Table of contents for November 2016 - Issue 53 in The Simple Things

I’d always wanted a woodshed. There’s something very pleasing about the neat, yet haphazard, nature of stacked firewood; a stockpile for the cold winter nights to come, much like the shelves of a pantry or a squirrel gathering hazelnuts. I found the pallet* at a funeral parlour and it proved just the job to keep the air circulating and the wood dry, once we’d cobbled together the sides from an old fence. One of those rare feelgood DIY moments where you find a home for those ‘could be useful’ bits and pieces you had lying around the place. November brings an urge to gather and to make. And being the welcome calm before the festive season, it’s a month you might even be able to take time to embrace it.…

Barley, squash and mushrooms with herb and crème fraîche dressing This is an earthy, nutty and substantial salad, full of good textures and autumn flavours. Barley is curious in that it never really overcooks in the way rice can. It retains its charming, slightly toothsome bite, which is just right with the buttery, sweet squash and tender mushrooms. Serves 4–6 250g pearl barley 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Zest and juice of 1 lemon 1 large butternut or crown prince squash 1 small bunch of sage, leaves picked 6–8 rosemary sprigs 1 small garlic bulb, cloves separated, skin on 4 or 5 large Portobello mushrooms (about 300–400g) 2 tsp sugar 2 tsp English or Dijon mustard 1 tbsp cider vinegar 2–3 tbsp crème fraîche 1 good bunch dill, finely…

SOME INGREDIENTS WE might claim to be ‘essential’ (chilli sauce, mayonnaise and cheese – preferably all together – being in my top three), but few are actually necessary for us humans to exist; except, that is, for salt. Whether mined hundreds of metres beneath us and chucked back on our roads to prevent ice, or hand harvested from the sea and sprinkled in snow-like flakes over our scrambled eggs, salt has the same chemical composition. The sodium and chloride in salt (neither of which we produce naturally) are crucial in muscle function, nutrient absorption, fluid regulation and sending nerve signals to the brain. But, of course, aside from its health properties, salt is also vital for enjoying food. As one of the five key ‘tastes’ we experience (the others being…

First cuppa of the day and what are you up to? My first cuppa of the day is at breakfast, usually toast and homemade marmalade. We’re a busy family, so sitting down together before the day starts is really important to us. Any commute? We live in a Victorian townhouse in the picturesque city of Chichester. I’ve no commute, as the dining table is my base. This room is a lovely light, open space to work in with a large skylight and folding doors across the width of the room, which we love to open up in the summer. And what do you get up to at your dining table? I run an online fabric and haberdashery store, The Draper’s Daughter, so my day usually starts with processing and packing…

London to Brighton Veteran Car Run On 14 November 1896, the British government passed the Locomotives on the Highway Act, which raised the speed limit for ‘light locomotives’ from 4 mph to 14 mph and abolished the requirement for these vehicles to be preceded by a man on foot, at a stroke opening up the highways to motorised travel. This historic event was then celebrated by Henry Lawson, the founder of the first motoring club in Britain, who organised a 60-mile drive from London to Brighton on the south coast. This journey, repeated over the subsequent years, duly morphed into the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, where vehicles of a decidedly antiquated design race from the capital to the seaside. This year’s run, on 5 November, celebrates its 120th…

We’ve curated Best of The Simple Things, a 256-page anthology that gathers together our favourite features from the magazine’s first three years. It’s full of delicious, down-to-earth recipes, novel household projects and creative ideas for ways to share your home-grown bounty with friends and family. Swap your ‘to do’ list for a ‘could-do’ list and order a copy for you or a friend. Take time to live well. £18.95 + free UK p&p* ORDER AT ICEBERGPRESS.CO.UK/SHOP  OR FIND US AT ALL GOOD BOOK SHOPS *Check online for overseas postage prices…

