Recipes to get us through Jan, plus upcoming events, live chats, new live cookery classes, and a gig with Delicious

FREE TO READ: JANUARY NEWSLETTER - it's all go.

Me definitely not crying as I cradle the first copy of Rough Patch off the press

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 by clicking the subscribe button below.

Before we tuck in, a request: I bloomin’ love doing this Substack. It takes a lot of time. Joyful time. But time. I try to keep some content free, but paid subscribers go a long way to help covering the costs. If you’d like to consider upgrading to a paid subscription, it costs 76p/wk and you’ll receive a monthly video (like this), a weekly recipe (like this) and plenty more (see here).

Whichever subscription you pick, I’m just grateful you’re here. Otherwise it’d just be me and the slugs. So thank you.

Hello you lovely lot

Have you been watching Monty Don’s British Gardens? Do. Not only is it the absolute business for banishing January blues, but it’s also incredibly inspiring, makes me want to jack it all in and go and live in my veg patch, grow food and enjoy an endless summer.

I always get restless in January, the compulsion to get out in the garden and grow kept in check only by the frost-hard ground. But this January I’m particularly fidgety because my new book, Rough Patch, is out in THREE weeks. Gulp.

I went to see it being printed recently (watch that here) and recorded the audiobook too (snippet here).

Now, I promise to do this only once because there’s so much to talk about in this month’s newsletter (upcoming events, my new online cookery classes, recipes to lighten the gloom etc), but first I must get over the ickiness of it all, and ask you, if you are thinking of buying Rough Patch when it comes out on 6th Feb, I’d be enormously grateful if you might consider placing the order now because pre-orders are everything (here’s why).

Ok. Done. Thank you. On with the cooking…

(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.)

Events Coming Up

My last workshop at High Grange (credit Matt Austin)

Saturday 15th February, 10:30am - Nicholson’s plant nursery Oxfordshire: an informal cuppa, Q&A, Rough Patch reading and signing (free but register here).

Sunday 16th February - Bridewell Gardens Winter Wander open day: I’ll be signing books and chatting about Rough Patch (which features Bridewell).

Wednesday 19th February - Nicholson’s Oxfordshire: I’ll be leading a one day workshop about planning your veg garden for the year ahead. Includes hands on classes and a two-course lunch at The Yurt. (£125)

Sunday 23rd February - The Garden Museum: I’m teaching a 3-hour, hands-on cookery class featuring recipes from Rough Patch and beyond followed by lunch. (£95)

Wednesday 19th March - Chloe’s, Charlbury, Long Table: a chat from me and fellow local foodies then a supper cooked by divine cook, Chloe Horner. (£25)

Friday 28th March - High Grange, Devon: a one day garden retreat featuring woodland meditation, a chat about Rough Patch, lunch and a laid back hands on seed sowing session with me. (£125 including copy of Rough Patch)

Then after that there’s St Ives Food Festival, British Library events, Buckingham Literary Festival, Edinburgh International Book Festival and much, much more. Buckle up.

Live Chat with Rosie Ramsden - 29th January

Rosie’s cover artwork for Rough Patch

Join me for a cuppa and a chat with the remarkable and lovely Rosie Ramsden who painted the artwork for Rough Patch. We’ll be live on Substack at 1pm on Wednesday 29th January discussing the making of the book and Rosie’s painting life.

Rosie Ramsden smiling (she always does)

How do you join us? Click below to download the Substack app. If you make sure to enable notifications, the app will notify you when we go live. Just tap that, and you’ll be able to watch and comment (just like Instagram Live really).

New Regular Feature in Delicious Magazine

Over a decade ago, when I was just starting out, I wangled a day's work experience recipe testing in the office of the UK’s top food magazine, Delicious. And I said to myself, “one day I want a regular gig with these guys”. Well, finally, from February you’ll find just that, with pictures by

Kirstie Young

plus How To videos from me online. Bit giddy. Here’s the plan:

deliciousmag

A post shared by @deliciousmag

Live Cookery Classes: Coming Soon

Assuming I can fathom the technology, from February, I will be replacing the monthly pre-recorded videos that go to paid subscribers with a LIVE cookery class from the greenhouse. You’ll be able to watch live, cook with me if you fancy it, or just sit back and ask questions. And if you miss the live session, there will be replays you can watch anytime.

So, if you aren’t already a paid subscriber, but think a monthly online cookery class for £4 sounds like a good deal, then do upgrade to a paid membership and come along.

Things to Cook This Month

Here are some of the dishes I’m eating on repeat to get through January:

Pumpkin and sage rarebit

Roast Cauliflower and Other Soups

A leftovers double bill: turkey & stuffing Caesar, plus crusty, squashed sprouts

Chicory & blue cheese with the last of the pickled quince

Putting joy before self-sufficiency with a blood orange, rosemary & pine nut cake

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