April

Sunshine (and Showers!)

Hello There,

Who knew my Easter bonnet would be cashmere, rather than the straw hats of my childhood? My husband and I took the dogs (we have a visiting dog staying for a fortnight)for a walk on Easter morning, it was early and the change to British Summer Time, ensured that there were very few people around. It was bitterly cold and I dug my hat and gloves out to keep myself warm.

I have a delightful Johnston of Elgin camel hat, purchased from Nearly New Cashmere (you may remember me mentioning their fabulous mini hot water bottles a few months ago), the hat is not actually second hand, but factory surplus, bought from a Scottish Cashmere Mill, it’s really worth looking at the website, there are always lovely bits and pieces, I have spent a great part of the winter in a reconditioned cream jumper I bought in early autumn.

I am looking forward to putting my cashmere away, swapping it with my summer linen instead. However we’ve had a few false starts with spring, we’re entering April with cloudy, cool and damp days, so I think the linen will be on hold for a while, I have to say that I’m hoping for more Sunshine and fewer Showers as the month progresses.

We’re normally in Brittany for part of April, but with my daughter’s A Levels looming, she requested that we remain at home for this holiday. We are watching lots of movies in the evenings. One of her subjects is Film Studies, so part of her Revision is re-watching her set films (similar to me, all those years ago, re-reading my set texts whilst studying English Literature!) it’s super to study something so immersive.

I really admire her focus, she spends time studying and will then take a break, sometimes going for a walk, or maybe baking cupcakes or making her own pasta and pesto for supper. (My task is to make sure there are plenty of supplies for cooking in the fridge and the cupboards!)

I’m planning a visit to Tate Britain to see the Sargent and Fashion exhibition soon, (as a member I can turn up and visit whenever I wish and having paid for the membership I really must use it!) I’ve seen lots of delighted posts on Instagram and think it’s particularly interesting that some of the clothing Sargent painted is exhibited beside the portraits. Have you seen the exhibition yet, or maybe it’s in your plans for this month?

Throughout the year I enjoy eating simple, seasonal food. One of my favourite spring recipes is a delicate risotto with fresh asparagus, petit pois and lemon. Both my daughter and my niece (who is staying with us at the moment) are vegetarian so this is a perfect recipe for us all. I have made a large quantity of vegetable stock, full of flavoursome goodness (Roscoff onions, garlic, carrots, celery, bayleaf, fresh herbs and a pinch of saffron, and for real Unami depth, some dried porcini.) which I will use for making the risotto.

The risotto recipe is one of Skye McAlpine’s which was featured in The Times several years ago, it’s utterly delicious, it will certainly be on repeat throughout April.

Do you have simple utensils that delight you? One of my favourites is my pottery berry bowl. It is an elegant little strainer, perfect for small amounts of berries, which we eat most mornings with homemade yoghurt.

I really love these tiny boxes of mixed micro salads (I buy mine from Waitrose) they come in a box of three, with a little TLC they will happily thrive for a week or so. I tend to separate them, into small bowls and keep them watered, though not waterlogged! They complement a simple meal of Soda Farls with Scrambled Eggs, (a further easy April supper!)

Finally, another Egg dish, which I rediscovered in Brittany!

Œufs Mimosa (also known as Devilled Eggs in England) was a starter on the Menu Midi at our favourite Bistro in Roscoff, the eggs were delicious, with a little spice and a sprinkle of smoked fish along with some dried, fried onions. Once I was back in our little beach house I felt compelled to recreate the eggs, we had some more on the boat coming home, and a further helping in Richmond.

I bought some quails eggs for Easter, and thought they might make a delicious Egg Mimosa. The results were a pretty, delicate plate, the tiny eggs making a perfect mouthful, a simply delicious spring lunch starter. (More of a fiddle than hen’s eggs, but worth the ‘eggstra’ faff! )

Wishing you a peaceful and gentle April, full of seasonal delights, I’ll catch up again at the beginning of May.

Jude x