The Simple Things -julkaisun November 2025 -irtonumeron sisällysluettelo

BEETROOT AND CHOCOLATE BUNS WITH COCONUT ICING Makes 12 300g cooked beetroot, peeled and cut into chunks 230g pitted dates, chopped 115g unsalted butter, melted 1 tbsp tamari 2 tsp vanilla extract 85g cacao powder 4 eggs FOR THE ICING: 165g full-fat cream cheese 50g coconut cream 2 tbsp maple syrup 1 Preheat the oven to 190C/Fan 170C/Gas 5. 2 Blend the beetroot, dates, melted butter, tamari and vanilla extract in a food processor until smooth. 3 Add the cacao, then the eggs (adding them at the end helps stop the cacao travelling up the sides of the food processor). Blitz again until smooth and creamy. 4 Meanwhile, line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases and spoon in the beetroot mixture. These buns don’t rise and puff up, so fill each case almost to the top. 5 Bake for 17-19 mins.…

Indian Cooking The bottom of the pan was a palette - paprika, cayenne, dhania haldi, heaped like powder-paints. Melted ghee made lakes, golden rivers. The keema frying, my mother waited for the fat to bubble to the surface. Friends brought silver-leaf. I dropped it on khir - special rice pudding for parties. I tasted the landscape, customs of my father’s country - its fever on biting a chilli. All the senses are engaged in Moniza Alvi’s feast of a poem. Honouring her dual heritage – born in Pakistan, she moved to England as a baby – it sizzles with fragrant spices, their colours bright, bold and beautiful, recalling her father’s treasured homeland; its loved landscape, its culture and customs. Things To Ponder If not familiar with the ingredients in Moniza’s…

On a wild and windy day, when there’s no denying that autumn has arrived, I’m happy, wrapped in my very own wool cocoon, in the shape of a cape. Warm and snug, you can fit layers under it, snuggle your hands into the pockets and head out into the cold air wearing a garment that has popped in and out of history. The Romans wore them over one shoulder, medieval pages caper across the pages of medieval manuscripts in them, Elizabeth I sported a very elaborate one, all ermine and embroidery, in her coronation picture, while Audrey Hepburn floated down a staircase, dramatic in a green number by Hubert Givenchy. These are the glamorous relations to the one I wore first – a hand-sewn number, made by my cousin Marian…

When Professor Michele Dougherty was appointed Astronomer Royal earlier this year, she was the first woman to hold the role since it was created in 1675. Ten-year-old Michele would’ve been surprised – her all girls school in South Africa didn’t offer any sciences. Instead she gained her fascination with space by looking through a telescope that her dad built her. Her aptitude in maths meant that she got to follow that route at university, but even then she would never have imagined she’d end up leading two major non-manned space missions orbiting Saturn and Jupiter’s moon, Ganymede. Her appointment is historic and one she hopes will encourage more girls into sciences. “Seeing someone who looks like them in a role like this will potentially allow them to dream that they…

WOODLAND HERBAL SPRITZER Serves 1-2 1 tbsp dried juniper berries 1 tbsp dried rosemary 1 tbsp dried thyme 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup Ice cubes Sparkling water Lemon slices, to garnish Garnish with lemon slices. Bartender’s note: Scientists have recently used genetics to determine rosemary’s true identity – it’s a member of the Lamiaceae family, which also includes mint, deadnettle and sage. Taken from The Herbalist’s Guide For the Sober Curious by Leah Jorgensen Jean (Chartwell Books)…

The first thing you notice is the sound. Not the clinking of cups or the splash of milk, but the rising hum of water as it comes to a boil. Then the hiss as tea leaves and spices are dropped in, releasing a fragrance that fills the kitchen. Cardamom cracks open with a sweet sharpness, ginger warms the air, cloves and black pepper tingle in the nose, and cinnamon softens it all into comfort. To make masala chai is to fill a room with anticipation. Masala chai translates simply as ‘spiced tea’, but in truth, it is far more than that. At its most basic, it is strong black tea simmered with milk, sugar, and spices. Yet the ritual is what makes it different from any ordinary cuppa. In India,…

