September Rain & Soda Bread

September Field Notes

I’m writing this with torrential rain pouring outside, yet even after what has been dubbed the coolest British summer since 2015, I am so happy autumn is on the way. The colours, the freshness, the aromas of mist and earth and woodsmoke - all balms to the souls of Capricorn babies like me. I’ve struggled with the realities of parenting over the last couple of months, partly because summer is so intense and sociable, and it’s hard to wrangle two kids between birthday parties and playdates when my one-year-old is fully mobile and just everything everywhere all at once.

That phrase about ‘taking a village to raise a child’ is not just a nice thought, it’s a stark reminder of how weird society has become that we expect parents (primarily women) to raise their children all alone in isolated little houses, when really we should be living communally, sharing the responsibility of each other’s kids, learning from different generations and just looking out for each other. My new morbid fascination - neoliberalism - seems to be responsible for a lot of this, but it’s also making me really appreciate my mum friends as we go through it all together. At the moment I just want to sit still in my garden and watch the birds, but as any loving parent knows, as soon as you try and sit anywhere your kids’ spidey senses start to tingle and before you know it they are crawling all over you. The other day I resorted to drinking my coffee sitting cross legged on the kitchen counter because it was the only place their tiny little hands couldn’t reach me. (Love them.)

A few weeks ago I wrote about harvesting blackcurrants from my sister’s garden, and last week I used them to make my first ever batch of crème de cassis, a blackcurrant liqueur that also happens to be Hercule Poirot’s favourite digestif. How perfect that I’m off to the Agatha Christie festival in Devon this weekend with my mum and sisters! It was super easy to make so I thought I’d share the recipe here:

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Crème de Cassis

500g blackcurrants
150g sugar
750ml cheapo vodka

Give the blackcurrants a rinse and remove any bits of debris, then pop them in a big bowl with the sugar and vodka. Give everything a really good stir until all the sugar is dissolved (I stirred it several times throughout the day). Once dissolved, pour everything into a sterilised jar or demijohn, seal and keep for at least six months. When it’s ready, strain out the blackcurrants but do not squeeze if you want your crème de cassis to be crystal clear and not cloudy. Best served with champagne in a kir royale cocktail.

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And finally, this month is an exciting one because I have a new book coming out! Ebb and Flow: A Guide to Seasonal Living is an illustrated guide to slowing down and tuning into the rhythm of the year. I’ve poured many happy hours into it, illustrating every page and writing essays, poems, crafts, recipes and other tidbits, all designed to help you embrace each season and find peace, mindfulness and joy throughout the year. I really feel like there’s a little piece of my soul in this book! The hardback is published with Bloomsbury one week today, and it can be ordered anywhere you buy your books, including Bloomsbury, Bookshop, Amazon and Waterstones.

If you’d like to hear me talk about the book in person, I also have a few exciting events coming up this season, including:

Wed 18 Sep - An evening with me and Lucy Foley at Waterstones Petersfield
Thu 10 Oct - Book and supper club at The Barn, Little London in Chichester
Sat 19 Oct - Guided walk at Hatchlands for Guildford Book Festival
Sun 20 Oct - Talk & workshop at Butser Book Festival, Butser Ancient Farm

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Something I Made - Cinnabar Moth Caterpillar Cake

One of the highlights of my year is entering our local flower show with a jar of jam or something nice, but this year I decided to up my game and enter the caterpillar cake category in the domestic section! I was inspired by all the cinnabar moth caterpillars I’ve seen this summer, making this super chunky chocolate cake with mikado hairs, fondant flowers and a pinch of saffron in the sponge. And believe it or not, I won my first ever FIRST PRIZE! A magical day, for sure.

Something I Like - Hagstone Oak Tree

I found this oak tree on a walk somewhere around Rogate on the Hampshire/Sussex border, and it was amazing! But I couldn’t work out how it was formed. The trunk seems to have split in two, then joined back together to form a hagstone shape. Any arborists know how this mysterious shape happens? I’d love to know!

Recipe of the Month - Squash, Sage & Maple Soda Bread

I’m starting to stockpile squash and pumpkin recipes ready for spooky season, and this one from Riverford looks like an absolute banger. Is there anything more comfortingly autumnal than fresh, warm bread smothered in butter? No. There is not.