Table of contents for 01-Nov-15 in The Simple Things

I met some of you this month and asked you to share your simple things (we’ll be printing them in a later issue). What was interesting was that so many of them, though personal stories, were in fact universal. Making time and finding comfort were recurring themes – ‘reading all afternoon’ was not uncommon. Here’s where I take my comfort (and a book). In my favourite armchair at the top of the stairs where the low sun shines late in the day. Tea and cake perched on the windowsill. Contentment is never far away if we know where to look.…

Lizzie Ostrom’s (aka Odette Toilette) history of 100 perfumes – from the bountiful Belle Époque to the naughty nineties – works like an enticing spell. Her witty and elegant descriptions perfectly conjure up the fragrance of the scents. An old classic, Tweed, leads us “out of the city and deep into a rugged landscape of mosses, rocky outcrops, dirt and a chill in the air”, and is the sort of scent that foreign correspondent Martha Gellhorn might wear; while the heady, dystopian Angel (a best seller from Thierry Mugler) with its mix of “gourmand candyfloss” and “discordant, earthy, sour patchouli”, modelled by Jerry Hall, is heading straight for a nightclub in true Diva style. (Hutchinson)…

There’s wonder on every page of Richard Mabey’s latest book – from plants that repel, including the lotus whose leaves make it impossible for fluids to get a grip (rows of “closed-stacked, smoothly rounded pimples” make it “non-stick”) – to flowers that attract insects, bees and us with scent, bright petals and the “launching of pollen-laden missiles”. Mabey discusses the Victorian craze for ferns, explains why the forest canopy is keen on cooperation (air plants have evolved to support entire miniature ecosystems), reveals why carnivorous plants were a tricky proposition for scientists and delves into the contentious science of plant intelligence. (Profile Books)…

PROUDLY HOMEMADE FISH PIE Baking a fish pie needn’t involve using every pan in your house. In this simple recipe the veg are included in the pie so you don’t even need a side dish 200g boneless white fish fillets 200g skinless salmon fillet (pin-boned) 450ml full-fat milk 750g potatoes, peeled and halved 1 tbsp olive oil 4 baby leeks, finely sliced 3 shallots, diced 2 fennel bulbs, finely sliced 100g butter 2 tbsp plain flour 150g frozen peas 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley juice of 1 lemon salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 Preheat oven to 180C/Fan160C/350F. 2 Place the fish in a baking dish, season and pour over 400ml of the milk. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes until the fish flakes slightly when pressed…

If there’s any day you can give in to the craving for a nap, it’s Sunday*. The ideal time for a power nap is 20 minutes, as you wake feeling refreshed before entering the deep sleep phase. Salvador Dalí used to nap with a spoon in his hand – when he dropped it he knew it was time to get up as he was entering a deep sleep. You could try having coffee just before you nap so you wake up as the caffeine kicks in. Or try the Power Nap app, which times your nap for you. * Share your #sundaysuggestions and pics with us on Twitter…

WIN! £500 TO SPEND ON SHOES! a gnes & norman is a collection of shoes, designed for men and women with a discerning eye for classic style and a love of all things vintage. Bold, rich colours in leather and suede are married with delicate stitching, metallics, flattering straps and cute bows to create vintage-style shoes for work, rest and play. From cute brogues to retro-style peep toes for her, and dapper brogues, loafers and boots for him. The shoes are created by the well-established bridal shoe designer Rachel Simpson, and are designed to be as comfortable as they are stylish, with carefully selected heel heights and full leather linings. Every shoe is exclusively designed in the UK and beautifully hand-stitched by skilled craftsmen and women. Emphasis is on quality…