Create a cosy cocoon with duvets, cushions and quilts. Fresh sheets and plumped pillows mean that you may want a little longer before venturing out of bed. Just five more minutes? Bookshop browse HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW? Diary Of A Keen Gardener by Mary Keen Mary Keen has worked on many an extravagant garden, but the one she loves the best is her own. In a Cotswold village, on a plot roughly the size of two tennis courts (and with an allotment nearby) she grows her favourite flowers and vegetables, makes compost as crumbly as chocolate cake, meets up with her family, neighbours and friends and practises “daily watchfulness” to create a place that is truly alive with blooms and pollinators. Beginning with November and continuing month by month…

Even though I adore nature – walking in it, sitting in it, breathing it in – at the literal and metaphorical end of the day, I like comfort. Luxury even. It’s why I’m not a happy camper; even ‘glamping’ doesn’t cut the mustard with me (definitely a word that over promises). When dusk deepens, and sentences end in yawns, I like somewhere cosy and warm to retreat to, but where I can still keep in touch with all that’s outdoors, see the weather changing, the trees swaying, and the leaves turning. And that’s exactly what I found at Looking Glass Lodge, an ultra-modern eco-retreat, hidden in the ancient woodland of a nature reserve in East Sussex. Built by Lindsey Goodman and her husband Rik, the lodge’s timber-clad shell and floor-to-ceiling…

WANNABE BY THE SPICE GIRLS The 1996 debut hit was a fast and furious number, written in haphazard pop style by Biff Stannard and Matt Rowe, along with all five Spice Girls. Biff’s chance encounter with Mel B in a studio set the wheels of pop history in motion. They wrote the song over 10 days. “Seven of us, sitting on the floor in this tiny room,” Biff remembers. “It was all done in one frenzy, the energy would just rise in the room whenever we did the up-tempo things,” Biff told Music Week. “I heard ‘zig-a-zig-ah’ and was like, ‘Let’s put that in!’ It does mean something, but we’re never going to tell anyone what: it’s quite rude.” Mel B has since denied this and claims it means “whatever…

Japanese tea pots are usually made from clay to retain heat and steep quickly for a more delicate flavour. The amount of tea you use should be calculated carefully so you’ll need a set of finely tuned scales, or a measuring teaspoon. The temperature of the water is also important – you’re not just sloshing the kettle onto a PG Tips bag, so invest in a thermometer. You’ll also want at least two fine tea cups to pour the steeped tea into, a jug to add cold water and a tin to store tea leaves in and keep them cool.…

STARLING These iridescent beauties are easy to spot because they come en masse. To the ancients, these nightly enactments must have seemed divine. The Romans looked to the skies for direction, a practice known as ‘taking the auspices’, and they read the shapes created by the birds, taking inspiration and leadership from them. In truth, daily decisions and politics were hugely influenced by the turn of a starling wing. Their gregarious nature made them less afraid of humans, and the fact they worked together meant they were almost always seen in small noisy groups, scavenging for food. The starling’s talents do not end there, and there is much debate about its ability to copy the human voice, something the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle noted. It is no surprise that poets,…

Paprika Bringing warmth to all five continents, this smoky spice originated in South America and was brought to Europe by Columbus in 1493. Pepper Once so rare it functioned as currency (hence peppercorn rent) it now graces most dinner tables and no wonder as it’s also a natural aphrodisiac. Ginger Rooted in bread, men and cake, this root is branching out and is now more often used in Asian cookery for its fresh, citrussy flavour. Turmeric A relative of ginger, this rhizome has anti-inflammatory and antioxident properties. Great in tea but a flipping demon to get out of clothes. Mustard powder Pop into scones, cheese sauces and more for added bite. Mix with warm water to make mustard if you’re in a pinch with a steak going cold on your…

Serves 4 2 tbsp olive oil 2 shallots, peeled and diced 1 carrot, diced 200g shiitake mushrooms, sliced 4 garlic cloves, diced 4 tbsp tomato purée 2 tsp dried mixed herbs 1 dried bay leaf 1 tsp ground cinnamon 250g cooked puy lentils 1 heaped tsp red miso paste 1 heaped tsp Marmite 500g potato gnocchi 50g panko breadcrumbs Add the shallots, carrots and mushrooms. Once softened and beginning to turn golden, pop in the garlic, tomato purée, mixed herbs, bay leaf and cinnamon. When you can smell the herbs cooking, add the lentils. Reduce for 5 mins until thickened. Once cooked, drain and set aside. Discard the bay leaf, then layer the gnocchi on the top, making sure you cover the entirety of the sauce. Season and bake for 10–15 mins, or until the gnocchi layer is golden and brown. Taken from…

