Indice dei contenuti per March 2016 - Issue 45 in The Simple Things

Ooh, I love a pie. Is there a better dish for sharing? Whether the comfort of a mashed potato-topped fish pie – the centrepiece of our Easter gathering on page 26 – or the melt-in-your-mouth pastry of a rich steak and ale. A pork pie eaten in the hand sat on a garden bench, perhaps… As you can probably tell, I am beyond excited to be on the judging team for the British Pie Awards*, held (where else?) in Melton Mowbray this month. For the excellent pie-sampling opportunity, of course, but also because nothing sums up the ‘slow food rather than show food’ ethos of The Simple Things better than a homemade pie. Tuck in. *The recipe for the 2015 winner is featured in our ‘Proudly Homemade’ series on page…

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 Bouncing Rabbit screen print | from £35 Here’s an Easter bunny on a trampoline for you. hammade.com Seletti MRND lamps | £110 each Mixed materials and pastel colours are a big thing in homeware at the moment. amara.com Marisol wire bowl | £18 A bright green bowl to pile high with fruit.habitat.co.uk Apron | £7.99 Should the urge to spring clean come upon you, you will need a cheerful pinny.hm.com Organic Coupe dinner plate | £22 for four The green glaze gives this plate a Japanese touch. bhs.com Granada fabric | £65 per metre; cushions |…

Our shopkeeper’s picks for March... ‘‘There is nothing quite like the onset of spring to inspire a fresh new look for a room. This ‘A Rose is A Rose is A Rose’ print (above) by One Must Dash is a great starting point for a bedroom update. Put away those winter blankets and treat yourself a 100% linen duvet cover from The Linen Works. For a finishing touch, the vintage milk bottles by Rastall and Daughters make lovely vessels to hold a few seasonal blooms on our bedside table – there to remind our waking selves that spring has indeed arrived!” Louise Gorrod, Shopkeeper Wreath | £12; egg string lights | £8; crockery from £2.50; Sabatier cutlery set 16pc | £30; wine glasses | £2.50 each Your Easter gathering sorted.…

When Toby Little was five, he hatched a plan to write to all the 193 countries in the United Nations, from Svalbard in the frozen North to the tiny country of Nauru, where you can walk around the whole island in three to four hours. With the help of his mum Sabine, he asked a huge assortment of people to describe their daily lives, the food they liked, the things that they love about where they live and waited for answers. The replies, which came thick and fast, are charming, full of intriguing snippets about jobs (marine biologists, polar explorers, archeologists, and ambassadors sent letters), insight into international school lessons, recipes and feasts and festivals from places far and near. It’s armchair travelling at its most inspiring. (Michael Joseph)…

The Italian job Pretend you’re on an Italian mini-break at The Vinyl Factory, Soho, London, which Sacla is transforming into a pop-up Italian village with food, music and activities to celebrate 25 years. 4 March, free entry but book first at sacla.co.uk/25years Care with a cuppa Help Dementia UK raise money to fund the wonderful work done by its Admiral Nurses by inviting family and friends over for a cup of tea. From 1-8 March timeforacuppa.org Lovely lettering Discover how Ditchling, Sussex, became known as The Village of Type when 100 years ago, two residents designed a typeface for London’s transport system (pictured above). A must-see programme of exhibitions and workshops for anyone interested in typography and design. ditchlingmuseumartcraft.org.uk * Mothering Sunday is 6 March but you could get together…

The Easter long weekend comes early this year and with it perhaps the first chance since Christmas to gather your nearest and dearest together. Make an occasion of it – set up a pretty table, hang bunting, make bunny ears and bake a pie. Sadly, there’s no shortcut to a classic fish pie – it takes time and will inevitably involve every pan in the kitchen – but you can make it ahead and enjoy the noises of approval when you bring out the steaming, golden-topped goods. Just leave a little room for cake, and chocolate eggs, of course. MENU Fish pie with crunchy salmon and leek topping Lemon, hazelnut and rhubarb cake PARTY PROJECTS Felt bunny ears Dip-dyed place-names Fish pie with crunchy salmon and leek topping THIS RICH,…