Lead-tin yellow THERE ARE MANY mysteries in the art world: the identity of Vermeer’s ‘Girl with the Pearl Earring’, the whereabouts of Caravaggio’s ‘Nativity with St Francis and St Lawrence’, who pulled off the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist… One riddle that has attracted little attention and has yet to be solved, is the curious case of the yellow that vanished. Peter Paul Rubens and Isabella Brant were married in St Michael’s Abbey in Antwerp on 3 October 1609. Isabella was the daughter of Jan Brant, an important citizen; Rubens had a large workshop in Antwerp, and had just been appointed as a court painter. The double portrait Rubens painted of himself and his new wife brims with love and confidence. Isabella wears a dashing straw hat, a large ruff…

‘In Dreams’ Roy Orbison ‘Judy and the Dream of Horses’ Belle and Sebastian ‘I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night)’ The Electric Prunes ‘Dream Baby Dream’ Suicide ‘Dream a Little Dream of Me’ The Mamas and the Papas ‘Sweet Dreams (Of You)’ Patsy Cline ‘Dreams’ Fleetwood Mac ‘Dreamer’ Supertramp ‘Dream Lover’ Bobby Darin ‘All I Have to do is Dream’ Everly Brothers ‘I’m Only Sleeping’ The Beatles ‘Daysleeper’ R.E.M. ‘Here I Dreamt I Was An Architect’ The Decemberists ‘Mr Sandman’ The Chordettes Listen at thesimplethings.com/blog/dreamsplaylist stop look listen I close my eyes, then I drift away… Songs to help you dream sweetly…

There are many things to love about cyclamen – their flung-back petals, their heart-shaped, variegated leaves – but perhaps the most endearing is that they flower during the darker months. Widely available at garden centres and nurseries at reasonable prices, it’s worth investing in two or three, repotting, and lining them up prettily on a mantelpiece or not-too-sunny windowsill. Keep them cool and don’t water excessively and they will continue to bring cheer for up to eight weeks.…

TRAVIS ELBOROUGH Travis is a freelance writer, author and cultural commentator, based in London. This month he revels in the joys of motoring on page 68. What’s your favourite kind of gathering? An impromptu one. Those that come from a friend suggesting a picnic, or that an afternoon in a pub with a fire wouldn’t be a waste of anyone’s time. KATE PETTIFER Chief sub Kate is back at The Simple Things after an 18-month break. She loves family bike rides by the river, all kinds of buns and being back at work. What’s your favourite kind of gathering? Getting together with my four childhood friends. Life has changed immeasurably since we were in Brownies, but we laugh as much as ever. EMMA HARRIS Blogger Emma has a passion for…

“There is nothing lovelier than gazing upon greenery, it rests the eye and soothes the soul,” says TST contributor Lia Leendertz. Acreage is not necessary – a small alcove, a little porch or a windowsill are all you need to start a garden. The book is full of suggestions – from tiny terrariums filled with ferns and moss, to white hyacinth bulbs planted in rainbow coloured glass vases. You could try kokedama (wrapping the roots of plants in mud and moss), dangling sculptural plants over the dinner table, or trailing ‘hearts on a string’ (Ceropegia Rosary Vine) from the top of the wardrobe. There’s also advice on cultivating cacti, tending violas in terracotta pots and creating a haven for succulents. (Pavilion)…

Lindsey Bowden first saw Twin Peaks when she was 14, and was immediately addicted; at the age of 33 she instigated the Twin Peaks UK Festival for like-minded individuals, and now she’s created a cookbook, with the show’s favourite dishes, plus playlists and outfits for a fully immersive Twin Peaks experience. There’s the iconic cherry pie (with instructions on how to provocatively tie a cherry stem like Audrey Horne), and the Log Lady’s cookies, with cinnamon bear claws, filled with marzipan and almonds. On the (un)savoury side, there’s The Black Lodge’s menu – a ravioli with a bloody Mary filling, and a fiery little recipe for smoked salmon with blood orange, fennel and radish. On the jukebox? Roy Orbison’s ‘In Dreams’, of course. (Mitchell Beazley)…

