SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER
Everything you need to squeeze the last drops of summer from September: recipes for gluts, nature reads and an invitation to an autumnal foodie weekend away.
Welcome to my monthly newsletter - a round-up of news, recipes and life in the veg patch - which is free to all subscribers. If you’ve made it here without subscribing, that’s easily rectified:
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Hello you lovely lot.
I am, rather decadently, at the seaside for most of September. Which, in hindsight, is a dreadful time to go away. The gluts are at their greatest this month, and my abandoning the patch will certainly result in overgrown courgettes, woody runner beans and triffid-like spinach when I return.
I’m sure you are more organised than me and attend to your gluts with far more rigour, so I’m happy to share lots of ideas to making them into delicious meals this month.
Apart from recipes, I’ve news of another seaside trip I’m planning to Dartmouth in October and how you can join me. Plus, a reading list to get you back to the land as the nights draw in.
(TECHNICAL NOTE: There are a LOT of recipes here and they might not all fit in your email. If so, just hit VIEW ENTIRE MESSAGE at the end of the email, or head to the app or online version.)
Recipes for the gluts
September is the most abundant month in my veg patch, when the gluts are at their peak. In the allotment, the sweetcorn, potatoes and onions are all ready to harvest. Here’s a little tour:
At home, the runner beans, beetroot and chard are picking daily. In the greenhouse, the tomatoes keep coming too. And the figs! Well, stay tuned because the figs have been phenomenal and I’m working on two (TWO) fig cake recipes for you. In the meantime, here are some recipes for the September bounty:
(NB: I have totally revised my position on growing onions having done so this year in my new allotment. If you have space going spare, do it!)
(I’m so happy to be able to share newsletter recipes from this time last year now. It feels like a joyful archive of the seasons is finally developing.)
Weekend away?
I’ll be at Dartmouth Food Festival on Fri 25th and Sat 26th October. On Friday at 3pm I’m on the cookery demo stage and on Saturday 9:30am (9:30?! if you come, please bring me a croissant and a coffee) I’ll be part of a panel in the Food Matter tent discussing whether shopping habits have taken us away from the rhythms of the land (spoiler: they have).
I’m also delighted to have contributed a recipe to the Dartmouth Food Festival Cookbook which will be launched at the festival this year.
A reading list to get you back to the land
When not at the seaside, I’m busy with edits, layouts, PR plans and audiobook recordings (terrified) for my next book, Rough Patch, which is out in February (perhaps you heard me mention that already?!).
As part of the process, I’ve been re-reading my favourite books about food and the land - that lovely corner of nature writing that isn’t just all description of landscapes (which doesn’t do it for me), but instead leaves you inspired or feeling like you’ve learnt something too. Here are a few of my favourites:
English Pastoral by James Rebanks
The Fat of the Land by John Seymour
The World-Ending Fire by Wendell Berry
The Gentle Art of Tramping by Stephen Graham
What would you add? Do let me know and we’ll build a list.
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Thanks for the fab reading list, Kathy!