Thanks to our friends at Abel & Cole, we're giving you the chance to win a year of organic veg boxes with Issue 12 of The Simple Things out tomorrow. You'll find details of how to enter and a delicious seasonal recipe inside the mag, so make sure you get your hands on a copy!
Ten summer songs
A new playlist inspired by our new issue out on 2 July, our followers on Twitter and the first few days of summer.
Enjoy.
Revealed: The cover of Issue 12
This month we're joined by River Cottage's Gill Meller as our expert on British fish, escape on a Swallows and Amazons adventure, and gather for a barbie on the beach at sundown...
P.S. If you'd like an exclusive preview inside the mag, make sure you sign up to our newsletter this week.
Win tickets to the Grow It Yourself UK gathering!
Hailed the 'Glastonbury for Growers' by Mark Diacono, the GIY (Grow It Yourself) Gathering is the event not to be missed if you love, or would love to start growing your own food, and we have four tickets to give away!
Join Maddy Harland, Rachel de Thample, Mark Diacono and The Simple Things contributor Alys Fowler on the 20 July in Birmingham for a special day to inspire and support UK food growers. You'll have a chance to meet and quiz expert growers, pick up tips from demonstrations, and take part in discussion and debate about local food and the community food growing movement.
The GIY Gathering will bring together 300 like minded growers together to mark the launch of GIY in the UK, which is an emerging global network of community food growers made up of interconnected food-growing groups of over 50,000 people and 800 individual community food projects. And thanks to the people at Carbon Gold, we have four tickets to give away!
Speakers include BBC gardening presenter and author Alys Fowler; Abel & Cole food editor, author and urban gardener Rachel de Thample; photographer, author and smallholder Mark Diacono; food writer, gardening journalist and author Lia Leendertz, Paul Clarke (Pop Up Farm), Michael Michaud (Sea Spring Seeds founder), Michael Kelly (GIY founder), Dr David Shaw (Savari Trust) and Maddy Harland (Permaculture Magazine).
The GIY UK Gathering takes place in the University of Birmingham on Saturday 20 July 2013 from 9am to 5pm, and tickets for the day cost £25. Tickets and more information are available from www.giyinternational.org
Win your own SousVide Supreme Demi with The Simple Things
As seen in our July issue of The Simple Things we're giving you a chance to win a SousVide Supreme Demi worth £450.
Sous vide cooking is a tried and tested method in restaurants since the 70s, popular with the likes of Raymond Blanc and Heston Blumenthal. French for 'under vacuum' food is 'poached' in a bag to lock in flavour and nutrients. Once a way of cooking reserved for the professionals, you can now give it a whirl in your own kitchen with the SousVide Supreme Demi water oven. This is not weird science but an easy, low energy and controlled way of cooking any meat, fish or veg (and even sauces, cakes, and infused vodkas!).
Are you ready to start experimenting, because we're giving you the chance to win your very own SousVide - click here to enter now!
Recipe: Fluffy blueberry pancakes for Father's Day
Home cook, photographer and mother Kat Molesworth from Housewife Confidential has stopped by to share a special recipe suitable for small hands to make and perfect for sharing with the whole family this Father's Day.
Days of whispered planning, secret making and dreaming of the special breakfast – “We will make pancakes, won’t we Mama?” They rush down the stairs in their pyjamas, pulling open the fridge and jumping up and down like monkeys. Everyone takes a turn at adding ingredients, mixing and checking the blueberries taste good (they do). Then the air fills with a comforting buttery sizzle as the first pancakes plop into the pan. We stack them on a plate, their jammy berries oozing and delicious and glug the maple syrup on top. Cards and presents, coffee and the pancakes all troop up the stairs to where Papa waits.
This is the morning when a little more time is taken, to say thank you, to cuddle and to nourish. Let’s take a walk, go slowly, hold hands and remember why this love, pure and simple, is the best.
Happy Father’s Day!
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Fluffy Blueberry Pancakes
135g plain flour
½ tbsp. caster sugar
2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
30g butter, melted and cooled slightly
250ml milk
1 egg
Method:
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- Melt the butter in a pan on a low heat and set aside to cool. - Sieve the dry ingredients into a bowl and stir to combine. - Lightly whisk the milk and egg together then pour the melted butter in and whisk again. - Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk to combine only. You will have a lumpy batter, over whisking will activate the gluten and make your pancakes tough. - Rub a large frying pan with butter or oil and use a small ladle to drop the batter onto the pan over a medium heat. You should be able to fit several in at a time depending on the size of your pan. - As they begin to cook drop blueberries into the surface of each pancake. - Cook for 1 – 2 minutes on each side until they are just done – you should see little holes form on the surface and they should be lightly browned. - Serve hot with a generous glug of maple syrup!