1959 Rachel born in Norfolk 1965 Simon born in Kent 1998 Rachel and Simon meet 2000 Labour and Wait founded, and they design their first product – a brown canvas apron worn by their staff 2001 Open their first shop, on East London’s Cheshire Street. 2002 More than 200 people on the waiting list for their enamel milk pot, following a feature in Telegraph Magazine 2006 Concessions opened at London’s Dover Street Market and Japan’s Bshop. Voted London’s number one shop by Time Out. 2010 Move to larger premises in a former pub on nearby Redchurch Street 2011 Shortlisted in the Best British Retailer section of the British Design Awards 2015 Labour and Wait go Stateside with a concession at Dover Street Market, NYC…

THE ENLIGHTENED HOUND A printmaker whose work is inspired by dogs, Debbie Kendall’s ‘dog tag’ series depicts the quirky history of different breeds. She was moved by the plight of dogs in rescue centres and shelters: “I imagined each might be wearing a dog tag that helped prospective owners find out more about the dog, in the hope that they’d be given a forever home.” As the owner of Figo, a seven-year-old Portuguese Water Dog, she understands the unique connection we have with our dogs and uses hand lettering to interpret and narrate it. Her deliberately idiosyncratic and wonky lettering is combined with illustration and decorative elements often found in 19th-century ephemera. “I love the physicality of printmaking – the sticky, messy inks, the sharp gouges for lino-cutting, the hiss…

If ever there were a spring day so perfect, so uplifted by a warm intermittent breeze that it made you want to throw open all the windows in the house and unlatch the door to the canary’s cage, indeed, rip the little door from its jamb, a day when the cool brick paths and the garden bursting with peonies seemed so etched in sunlight that you felt like taking a hammer to the glass paperweight on the living room end table, releasing the inhabitants from their snow-covered cottage so they could walk out, holding hands and squinting into this larger dome of blue and white, well, today is just that kind of day. The most popular poet in America Poet Billy Collins was born in 1941 in Manhattan, where his…

The bell jar We are liking the trend for displaying things under glass domes. Bell jars, once an instrument of scientists in search of a vacuum, have been reinvented for the home. Put something beneath one and it immediately becomes precious – like this clump of primroses and their twiggy wreath. Which is only fitting as any flowers that brighten the early days of spring are very precious indeed. Buy one similar to this at nordichouse.co.uk, £7.95…

“The ‘gardens’ are now smaller and less dominating, and alpine plants take precedence over small and unremarkable evergreen shrubs” My grandparents’ garden has inspired me over the years. They had a vegetable plot that was filled with produce for most of the year, a glorious orchard with an array of plums, damsons and apple trees, and a modest cutting garden. I’ve taken lots of their ideas and incorporated them, albeit on a smaller scale, in my own urban plot. My granny’s rockery, however, was an unattractive feature I thought I’d never try to recreate. As a child, I wasn’t enticed to explore the large expanse of soil, intermittently broken up with small rocks and, I seem to remember, even smaller plants. But, as the saying goes, “never say never”! The…

You wouldn’t place your freshly picked daffs in a Ming vase. If your seven-year old demanded something to read, you wouldn’t hand them a copy of The Amazing Spider-Man issue #1. So it is that your correspondent is still wondering why on earth he asked the question that caused a vintage trainer collector to say: “Maybe I’m hanging out with the wrong crowd, but there’s no incentive for me to wear a pair of trainers that I’ve only found one pair of in the world.” If this makes Errol Thomas sound irritable, it shouldn’t. He is as easygoing an interviewee as one could wish for. I just touched a nerve. “A lot of people will say, ‘If you’ve got them, you should wear them’. But when people are on eBay,…

WOODEN ROLLING PIN A metal axle and beechwood make this a kitchen classic. BEST FOR: pastry-making; this is a hard-working kitchen staple. £7.50, objectsofuse.com CAT LOVERS EMBOSSING Imprints your pastry with a kitten pattern as you roll. BEST FOR: Those aiming for culinary purr-fection. £24, Boon Homeware, notonthehighstreet.com MOLLY HATCH CROWNED LEAF The prettiest pin, in hand-painted bone china. BEST FOR: Adding whimsy to the making of your cinnamon whirls. £18, anthropologie.com…