Spiced campfire popcorn Serve alongside the classic game of ‘everyone counts the seconds between pops’. Serves 4 2 tbsp popcorn kernels 2 tbsp vegetable oil ½ tsp ground cinnamon 1 tbsp brown sugar Shake to coat the kernels. Serve in popcorn paper bags or mugs. Spiced pumpkin soup No need for fine china when you can use a halved pumpkin instead. Serves 4 2 medium sized, edible pumpkins or squash, for your ‘dishes’ ½ tsp paprika ½ tsp chilli flakes ½ tsp cumin ½ tsp coriander seeds 1 medium butternut squash 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 1 large carrot, finely chopped 1 large celery stick, finely chopped 1 veggie stock cube 200ml crème fraîche 4 stems of rosemary Meanwhile, halve the pumpkins or squash and use a large spoon to hollow out the middle, leaving about…

Morning! Where are you waking up? In an old Suffolk farmhouse with a mug of Herbtender tea. A few sips and things start to fall into place. Tell us a bit about what you do I run Slow Squirrel, celebrating artisans and independent makers, from potters and weavers to small-batch food producers. Squirrel HQ is across our courtyard. I share it with the washing machine and garden tools, only adding to its charm. Mornings are usually wrapping orders, stock checking and answering emails. How did you end up doing this? After working in retail, I longed to create something of my own. Travels to South Africa left me enchanted and an article about Potterswork, a pottery studio near Cape Town, captured my imagination. That spark grew into Slow Squirrel, sharing…

Feeling like there’s a lot on your plate when it comes to food advice? We all want to live long and healthy lives and eating well is one of the simplest ways we can help with that, but it needn’t be complicated. Try one of the following small but life-changing ideas a day and you’ll soon reap the rewards and enjoy the pleasures of good food. FOLLOW THE SUN’S PATH Due to our circadian rhythm – or internal body clock – our ability to handle glucose diminishes as the day progresses and the light ebbs. Our ancestors would rise and sleep with the sun and were not programmed to eat under the cover of darkness. As a result of this ancient biology, trials show that eating at 8pm can cause…

Wild saunas perch – sometimes literally – on Britain’s untamed fringes. They battle unpredictable elements to offer a healthy dose of outdoors and an exhilarating blast of hot and cold – with the latter coming from sea, lake, river, ice bath or outdoor shower. Often honed out of horseboxes or trailers, wild saunas are novel sanctuaries – where else can you while away an hour, semi-naked and sweaty, watching nature perform in glorious Technicolour? The wild sauna ‘movement’ takes most of its cues from Nordic bathing cultures, from Finland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, where sauna is a way of life and steam, or löyly, the nations’ lifeblood. Studies have also shown how it can help to reduce cardiovascular diseases, ease pain, boost immunity and improve mental health. I’ve visited many…

It can be tempting at this time of year to close the door, draw the curtains and forget about the garden until the spring. After all, nothing’s growing. But that’s not quite true, and there’s actually plenty of pleasure to be had from the garden in winter. You won’t be getting the deckchair out, but it’s possible to plant edibles for the kitchen, add colour and scent to flower beds and pots, and – when the weather is truly bad – pull out the seed catalogue and find satisfaction in planning and preparing for the year to come. There’s a good reason why the agricultural year starts in the autumn – it’s when, traditionally, farms would pass from one farmer to the next, so the new incumbent could do the…

Fill in the gaps with letters to find the names of eight job titles. Only eight? Yes, two of these are red herrings and will only produce frustration. (answers on page 124) “I often quote myself. It adds spice to conversation” George Bernard Shaw The blue silhouette of a spinning wheel on a white background denotes a ‘craft centre’ on Ordnance Survey maps. Spinning wheels may or may not be in evidence.…

