Table of contents for March 2017 - Issue 57 in The Simple Things

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

“What do you cook for the people you love?” was the question posed by William Sitwell, the editor of Waitrose’s magazine and this collection of recipes, to 100 British chefs, cooks, bakers and food heroes. The result is a celebration of all that is brilliant about British cooking, and its melting pot of influences. Recipes from beekeepers and local bakers sit alongside contributions from Michelin-starred chefs*, including Nigella, Jamie and Raymond, who serve up tasty delights including a breakfast of nettles on toast with pollack, wild garlic and poached egg, a lunch of Saigon Fresh Summer Rolls and a lip-smacking dinner of risotto with courgette and crab. (Nourish Books) * Feed further curiosity for culinary lists with Jenny Linford’s The Chef’s Library (Abrams), which showcases the favourite cookbooks of 70…

PROUDLY HOMEMADE SPICY SPRING ROLLS Add colour and zing to lunch or serve as a vibrant starter Serves 2–4 10–12 large rice paper sheets FOR THE FILLING 1 ripe avocado A little lime juice for drizzling 1 cucumber 2 carrots 1 ripe mango 1 small red cabbage 1 small iceberg or round lettuce Bunch of Thai basil FOR MANGO CHILLI PEANUT SAUCE 1 ripe mango 100ml milk of choice (soy, almond or rice milk) 100ml coconut milk 1–3 tsp chilli powder (to taste) ½ tsp curry powder 1 small onion 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp lime juice 2 tsp maple syrup or sweetener of choice 2 tbsp peanut butter 1 Cut the avocado in half, remove the stone, peel, dice and drizzle some lime juice on top. Peel the…

HERBY PUY LENTILS & SMOKED MACKEREL Domaine Lucien Thomas Saint Véran ‘Les Charmones’ 2014, £18 From a lesser-known Burgundy appellation, this is dry, crisp and fruity, with notes of pear and acacia. A lovely match for smoked fish and herby dressings. ROAST HARISSA BUTTER CHICKEN Villa Wolf Pinot Noir Pfalz 2014, £13 Spicy food calls for something lighter in alcohol terms. This German red fits the bill – medium-bodied, with a firm acid structure but plenty of soft cherry notes for easy drinking. RICE PUDDING WITH POACHED PRUNES Gosnells London Mead, £3.30 for 330ml Something really different for dessert. Citrus blossom honey lends a delicate, floral sweetness to this London-brewed mead – delicious alongside sweet, aromatic puddings. Wines recommended by Borough Wines & Beers (boroughwines.co.uk), which works with small producers…

Good morning, where are you this morning? In a tiny old blacksmith’s cottage in a hamlet just outside Bath, where I live with my husband and two rescue cats, Flora and Luna. It’s a fantastic little community full or creatives and eccentrics. And can we get you something to drink? Coffee! Freshly brewed with a coffee whitener and a spoonful of honey. If I’m feeling righteous, I’ll have a cup of hot water and lemon instead. Tell us about what you do. I’m a full-time potter, making pottery and tableware inspired by the Devon coastline where I grew up. I used to have a commute of over an hour, so I really appreciate that my job is now just 10 steps to my studio/shed in my back garden. So straight…

Your hobby can be your job. When I thought about what I’d like to do, I kept coming back to food. I’d been working in venture capital and I was a keen home chef, but thought I was kidding myself that it could become my business. I did work experience in the kitchen of Michelin-starred restaurant to understand the industry better. There I came across ingredients that home cooks didn’t have access to, really nice vinegars and oils for instance, and it sparked the idea for Sous Chef. We want to make things possible. The sous chef is the person who helps the head chef make it happen. Going around a Chinese food hall with a recipe book – even with its glossary of ingredients – it took me 90…

FAVOURITE SHOPS AB Småland Concept store selling a fantastic mix of vintage, fashion, lifestyle and accessories. Cosy café, great florist and inspiring workshops.absmaland.com Miloii Amazing lifestyle shop, run by Lina, a stylist. She stocks APC, Baum und Pferdgarten and Rodebjer. miloii.se FAVOURITE GALLERY Formargruppen Run by artists, it shows contemporary glassware, ceramics, jewellery and woodwork. formargruppen.se FAVOURITE LUNCH SPOT Spoonery Whenever I’m not sure where to have lunch, I gravitate here. Their Bibimbap (Korean mixed rice) is ace. St Knuts Väg 7 Holy Greens Organic salad bar with lots of creative options. Fresh, friendly and full of flavour. Amazing smoothies, too. Baltzarsgatan 26 FAVOURITE RESTAURANT Bastard Very popular and trendy restaurant in the heart of Malmö. Cool interior and excellent food. Make sure to book ahead (or go at 5pm…