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If you would like to learn to take beautiful photographs like Kat, visit her online film and photography school Capturing Childhood their Manual Overdrive course begins today and there are gift certificates available for all of the online courses. All photography © Kat Molesworth
Flowers in the house
This year's Chelsea Flower show has put blooms firmly in our brains this week. The centenary edition of the show has been spectacular, even from afar, and has certainly left us wanting a small piece of the action. And so, we present to you - 'The Simple Things' flower show', displaying the best of our readers most-loved blooms, because though we can't all have an artisan garden to enjoy, we can all enjoy flowers in the house.
Join us on Pinterest
The smell of a new book, a recipe that really works, board games after Sunday lunch. A good day means different things to different people, but half the fun is sharing it.
If it's the little things that make your day, join our community Pinterest board and share them with us online. Simply leave your Pinterest handle in the comments below.
We can't wait to share in your simple thing.
Seriously stylish, seriously ethical
Fashion-Conscience is an online store selling the best in Fair Trade, organic, sustainable, recycled, up-cycled and vegan clothing, accessories and gifts. From well known brands to small independent brands all showing us it's stylish to be green. And best of all, they're giving us 15% off until 31st May if you use the code: SIMPLE at the checkout. A great excuse to treat yourself over the bank holiday!
* Terms and Conditions:
To claim your 15% off please use code SIMPLE at the checkout. 15% off only valid on full priced purchases. Offer does not include delivery charges. Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer/s. Valid until and including 31st May 2013
WIN! A complete outfit from Barbour (closed)
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Win a His and Hers outfit from the brand new Dress Tartan collection worth £1000!
Celebrating its long association with tartan, Barbour has introduced a new Dress Tartan collection for Spring Summer 2013. The collection, which features iconic jackets, light knitwear and accessories, offers a stylish and statement cover-up for the brighter seasons ahead. To celebrate Barbour’s new Dress Tartan Collection, The Simple Things have teamed up with Barbour to offer one lucky reader the chance to win a His and Hers outfit from the collection.
For Him: there’s the choice of a range of lightweight summer jackets, including the very stylish longer length Casual Coater Jacket, available in navy or sandstone with a subtle Dress Tartan lining, or the shorter, Reversible Harrington - a lightweight casual jacket that can be worn as one solid colour in navy or desert or reversed for a large dress tartan check - the ultimate in versatility! Team with the Munro Polo in 100% cotton in a choice of colours including grey, navy, red, stone and white, along with the Bretby Crew Neck with baby cord elbow patches for chillier summer evenings, and he’s good to go!
For Her: there’s the blogger’s favourite – the Reversible Cedar Trench - a smart reversible double breasted trench that even comes with a reversible belt. Or, why not opt for a quilted jacket – either the Willow Quilt with its distinctive onion quilt design and tartan interior lining or the bolder Tartan Summer Liddesdale - both easy to wear and great casual pieces to match with a light knit, like Barbour’s Cambrose Crew, for summer evening walks in the country.
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So how would you style it? Take inspiration from top lifestyle bloggers Carrie from 'Wish Wish Wish', Olivia from 'What Olivia Did'. Cait from 'Wayward Daughter' and Dunya from 'Dearest Deer'. Here's what Olivia wore - and keep a look out on the blog to discover how each of the others wore Barbour's favourite print!
TERMS & CONDITIONS:By taking part in our competitions and giveaways, you agree to be bound by the Competition Rules which are summarised below but can be viewed in full at www.futuretcs.com. Late or incomplete entries will be disqualified. 2. Proof of posting (if revelvant) shall not be deemed proof of delivery. 3. Entries must be submitted by an individual (not via any agency or similar) and, unless otherwise stated, are limited to one per household. 4. The Company reserves the right in its sole discretion to substitute any prize with cash or a prize of comparable value. 5. Unless otherwise stated, the competition is open to all GB residents of 18 years and over, except employees of Future Publishing and any party involved in the competition or their households. 6. By entering a Competition you give permission to use your name, likeness and personal information in connection with the Competition and for promotional purposes. All entries will become property of the Company upon receipt and will not be returned. You warrant that the Competition entry is entirely your own work and not copied or adapted from any other source. If you are a winner, you may have to provide additional information. 7.Details of winners will be available on request within three months of the closing date. If you are a winner, receipt by you of any prize is conditional upon you complying with(amongst other things) the Competition Rules. You acknowledge and agree that neither the Company nor any associated third parties shall have any liability to you in connection with your use and/or possession of your prize.
DATA PROTECTION TERMS & CONDITIONS:When entering our competition by post, text or email you agree to our competition rules and that you're happy to receive details of future offers and promotions from Future Publishing Limited and carefully selected third parties, via post, email or text message. If you do not want to receive this information, please mark your email entries 'NO OFFERS' or include the word 'STOP' at the end of your text message.
