Food from afar: Guatemalan Tortillas (and where to eat them)

Enjoy fluffy, smoky, delicious Guatemalan tortillas, a favourite of the Mayans - and us. In the land of the Mayans, where the slap-slap of wet dough between palms is as familiar a sound as honking horns and howler monkeys, tortillas have been a cornerstone of the country's cuisine for 3500 years, accompanying almost every meal, often in lieu of cutlery.

Dry, mature maize kernels are boiled over a fire in a bowl of alkaline water. This produces a soupy substance known as nixtamal - pronounced neesh-tamal - which is drained, then ground into dough at the communal mill.

Women and children then wet their hands, grab a handful of dough and clap their hands together to shape a perfectly round, even tortilla. After cooking them on the comal - a traditional, wood-fired Mayan-style stove - the tortillas recline in a blanket-lined basket ready to be devoured.

Want to try them for yourself? We can't find a Guatemalan restaurant in the UK (let us know if we're wrong!), but try these top Latin American options instead:

Wahaca

Devised by Thomasina Miers, Masterchef winner, Wahaca serves authentic Mexican street food. Try the 'Little Softies' tacos to satisfy your bread urges.

Ceviche

As well as being a staple fish dish in South America, Ceviche is a Peruvian kitchen in London's Soho. Winner of the Sunday Times Cookbook of the Year in 2013, Ceviche offers its namesake dish in half a dozen forms.

Buen Ayre

Head to Hackney's Broadway market for a taste of Argentina in the form of Buen Ayre.  Expect warm service, fine wines, and some of the best steak you'll find in the capital.

Bodega

Bodega in Birmingham offers dishes from Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Cuba and Argentina, as well as vegan and gluten-free options. Try the Cordero Seco - a Peruvian lamb stew braised in Negra Modelo beer.

Lucha Libre

With branches in both Liverpool and Manchester, this Mexican street food restaurant is a firm favourite in the North West. Classic light options and more substantial dishes sit alongside an impressive tequila menu.

Know of any we've missed? Let us know on Twitter or Facebook.

Image by Rudy Giron, available to purchase here.

Inspired by...ice cream!

You'll never met someone who didn't like ice cream, celebrate your love for this summertime treat with our favourite recipes and ice cream inspired accessories from around the web.

Top row (left to right): Wheel thrown ice cream bowls JD Wolfe Pottery, strawberry and mint froyo, mint chocolate ice cream print Painter Peeps

Bottom row (left to right): Roasted strawberry and coconut lollies, personalised ice cream pots Randomalia Designs

Find out more about everyone's favourite summer treat from our ice cream expert inside issue 13.

July book club: The giving garden

Nothing beats growing your own, whether that's on a patio., in a window box or even just a pot, this month inside The Simple Things we give you some tips on how to turn the tiniest of spaces into big harvests, but if you need a little more inspiration here are our top five books on how to get the most from your garden/trolley/tub etc

Teeny Tiny Gardening Emma Hardy

If you can't go out, go up, Emma Hardy shows you how to make herbs, vegetables and salad leaves thrive in pots on balconies and doorsteps, no garden needed.  The book retails at £14.99 but readers of The Simple Things can get a discount call 01256 302699 quote GLR 8BN to purchase a copy at the special price of £12.99 including free P&P!

Good Companions Josie Jeffery

The ancient practice of companion planting is a simple, eco-friendly method of combining species that help each other out. Revived by American back‑to-the-land activist Bolton Hall in the early 20th century and taken up by the Good Lifers of the 1960s and 1970s, it’s perfect for busy modern gardeners too. Good Companions: The Mix & Match Guide to Companion Planting explains the history and benefits of the technique, and offers top combining tips, such as dandelions and fruit trees, or clover and cabbage. Flipbook pages help you to mix and match your chosen plant, whether tomato, peach or plum, with the best partners to nourish its roots, deter pests and enhance flavour – all totally chemical-free. Keen gardeners and novices alike will find much to learn and use in Jeffery’s highly readable guide.