1. BAGEL Made from a slightly sweetened yeast dough, poached in boiling water before baking to give that tough elastic crust and firm texture within. Toasts well when stale. 2. BRIOCHE A French yeast bread, enriched with butter, milk and eggs. Makes a fluffy, light toast with a pronounced sweetness – just the job for jams and preserves. 3. CIABATTA It conjures up a centuries old Italian tradition but in fact it was invented only in 1982 specifically for sandwich making – hence the now ubiquitous panini. The flavour is mild, the texture open and the crust soft. 4. SOURDOUGH Raised with a natural ferment rather than commercial yeast, it has an elastic texture and a slight sourness. Fresh sourdough is moist and takes ages to crisp up, but if…

DANISH DREAM CAKE Serves 10–12 FOR THE CAKE 3 eggs 225g caster sugar 1 /2 tsp vanilla sugar 225g plain flour or cake flour 2 tsp baking powder 150ml whole milk 75g butter, melted FOR THE TOPPING 100g butter 150g desiccated coconut 250g cups dark brown sugar 75ml whole milk a pinch of salt EQUIPMENT 23cm springform or round cake tin, greased and lined with baking parchment 1 Preheat the oven to 190/Fan 170/375. 2 In the bowl of a food mixer, whisk the eggs, caster sugar and vanilla sugar on high speed for a few mins, until white and light. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, sift the flour and baking powder together. 3 Carefully fold the flour into the egg mixture. Mix the milk with the melted butter in…

‘‘Fiction and poetry are doses, medicines. What they heal is the rupture that reality makes on the imagination,” author Jeanette Winterson* sagely commented. We’d go one step further, and suggest that literature heals all sorts of ruptures of the psyche, from despondency to depression, anxiety to aggression. Perhaps a good book isn’t just a pleasant way of whiling away a Sunday afternoon, but could actually have transformative powers on our mood – and with winter upon us, this could be exactly the tonic we crave. Six minutes after opening a book, our heart rate slows and our muscles unclench, according to a study by the University of Sussex. So beneficial is reading to mental health, the Reading Agency has been running a Mood Boosting Books project since 2013, each year…

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PETER WIN runs his financial company from his office at home in Shoreditch. He travels a lot for work, often bringing back treasures to add to his interior. Bored of its plain white interior and itching for a change, Peter Win was on the brink of selling his 18th-century warehouse flat in Shoreditch, East London. Fortunately, a timely visit to interior designer Abigail Ahern’s shop nearby made him reconsider. Rather than move, he decided to rethink his existing space, introducing elements he had seen there. “Abigail’s use of solid, dark hues was totally different to anything I had seen before,” says Peter. “I loved the drama and magic of her interiors.” Her distinctive style combines moody, subdued colour schemes with startling colour accents and witty elements introduced in soft furnishings…

Standing tall in the corner of a living room shedding light benignly around, a standard lamp is a reassuringly steady presence. Bringing illumination to poky corners, throwing a beam above an armchair to enable book reading or casting light on to a TV supper tray, it is a generous and comforting enabler. Its heyday was the post-war years when many a fringed shade sitting atop a stout pole on a sturdy wooden base was introduced to suburban homes. Watch any black-and-white movie of the time (preferably starring Margaret Rutherford) and a standard lamp will be a prop, usually beside a winged armchair complete with antimacassar. These flared, frequently chintz, shades were often embellished with that most joyful piece of haberdashery: the pom-pom trim. Entering a dark room and fishing about…

BIRCH WATER Coconut water’s rival in the do-yourself-good stakes, birch water is made using the sap created by birch trees when winter comes to an end. It’s a traditional drink in Canada and Eastern Europe and has high levels of minerals, said to help everything from cholesterol levels to arthritis. It’s lower in sugar than coconut water, too. TRY IT: It’s served alongside British grub at eastLondon’sAlbioncafe. BUY IT: Straight from the forests of Finland, tapped.co.uk./shop SEE IT: On our Tasty Trend Pinterest board.…