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Fabric fields: Anna Maria Horner
Some of you may recognise this gorgeous bit of fabric from the inside cover of our May issue. It comes from a collection of fabrics called 'Field Study' by Anna Maria Horner.
A sense of adventure and the idea of investigating the natural world up close and from afar were at the core of every print that I designed for Field Study. Yet there were very specific inspirations as well. I got to know moths quite intimately after researching how to cure an infestation in our kitchen pantry- though the beauties that appear in "Sinister Swarm" look nothing like our household variety. Global bird migration maps that I came across inspired "Migratory Lace," and botanical reference drawings gave birth to prints like "Specimen." My "Cell Structure" floral, while cute and fashionable, was conceived by looking through plant DNA slides. All this artwork came about in less than obvious or typical ways for me, and the collection itself is just the same- unexpected and entirely exciting! ~Anna Maria
Blog exclusive! My day in cups of tea
To celebrate the fact issue 10 is out tomorrow we thought we'd give you a blog exclusive and invite Maria Whiteman of www.cordial-and-grace.co.uk to share some secret glimpses into her day in cups of tea....
Describe your home town
Bristol is a vibrant & creative city - a mix of green open spaces & local communities each with a unique character & independent spirit.
What’s your favourite receptacle and where did it come from?
I have a red & green thing going on in my kitchen at home so when I spotted these mugs (pictured), whilst visiting a Bristol friend in Melbourne, I just had to buy them. It wasn't just the colours & the funky Australian design, but the shape, size & fine china are all just my cup of tea! I love that they are both a useful & beautiful momento of that trip and they are quite precious to me! So much so that when my flatmate had an unfortunate breakage she went to great trouble to seek out replacements to be packed into the friend's suitcase on her next trip home!
I think a favourite or jolly mug can really enhance the enjoyment of your drink, which is why I have chosen colourful mugs for the tea rooms - they regularly receive admiration!
What’s your first break?
My day is no longer structured by breaks. it's quite liberating! I just grab my drinks & lunch on the go at any time, which does often mean I drink the second half cold!
What’s for lunch?
Usually soup or a sandwich but sometimes I treat myself to something scrummy from our brunch menu.
Are you a tea dependant?
Well it would be extremely strange for me to get through the day without drinking at least one tea of some description or other - so I guess so!
Did you drink tea as a child?
Oh yes! It's recorded in my baby book that I was given my first cup of tea by a family friend when I was just 7 months old and I haven't stopped drinking it since! I guess then it's no great surprise that I ended up running a tea shop!
Do you drink different teas at different times of day?
Yes, even more so these days after trying and choosing our range of loose leaf teas. Good quality loose leaf teas are like wines, full of interesting & distinctive flavours. People are discovering that loose leaf teas are just as much of an affordable treat as a well made coffee and it always gives me a thrill to hear people say 'Ah, that's a good cup of tea'.
Who are your favourite tea companions and what do you talk about?
I do love to share a pot with colleagues, family or friends but most often these days my tea (or coffee) drinking companions are my lovely customers. I decided on the name Cordial & Grace because I wanted words to convey bringing people together to enjoy the pleasant surroundings & the company of others. I wanted it to be a place where people made friends and could find a moment of calm no matter what else is going on in their busy lives. I'm thrilled to see that happening and I'm making some great new friends too.
Have you ever made strong, sugary tea for yourself or someone else to cope with shock or a crisis? What was the crisis, and did the tea help?
A girl wondered in last year in a state of shock, she was really out of sorts and had maybe fallen over but I really couldn't make sense of what she was saying so I did the only practical thing I could do, made her a strong sugary tea! I refused to take any money & wanted her to stay to calm down but she quickly left. She did pop in a few days later to thank me for being so kind.
Can you say no to biscuits or cake? And are you a dunker?
Why have biscuits when you can have homemade cake? I'm often asked how I cope with the daily temptation of different cakes on our counter and the answer is I don't! However, thanks to the drastic change in my working lifestyle (on my feet all day) and probably the stress of running my first business it's had the opposite effect on my waistline. Who would of thought that you could open a cake shop & lose weight?
And your last cup?
Something herbal - I quite like to have a peppermint tea after a late meal.
Which is your favourite cuppa of the day?
Probably mid-afternoon as that's when I'm most likely to take the time to pick a different tea, such as darjeeling or jasmine, and make it as I do for my customers. I'm also quite likely to treat myself to cake then too!
Is there one break that’s non-negotiable?
Not anymore - I guess that's one of the great things I've discovered working for myself I no longer feel the need for breaks to get me through the day!
And finally, milk or tea in the cup first?
