The Simple Things March 2022

Spring is a like a tonic after the long months of winter. Except it doesn’t always deliver as advertised; there are spring flowers and sunny spells but also cold winds, blustery rain, and we have to wait until the end of March for lighter evenings. So, we look elsewhere for pick-me-ups as the season catches up with the calendar. And they may not always be where and when we expect them – a walk in the rain can become an exhilarating experience or, if you’re craving colour, serving dinner on bright crockery can help if your garden isn’t yet in bloom. Meanwhile, cake (or a brownie) is guaranteed to lift sagging spirits. Most of us have a growing urge after a quiet winter to ‘do things’. We recommend devoting a…

Dipping a toe into spring I always feel a new wave of energy in March as we dip into spring. The kitchen palate still ebbs toward winter, with roots, tubers and brassicas still starring but knowing lighter ingredients will soon take the stage makes me embrace the end of hearty roasts and warming soups. I’ve woven Spanish touches into the recipes to brighten them but also because a few really fun pantry items, like Marcona almonds, smoked paprika and sherry vinegar, can truly transform a dish. This is mindful cooking that avoids waste and is not only about making the most of your ingredients, but also about cleverly using your time and energy. Utilising the residual heat from your oven to dry leftover ingredients for use later is just one idea. You…

MAIN EVENT Thyme & 40 clove roast chicken with sweet potato wedges; cheat’s aioli; lemon kale with Marcona almonds NEXT DAY Kale caesar with chicken crackling FREEZER Spanish sweet potato soup; easy chicken bone broth; anchovy butter PANTRY Garlic & thyme oil; kale stalk powder Home economics needn’t mean stretching the monthly budget while being tied to the stove – but it can mean a new approach to the way we plan our meals. Reviving age-old wisdom about household management means deeply valuing all our resources: our time, ingredients and the money we invest in them. And it makes us feel good, too.…

When was the last time you gave yourself a day off just to do ‘lovely things’? Often days off are taken up by going away (good, of course, but their own specific thing), or laden down with chores. So, find an otherwise unpromising day, star it in your diary, and turn it over to something that you really want to do: whether that’s getting stuck into a new project, spending a few hours absorbed in a hobby or simply curling up with a book in your favourite cosy spot. It’s a day to be spent without guilt. A day to dispose of just as you please might sound like a bit of a luxury, so all the more reason to ring-fence it, enjoy the planning of it and then make the…

As I lift the discarded pond liner, she shifts, trying to get back into the shadows. Sadly, if the pond is to be finished, she must move. I lift her, cradling her in my palms. Her mottled, warty skin is surprisingly soft, and she has a grumpy expression. She shuffles a little, causing streaks of copper in her bewitching eyes to glimmer in the late winter sunshine. At this time of year, toads usually seek solace in dead wood, log piles or compost – dark, cool places. This muddy liner has probably been just right. Although I’ve disturbed her, it’s shortly time for her to emerge anyway. Soon, adult toads will face an arduous journey as they migrate to ponds to breed. Unlike frogs, toads don’t jump much, even though they…

At the start of spring, it still pays to have something cosy within arm’s reach. These sofa snugglers are made from the softest lambswool, knitted and woven in Scotland, and finished by hand in London. Forager cushion > £70; Cottage cushion > £74.50; Hue cushion > £84; Forager throw > £269, all donnawilson.com…