The Speedy Vegetable GardenMark Diacono & Lia Leendertz

Time is of the essence with this bright little book, which promises crops within weeks, days and even hours. The Speedy Vegetable Garden offers tips on how to sow, nurture and harvest 50 quick grows, such as the herb cilantro, which takes 14 days, or fennel, edible after ten. It also offers alternative varieties of traditional slow-growing plants, such as dwarf French beans, which take 60 days, or early potatoes, ready in 75. Perfect for the busy urban gardener, plants can be grown in pots and on windowsills for quick, healthy sustenance.

HOMEGROWN REVOLUTION James Wong

Superfoods are big business, but ironically they can also be tricky to find. With his new book, James Wong shows how simple it is to grow unusual greens, veg and herbs at home. He’s also keen to point out that many of these crops are easier to grow than what he dubs ‘wartime ration book’ allotment crops. He shows how to grow a quirky selection, including cucamelons, Tasmanian mountain pepper, quinoa and red strawberry popcorn. Each ingredient comes with how to grow, harvest and eat them. And, most importantly, a great set of recipes is included too.

Gifts from the Garden Debora Robertson The garden can provide an infinite source of inspiration, and in her book, Debora Robertson takes herbs, flowers, fruit, vegetables and nuts to make special and unusual gifts to give away. You can learn how to make decorated stationery, herbal face wash and even marigold cheese, with flowers and ingredients that you have grown yourself. All the instructions and recipes in the book are beautifully laid out, with great photography and lots of extra tips and suggestions. Plus there are ideas for taking things from your garden and using them as embellishments for when you are wrapping the gifts you’ve made.

Issue 12 moodboard: If wishes were fishes

A round-up of products we love from around the web inspired by the new issue of The Simple Things.

Column one: fishing hook bracelet UGothooked, weird fish notepad Jaquelinafreitas, column two: fish bowl Clayopera, abstract tiles Tillissimo, catch of the day mugs Not On The High Street, column three: star fish pillow ChloeandOliveDotCom, whale t-shirt CandyBarrel

Don't forget to pick up a copy of issue 12 inside which River Cottage's Head Chef Gill Meller give us the low down on sustainable fish.

Things to do this bank holiday weekend

Three days to forget about work, remove yourself from the sofa and go out and find adventures in new places. If you're stuck for what to do this weekend, fear not. Our friends at The National Trust have put together the perfect guide to events happening up and down the country.

Here's three of our favourite activities for the weekend...

Parade along the bluebells- nothing says British springtime quite like a sea of bluebells. Find your nearest bluebell walk here.

Cheshire's Victorian May Day - from maypole dancing to Punch and Judy, and a whole host of activities in between.

May Fayre - Morden Hall Park, London - stalls, crafts, shows and live music throughout the entire weekend.

Click here to find an event in your area.

Have a happy bank holiday!

The Simple Things Book Club: April

Refreshing reads to help you pause, plan, and make an early night essential.

Turned Out Nice Again - Richard Mabey

Why we love it: Mabey explores our weather obsession in a fascinating mix of the scientific, historial, literary and mythological.

Hand Quilted With Love - Sarah Fielke

Why we love it: Fielke gives a whislte-stop yet informative tour of everything novice and advanced stitchers need to know, including guides to fabrics, equipment and sewing techniques.

A Good Egg - Genevieve Taylor

Why we love it: after realising her dream of keeping back-garden chickens, Taylor shares advice on how a garden and 'the girls' moods changes throughout the year, this lovely book is also packed full of tempting recipes which will leave you earning for a coop too.

Supergrains - Chrissy Freer

Why we love it: Chrissy introduces 12 ancient 'supergrains' with historical background and nutritional values. With over 100 recipes to bring these forgotten grains back to life in the kitchen.

Amity & Sorrow - Peggy Riley

An explosive tale of faith, sex and power.

