there is an Olympic fair every year,” says Markus. These are people I’ve…

While most of us hope to enjoy more than a few days of hot summer weather, this can cause problems for some plants, either from too much heat or not enough moisture – or both. If temperatures do soar, keep an eye on container-grown plants, anything under glass and houseplants, if you go away for more than a few days 1 Keep moisture-loving container-grown plants well watered. They are prone to drying out quickly because their roots can’t access a natural water source in the ground. Adding water-retentive gels or granules at planting time is a great way to help conserve moisture in the soil. Water the soil (not the plant) in the early morning or evening to avoid scorching foliage in direct sunlight. An automatic watering system is great…

TOR MCINTOSH Tor is founder of the Slow Adventure Company, and wrote about the UK’s best bothies this month (page 72). She loves being outdoors and adventuring on foot or by bike. Where do you find slow? On my . As I pedals, my refocuses and my thoughts steady themselves. ANNIE BRETTELL Annie ditched her busy life working in kitchens and found a more relaxed way of life in Cornwall. She loves to write creative recipes; see her delicious picnic creations on page 34. Where do you find slow? working or chasing my -year-son around, I love collecting sea glass on the beach or swimming in the sea. MICHAEL PARKIN Michael is a freelance illustrator living in London, who works on a range of magazines. He illustrated our beautiful feature…

snobbery, Foley is, nonetheless, genuinely curious about this “elusive and nebulous” feeling, and sets off on a wry, smart and funny voyage of discovery, uncovering the historical roots of raves, holidays, comedy clubs, fancy dress and naked cycling, explaining how they relate to shamanism, the trickster in mythology and religious ritual. (Simon & Schuster) Michael Foley is a self-confessed curmudgeon. The list of things he dislikes includes nightclubs, discos, DJs, beaches, rock concerts, festivals, weddings and parties. He is bewildered by the idea of fun and has often “pretended to be having fun” while wondering “if the enthusiasts were genuinely enjoying what felt like torture” to him. Owning up to his own intellectual…

PROUDLY HOMEMADE RASPBERRY, APRICOT AND ORANGE ICE LOLLIES Soaked cashews are the secret to lovely, creamy dairy-free lollies. Start the night before to allow time for the cashews to soak Makes 8 6 large apricots (approx 500g), sliced juice of an orange 125g fresh or frozen locally grown raspberries* 4–5 tbsp pure maple syrup (or honey) 60g raw cashews, soaked overnight in cold water, drained and rinsed 1 tsp finely grated orange zest small pinch of fine sea salt * If using frozen berries, allow them to defrost a little before using in this recipe 1 Place apricots and orange juice in a medium saucepan, cover with a lid and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 mins. Remove lid and cook for a further…

The Big Feastival Food galore and a decent music line-up for all ages and tastes at Alex James’ farm in the Cotswolds. 26-28 August, thebigfeastival.com Just So Festival A fun family festival where you’re encouraged to share your skills (juggling, storytelling, musical instruments etc) with your fellow festival-goers. 19-21 August, Rode Hall Cheshire. justsofestival.org.uk Niddfest Literary/nature festival in the Yorkshire Dales with talks from big name writers, activities for all ages plus wild swimming, stargazing and riverside parties. 5-7 August, niddfest.com Festival no6 Fab music and arts festival in an unrivalled location in the Italianate seaside village of Portmeirion, North Wales. If you don’t get in this year, put it on your must-do list. 1-4 September, festivalnumber6.com…

There are eight ancient agricultural festivals that told our farming ancestors when it was time to sow, reap, stop and take stock. To mark the turning of the year, Lia is looking at her plot, eating food connected to each festival or season, and carrying out a small act of celebration. LAMMAS The pavements are hot, my shoulders are burnt, and I suddenly have courgettes by the bucket-load. This is Lammas, high summer, when swifts wheel in a deep blue sky. It is the moment we’ve all been waiting for, or at least I have. This always feels like the high point of my year, when my hard work on the plot begins to really pay off and the living is good. The festival of Lammas is one of the…

PORK AND EGG PIE Dom Jacques Rouzé Quincy Châteaumeillant 2013, £16 Try a chilled red for a change A fruity blend of Gamay and Pinot Noir, this is a light-bodied red, so perfect for warm weather. Good with white meat and picnic foods. PEA, MINT & GOAT’S CHEESE QUICHE Bois Aux Biches Sauvignon Blanc 2014, £8.50 From a region famous for its goats cheese, this crisp and zesty Sauvignon Blanc is an ideal match. It is light, aromatic and refreshing, with crisp acidity to cut through the rich pastry and cheese. MERINGUE-Y DESSERTS Silvio Morando Bonardo 2015, £15 Full of fresh, ripe, red fruits. Deliciously easy-drinking and fresh, it’s made in a frizzante style, so there’s a light fizz on the tongue – like a grown-up grape juice – great…