“Dorothy Bowker wrote on hers: ‘Dumb Politically, Blind to the Census. Deaf to the Enumerator’” When the idea of a national census was first championed in Britain, it was argued that, “the intimate knowledge of any country must form the rational basis of legislation and diplomacy”. Unsurprisingly, it wasn’t always so “rational”, especially when it came to the female proportion of the population. Each decade’s census gives us a – sometimes unintentional – glimpse into society’s attitudes towards women. In 1811, the second time the census was taken, households were asked to give only their chief source of income. In most cases, this this overlooked the contribution of women who, while likely not the primary earner, frequently did odd jobs, such as selling handicrafts, that kept the family from the…

After the dark, short days of winter, where the urge to huddle indoors is mostly irresistible, spring is here to paint the world anew. Look up to see a piercing blue sky against a bright green new leaf and you can’t help but feel a little in awe of nature’s palette. Daffodil yellow – caught on first sight of a gently nodding flower head by the roadside – speaks of all the promise of the season to come. From the sight of a rainbow or a mighty flock of pink-footed geese, to a soft ball of wool in battleship grey that seems to wink from a shop window, colour can trigger feelings we never knew existed. So, how might an awareness of the hidden power of the hues around us…

Put two creative people with big plans in a small space full of potential, and an interesting result is guaranteed. Take Janine Mollentze and Ruan Vermeulen and their one-bedroomed apartment in Tamboerskloof, Cape Town. Janine’s keen eye for interiors has prompted many a friend to ask for her help with décor. An animation director at the company he co-founded, Am I Collective, Ruan is no stranger to design either. The pair were keen to find a small home to renovate and an apartment in an Art Deco block in a suburb of Cape Town fitted the bill. NO DISTRACTIONS “We moved in with the idea of renovating, but wanted to live here first before deciding on a plan,” Janine says. The kitchen was their biggest concern: it had tiled white…

COOK Fresh Kedgeree 7 Proudly homemade Spring rolls 16 Passion fruit punch For breakfast or cocktails 17 Gathering: Cookbook club Herby puy lentils, greens and smoked mackerel 27 Roast harissa butter chicken with cracked wheat 28 Charred brassicas with tahini yogurt & sumac 29 Creamy rice pudding with sherry poached prunes 30 Special mint tea 31 Hand-me-down recipes Cake in the house 36 Tasty trend Ube 124 Tipple of the month Margarita 125 THINK My day in cups of tea Potter Kara Leigh Ford 42 Wisdom No-dig gardener Charles Dowding 46 A job well done Unusual-ingredient finders, Sous Chef 50 A poetic pause ‘Toad’ by Norman MacCaig 75 Ideas Census suffragettes 76 Gallery Familiar chairs 78 What…

Editor Lisa Sykes Associate Editor Clare Gogerty Commissioning Editor Rebecca Frank Contributing Editor Frances Ambler Chief Sub-Editor Kate Pettifer Sub Editor Iona Bower Art Editor Cathy McKinnon Associate Art Editor Anneliese Klos Picture Editor Jackie Swanson Designer Vanessa Grzywacz Digital Editor Lottie Storey Reprographics Editor James Wootton Wishlist Editor Louise Gorrod Gardening Editor Cinead McTernan Books Editor Eithne Farry Commercial Director Guy Foreman Subscription Manager Terri-Jane Dow Publisher David Parker…

“Its forgiving roominess means you can tuck into a hearty lunch with relish” The pinafore dress is just right for this time of year when there is still a nip in the air and the threat of chilliness is afoot. Its bib provides an additional layer, like an external vest, under which garments of varying thickness can be worn. Try it with a T-shirt, a polo neck jumper, a blouse – they all work. Plus you can throw an additional layer of cardigan or jacket over the lot for extra warmth if required. It is what the fashion press would call a ‘transitional garment’, and who are we to argue with that? Last seen in the 70s, the return of the pinafore dress owes a lot to the dungaree revival.…