Petite Mort - Beatrice Hitchman

Fans of silent films and historical fiction will delight in this chocolate box of a novel, which mixes love, lust, amd scandel with the stardust of 1900s Paris.

Frances and Bernard Carlene Bauer

Inspired by the relationship between Flannery O'Connor and Robert Lowell, Frances and Bernard is warm, intelligent and addictive.

The Banner of the Passing Clouds - Anthea Nicholson

Nicholson brings to life the drab, oppressive towerblock landscape of a crumbling state of USSR-ruled Georgia, but also the songs, humour and passions of its people in this tense, gritty novel.

Have you read any of these books? Join the conversation in the comments below.

Can you guess the egg?

Using our notes on eggs guide in Issue 7 can you correctly guess these unidentified eggs? Leave your answers in the comments below!

1. Clue: these eggs are quite rare and most commonly found in the spring.

2. Clue: Not for baking, these are best boiled.

3. Clue: Commonly known as the 'American ostrich'

4. Clue: These eggs are known for their tough outer shell.

To read eggs-pert Richard Kempsey's guide to the humble egg download Issue 7 now or order a copy online.

Issue 7 (March 2013) is currently available in UK shops, subscribe here.

** For more eggs-ceedingly eggs check out Clarence Court's website or say hi on Twitter: @ClarenceCourt

Pumpkin recipe round-up

Halloween is nearly here! Welcome to our pumpkin recipe round-up. We love carving pumpkins but hate waste, so in the spirit of thriftiness, we've hunted out the best pumpkin recipes for you so that nothing ends up in the bin!

There's no reason to wait until the evening to get into the Halloween spirit, so start early and kick the day off with pumpkin waffles from Pasty Affair. Served with plenty of maple syrup and flavoured with warming cinnamon and spice, we can't help thinking that these would be the perfect start to any chilly autumn day.

A Subtle Revelry has come up with a recipe for pumpkin bourbon cocktails which caught our eye. This slushy cocktail combines pumpkin and bourbon with brewed black tea. We can't quite imagine how this will taste, but we do firmly believe that nothing can't be improved with a cup of tea, so we'll definitely be trying it out.

Just because you're past the years of trick or treating doesn't mean Halloween can't include a few sweet treats! The Sweetest Occasion has lived up to its name with its mini pumpkin cheesecake pecan tart recipe. Is it a cheesecake? Is it a pumpkin pie? Is it a pecan tart? All we know is that this many yummy  desserts combined into one recipe can only be a good thing!

When we said we didn't want to waste anything we really weren't kidding. Our final offering comes from House of Earnest, who've done their very own round-up of pumpkin seed recipes. One medium pumpkin yields enough seeds to make all three flavours, so you can even try them all! Sensational seasonal snacking.

The Simple Things Etsy lookbook

The Simple Things has curated an autumn lookbook for Etsy UK!

Etsy is where all the coolest and most talented indie makers and designers hang out. The Simple Things team are all massive fans, so we were honoured to be asked to curate an autumn lookbook for Etsy UK.

Want to see what we came up with? Click over to the Etsy UK Facebook page to see our pick of the best quirky, quaint and downright lovely products to in the cooler months in style.

Vegetable of the month ... sweetcorn

It's vegetable of the month time again! Our champion veggie for October is *drumroll* ... sweetcorn! We'll preface this by saying that of course, all anyone really needs to do with sweetcorn is slather it in butter. Boom - delicious. However, that doesn't make for a great round-up. So, if you're in the mood to branch out a little, read on ...

First of all, how pretty and lovely is Naturally Ella's sun dried tomato and sweetcorn risotto? Very, is the answer. This recipe makes sweetcorn look a whole load classier than we ever imagined it could. Rustic, hearty and perfect for a nippy October evening.

Another option for a simple sweetcorn supper is Love and Olive Oil's sweetcorn ravioli recipe. Home-made pasta is little labour intensive, but absolutely worth the effort once in a while. Show off your hard work with pared-back and delicious flavour combinations - fresh herbs, rich ricotta and a light white wine sauce.