*There’s no better way to get to the heart of a city than through the people who live there. Every month, we ask someone, clearly in love with their city, to take us on a personal tour and tell us what makes it so special. You may feel inspired to visit one day or to rediscover the charms of a city closer to you, but for now just sit back, relax and enjoy some armchair travel. How long have you lived in Hong Kong and where are you from originally? I’m from Ethiopia but I’ve spent over a decade in Asia and have lived in Hong Kong for two and half years. I used to live in Shanghai and visited Hong Kong a couple of times. It always fascinated me:…

“Beautiful but deceptive, little wonder mermaids came to be used as a warning against wantoness” Friend or foe, human or beast, the modern mermaid is a confusing figure. Even Disney, for once, can’t provide a simple answer. Ariel in The Little Mermaid is a sympathetic character, but the gorgeous mermaids in its Pirates of the Caribbean movies lure and devour men without a hint of remorse. These mythical creatures – which have existed in our collective imagination for hundreds of years – have always attracted a huge and complicated range of interpretations. As Sophia Kingshill writes in her book Mermaids (Little Toller), they are “variously portrayed as sea goddess, victim and vamp”. In the 21st century, however, the mermaid’s reputation is being rescued from its watery grave. On one hand,…

For a pure blast of cheerfulness, little beats a sunflower. Standing loftily in the garden with bright open faces that follow the sun across the sky*, they represent the spirit of high summer. Pick a few canary-yellow blooms and pop into a jug to radiate their sunshiney-ness indoors. No need for other flowers or foliage, these are flowers that demand the spotlight. * This is known as heliotropism, word-lovers. Other plants that turn towards the sun include poppies and marigolds…

One of the most traditional of hobbies, it’s hard to beat the slow, simple pleasure of flower pressing. It’s also one of the most accessible – you can find flowers anywhere, even in the city. Have fun discovering previously unnoticed blooms, leaves and bushes. It’s simple to make a pocket press, and use the flowers to create a gorgeous piece of art. All it needs is a bit of patience. Turn the page to see some of our favourite projects using pressed flowers – found on blogs, Instagram and Etsy. Pressed flower picture WITH A LITTLE PATIENCE, YOU CAN CREATE A PIECE OF ART FOR YOUR WALL YOU WILL NEED: fresh flowers (eg roses, marigolds and chrysanthemums) newspaper and heavy books (or your newly made flower press – see right)…

“It’s impossible to do anything but lounge in a deckchair” Try as hard as you like, but it’s impossible to do anything but lounge in a deckchair. Any hopes of sitting up and looking perky are, thankfully, banished as you sink into the piece of canvas slung from its wooden frame. It’s the ideal perch to observe the passing scene, be it daytrippers on the beach, picnickers at the park or your other half pushing a lawnmower around the garden, right. This lounging and observing is, of course, best done while peering over a magazine, a glass of something refreshing and cool alongside. The deckchair’s zenith was during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when passengers of ocean liners reclined in them between bouts of deck quoits or pre-cocktails…

YOU MAY NEED... Picnic rugs to throw on the grass and populate with merrymakers Platters to heap with delicious food Citronella candles to keep unwelcome bugs at bay Pretty lighting to create an enchanting and twinkling evening Bowls and salad servers to fill with the green stuff Buckets of ice to chill beers A playlist, for a groovy soundtrack and potential dancing…

TOUCAN Watch for this colourful birdie to identify your luggage. Best for: avoiding accidental case mix-ups. As MC Hammer might sing, ‘Toucan’t touch this’. £7.50, paperchase.co.uk RESFEBER Spread your wings with this aerially inspired design. Best for: using on plane journeys, obviously. (Also works on trains and automobiles.) £6, kikki-k.com DAISY Take an English country garden abroad with these beautiful blooms. Best for: adding a touch of whimsy to even the most workaday luggage. £3.95, dotcomgiftshop.com…

WHY GROW IT? To have the pleasure of harvesting the most expensive spice in the world. While it takes 250,000 stigmas to make half a kilo of saffron, most recipes call for just a pinch, so a container’s worth of these gorgeous purple crocus is likely to produce enough for a few meals. Treat them well and one corm will multiply into five corms in just three years. WHEN TO PLANT? Plant from June until mid September. Those in the know say it’s about growing in well-drained soil rather than hot temperatures to guarantee a good crop. If you have heavy clay, plant in a container filled with compost mixed with well over half horticultural grit and sand. Choose the spot in your garden that gets autumn sun and plant…