Envious of others’ luminescent pictures, when all you seem to achieve is a dark blur? Here’s how to photograph pretty things at night time. Seasonal sparkle Fireworks are hard to capture, but sparklers can produce great pictures of people ‘writing’ with them. Your camera needs to be on a ledge or tripod to keep it steady. Put it on ‘shutter priority mode’ so you can control how long the shutter remains open. Five to ten seconds is good for a short word, or go simple with a ‘heart’. Light the sparkler then push the button just before the ‘writer’ starts writing. Shoot for the moon A beautiful full moon on a clear night looks stunning. If you end up with a fuzzy dot that’s because your camera can’t cope with…

The wood was just visible, a blaze of copper and gold beyond the fence. Billy wasn’t looking at the trees, however. His gaze stayed on the windowsill, where the chilli plant leaned its leaves towards the light. When his grandmother had given him the tray of spindly seedlings seven months ago, Billy hadn’t been convinced. “They’ll grow slowly,” she’d told him. “But they’ll grow.” Billy hadn’t studied psychology; he hadn’t studied much, truth be told. “School of life,” was what he’d told the other lads. His regiment. His brothers. But even he knew what Nana was up to. It was a lesson in patience, designed to help, and in some ways, it had. Each day, he tended to his plant; each day, he did as instructed by the physio; each…

At a wedding reception earlier this year, there was the requisite disco. After the first dance and next few numbers, the dancefloor started to peter out. That was until a guy entered the dancefloor stage left, staked his spot and enthusiastically bounced around to a whole gamut of tunes. Likely unaware of the service he performed, he essentially kept the dancefloor alive until the early hours. Not all heroes wear capes – in this case, it was a smart suit – because it takes a brave soul to get a dancefloor going, to reveal your moves to a gathered crowd. Yes, dance like nobody’s watching and all that, but it’s hard to truly let yourself go without imagining those critical eyes judging, perhaps even holding up an imaginary Strictly-style score…

THINGS TO NOTE AND NOTICE Nature spot RING-NECKED PARAKEETS Providing a splash of colour against grey November skies, ring-necked parakeets – our only naturalised parrots – are pairing up and choosing nesting sites in hollow trees this month. Since September, they’ve been gathering in groups and roosting communally in tall trees, such as poplars, in towns and cities all over the UK. Before they pick mates and set up home together, though, look out for these acid green characters, roosting en masse in parks and cemeteries near you – anywhere they can gather together, high off the ground. As well as their distinctive green jackets, you’ll know them from their bright red bills (males have a black and pink collar, too) and their loud, screechy chattering. Folklore TURNING THE DEVIL’S…

FAVOURITE RESTAURANT WATERBAR & GRILL The best steak and ribs, plus banging burgers. Waterfront views and great cocktails, too. waterbarandgrill.com.au FAVOURITE VIEW MILLAA MILLAA A stand out rainforest waterfall. It’s free to see and safe to swim at. Just gorgeous. Falls Road, Millaa Millaa, Atherton Tablelands FAVOURITE BEACH PALM COVE We got married at Palm Cove and had our reception under the coconut trees. We now enjoy ice creams here with our son. FAVOURITE WAY TO SPEND AN HOUR BOTANIC GARDENS Always inspirational with new planting ideas showing what grows best in our local area. FAVOURITE WAY TO GET CLOSE TO NATURE CASSOWARY FALLS Take an all-terrain vehicle ride, crossing creeks and streams and swimming with fish and turtles at Cassowary Falls, a stunning Daintree Rainforest waterfall. cassowaryfalls.com.au FAVOURITE DAY…

They say treasured objects are like family, and if that’s true, then my kitchen dresser is the most steadfast member. She’s the true matriarch of our home and, like me, has played different roles over the years. I found her at a flea market. “Nobody wants these anymore,” the man told me, “We’ve had a lovely new kitchen fitted.” I knew immediately that she would turn my first house into my first home. Since then, wherever we have moved, she has come, too. Festooned with twinkling lights and bright mugs, she is visible from the street: she is a lighthouse to guide me home after a long day. The dresser has been more useful than we ever could have imagined. At house parties, she’s served as a cocktail bar. She…