These days I'm a convert to tea first so that I can see the tea & decide if I want to add milk. It's also much easier to add just a drop of milk this way, which is often all that loose leaf teas need.
And really, really finally, what’s your favourite ‘simple thing’?
Flowers picked by my mum from her garden for me! Like these hellebores that she rescued from under the snow, displayed simply in a recycled glass bottle, tied with a cheery ribbon!
If you'd like to see more of Maria's day don't forget to pick up your copy of issue 10 available in UK shops and ready for download from tomorrow.
**Why not share your cup of tea with us on Twitter or Facebook?
Win a His and Hers outfit from Barbour with issue 10! (closed)
Barbour Dress Tartan
Issue 10 lands in UK shops and is available to download from tomorrow, but we just couldn't wait that long to tell you about our fantastic competition with British heritage brand Barbour. Together, we are giving you the chance to win a His and Hers outfit worth £1000 from their new Dress Tartan collection.
Check out blogger Carrie from 'Wish Wish Wish' for inspiration on how to style your new outfit, as she spends the day as a tourist in her home town of London - and make sure you don't miss issue 10 for all the details of the giveaway, you can find us in shops or download the digital mag through Apple Newsstand, Zinio, Google Play and on your Nook device.
Pork, apple & cheddar burgers
Serves: 4
Ingredients: 500g pork mince 1 Cox or Braeburn apple, peeled & grated 4 spring onions, finely chopped 1 egg, beaten Fresh sage or parsley, finely chopped 40g Cheddar cheese, cut into four even pieces 4 ciabatta or burger rolls
Spiced cider & apple salsa 3 Cox or Braeburn apples, cut into small cubes, not peeled 150ml medium cider 1tbsp cider vinegar 1⁄2tsp ground cinnamon 2 spring onions, finely sliced
Method: Mix together the mince, grated apple, spring onions, beaten egg and herbs. Form into patties, placing a piece of cheese in the middle of each one. Place in the fridge for approx. 20 mins to firm up. Meanwhile, make the salsa. Place the cubed apples in a small saucepan with the cider, vinegar and cinnamon. Cook over a gentle heat until the apple has softened, add the finely chopped spring onions, cool. Barbeque or griddle the burgers for approx. 7-8 mins on each side until cooked through. Serve in the rolls topped with the salsa with a green salad.
This recipe was kindly shared with us from the people at Merrydown cider, to see more of their summer recipes click here.
Wordless Wednesdays: purple fields
Looking forward to summer walks in gorgeous fields of amethyst.
Have you good a favourite trail upon which to wander? Share them with us in the comments below and we'll create a top 10!
Visit Inntravel at www.inntravel.co.uk/
Fabrics we're coveting: Tula Pink
Awaken your inner swashbuckler and fall in love with Tula Pink's Salt Water Fabric collection.
To see more click here.
Help us find Jessie some new fluffy pals
Some of you may recognise Jessie from this month's issue of The Simple Things, well this adorable pup just loves making new friends. If you've got a fluffy pal for Jessie post a picture up on Facebook or tweet us @simplethingsmag.
Two BIG reasons to sign up to our newsletter
We've got some exclusive and exciting news to reveal to all the readers of our newsletter this week plus 10 annual subscriptions to The Simple Things magazine to giveaway - so make sure you're signed up to receive The Simple Things weekly! That's right folks, to say thank you for signing up to our newsletter we're giving away annual subscriptions to 10 lucky readers of our weekly newsletter. We're also going to be sharing some exciting news which you can only find out about if you're signed up in time to receive the newsletter on Thursday. What will it be? Find out later in the week!
Psssst! Don't forget to tell your friends, sign up on the right.
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
5 ways to keep your feet warm
5 ways to keep your feet warm
Ward off chilblains and irritability with our five ways to keep your plates of meat warm.
1. CARDBOARD BOX When seated, rest your feet inside a newspaper-lined box. Ideal for homeworkers rationing their radiator use. Pros: Cheap, simple. Cons: Tragic-looking.
2. MICROWAVEABLE SLIPPERS These exist! A foot-shaped version of a wheat bag, they stay warm for hours, and are paradise for the poor of circulation. Pros: Immediate, failsafe. Cons: Impossible to walk in.
3. FOOT EXERCISES Boing up and down on your tiptoes, flex your feet, point your toes, and so on until sensation returns. Pros: Healthy, free. Cons: Tiring, takes ages.
4. MULTIPLE SOCKS Wear all your Christmas socks at once, in order of thickness. Pros: Easy, cost-free. Cons: Sweaty, fiddly.
5. DEEP HEAT Apply a mentholated topical treatment for instant unclenching. Pros: Fast, low-cost. Cons: You’ll smell of rugby and groin strain.