NERINES WHAT IS IT? A sun-loving bulb that doesn’t need much in the way of TLC, so it’s great if you’re pushed for time to tend your plot. A little on the fussy side, nerines don’t appreciate daffodils as neighbours. But the fact that their gorgeous blooms can be used as cut flowers when little else is around, makes up for any demanding characteristics. WHY WOULD YOU? Malcolm Allison from the Nerine and Amaryllid Society (nerineandamaryllidsociety.co.uk) says, “For me it’s the scintillating colours so late in the year. Just when everything else in the garden is shutting down, the nerines arrive. They’re easy to grow though won’t do well if anything overshadows their leaves. The hardy varieties are largely in shades of pink, with some whites, but it’s the greenhouse…

INGREDIENTS an attractive branch or log drill with 5mm wood bit portable hide, toilet tent or a sheet and a shed bird food: sunflower seeds, dried mealworms, peanuts and anything else you have to hand TO SERVE 1 Secure the branch or log close to an existing bird feeding station. The background should be neutral (ideally a hedge or plain wall at least 4m away) and surfaces close to horizontal. You may need to secure a timber stake into the ground, a table or a patio umbrella stand. 2 Drill a number of shallow holes, about 5–8mm deep, in the upper surface of the log and along the vertical edges. 3 Push the bird food into the holes. 4 Repeat daily until birds are visiting regularly. TO PHOTOGRAPH 1 Position…

MARGAUX CARPENTIER is an illustrator and print maker working both independently and as a third of Animaux Circus, based in east London. She illustrated our Storytelling feature on page 93. What’s your favourite winter comfort food? A spicy butternut soup and a glass of smoky whisky by the fire. VANESSA POPE AITKEN is the latest addition to The Simple Things team. She’s always available for a chat on the main office number, and loves hearing feedback about the magazine. Her blog is petalandmortar.com What’s your favourite winter comfort food? Roasted pumpkin soup with seeds on top, and mulled wine with whole spices, simmered for ages. KIRSTIE YOUNG is a photographer who lives in Bristol with her husband Adam, son Joe and house Rabbit Ronnie Rockstar. This month she donned wellies…

Textile designer Kate Farley’s flare for spotting the beauty in the everyday inspires her fabric collections. Her latest, Construct, was “designed to provide a contemporary and subversive response to faux wood and stone effect printed materials”. Her Twist, Flow and Check Cotton cushions (above, £76 each) are the first products to launch from the collection and exhibit her characteristic graphic patterns and bright colours. Further items will follow later in the month. katefarley.co.uk…

Anyone with a passion for lighting, should head for Dyke & Dean in Hastings. The shop sells an unrivalled choice of lighting, fixtures and fittings as well as a range of complementary homeware – we especially love the original industrial lights and range of enamel shades in various shapes and vivid colours. A serious collection of fittings and fixtures are also on offer, from Bakelite ceiling roses to beautifully designed vintage-style switches. Most exciting, however, is the brand new app, with which you can design your own bespoke lighting cable – seriously addictive stuff. Next on the cards is a flagship store in London – which is guaranteed to brighten up the capital this winter. dykeanddean.com…

Treat yourself to your dream hat and mittens Spice up your baking it’s time for parkin, ginger cake and cinnamon buns Make a giant bonfire collage with autumn leaves in every hue Do a cookout lunch. Soup, stew, pancakes and hot chocolate all taste better cooked outside over a fire Light your house with candles and lanterns for the evening Sketch or take pictures of your garden as the season changes – it will help you plan for next year * We’d love to read your could-do lists for winter. Send them to becs@ icebergpress.co.uk…

There was a time when bobble hats were only worn by nerds and outdoor enthusiasts. Football supporters sported them on match days: knitted in their team’s colours by wives or mothers, they were as essential a part of football regalia as a scarf or a rosette. Skiers wore ones (and still do) embellished with snowflakes and reindeer on and off the piste to add a touch of alpine jauntiness to their outfits. Hearty, outdoorsy types, epitomised by Candice in Mike Leigh’s 1976 film Nuts in May, yomped about beneath one on camping trips. In essence, they were worn by those who didn’t know any better. How then, has this headwear, once regarded sniffily by those with sensitive fashionable sensibilities, become this winter’s go-to woolly headgear? Style arbiters including Cheryl Fernandez-Versini…