Another fan of the sweet-corn/creamy cheese pairing is Naturally Ella. If we had an 'interesting party nibbles we'd like to try' list, her sweetcorn and cream cheese potstickers would be at the top.

For a casual lunch with friends, A Couple Cooks has come up with a recipe for sunshine yellow sweetcorn muffins that could brighten up the dullest day. Serve with fried root veggie crisps for all the colours of autumn on a plate!

Finally, we need to give an honourable mention to a recipe which sounds totally barmy, but received so many rave reviews on foodie blogs we couldn't ignore it any longer. That recipe is ... (wait for it) ... sweetcorn ice-cream. Click over to Cook Republic for a how-to, and let us know if it's as ridiculous as it sounds!

Postage stamp craft

Our friends at Oxfam got in touch last week in search of some crafty ideas to go with the bags of vintage stamps they're selling in the Oxfam online shop. We love a challenge, so here you go - a round-up of our tip-top postage stamp craft ideas...

First up is A Law Student's Journey, who's put her own twist on a well-established trend to create this postage stamp bunting.  Very simple, quirky and somehow much more winter-appropriate than fabric bunting. We love.

Requiring a little more patience and dexterity are Just Something I Made's miniature stamp houses. Blogger Cathe has tucked a roll of stamps inside hers and made it into a stamp dispenser, and we think this would be a super-cute way to store stickers. Pop over to Just Something I Made for a free printable template.

Finally, we couldn't do a postage stamp craft round-up without a little découpage (they're already sticky on the back, for goodness sake!). Crafty blogs are awash with postage stamp découpage ideas, but our favourite is this dresser from The Next Stitch. A gorge display of stamps, dove grey paintwork and a little gold leaf. Perfectly imperfect and shabby-chic at its best.

For the best range of vintage stamps around, pop over to the Oxfam online shop (and check out their new Oxfam Shops Facebook page while you're at it!).

Vegetable of the month ... courgette

Champion of the veggie patch this month is the courgette. Join us as we round up our fave recipes for you to get stuck in to...

Kicking off our collection is Gourmande in the kitchen's raw courgette ribbon salad which we'll be trying out while there's still a little summer warmth in the air.

This salad was born when garden-less blogger Sylvie offered to help take some home-grown courgettes off her friends' hands - what a good Samaritan! We love that it requires barely any ingredients. A little dressing, some crunchy pine nuts and crumbled goats' cheese are all that's needed to make the courgette shine.

When the weather starts getting a little chillier, Cafe Johnsonia's spicy courgette wedges will be just the thing to warm us up. Blogger Lindsey 'made this up as she went along' and assures us that we can do just the same. We're thinking cumin, garlic and a little paprika...mmm...

Finally, we had been hunting out courgette cake recipes for this post, but when we came across this beautiful harvest cake on Roost we just had to share it with you. This recipe combines courgette with apple and carrot, and is sweetened with honey and vanilla cream. We think it'll taste as wonderful as it looks.

Do you have any favourite courgette recipes? Share 'em below!

Remember to check out the rest of our vegetable of the month series.

Three best cushion customising ideas

Sometimes we want a room revamp when are purses are feeling a little empty. Luckily, we've discovered that all that's really needed to turn the plainest cushion into a thing of beauty is a little imagination and few craft supplies. Join us as we round up three of the best crafty cushion customising ideas ...

1. Print it

Grab some fabric paint or a marker and get back in touch with your artistic side. We love this dotty cushion design from Hello Milky on Etsy, which uses neon fabric paint to tap into this summer's trend for all things hi-vis. You don't just have to stick to circles either - those are designer-maker Jess' fun star cushions in our cover pic.

If you have something to get off your chest, use a stencil to scribble out your message, like Wit & Whistle's stencilled cushion tutorial. Take a tip from blogger Amanda and draft out your design in pencil first to avoid any spelling disasters!