Fox Fox families are pretty paws-on in looking after their young. The vixen is the primary carer, often assisted by a sister. Dad supplies the food. Scottish blackface sheep Known for being tough and fiercely protective of their young. As both males and females are equipped with impressive horns, beware! Rabbit Rabbit mums have mega milk. One five-minute feed can sustain kits for up to 24 hours, leaving mum to the important task of distracting predators. Lincoln longwool Last century, this luscious-fleeced sheep faced extinction. Thankfully, there’s now a renewed appreciation for their heavy, long wool. Red squirrel Devoted mamas build a thick grass and hair-lined drey for their babies. If the home is destroyed, she’ll carry them one-by-one to a new drey. Otter Otter motherhood is most fun after…

MEANDERS AND OXBOW LAKES The features of a river change over its course and meanders are a typical middle-course feature. They’re created by the fast-flowing water that erodes the banks and widens the river laterally, making horseshoe-shaped loops, or meanders. Over a long period of time, the river erodes the material on the outside of the bends, where the water is fastest-flowing. Conversely, friction on the inside of the bend causes material to be deposited there. The two processes together mean that the horseshoe becomes tighter. When the river has a higher discharge and more energy, such as at a time of flooding, it cuts a shortcut across the neck of the meander. The oxbow lake is what remains of the meander. With no water flowing in or out of…

MAKES 4 X 225G JARS finely grated zest and juice of 8 large unwaxed lemons 400g granulated sugar 200g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes 2 goose eggs, lightly beaten 1 Put the grated lemon zest and juice, sugar and unsalted butter into a heatproof bowl and place it over a pan of simmering water, ensuring that the base of the bowl does not come into contact with the water. 2 Stir occasionally until the sugar has dissolved and the butter has melted. The mixture should be nice and warm, but not hot or the eggs will curdle. 3 Strain the beaten eggs through a sieve into the bowl. 4 Using a balloon whisk, whisk the curd gently for about 15 mins, until it thickens to a custard-like consistency and…

FRANCES AMBLER is our contributing editor and enjoys speaking to interesting people with great ideas. For this issue, she’s learnt about the joy of sharing, World War II escape maps and the charms of a feather duster. What puts a spring in your step? My new trainers. And crisp spring weather makes going for a run much more appealing. DEBBIE KENDALL is a printmaker whose work celebrates the bond between dogs and their people – see some examples on page 48. She enjoys upcycling furniture and browsing art and design books. What puts a spring in your step? Getting out in the beautiful Chilterns countryside each day with my Portuguese Water Dog – whatever the weather. JOE MCINTYRE was a magazine art director before setting up St Aidan’s Homeware Store.…

Chiara Perano is the founder of Lamplighter London studio, which specialises in modern calligraphy and illustration, and so is an ideal advocate for the art of decorative writing. She starts with the basic tools – nibs, penholder, ink and paper – and then explains how to make your mark; a practice-makes-perfect skill, which lays the foundation for experimentation with your own customised alphabet. There are templates to follow and a host of project ideas, from gift tags to framed quotes. There are lovely line illustrations to provide inspiration and top tips, including the vital, “Remember to take it slow, at least half as slow as you normally write. It’s not a fast activity – you can’t rush calligraphy.” (Virgin Books)…

Olivia Laing arrived in New York buoyed up by the hope of love. Soon she was strung out on heartbreak and emotionally adrift. There is, she says, “a particular flavour to the loneliness that comes from living in a city, surrounded by millions of people.” An astute investigator of art and its consolations, she turned to the work of Warhol, Edward Hopper, Nan Goldin and lesser-known artists who often felt alienated and vulnerable. She wandered the streets and took to heart the lessons gleaned from studying photographs, films and drawings of those who lived unconventional lives but understood the magical qualities of art, and its ability to foster a sense of community. (Canongate)…