Matt Clarke never set out to become a brewer. He fell into a job at Hawkshead Brewery after meeting the owner’s son while working at a nearby pub. Three years later he’d risen to become the Cumbrian microbrewery’s head brewer, devising and creating award-winning ales ranging from fell-walkers’ thirst-quenchers to limited-edition ‘new-wave’ brews. “I can work with the ingredients,” says the self-effacing New Zealander by way of explanation for his meteoric rise. His affinity with flavour and aroma is demonstrated by the relish with which he inhales from a handful of hops or sticks his nose into a sack of malt. Matt got his big break when Alex Brodie – founder of Hawkshead Brewery and a former BBC foreign correspondent – asked him to help sniff a few different hop…

THIS AMERICAN soul food sounds like a simple proposition: a yeast-free loaf rustled up in half an hour to sponge up the juices from a gumbo or turn a bowlful of beans into a filling supper. But, like all cherished national dishes, cornbread stirs up strong feelings among those who grew up on it. No two recipes are alike. First, the cornmeal: white* in the south, yellow in the north, and sometimes cut with wheat flour for a lighter, cake-like texture – a sacrilege to lovers of crumbly pure-corn coarseness. Second, the liquid: eggs are nonnegotiable, but do you stir in milk, buttermilk or sour cream?** Most contentious is the issue of sweetness. North Americans tend to include honey, while southerners like it savoury, often adding onions, corn kernels or…

Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin. Once upon a time, we told stories. Not just to children and not only at bedtime. Storytelling played an integral part in the community, passing down history and lessons at a time when learning to read was still a luxury reserved for the rich. Homer’s epic tales survive to this day, although he never put pen to paper himself, instead relying on traditional oral storytelling methods to ensure the tales of his people were passed on. Illiterate soldiers would have recited snippets of the Iliad to inspire each other on the eve of battle, while Ancient Greek mothers taught their daughters to have the patience and loyalty of Odysseus’s wife, Penelope. Although the Brothers Grimm may be credited for Europe’s most famous collection…

Braintree Clothing has been crafting consciously designed apparel for the last 20 years. Made from 100% natural and recycled fabrics like organic cotton, hemp and bamboo, its reach-out-and-touch materials are incredibly soft, comfortable and every inch sustainable. Thoughtful design and care for the environment are at the heart of everything it does. Each season, its dedicated designers imagine timeless fashion for men and women, always with the deep belief that its story of sustainability continues to unfold with wear. The Autumn/Winter collection is full of super-soft separates, pretty prints and winter workwear – the choice is yours. View the collection online at braintreeclothing.com. As a special treat for The Simple Things readers, Braintree Clothing is offering 20% off its Autumn/Winter collection when you shop online at braintreeclothing.com until 30 November…

Ten years ago Julie Jackson released her book, Subversive Cross Stitch. In her patterns, cheeky swear words replaced wholesome homilies and pop culture motifs replaced traditional themes. Today, you can buy books such as Benedict Cumberstitch (your chance to recreate Sherlock in thread), while street artists such as Urban X-Stitch use it to transform urban environments. Meanwhile, Jackson’s original book has been re-released with 17 new patterns – here are two designs to start you stitching subversively. Cross stitch basics You will need: Material These patterns are based on standard 14-count material. (To check the count of a fabric, count the number of blocks within an inch of fabric. If there are 14 blocks in an inch, the fabric is 14-count.) Cut a piece large enough to have a border…

Sit pretty on your favourite back issues. This simple DIY project puts that ever-growing stack of magazines to good use. Even better, with no cutting or sticking, your favourite reads are always there when you want them. Leave off the cushion to double up as your DIY place for resting a cuppa. YOU WILL NEED A stack of The Simple Things magazines (other magazines are available) – the more you’ve got the higher your stool – a plywood pane, four castor wheels, 16 wood screws, screwdriver, saw, two large belts, a cushion roughly the same size as your magazines. METHOD 1 Cut the plywood to the length and width of your magazines. 2 Screw a wheel to each corner of your board. 3 Neatly stack the magazines on top of…