2. Get colourful 

Adding a pop of colour is a really easy way to inject some life into a neutral design. Made in Oxford has mixed up simple applique and contrast stitching in their adorable elephant cushions.

Alternatively, nip down to your local fabric shop to sift through their cute buttons and trims. And remember, if your cushion is plain you can get away with being a little crazy with your trims! Check out Bentley Bicycles' bright pom pom trim and coconut shell button combo if you don't believe us.

 3. Add another dimension

If you want a total revamp, its time to crack out the sewing machine and add a little texture. Pay homage to the blooms in your back yard with a rose cushion from Burlap and Blue or go girlie with Say Yes to Hoboken's oversized bow pillow. We especially love that both bloggers have opted for a neutral fabric and decided to let the shape do all the talking.

Vegetable of the month ... lettuce

All different types of lettuce hit their peak in the balmy summer months, ready to coincide with the days when we're craving a crunchy, crispy salad. Don't you love it when mother nature does that? We've rounded up our top lettuce recipes for you to enjoy.

Proving first off that lettuce can be the star of the dish, is this garlic scape dressing recipe from The First Mess. Blogger Laura thinks a dressing can make or break a salad, and this is her fave (psst... don't worry if you don't have any garlic scapes, regular cloves will do just as well).

Once you've mastered a top-notch dressing, you can go crazy with the extras. If you're having trouble awakening your inner Jamie Oliver, check out Emma's  five favourite summer salads on A Beautiful Mess for some inspiration.

Next we've got something a little different. Sprouted Kitchen's rustic goats' cheese pizza is scattered with a generous handful of dressed lettuce once it's out of the oven. A thin, crispy base and crunchy salad leaves make this pizza light, fresh and perfect for summer evenings.

Finally (and you'll notice we're getting gradually less and less healthy here), we couldn't have a lettuce round-up without featuring everyone's top sandwich, the BLT.

You'd be right in thinking you don't strictly need a  BLT recipe - the acronym pretty much covers everything. However, if you're interested in elevating the already-mighty sandwich to something even more special, click over to Not Without Salt. A touch of slow roasting, a spoonful of basil and ... oh, we'll let Blogger Ashley share the rest. We can't wait any longer, we're off to make one.

P.S. Click to check out the rest of our vegetable of the month posts!

Upcycled chests of drawers round-up

Ever since we blogged about furniture upcycling company Out of the Dark last week, we've been noticing loads of cool and creative ideas for renovating old furniture all over the net. Here's a mini round up of our favourites. First to earn a mention is Chi Chi Studio's hand painted chest of drawers. Her delicate bird and branch motif has transformed a boring piece of furniture into an unexpected work of art, and we love that blogger Kristin hasn't just gone down the safe route with a solid colour.

Second up, we have a question for you. Have you ever considered wallpapering anything other than a wall? No, us neither. Beautiful prints, interesting textures and a wonderfully quirky concept put Bryonie Porter's wallpapered furniture firmly on the list.

Finally, because we love a good tutorial, is interiors blog Twice Lovely. The blog is filled with furniture upcycling ideas, but our favourite is this on-trend chevron print chest of drawers DIY, which uses masking tape for a quick and easy stencilling effect.

You may have noticed that another chest of drawers has sneaked its way into this post. This is another of Ann Marie's ideas, and we've included it as proof that transforming an old dresser can be as straightforward as adding a lick of paint and some beautiful new handles. Sometimes, simple really is best.

Vegetable of the month ... cucumber

Maybe it's because we're so used to just bunging them in green salads. Maybe it's because they're simply not that photogenic. Whatever the reason, when we started hunting out cucumber recipes for July's vegetable of the month, we had much more trouble than usual. Thank goodness we persevered, though, because we've turned up some delicious new cucumber recipes for you to get excited about.

Kicking off our round up is this frankly beautiful cucumber salad from Epicurean Mom. Blogger Katie's recipe uses crunchy veggies and a light, zingy dressing, then makes it all a bit special with edible flowers.