PROUDLY HOMEMADE CHICKEN BALMORAL PIE A pie is a great crowd pleaser and this won ‘Best chicken pie’ in the British Pie Awards 2015 400g puff pastry 75ml oil 25g butter 2 x 150g chicken fillets, boneless and skinless 50g finely chopped shallots 1 clove garlic, crushed 50g sliced white button mushrooms 25g smoked bacon, finely chopped 150ml white wine 25g plain flour for dusting 300ml fresh double cream Chopped fresh parsley 100g thinly sliced haggis (optional) 1 medium egg 7-inch foil dish Salt and white pepper 1 Preheat your oven to 180C/Fan160/350F. Lightly dust the countertop with the flour and roll out the pastry to 3mm thick, cut to size, lay in a pie dish and rest in the fridge for 30 mins. Leave enough pastry spare for the…

Château De Jurque Coquillages & Crustacés Jurançon 2013, £14 Match with: Fish pie with crunchy salmon and leek topping. Style: A fresh and aromatic white wine from South West France with notes of white flowers and grapefruit. This is easy drinking and thirst-quenching, with a long finish and a touch of chalky minerality. As the name suggests, it’s brilliant with seafood and fish. Château Dereszla Prince Tamás Tokaji 2013, £14 Match with: Lemon, hazelnut and rhubarb cake . Style: This rich and full Hungarian white is from a region famous for its sweet dessert wines. It boasts some of the same honeyed, apricot notes as those sticky wines, but this has a dry finish and good crisp acidity – ideal with a citrusy pudding. Domaine De Clos d’Amour Alcôve Maury…

WHEN I STARTED my blog, The Little Loaf (thelittleloaf.com), I wanted to recreate the classic recipes of my childhood – crumbles and custards, cakes and ice cream – and make homemade versions of shop-bought treats. I experimented with familiar biscuit brands, chocolates and sweets. The result was homemade memories, not packaged, professional ones: food for real people, cooking in regular kitchens, that can be perfectly delicious without being, well, perfect. Lemon and thyme creams The addition of thyme* makes this a less-than-traditional take on a classic custard cream, but the end result has just the right balance of sweetness and perfume Makes about 15 sandwich biscuits For the biscuits 140g plain white flour, plus extra for dusting 50g icing sugar pinch of salt 100g cold butter, cubed finely grated zest…

CHOCOLATE AND COLA CAKE Serves 8 2 large eggs, beaten 250ml milk 125ml sunflower oil 1 tsp vanilla paste 250ml flat cola 225g plain flour 250g caster sugar 85g cocoa powder 1½ tsp baking powder 1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda a pinch of salt cola bottle sweets, to decorate (optional) CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM 150g soft butter 250g icing sugar 150g dark chocolate (60–70% cocoa solids), melted and cooled a splash of milk, if needed EQUIPMENT 2 x 20cm cake tins, greased and lined with baking parchment 1 Preheat the oven to 180C/ Fan 160/350F. 2 Whisk together the eggs, milk, oil, vanilla and cola in a large jug. Sift in the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. 3 Divide the mixture between the prepared cake tins and bake in the preheated…

Scilly is a place that conjures deep emotion. It’s a place to wander and ponder, often without seeing another soul; a place where you can lose yourself in its innocent beauty and laid-back style. BIRDS AND WILDLIFE The Isles of Scilly, 28 miles off the coast of Cornwall, host a rich tapestry of wildlife. The archipelago is home to 75 per cent of the world’s Manx shearwater population, and is the only breeding ground in England for storm petrels. With puffins arriving at the end of April, and red squirrels, seals and the odd dolphin for company, you’ll feel at one with nature as you stroll around Scilly, designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. STRETCH YOUR LEGS People come to Scilly year-round to explore the wilderness on foot –…

*There’s no better way to get to the heart of a city than through the people that 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 Austin? I was born in Dallas and my family and I relocated to Austin in 1997 after I graduated. I lived in Houston for a while and am now living in Paris. My family and best friends still live in Austin, so I regularly return to my favourite…