Tiger-striped leaf frog These frogs, most common in Suriname, wrap their gelatinous mass of eggs in leaves above ponds. On hatching, they fall into the water. Clever frogs. Bell’s horned frog Amongst the rainforest’s leaf litter, this frog sits and waits for dinner. Feeding mostly on other frogs, it can also chow down birds, rodents and snakes. Painted frog Once only found in North Africa, Sicily, Malta and Gozo; now in France and Spain - frog marching at about 10 square km every six to seven years. Italian tree frog These Italian tree stallions woo females at gatherings. Aspiring Romeos should note that success is simply linked to the amount they turn up. Red-backed poison frog A mating ritual as colourful as the frog itself: females are courted by stroking…

With 120 fruits native to its rainforest, there’s no wonder Brazilians make a mean cocktail. If watching the Olympics this month makes you pine for tropical climes, mix yourself a jug of this fabulously kitsch cocktail (palm trees essential) and the combination of rum, cachaça, strawberries and coconut will instantly transport you from kitchen to Copacabana beach. For the recipe, turn to page 128.…

Lewes-based designer Anna Hayman describes herself as “completely obsessed with print and pattern”. She set up Anna Hayman Designs last year and launched her online shop earlier in 2016. Each of her eye-catching prints starts as a lino cut, which she scans and develops into joyful patterns. Tangerine, bright blue, yellow and red are Anna’s current colours of choice. We love the cup and saucer, pictured above, £28, inspired by ’70s Kilncraft pottery, in a cheery modern colour palette – lovely on the breakfast table. annahaymandesigns.com…

Sunshine and bone-dry, chilled manzanilla are the perfect summer combination, but add a little plate of manchego, or the salty bite of padron peppers and you’re in a place that’s close to culinary paradise, a location that author Kay Plunkett-Hogge fully appreciates. In this delectable book, she describes the different types of sherry – from crisp finos to ‘fragrant’ olorosos – and serves up 80 appetising tapas as an accompaniment. There’s Para Picar (things for the table), little nibbles to take the edge off your hunger; Montaditos (things on breads) and Pintxos (snacks on sticks), and the enticingly simple Latillas (things in small, often very beautiful, tins) all of them easy to prepare, packed with flavour and perfect to serve on a summer’s evening. (Mitchell Beazley)…

CARDAMOM AND VANILLA KARPATKA CREAM CAKE Makes 20 FOR THE DOUGH* 150ml water 80g salted butter 180g plain flour ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda 4 eggs FOR THE FILLING 500ml milk 50ml single cream 5 cardamom pods 1 vanilla pod (bean), slit lengthways 100g soft light brown sugar 4 egg yolks 4 tbsp cornflour 200g softened unsalted butter icing sugar, for dusting 1 Make the dough by placing the water in a pan with the butter. Melt over a low heat; once it’s melted, start sifting in the flour and bicarbonate of soda while stirring all the time. When the flour is thoroughly blended, leave it to cool. 2 Preheat the oven to 200C/Fan180C/400F and line a large baking tray with baking paper. 3 Once the dough is at room…

FAVOURITE SHOPS Get Give A small, beautiful space full of everyday goods that are nicely designed. get-give.co Lee Kung Man Lee Kung Man Knitting Factory is one of the oldest private clothing companies. I love their white tees and their boxes have the best oldskool packaging and logo design in town.leekungman.com Kapok These stores are overflowing with an abundance of cool stuff, including cards, magazines, candles, bags, clothing and accessories.ka-pok.com FAVOURITE GALLERY Holy Motors It’s a gallery in a former motorbike repair shop display unit that is so small you have to view the work from the street.holymotorsproject.com FAVOURITE CAFÉ Teakha A beautiful Zen environment with carefully selected teas.teakha.com FAVOURITE RESTAURANT NUR One for special occasions. Considered, modern, ‘nourishing gastronomy’. nur.hk Ho Lee Fook A great innovative take on classic…

The Black Mere mermaid, Staffordshire Not all mermaids are from the sea. The word comes from the Old English “mere”, meaning lake or pool. The Black Mere mermaid frequented the latter. This inland, saltine pool has a couple of legends – one of a mermaid brought here by sailor, who haunted the lake following his death. Another of a demon mermaid, a young woman who was drowned as a witch in revenge for rejecting the advances of a man. The man was found dead days later, his face covered with claw marks. An attempt to drain the lake in the mid-19th century was stopped because, it’s said, a sighting of the mermaid spooked the workers. The Mermaid of Zennor, Cornwall First written down in the 19th century, this legend is…