Immersive dance If ballet can make you a bit, well, snoozy, try the immersive production of Will Tuckett’s Nutcracker atLondon’sWembleyPark. 30 November– 8 January.nutcrackershow.com Kooky theatre Theatre adaptation of the charming Japanese book and Studio Ghibli animated film Kiki’s Delivery Service, at Southwark Playhouse. 8 December – 8 January.southwarkplayhouse.co.uk Gripping cinema Nocturnal Animals is the second film from fashion-designer-turned-director Tom Ford, with Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal starring in an intense, edge-of-the-seat thriller. Out now. Netflix night Gilmore Girls is back after a decade for four final feature-length episodes – oneforeachseason.Gather some friends and laugh away the winter blues. Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life on Netflix, 25 November.…

Seeds from 2 pomegranates 2 x 750ml bottles prosecco, chilled 1 x 750ml bottle sparkling apple-pomegranate or apple cider 1 Make an ice ring by tipping the seeds from a pomegranate into a Bundt tin, topping up with water and freezing overnight. 2 Mix the prosecco and sparkling cider in a small punch bowl or large mixing bowl. Just as your guests arrive, add the ice ring, as it can melt quickly. Sprinkle over some extra pomegranate seeds to garnish.…

Know a good idea when you see it. Marky Market started six years ago after I was made redundant from my job as a copywriter. I was working in a restaurant with a friend and, one day, I volunteered to help him at the markets. People were buying sardines at Billingsgate and selling them in fishmongers at twice the price. I realised that if I could do it with fewer overheads, deliver myself and make the service personal, I could charge less than the shops but still make a profit. I started with twenty quid. I bought a catering-sized packet of Gloucester Old Spot sausages and sold them to mates in the pub. That was my eureka moment. Don’t complicate things. Marky Market is successful because it’s simple. People know…

FINE TABLE SALT The stuff you put in your salt shaker. Often with added iodine and anti-caking agents. Best for baking as it will evenly distribute HIMALAYA N SALT Harvested in the foothills of the mountain range. Distinctive pink colour from the amount of minerals it contains. Considered ‘pure’', it is some of the most expensive salt you can buy KALA NAMAK Also known as black salt, although actually pink/grey in colour. Has a strong ‘eggy’ smell - vegans love the stuff SEA SALT Generally larger and coarser crystals. The most famous is fleur de sel from Brittany in France. Great flavour and best as a final seasoning SEL GRIS Another French speciality. The natural grey colour is from the minerals absorbed from the clay lining the salt ponds ALAEA…

How long have you lived in the city? I’ve lived in Marrakech for 11 years and seen huge changes in the infrastructure and growth of the country in that time, such as the new international airport that will be finished next year. What brought you here? I was living and working in London but wanted to set up a guesthouse and retreat where people could come to relax and mentally heal themselves. I wanted to live in a country that would be ideal for both the business and me and the place that ticked all the boxes was Morocco. It has a wonderful culture, the people are incredibly welcoming and kind, it’s less than four hours from the UK and has good schools and healthcare. Marrakech, particularly, attracts interesting expats…

Playful prints, well-cut basics, cosy woollens and gorgeous coats that look and feel great – there’s much to admire in the latest collection from Dash. But as your mother probably told you, it’s not just about looks. Dash knows that life is busy and demanding, and that the modern woman needs clothes she can live her life in. Which is why, rifling through their rails – virtual or otherwise – you’ll find feminine and contemporary pieces, all versatile enough to wear every day, in fabrics that are easy to wear and easy to care for. ORIGINAL PRINTS Many of its prints are unique to Dash. The company designs exclusive prints in its London studio, taking inspiration from the catwalks and the world around them. “We regularly browse vintage markets,” says…

The Open Road (1926) dir: Claude Friese-Greene Made by a pioneering cinematographer using, then highly experimental, film stock, this recently restored groundbreaking travelogue presents a colour from-a-moving-car portrait of Britain from Land’s End to John O’Groats. Genevieve (1953) dir: Henry Cornelius This gentle British comedy classic, starring Kenneth More and Dinah Sheridan and replete with an infectious theme tune by the harmonica-virtuoso Larry Adler, finds two couples locked in an increasingly unsporting race from London to Brighton on the veteran car rally in order to settle a ‘friendly’ bet. Withnail and I (1987) dir: Bruce Robinson Infused with a similar end-of-the 1960s melancholia as Hunter S Thompson’s drug buddy American road epic Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Bruce Robinson’s much-loved and oft-quoted cult movie turns on…