“Living in Greenwich is like always being on holiday,” says Joe McIntyre of the neighbourhood he has lived in since 2011. “It’s at the widest part of the Thames and feels expansive and open: you can breathe here. It also has an awesome history and handsome architecture. I am always finding out new things.” Greenwich in a snapshot Greenwich is all about the river. Maritime history abounds here, from the Cutty Sark moored on its handsome glass dock, to the National Maritime Museum choc-a-block with naval history. A meander from the Cutty Sark through Greenwich Park will take you to the Royal Observatory where you can bestride the meridian line and look over London. But it’s not all about history – coffee lovers, beer drinkers and bargain hunters are well…

LIQUORICE Most often associated with sweets, Scandi favourite liquorice is being embraced in more experimental ways in the UK, too. It appears on both savoury and sweet dishes at London’s The Modern Pantry, and is great for enhancing ice cream and as a dressing for grilled meats. TRY IT: served with caramelised onion dumplings as a starter, and/or with parsnip as a dessert at John’s House Restaurant in Leicestershire. BUY IT: Lakrids Raw Liquorice Powder will empower curious chefs, £5.50 from husandhem.co.uk SEE IT: On our Tasty Trends Pinterest board.…

SENCA This green tea is the most commonly served in Japan. Its flavour is created by a steaming of the leaves, before rolling, shaping and drying. Using leaves (rather than powdered tea) was introduced from China in the mid-17th century, and grew in popularity as an informal way to enjoy tea with family and friends. TASTING NOTES: Allow the kettle to cool for two minutes before steeping the leaves – too hot water creates a bitter taste.…

Grandma was ill. She was pale and small in hospital with so many machines around her you could hardly see her. It was ages since she’d told Mum off for letting Reuben dress the way he did, even though Reuben still had long dark floppy hair and wore eyeliner and had earphones superglued into his ears. Lily thought maybe it was because Grandma’s eyes didn’t open any more. At least she had stopped wailing, “What have you done with the baby?” whenever she saw Lily. Lily was the baby, but she was seven now. Seven today. Not that anyone cared. Mum was on the phone and Dad was at work and Reuben was eating Coco Pops. No one had even looked at the ‘I Am Seven’ badge that Aunty Alice…

In general, weather conditions allowing, geese lay from about the middle of February until mid-May. What a joy it is to find that first egg, pure white in colour, just like goose feathers. It’s a sign that spring is only a month away. One goose egg is equivalent to three chicken eggs, but the proportion of yolk to white is higher, adding richness when used in baking. Lemon curd made with goose eggs is in a class of its own. The neon-yellow shines through the jar. Try to find the freshest possible eggs – your local farmers’ market is probably the best bet. For the recipe, turn to page 128.…

A spoon-carving and bushcraft workshop in 2013 inspired Sophie Sellu to set up Grain & Knot – the next day, she returned home with an axe. Now, her tactile, fully functional wooden spoons and kitchenware grace many influential food blogs and her fan base includes Nigel Slater and Nigella Lawson. Sophie sells through a number of independent shops as well as on her own website. She also runs pop-up workshops across London, where you can make your own porridge spoon. grainandknot.com…

“The shoe of choice when a purposeful stride along the pavement is in order” The loafer is the most egalitarian of shoe. It appeals to all and sundry – from bankers and lawyers swanking about in their Gucci soft black leather versions, to you and I slipping on a pair of old faithfuls for a trot around town. Men, women, old, young, fashion-conscious and fashion-oblivious, all wear loafers. The sheer range of celebrities seen in a pair demonstrates their universality – Michael Jackson, Prince Harry, Agyness Deyn, Alexa Chung and, erm, Jeremy Clarkson, have all worn them to greater and lesser effect. Which is unsurprising when you consider their unique combination of comfort and chic. They are sufficiently insouciant to sport at the weekend and smart enough to wear to…