We need to let boredom back into our lives if we want to achieve the peace of mind and contentment that we recognise as ‘happiness’ Picture yourself on holiday. It’s warm and sunny, and you’re lounging somewhere comfy with a beautiful view. There’s a cool drink by your side and… dammit, you’ve left your book on the bedside table. What do you do next? Hands up if you become fidgety, eventually flouncing off to retrieve your paperback or digital reading device. You may as well grab your smartphone and headphones, too, for good measure. What was so unbearable about the thought of just lying there, drifting off into a daydream? Boring, you say? Perhaps that would have been a good thing. A growing body of evidence suggests that we need…

  When Sven and Dawn Maxa first pulled up outside a dated cottage in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, they nearly drove off without stepping inside. The exterior had no redeeming features, just an ugly concrete porch and unattractive green-and-white weatherboard facade. “We’d been searching for a house for 11 months so we were pretty desperate to find something,” says Sven. “Fortunately, inside the house was a different story. We loved its original Tasmanian oak floorboards and huge picture windows. It definitely had potential.” Built in the late 1960s, the single-storey, timber-clad home had a dated décor and an awkward layout with one bedroom only accessible through another. “The kitchen was small and a sickly peach colour,” says Dawn. “ I don’t really know why we bought it!” The reason they did…

Day lily pasta? Sautéed turnip flowers? Once you start thinking of eating your garden instead of just admiring it, myriad possibilities open up. However, a word of caution: it’s best not to eat plants bought from the garden centre or corner shop as it’s likely they have been treated with chemicals. Growing organically, whether on your balcony, window box, back garden or allotment, is the only way to ensure your flowers are completely free of toxins. Organic growers like to include flowers within the veg plot. This mixed planting means that bare soil is always covered to help prevent weeds. Brightly coloured blooms will help attract pollinators such as bees and hoverflies, and encourage ladybirds that will eat the sap-sucking aphids. For more advice, visit gardenorganic.org.uk/growing-advice. Did you know that…

TURMERIC Turmeric is currently the ‘super spice’ du jour, praised for its anti-inflammatory properties. ‘Indian gold’ is consumed in turmeric lattes or ‘golden mylk’: ground turmeric combined with nut milk and other spices. Such combinations are a staple remedy for coughs and colds within Indian homes. For summer supping, London-based Tiosk offer it in an ‘Iced Sunshine Latte’. TRY IT: Find a recipe for an iced turmeric latte on bonappetit.com BUY IT: From London-based Planet Organic SEE IT: on our Tasty Trend Pinterest board…

Way before YouTube, and even before ‘Mambo No. 5’ instructed us to “Jump up and down and move it all around”, we were reliant on books such as this 1956 publication to get us moving Cuban style. That’s not necessarily a bad thing – from its bright pink cover to its charming illustrations and the enclosed 45 rpm records, there’s lots to enjoy about Mambo Made Easy. It just doesn’t quite live up to its name. With its complex diagrams and instructions, it’s unlikely this book will release your inner Latin lover. Found at awfullibrarybooks.net…

Exfoliating seaweed scrub MAKES:100g KEEPS:At least 6 months INGREDIENTS: 1 tbsp fine sea salt 1 tbsp kelp powder 5 tsp vegetable glycerine 7 tsp sweet almond oil 5 drops juniper essential oil 5 drops lemon essential oil METHOD: 1 Mix the sea salt and kelp together. 2Add the glycerine and half the almond oil and mix well. If the mixture is too stiff, add more oil until it makes a thick, gloopy paste. 3Add the essential oils and stir really well. Note: this recipe isn’t suitable for dry skins Courtesy of Lynn Rawlinson. Found in The Domestic Alchemist: 501 Herbal Recipes for Home, Health and Happiness by Pip Waller (Leaping Hare Press).…

PHOTOSYNTHESIS Photosynthesis is the most important process in the ecosystem, providing the source of all chemical energy in the food chain. Through photosynthesis, plants convert the energy from sunlight into chemical energy. Green plants absorb light energy through the chlorophyll in their leaves. The energy is needed to react carbon dioxide (absorbed by the plant through its leaves) and water (taken in through its roots) to produce chemical energy, stored in the form of sugars, and oxygen. A portion of the energy is passed onto whatever eats the plant, and then a slightly smaller portion again to the thing that eats that thing, and so on, until it reaches us humans. Oh, and photosynthesis also helps keep the amount of carbon dioxide – which contributes to climate change – in…