What I recall is this; it was autumn, And there had been an eclipse during which I stood with my dad in the garden And we watched as the street grew darker Than it should have, than it ever did. Now it was at least one day later And my dad walked in with a mushroom That had illustrated the lawn’s green canvas Since the eclipse turned the sky’s tone A dirty colour. He passed the mushroom over. It felt like the skin of someone who lived In a place where no light gleamed. Whatever I write now, all these long years after Can never describe the mushroom’s scent As I held it to my nose: earth and water, And freshness, beauty. I held it to my lips And bit…

SLEEP Herbs to help you sleep Many conventional sleeping tablets actually inhibit REM sleep and should only ever be used short term. Natural relaxants, such as herb-based teas and supplements, are safe and will help to calm a restless body and mind as well as encourage undisturbed and refreshing sleep. Nature’s natural sedative Valerian is a strong nervine and sedative to the central nervous system, relaxing tense muscles while also encouraging an undisturbed sleep, healthy sleeping pattern and ameliorating stress. It promotes relaxation by enhancing GABA neurotransmission; it relaxes the heart, treating palpitations, tightness and high blood pressure, reduces the time to sleep onset and improves sleep quality. Valerian can also help with withdrawal from conventional medications used to treat insomnia. Valerian is the key ingredient in Pukka’s Night Time…

“Enter a world of paper, bindings, spools of tape, stationery, maps and shelves lined with interesting volumes” The clues are there as you approach Rachel Hazell’s home in Stockbridge, a leafy suburb of Edinburgh beside the Water of Leith. There’s the Little Free Library – a cabinet of books to borrow, housed in a reclaimed-timber cabinet by the front gate. And then there’s a large, bright green, waterproof armchair in the front garden – the perfect place to sit quietly and read. If you haven’t guessed, books are important in this house. In fact, it’s no exaggeration to say they are vital. Rachel is a book artist, a literary sculptor and a travelling bookbinder. She lives by the motto: ‘Read, Make, Love Books’. Climb the stairs to her purple front…

We know the temptation to keep your paths clear with a quick squirt of weedkiller. So simple. So deadly. These chemical cocktails can harm the complex and wonderful ecosystems in your garden. And you certainly don’t want them near your herb patch. Instead, at Garden Organic, we recommend the following: • Carefully target the weed with boiling water, or a sharp knife or trowel. Flame or thermal weeders are also effective, especially on young weeds. • Organic weedkillers are usually based on pelargonic acid, which kills the foliage, but doesn’t penetrate the root so you do need to dig the roots out. • Vinegar or bleach are not recommended. Some local councils use acetic acid (the basis of vinegar), which is a chemical compound, and therefore isn’t organic. • Don’t…

THE ANTICIPATION OF a good night’s sleep at the end of long and tiring day is almost as sweet as drifting off. Cocooned in snug bedding, curled around a hot water bottle, your head resting on a downy pillow or two, you are about to enjoy one of life’s simple, free pleasures. Which makes it all the more exasperating when you don’t get enough sleep, kept awake by insomnia, long working hours, or simply staying up too late. The right amount of sleep (about seven hours for adults) helps recharge the brain, repair cells and release important hormones. Lack of sleep, on the other hand, as well as making you very tired, can lead to a risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, poor performance, a foggy memory and general disgruntlement. So…

Initially, this doesn’t seem to require too much explanation. Astrology, but for your cat. But the more you think about it, the trickier it becomes. Sure, you can imagine Tigger as a Leo but as Pisces, the fish, for example? Can you stretch cats’ personality traits into 12 types (and an entire book)? Should Kitty consult her horoscope before deciding to take that catnap? Should her owners? Cat Astrology brings up so many questions, but surely its readers will be looking to its wisdom – and the heavens – to provide answers. Found at awfullibrarybooks.net…