What makes the difference between a bog standard tomato sauce and one that is redolent of an Italian kitchen garden in summer? Between a passable salad and one that is complex and moreish? Or a basic béchamel and a fragrant and savoury one? A tiny sprinkling of herbs. Herbs punch above their weight in the kitchen, a mere teaspoonful lending interest and depth, a good handful turning dishes into vibrant celebrations of the season. They are also brilliantly easy to grow, and so a good place to begin if you have any interest in growing your own. Herbs can produce for meal upon meal from an occasional trickle of water. Many even thrive on being picked, using the nipping out of a few leaves as the stimulus to stop growing…

‘Cup of Brown Joy’ Professor Elemental ‘Everything Stops for Tea’ Jack Buchanan ‘You’re the Cream in my Coffee’ Nat King Cole Trio ‘Black Coffee’ All Saints ‘Instant Coffee Blues’ Guy Clark ‘Will You?’ Hazel O’Connor “ Java Jive’ The Ink Spots ‘Coffee and T V’ Blur ‘A Nice Cup of Tea’ Gracie Fields ‘Tea for Two’ Doris Day ‘Right Said Fred’ Bernard Cribbins ‘Have a Cuppa Tea’ The Kinks ‘Cigarettes and Coffee’ Otis Redding ‘Suzanne’ Leonard Cohen ‘The Coffee Song’ Frank Sinatra ‘One More Cup of Coffee for the Road’ The White Stripes Listen at thesimplethings.com/blog/brewplaylist stop look listen Put the kettle on, brew up and join us for a singalong…

Cafés are places that can change the world. Think of JK Rowling in a café in Edinburgh creating her vivid characters that enchanted a generation, or those that were hot beds of political thought for radicals. Today they are universally appreciated as a respite, a comfort or a distraction during the working day; a place to gather your thoughts and share them on free wifi. It helps if there is cool décor, good coffee and interesting food, as there is at these cafés in five in very different cities… VAKST, Copenhagen Strictly speaking this is not a café, more a restaurant. However, as a place to nurture fresh ideas, where better than Väkst? The word comes from the Danish Vaksthus (‘growth house’) or greenhouse. Plants, radiant with health, hang all…

“Size definitely matters – look for firm, mould-free bulbs, the bigger the better. A large bulb will produce a more sizeable bloom” As you look out at your plot this month and enjoy the arrival of tulips and daffodils planted last autumn, you can also plan ahead – now is the right time to plant summer-flowering bulbs. This diverse, often exotic, collection of plants will introduce colour and interest, extend the seasons and reward you with gorgeous displays in as little as two months. CHOOSING WISELY Although summer bulbs can withstand our winter conditions and, in theory, could be planted earlier, they will fare better if planted now when the weather and ground temperatures are warming up. Make sure the bulbs you buy are fresh and haven’t languished in the…

Kedgeree The days are getting longer, hens are laying again, and suddenly getting up and preparing a special breakfast on a weekend doesn’t feel like an effort, more a pleasure. There’s something very satisfying about a savoury breakfast, but of course these little bowls of goodness would be equally suited to the lunch or dinner table. For the recipe, turn to page 126.…

Writer Kyo Maclear was stalled, she was worried about her father’s health, and keenly aware that she had a limited amount of time to achieve anything big and noteworthy. A meeting with a bird-loving musician transformed her thinking. Instead of dreaming of “limitless freedom” she turned her attention to the small and imperfect and interesting, relishing “what the mind could create in cramped quarters”. Urban birding became the answer to the question of inspiration; here she brilliantly describes wandering the cityscape finding beauty in unexpected places and watching birds take flight as her busy mind tackled the big themes of life – regret, love and loss. (4th Estate)…

This sparky, beautifully illustrated book (it features the work of 60 women artists) is the ideal present for all aspiring heroines. It tells the stories of 100 remarkable women – from scientists to artists, politicians to pirates – each in the style of a bedtime fairy tale. Every entry describes the women’s achievements in simple sentences that are a wonderful introduction to famous figures and less well-known pioneers. Drawing inspiration from across the planet, and from the past and present, Favilli and Cavallo celebrate the lives of luminaries such as mathematician and computer programmer Ada Lovelace, painter Frida Kahlo and aviator Amy Earhart, all of whom are role models for rebel girls everywhere. (Particular Books)…