Secondly we have tzatziki from Pinch My Salt. We're not sure how to pronounce it and we had to check the spelling twice, but we are very happy eating it. Tangy and creamy, it's the perfect dipping partner for toasted pita bread and mouthwatering spooned over barbecued meat in a Greek-style wrap.

To finish off, we thought we'd share some cucumber drinks with you. For health-conscious readers, check out Cafe Johnsonia's cucumber, melon and kiwi juice recipe. It's blogger Lindsey's favourite drink, and boasts an ingredient list that takes care of all of your five-a-day in one fell swoop. Impressive.

For those of you that are less well behaved, we're also intrigued by Cookie + Kate's cucumber cocktails. Choose between Cucumber Caipiranha and Cucumber Cooler with watermelon (we're aware of the excessive amount of alliteration going on in this last paragraph) for a refreshing end to a summer picnic.

Dip something in paint

Anyone who’s anyone is dipping things in paint at the moment. From furniture to jewellery to clothing, it seems there is nothing that is safe from this trend. Here’s our round up of the best dip-dyed DIY projects.

First up is Martha Stewart’s dip-dyed baskets, which we think may have been responsible for kicking off the whole craze off. Turns out, woven straw plus bright white matt paint equals summery design heaven - who’d have thought?

Second to make our lust-list is House of Earnest blogger Erin, who’s brought the trend to the kitchen with her dip-dyed wooden utensils. For this how-to, make sure you use non-toxic paint (Erin’s chosen high gloss food safe shellac) and only dip the handle end to minimise chipping.

Last but not least is this dipped wooden bead necklace tutorial from Laura Parke. Okay, technically these are painted, not dipped, but the effect is the same. We’re torn between neon shades (so cool as a contrast to the wood) and summery pastels. We may just have to make two.

Vegetable of the month ... peas

We love peas. Just as good from frozen as they are fresh, no chopping required and they cook in no time at all. What’s not to like?

Well, apparently, not everyone is such a fan of the tiniest of the vegetables. In a bid to change this, we’ve hunted around for the most exciting pea recipes (bear with us) to share with you.

First of all, peas and pasta. Everyone knows that peas go with carbonara but have you ever tried pea pesto? Nah, thought not. Recipe pro Deb from Smitten Kitchen has come up with a pea pesto recipe which looks super-simple and totally gorgeous. Pop over to her blog for a peek.

We can’t help but be intrigued by Beyond [the Plate]’s pea and ricotta spread. Blogger Danielle’s recipe combines creamy ricotta and sweet peas with roasted garlic to give an ‘earthy, aromatic kick’. We’ll be following her example and serving this on toasted bread for a light lunch with a difference.

There’s definitely something about peas that says Springtime. What do we like most about Spring food? Salads. And so, we present this lentil and shell pea salad recipe from La Buena Vida. This salad had been ramped up a notch with feta for creamyness, pistachios for crunch and mint to keep it fresh, and we cannot wait to try it out.

Have we converted you yet?

Click to see the rest of our vegetable of the month series!

Deck the house out in Jubilee designs

It’s another Jubilee themed post, sorry. We can’t help it, we’re caught up in all the excitement! This time, its a round up of all the best products inspired by Her Majesty. Back to normal tomorrow, we promise.

First up, this pop art postage stamp bunting from Etsy's LottieDots1. Crafter Laura’s design has a cool, retro feel that will definitely stand out in the midst of all the red, white and blue.

Secondly, we’re buying into the age-old tradition of commemorative tea towels. Our favourites are Rocket St. George’s Singing in the Reign design (love a good pun), Lovely Jubilee from Hunted and Stuffed (there we go again) and this commemorative Corgi tea towel, also from Rocket St. George.

Finally, we’ll be rounding off our day with a lovely cup of tea, which we will be sipping from a delicate corgi teacup purchased from Emilou Makes on Etsy. With a raised little finger, of course.