Salvador Dalí Clock a load of this. Surrealist, Dalí, is one of the world’s most recognisable artists, from his wilting timepieces to the tips of his twiddly moustache. René Magritte This is not Magritte. Inventor of surrealist motifs, from pipes that were not pipes to mysterious men in bowlers, it’s hats off to him! David Hockney Few artists make ‘A Bigger Splash’. Once enfant terrible, he’s now the grand old man of British art, revisiting his Yorkshire homeland in watercolour. Barbara Hepworth You’ll find Hepworth between a rock and hard place. Her distinct abstract painting and sculpture was particularly inspired by the landscape of Cornwall. Frida Kahlo Now one of Mexico’s most famous artists, her bright, autobiographical painting only achieved worldwide fame in the 1970s, 20 years after her death.…

“I gather,” he glanced down at the file, between the points of his elbows, “you’ve been expressing your dissatisfaction to other members of staff?” I’d walked through the fields a few hours earlier. The clouds gathered at the margins of the day, turning and twisting, before they hurried across the sky on their way to somewhere else. “Not at all, Mr Dewhurst.” “Only we have a procedure for internal complaints. Forms to fill.” The quietness of walking had filled my ears. A silent patchwork of grey. It was the kind of quiet that finds the edges of your mind and wraps itself around all the thinking: “There’s really no need to fill anything, Mr Dewhurst,” I said. “I don’t need a form.” “If it’s our new toilet policy, we’ve undertaken…

     LOUISE GORROD Our Wishlist Editor blogs, bakes and photographs at Buttercup Days: buttercupdays.com. On Instagram: louise_ buttercupdays…

A few years ago, to amuse himself Andy Tuohy embarked on a series of illustrations of artists. Pleasure turned to purpose when he realised they could form the basis of an introduction to modern art – a job they do with wit and style. With commentary provided by art historian Christopher Masters, this book’s alphabetical format runs from Josef Albers to Larry Zox, with the gamut of 20th- and 21st-century styles and movements in between. (Turn to page 127 to see nine examples.) Pleasingly, it goes beyond the usual Western subjects, also featuring greats from Sudan, India, Japan and China. Whether you are an art buff or buffoon, this will inform and delight. (Cassell)…

PROUDLY HOMEMADE VENISON & BEEF PIE Welcome in winter with a homemade meat pie and a tableful of hungry friends Serves 4 3 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil 800g venison, cut into large pieces 300g beef brisket, cut into large chunks 2 red onions, sliced 1 large carrot, halved lengthwise and cut into 10 to 12 pieces 1 x 120g piece thick-cut bacon, cut into 1.25cm cubes 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 bay leaf 1 tbsp redcurrant jelly 600ml good-quality red wine 340g puff pastry, ready-made or homemade 1 large egg, beaten 1 On a medium-high setting, heat half the oil in a casserole dish or large frying pan with a cover. Working in batches, brown the venison and the brisket, turning the pieces frequently with tongs until they are…

“A polo neck is not only warm but figurehuggingly sexy” Hard to imagine it now, but the polo neck experienced decades in the fashion wilderness. Derided as uncool, it was the jumper of the 70s mail-order model, accessorised with a pendant or cinched with a wide belt, or the Milk Tray man as he creepily broke into an unsuspecting girl’s bedroom with his box of chocs. But that was before fashion designers rediscovered it last year when they sent models down their catwalks encased from wrist to chin in snug and stylish versions. It’s good to see this supremely warm and useful garment back in favour with those who deem things fashionable, and back on the high street for the rest of us to buy. It has history as a…

CHOCOLATE AND PISTACHIO TORTE Serves 8-10 120g shelled unsalted pistachios 175g dark chocolate (70%), broken into chunks 150g unsalted butter 1 tsp vanilla extract 8 medium eggs, separated 150g caster sugar 1 tbsp cocoa powder ¼ tsp fine sea salt 1 tsp icing sugar (optional), for dusting 1 Grind the pistachios in a food processor until they resemble fine breadcrumbs. 2 Gently melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, add vanilla extract and set aside. 3 Preheat oven to 160C/Fan 140C/ 310F. Grease a 25cm springform cake tin and line the base with baking parchment. 4 Whisk the egg yolks and sugar using an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. 5 In a separate bowl, whisk the…