World famous, although no longer the world’s most popular cheese, as it was from the 14th to the 18th century. Edam is up with clogs and tulips as a symbol of its mother country of Holland, thanks to its instantly recognisable truckle shape and red exterior – once made with wood extract, now paraffin wax – contrasting with the pale yellow of the cheese. TASTING NOTES: The mild flavour sharpens as it ages. Pair aged Edam with pears and apples.…

WHY WOMEN CRY Claiming to be for “all females distracted by dishes, children, housework and husbands”, this book is a call to arms in rethinking women’s work. Published in 1943, its intended audience was likely the wartime “wenches with wrenches” of the sub-title. Whether “contented cows” or “Les Riches Bitches”, many of her subjects remain recognisable today. Alas, postwar, most wenches had to hand back their wrenches, meaning Hawes’ “revolution brewing in their kitchen” waited a couple more decades before coming to the boil. Found on abebooks.co.uk…

PYTHAGORAS’ THEOREM He actually wasn’t the first to come up with it, but the ancient Greek Pythagoras wrote this mathematical theory down, and it was therefore named in his honour. The theory relates specifically to triangles containing right angles (think of a set square, rather than a Dairylea slice). In such triangles, the hypotenuse is the side of the triangle opposite the right angle. Pythagoras’ Theorem is that the square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the square of the other two sides. In a triangle with one side of 5cm and another of 12cm, for example, Pythagoras would know that the length of the hypotenuse must be 13cm (5 x 5) + (12 x 12) = 169, and the square root of 169 is 13. Easy…

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: buttercupdaysuk.blogspot.co.uk. ‘With Red Riding Hood’ wall chart | £140 Beautiful imagery from children’s storybooks.surfaceview.co.uk Extra large Diamond LED bulb | £32 No need for a shade with this handsome brasss and glass bulb. Long-lasting, too.attpynta.com Sonam tea | £7–£8 Delicate infusions from independent plantations in the Himalayas. odellsstore.com Bear shawl | £110 This friendly fellow will give your shoulders a big old bear hug. donnawilson.com Le Creuset oval casserole | £190 It’s time for hearty, oven-baked meals. Bring out the casserole. johnlewis.com Island III Wood Burning Stove | from £2,212 Little beats a log fire to warm…

Our shopkeeper’s picks for November... ‘‘This month why not get ahead with your Christmas shopping with a little help from The Stuff of Life? We’ve got gifts for everyone. How about a 100% Merino wool throw and cushion [pictured] from Mourne Textiles for the homemaker; or an organic cotton kitchen apron from Ochre and Ocre for the domestic goddess? Literature lovers would be thrilled with a mini oak book rack by Agustav and, for the stockings of the green-fingered, you can’t beat the indulgent gardener’s scrub from Walk Mill Botanics. You’ll have Christmas sorted in no time.” Louise Gorrod, Shopkeeper * We don’t actually sell teddy bears.…

Ferguson’s Gang were a bunch of bluestockings who knew the effectiveness of a good stunt when campaigning for a good cause. They were smart, well-to do women who loved the countryside and were determined to stop the blight of urban sprawl. Dressed in disguises, they adopted pseudonyms – their leader was Bill Stickers, ably accompanied by Sister Agatha, Short Biddy and Kate O’ Brien the Nark – and, fortified by hampers from Fortnum & Mason, they raised and donated money to the National Trust, while keeping their own identities secret. Bagnall and Beck remove the masks (purchased in Harrods) to reveal the intriguing history of the women who made such a remarkable contribution to conservation. (National Trust Publishing)…

