| Hi reader, I can't believe we're already halfway through January! I don't know about you, but I am really tired of all the 'New Year, New You' noise. For me, the new year doesn't begin in January at all. It begins in spring, when the weather softens, the days start to stretch out again, and I feel ready to emerge from my winter hibernation. I have no interest in reinventing myself as the bells ring out on the night of 31st December, and I'm certainly not interested in counting calories or shrinking my food choices! Winter is a time to slow down and to nurture. It's a season for warming soups and long-simmered stews, for bread baked at home, for eating enough and resting enough. It's a time to tend the quiet things like the soil, the sourdough starter and particularly ourselves, rather than demanding growth at all costs. So this newsletter, like the weeks ahead, isn't about restriction or reinvention. It's about nourishment, seasonal cooking, and moving through winter at the pace it asks of us. A New Recipe From The Winter KitchenThis week's new recipe from the kitchen is a real, no fuss winter warmer. A hearty, chunky soup brimming with seasonal root vegetables and a comforting mix of beans. Deeply savoury, gently herby, and wonderfully filling, it's the kind of bowl that warms you through after a cold day. It is simple, nourishing, and exactly what winter cooking should be. Head on over to Thinly Spread and do let me know how you get on if you make yourself a bowl, I really love hearing how my recipes behave out in the wild! And, for more winter soups to keep you warm through these chilly days, do check out my Collection of Winter Soups. Garden NotesOutside, the veg beds are resting, but they're far from empty! Over winter I still have leeks, kale, cauliflower and red cabbage holding steady. The first of the early purple sprouting broccoli is ready for harvest and I have a scattering of hardy herbs that keep on giving despite the chill. In the kitchen, that means regular harvests of leeks, greens and brassicas - the backbone of winter cooking here. Why not have a go at my rich, creamy and totally vegan Leek Tart if you have some of these lengthy lovelies in your fridge? Served up with some steamed purple sprouting broccoli or some roasted brassicas, it's perfect for a winter dinner. Alongside what's coming fresh from the garden, I'm still drawing on the autumn stores: squash stacked in the pantry, sacks of potatoes, stored onions, garlic and apples as well as the chutneys and jams I made during late summer's abundance. The freezer is full to bursting too! It holds the last of the foraging - chestnuts and blackberries, saved for soups, stuffings and winter puddings - cuddled up with frozen runner beans from the summer's abundance. This is the stuff that makes me happy. I may not be self-sufficient at this time of year but we eat something from the garden almost every day - even if it is only some crushed garlic and chopped parsley! So, what about you? What are your favourite winter dishes and comfort foods? Take care and rest well on these chilly days. Happy cooking! Chris x |
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