A new kind of book club is on the rise. Ditching Donna Tartt in favour of Donna Hay, cookbook clubs are a different way to discuss the latest bestsellers. Pick a recipe collection, agree what each guest will bring, then sit down to chat over a meal cooked, collaboratively, from one author’s work. Conversation flows as freely as the wine, while you and your fellow cooking enthusiasts bond, as only foodies can, over a shared love of roast chicken (with a twist) or why mint tea is a special thing. COOKBOOK MENU From Stirring Slowly by Georgina Hayden (Square Peg) Herby puy lentils, greens and smoked mackerel Roast harissa butter chicken with cracked wheat Charred brassicas with tahini yoghurt and sumac Creamy rice pudding with…

When someone is described as a revolutionary, it’s easy to think of raised fists, angry crowds, perhaps even that iconic poster of Che Guevara. What doesn’t automatically spring to mind is a softly spoken farmer’s son from Somerset, whose weapon of choice – if action were required – would more likely be a well-aimed root vegetable or bucket of manure. “Why not a spade or fork?” you may ask... Surely, that’s a sensible weapon for a rebellious gardener? And, in the eyes of Charles Dowding, you’d be right. Spades and forks can do untold damage. Untold, that is, until Charles brought the concept of no-dig gardening to the fore and, in doing so, prompted nervous whispering in horticultural societies across the land. “I gave a talk to the National Vegetable…

*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 here? My husband and I and our three children moved here in summer 2013. I am originally from Berlin and my husband from Paris. Before Malmö we lived in Amsterdam for nearly six years. We love to move and are very curious to learn and discover new cultures, people…

Toad Norman MacCaig Stop looking like a purse. How could a pursesqueeze under the rickety door and sit,full of satisfaction, in a man’s house? You clamber towards me on your four corners —right hand, left foot, left hand, right foot. I love you for being a toad,for crawling like a Japanese wrestler,and for not being frightened. I put you in my purse hand, not shutting it,and set you down outside directly underevery star. A jewel in your head? Toad,you’ve put one in mine,a tiny radiance in a dark place. About the author Norman MacCaig (1910–1996) was a Scottish poet, teacher and lifelong pacifist. He loved the city of Edinburgh, where he lived his whole life, and the Western Highlands, where his mother grew up, and these landscapes and cityscapes are…

Fritillaries Of all the spring-flowering bulbs, the snake’s head fritillary must be the prettiest. Its chequered, bell-shaped flowers are often compared to an Art Nouveau Tiffany lampshade, and you can see why, especially as the yellow stamens resemble filaments. Seek cut blooms in florists or, if you are especially fortunate, in a damp grassy bit of your very own garden. Cut near the base of the stem and enjoy its delicate, patterned petals and slender leaves – surely the embodiment of fresh spring days.…

It’s a pleasing thing to create an object that then becomes part of your daily life, whether a cosy scarf or a home-sewn cushion. So, how about a spoon? Although a slightly more ambitious undertaking, it can be a gentle introduction to the art of wood carving and a way into creating beautiful objects that’ll last. To help, we’ve got a ‘how to’ guide from Max Bainbridge of London-based Forest + Found, a skilled hand carver and turner. To give it a go, you’ll need some basic equipment. Max uses two main tools – a crook knife and a straight knife by Swedish brand Mora (available from woodlandcraftsupplies.co.uk). A crook knife has a distinctive curved blade for hollowing or scooping out concave forms, while a straight knife serves many different…

Chef’s knife This all-purpose knife rocks it in the kitchen: its curved blade aids the rocking motion key to the Western style of chopping. Paring knife For delicate chopping. Also known as an office knife, it’s been copied widely, replaced with mass-produced plastic-handled versions. Tourné The art of elaborately carving vegetables – the purpose of this knife – is declining. Most of today’s dinners are, sadly, not for tourning. Filleting A cut above: usually made from a different steel to other knives to allow maximum flexibility in filleting or skinning meat, fish or poultry. Deba This heavy knife can be held like a hammer. But don’t let the weight fool you – its wickedly sharp tip zips through fish skin and scales. Cleaver The tough guy of the pack. Swung…