Apples – eat one a day for their anti-cancer properties and soluble fibre. Stewed are especially good for gut health. Avocado – contains lots of antioxidant vitamin E plus omega-9 fats that boost metabolism and benefit cholesterol levels. Beets – a powerhouse of a root, the beetroot’s wonderful red pigment is both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Broccoli – and its brassica cousins contain sulforaphane, a miraculous compound that protects the body’s cells from pollutants. Chop and leave for 40 minutes before cooking to preserve the goodness. Eggs – a little nutrient package and an easy low-cost meal. Green tea – helps you relax thanks to an amino acid L-theanine which reduces anxiety and increases concentration. Also contains high antioxidant levels and liver protective properties. Leafy greens – a daily portion of…

Slang is the language of shared experience. Informal and innovative, it’s an essential element of connection, particularly among marginalised groups and young people. In short, it’s groovy, wicked, da bomb, or bussin’, depending on when and where you were born. Slang’s roots lie in a murky underworld. The 17th century saw a rise in glossaries to help the people of Britain decipher nefarious chatter. One of the first, A New Dictionary Of The Terms Ancient And Modern Of The Canting Crew, was published in 1698 to help people ‘secure their money and preserve their lives.’ The nature of slang meant that these dictionaries quickly became out of date, as secret languages kept evolving to evade comprehension. These included the invention of Cockney rhyming slang and back slang, in which words…

PROUDLY HOMEMADE BRANCH HOOK Fallen or pruned branches with shooting intersections can be turned into useful hooks. Look out for branches after a storm. You will need: A branch or limb with an intersection or two – the main limb needs to be relatively straight in relation to its upwards shooting twig offspring. The foraged branch needs to be green and fresh, not brittle or rotten. Axe and serrated knife or saw Carving knife Pencil Clamp or vice Drill with a 4mm drill bit An effective hook will protrude at least 5cm from the parent branch. Depending on the thickness, most hooks need to be about 8cm long to successfully hold a wide range of items. Beneath the hook, the parent branch needs to be at least 4cm long to house a screw. Above,…

I love this little corner, it’s where I start my day and end it, too – a space of my own in our busy family home, and I’m forever grateful for it. I found the table locally on Facebook Marketplace and then sanded and stained it to create the effect that I wanted. I searched for a while as I knew that I wanted the folding mirrors as well as storage for all my personal items. Catrina Laird, Stirling @thelairdsbothy One of my favourite upcycling projects, this dressing table started life as a mahogany-coloured desk. A couple of coats of paint and some leftover wallpaper later and I’ve transformed it into something that’s much more ‘me’. Verity Jones, Manchester @thetruthbehindthe_decor Everything felt too modern, too polished or too expensive when…

All rosehips are edible, but require correct identification – a number of toxic red berries ripen at the same time. Tipple Slit skins and infuse in spirits for four weeks to draw out flavour. Tea Best made as a decoction: in a lidded saucepan with a cup of water for every tbsp of fresh or dried fruit, bring to the boil and simmer for 20 mins. Let cool for 10 mins. Strain through a tea strainer lined with a square of muslin to catch seeds. Cordial Make a cordial with apple juice. Use one part rosehips to three parts apple juice. Blitz raw hips with the juice or cook until soft. Strain and add the same quantity of sugar as liquid and mix until dissolved. Adapted from A Forager’s Guide…

1 A UK crop of which flower associated with November was completely destroyed by hares in the 19th century? 2 Two sets of brothers, Jack and Kit Wright, and Robert and Thomas Wintour, worked together on what Jacobean act of sabotage? 3 ‘Cennrigmonaid’ is the name of which British town, now named after one of Christ’s disciples? 4 Which famous fungi was traditionally broken up and sprinkled in milk to act as an insecticide? 5 During the closing credits to the film A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, what seasonal dish do Snoopy and Woodstock share? (answers on page 124)…

…TO SOLVE AN AGATHA CHRISTIE Obviously you can simply skip to the last chapter, but here are a few clues that might help you work out by yourself who dunnit before the denouement. Be suspicious early. The murderer is always introduced in the first half of the book so keep your eyes peeled early doors. HOWEVER, you’re not looking for a typical criminal. Christie’s murderers are usually unlikely, so watch out for any pillars of the community: vicars, doctors, etc, or anyone with a watertight alibi. Heed the mid-way clue. Christie didn’t want her readers to feel cheated, so often drops an absolute clanger of a clue about halfway through the book. It’s usually so quickly glossed over that you don’t take much note until the killer is unmasked and…