Leicester Festival of Light One of the biggest Diwali celebrations outside India. On 1 November a two-week festival of events starts, ending with dancing and fireworks on Diwali Day on 11 November. visitleicester.info Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival Huge carnival that sees more than 100 floats pass through the streets of Bridgwater in Somerset on 7 November. The procession is followed by a squibbing – hundreds of fireworks on sticks are held out simultaneously, creating a shower of light.bridgwatercarnival.org.uk Lumiere Durham A festival of light with many vast and varied light installations popping up around the city, transforming buildings into illuminated works of art from 12–15 November.lumiere-festival.com Lord Mayor’s Show, London In its 800th year, the show now involves 7,000 performers. Ends with a riverside firework display launched by the new…

In principle, nothing could be simpler than making toast. A little heat, judiciously applied to scorch a piece of bread. And yet each of us has a set of preferences about how toast should be made and served: our very own Code of Toast. Depending on the bread used, there’s the ideal level of ‘doneness’ to be considered. However hi-tech our toaster, most of us can’t resist intervening. Every toaster requires constant, neurotic jockeying, if horrible disappointment is to be avoided. And what disappointment it can be. Who among us has never burned the toast? Who has not allowed the last piece of bread in the house to be catastrophically carbonised… the doomed attempt to ‘scrape off the burned bits’ and the whole day subtly, but appreciably thrown into a…

FAVOURITE SHOP Chimanlals A-2, 210, Taj Building, DN Road, Wallace Street, Fort, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400 001 A 50-year-old, tiny shop that sells handmade paper products with a uniquely Indian touch. chimanlals.com BEST GALLERY/MUSEUM Chemould Art Gallery 3rd floor, Queens Mansion, G Talwatkar Marg, Fort, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400 001 Worth a visit for the very different kind of art they exhibit here. gallerychemould.com The RBI Monetary Museum Sir Phirozshah Mehta Rd, Kala Ghoda, Fort, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400 001 A tour of India’s rich history through its coinage, with 10,000 exhibits. FAVOURITE CAFÉS Le Café Hotel Jewel of Chembur, 1st Floor, Natraj Road, Chembur East, Mumbai, 400 071 I love the relaxed ambience and the Italian food. Sharada Bhavan in Matunga Lakhamsi Nappu Rd, Matunga, Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400019 For the fresh, South…

The beautiful librarians are dead, The fairly recent graduates who sat Like Françoise Hardy’s shampooed sisters With cardigans across their shoulders On quiet evenings at the issue desk, Stamping books and never looking up At where I stood in adoration. Once I glimpsed the staffroom Where they smoked and (if the novels Were correct) would speak of men. I still see the blue Minis they would drive Back to their flats around the park, To Blossom Dearie and red wine Left over from a party I would never Be a member of. Their rooms looked down On dimming avenues of lime. I shared the geography but not the world It seemed they were establishing With such unfussy self-possession, nor The novels they were writing secretly That somehow turned to ‘Mum’s…

PINE MARTEN “I think the best approach to wildlife photography is to work on a subject over a period of time. You get to know your subject and also the environment where they live. This image was a result of knowing where the best light would fall during the late evening.” NORTHERN GANNET “Gale-force westerly winds offer many exciting opportunities with gannets over the colonies of Hermaness. With birds performing in the updrafts from the top of the cliffs right down to the sea below, you can appreciate a sense of scale, which is what this isolated bird offered.” COMMON FROG “A spring-fed pond close to where I live offered the perfect opportunity to take this split-level shot of a frog with spawn. My biggest challenge was getting close to…

The Storyslam Moth presents : Guts 7 October, 7pm A chance for professionals and amateurs alike to get up in front of a London crowd and tell a story of their own. Check out their podcast, too.themoth.org Sneem International Storytelling and Folklore Festival 6–8 November Clare Murphy, Ray O’Sullivan and David Campbell tell tales, and storytellers visit the Irish venue from Canada, the USA and Australia.sneemstorytellingfestival.com The Crick Crack Club presents: Gilgamesh 28 November, 7.30pm This ancient epic is brought back to life by the masterful Ben Haggarty with music by Jonah Brody. London.crickcrackclub.com Orkney Festival Storytelling 22–25 October A weekend of storytelling by local tellers and international guests. Takes place across Orkney in various locations including Kirkwall and Stromness.orkneystorytellingfestival.co.uk London Dreamtime presents: Unlucky Again 13 November, 9pm A lantern-lit…