FAVOURITE SHOPS Hanout Good for contemporary pieces with Moroccan influence, such as beaded tunics, fringed jackets and breezy jumpsuits.hanoutboutique.com Moor Traditional Moroccan embroideries are used and renewed to make chic clothing.akbardelightscollections.com Michèle Baconnier Fantastic jewellery, clothing, baboushes, handbags, candlesticks, rugs and soaps.michele-baconnier.net Lalla bags Laetitia Trouillet made her way to Marrakech from London's Portobello Market and now designs and produces bags made with local materials and using local craftsmen. lalla.fr FAVOURITE CAFÉ Grand Café de la Poste Post Office turned colonial-style café. At the weekend the covered terrace fills with locals. Grand Café de la Poste, Boulevard el-Mansour Eddahbi, Guéliz (00 212 2443 3038) FAVOURITE RESTAURANT Al Fassia Traditional Moroccan cuisine has been served here for more than 25 years.alfassia.com FAVOURITE HOTEL Four Seasons Resort A luxurious escape for the…

Hold Your Breath: Bridge and Tunnel Challenge your fellow passengers to feats of endurance by getting everyone to hold their breath for the length of time it take to pass through a tunnel or over a bridge. The person who lasts longest wins. Perhaps not one for the driver. Map Quest Take it in turns to flip through a road atlas and select a place. Then close the atlas and hand it over to your neighbour and time how long it takes them to find the town or village you have named. The quickest overall is the victor – and perhaps can be crowned designated map reader for the rest of the journey, too. Red Lorry, Yellow Lorry Select a particular colour of vehicle and spend the journey seeing how…

We’ll send you a gift-wrapped edition of issue 34 to give on the day, along with a Christmas card. Or if you prefer, we can deliver your present directly – just let us know in the comments box when you order. Simply go to Icebergpress.co.uk/christmas and enter the code ‘GIFTWRAP16’ or call 020 7415 7238. You’ll save 17% on a year’s subscription – only £25 for six issues. The gift subscription will start with issue 34, delivered just before Christmas. Last orders for Christmas delivery: Thursday 15 December. For international gift subscriptions, please see our website. To see all our offers for UK and overseas subscriptions, visit icebergpress.co.uk/subscribe. Or call 020 7415 7238 – we are a small team, so at times you may get through to our answerphone. Leave…

1 Sort out your bedroom Looking at electronic devices or the TV is not compatible with a good night’s sleep. Restrict all of that to the living room, and clear your head instead. Then your bed will become a platform to launch you into a calm, uncluttered dream state. 2 Keep a dream diary This is easier said than done when the urge to drift back to sleep or propel yourself into the day kicks in, but it is vital to enable lucid dreams. As soon as you wake up, write down everything you remember in as much detail as you can. This alerts you to ‘dream signs’ – situations which only happen in dreams, patterns and repeated images. 3 Ask yourself, “Am I awake?” Hold your nose and attempt…

As with macramé, weaving is a skill that’s being hauled out of the 1970s and back into your home. And, also like macramé, it’s a pleasing way of adding homespun cosiness to your space. The techniques are as simple as they were back then, although the colour palette and styling may have shifted. The materials are easy to come by, too – the trivet, below, is made from fabric scraps and the wall hanging, over the page, uses wool. You will need a loom though – follow the instructions below to make your own, or try eBay and Amazon for beginners’ lap looms. Woven trivet TWIST LEFTOVER SCRAPS OF FAVOURITE FABRICS INTO A PRETTY TABLEMAT YOU WILL NEED: Frame of some kind in the desired size (the one pictured, above…

YOU MAY NEED... A candlestick: to light you to bed A hot water bottle: to warm those toes An eye mask: to keep you in the dark Ear plugs: for snoreproof slumber A mattress topper: for an extra layer of cosiness A table lamp: within easy reach to switch off before slumber A throw or a sheepskin: for decoration or simple warmth A shaggy rug: to curl your toes into on awakening…