You may not recognise Rachel Wythe-Moran and Simon Watkins, but if you’ve ever hankered after an enamel milk pot or enjoyed wine served from a school glass tumbler, it’s probably a reflection of the quiet influence Rachel and Simon’s East London store, Labour and Wait, has on Britain’s domestic lives. Founded in 2000 – when the words ‘designer’ and ‘celebrity’ were seemingly interchangeable (remember Philippe Starck’s sculptural but useless lemon juicer? Or Habitat’s director’s chairs ‘designed’ by Ewan McGregor?) – Labour and Wait was built simply on the likes of practically sized dustpans, hardwearing brooms and teapots that deliver the best cup of tea in the world. “When we started,” says Simon, “everyone was trying to do everything. Nobody had their own integrity.” “Everything was a bit contrived and over-designed,”…

You should surround yourself with things that speak to you. I’ve always been an avid vintage collector. My husband used to joke that he couldn’t see Newsnight because of all the enamel in the way! I worked in palliative care for people who were terminally ill, and began selling vintage in my spare time. At one fair, I found a beautiful piece of silk printed with a map – neither the seller nor I knew what it was. After investigating, I realised it was an ‘escape and evade’ map: maps issued to pilots and the Special Forces in World War II and into the Cold War, hidden about their person in case they needed to escape from behind enemy lines. My business grew out of having a story to tell.…

Good morning! Where you are waking up? I live on a 50-foot narrowboat. I’m an actor and, at the moment, I’m taking my boat from London to Nottingham as I’m rehearsing for a play there. I need to make the most of the daylight, so I’m up by 8am with a cuppa, planning my route. What do you enjoy about life on a narrowboat? I have a real sense of freedom and of being close to nature. I love sitting on the deck watching the world go by. With a top speed of 4mph, you can’t help slowing down. With a similarly leisurely breakfast to match? I either have muesli or a vegan fry-up. Usually washed down with a ginger tea. Do you have a daily routine? My work means…

FAVOURITE BAR Scholz Beer Garten I have 30 years of fond memories of Scholz Beer Garten. With its picnic tables, cold beer and barbecue, it’s a great place to spend a few hours. San Jacinto Blvd scholzgarten.com FAVOURITE LIVE MUSIC VENUE The Continental Club This club opened in 1957 and has played host to musicians such as the legendary Stevie Ray Vaughan. Old school and intimate. S. Congress Ave continentalclub.com FAVOURITEPLACE TODANCE Broken Spoke For a night of live country music and Texas two-stepping, I love the Broken Spoke, which draws people of all ages and backgrounds. S. Lamar Blvd brokenspokeaustintx.net FAVOURITE RESTAURANT It has to be Tex-Mex but it’s so hard to choose one. My perennial favourites include Chuy’s, Matt’s El Rancho, Torchy’s Tacos, Maudie’s, Trudy’s, Tacodeli and Mi…

“The Romans had water clocks that dropped pebbles on a gong” The alarm clock is hard to love. It’s what startles you from the deepest of sleeps and jangles you into the day. It’s persistent and bossy, and won’t be silenced until you pay it attention. And the most annoying thing of all is that it does all of this for your own benefit, like a finger-wagging head mistress. In an ideal world, of course, we would be woken naturally by the gentle caress of dawn and the soft rays of sunlight streaming through muslin curtains. But the reality is that it is more usual to be jumpstarted into the new day by the insistent clamour coming from the bedside table. A tendency to oversleep and the search for a…

YOU MAY NEED... A clothes basket to heap with freshly washed laundry A peg bag to take out into the garden An ironing board: no getting away from this one, unfortunately Clothes hangers for things that don’t need to be ironed A laundry basket to fill with great piles of the unwashed A laundry bag to hang in your wardrobe and fill…

WHY GROW IT? Leaf beet is surprisingly underrated by us Brits, but we should embrace this leafy vegetable for a variety of reasons: it’s easy to grow, copes with dry conditions, introduces colour into your veg patch or herbaceous border thanks to its rainbow stalks, and is delicious to eat for much of the year – think spinach! WHEN TO SOW? Between March and July, directly in the soil. While seeds are fairly easy to grow, they need to be thinned well in order to provide plants with enough room for the roots to establish. Don’t feel you’ve cheated if you opt to use plug plants, as they can be far more reliable. Pretty hardy when it comes to dry summers, as with most vegetables, it pays to regularly water…