Spiky, swollen and strangely-shaped, succulents* and cacti are the most intriguing of houseplants. Cluster a bunch of them in different containers and you have a cabinet of curiosities. And one that needs little attention: they cleverly store water in their leaves and stems making them about as low maintenance as gardening can get. Win-win. * The word ‘succulent’ comes from the Latin ‘succus’ referring to the juice or sap in their fleshy parts. This enables them to survive on mist and dew in their natural habitat. For more advice on growing succulents, see page 114 .…

Sadly the British climate isn’t brilliant for growing succulents outside. Happily there are many succulents that will do well indoors, providing you know how to look after them. There are only three basic rules. Maybe this is why people say succulents are hard to kill. When I hear this, I always cringe a little. Sure, they can be very forgiving and are often easy for people to keep alive, but in parts of the world (or in parts of your home) they can be tricky. As I’ve experimented with my own collection I’ve discovered a few things that will help make growing them easier. On that subject, if you take away one thing from reading this it is: don’t be afraid to experiment. So much of what I know is…

MARK DIACONO is a green-fingered foodie who grows, cooks and eats produce on his Devon smallholding. His latest book The New Kitchen Garden (Saltyard Books, £22) is available on a ‘pay what you can afford’ basis from otterfarm.co.uk. The fields are all a touch skeletal. Aside from a few evergreen shrubs and the bamboo, few leaves remain hanging. The views are long. The orchards are thick with fallen browns and oranges, none more so than the medlar and quince orchard, with its carpet of colours waiting to catch the fruit that still hangs on the trees. As slow as November feels, there’s a quelled sense of panic: until next summer, this is it for fruit. After a long season growing, the medlars and quince, along with sloes and the last…

BASICS: 2 players; Ace low Each player receives 10 cards. The next card is turned up as the discard pile; the remaining cards form the stock. Collect runs – more than three cards of the same suit in consecutive order – or sets – three or four cards of the same rank – by picking up a card from the discard pile or stock. A card must then be discarded. K, Q, J are 10 points; aces score one. If a player’s ‘deadwood’ (cards not in sets or runs) totals less than 10, they can knock. The knocker then lays out their hand. Their opponent can combine their hand into the sets or runs, unless the knocker has ‘gone gin’, i.e. has no deadwood. Both players count their deadwood. The…

Rosemary, sage and bay are hardy fellows and will survive, albeit in go-slow mode if left in the garden over the winter. Your basic garden mint, grown in a pot and kept in a sunny, sheltered spot will muddle through, too. It’s worth providing a bit of extra TLC by mulching around roots to keep out the cold or covering with horticultural fleece. They won’t put on much growth so don’t demand too much by way of fresh pickings. Go for new leaves and shoots, avoiding old growth if you can. A few other things you could try: 1. Move varieties like thyme, parsley and oregano into a cold frame or unheated greenhouse, which will help them flourish. 2. You can sow coriander outdoors in February as it copes well…

Conchiglie Remind yourself of sunny, sandy beaches with this shell-shaped pasta. It’s also perfectly fashioned to scoop up all that delicious pasta sauce and veg. Malloreddus Translates as “fat little calves”. Ridged on the outside to catch sauce, this pasta has plumped many happy calves and tummies. Rigatoni Wider than penne, these tubes of pasta are ribbed for your eating pleasure. Their sturdy grooves are great at handling substantial, meaty sauces. Cavatappi As the shape suggests, cavatappi is named after the Italian word for corkscrew. Brilliant at mopping up the results of one too many bottles of wine… Tagliatelle Rolled-up egg pasta dough that’s cut across to make ribbons (“tagliare” means “to cut”). Fettuccine is the southern equivalent. Penne rigate A mini masterpiece of Italian design. The slanted ends draw…