Taking time to live well June F L O W E R Doorstep thinking & Alpine swimming • Rhubarb & custard sponge Meadow keepers • Pansy popsicles & pineapple mint mojitos • Roller derby Picnics from the past • Make a botanical press • How to win at rounders A could-do list Flower Put aside an afternoon for reading outside, in your garden or a park Get out the flour, bake scones and go for a cream tea picnic while they’re still warm Buy some flowers just for you and put them in your bedroom to see when you wake each morning Have cake for breakfast, because you’re a grown-up and you can These are a few ideas. Try some, make up some of your own, or just enjoy thinking about them. That’s the beauty of a ‘could-do’ list. K C O T S R E T T U H S Y: H P A R G O T O H P E F F LI L O Y J L L O H Y: H P A R G O T O H P Flowers can cheer up a bad day, us bloom, too. With the sunshine pretty up a salad and adorn we unpeel the layers and gradually countryside hedgerows and meadows feel more comfortable in our skin. We as well as city parks and gardens. begin to relax, glow even, and that’s And June is the month for maximum when the magic happens. We seem to appreciation of them; we’re outdoors reclaim time in the summer months, more during the long light days and stretching our days, going places and slow sunsets of midsummer and there’s doing more, yet there always seems to something about this abundance of be time to sit for a moment, too. It’s blooming all around us that makes time to wake-up and smell the roses. Lisa EDITOR LISA SYKES GATHERING 6 Salad days LAY A TABLE IN THE GARDEN FOR A LUNCH WITH FRIENDS THAT LASTS AS LONG AS THE SUNSHINE Recipes and styling: KAY PRESTNEY Photography: JEMMA WATTS T here aren’t many things better in life than a lazy lunch in the sunshine with friends around the table. Linger for as long as you like as summer days and good company seem to stretch time – a weekend lunch can easily last until at least 5pm, then move seamlessly into cocktails before it’s time for dusk, tea-lights, blankets and a fire pit. It is midsummer, after all. Start (and end) with strawberry mimosas made with fresh fruit, nibble on creamy asparagus, goat's cheese & pesto puffs that melt in the mouth, before moving on to a big slab of quiche served with the prettiest salad. It tastes as gorgeous as it looks. Share out lemon biscuits with added flowers* that look super fancy – despite being a cinch to make – or perhaps a big wedge of honey, orange & cardamom cake? After all, what’s a gathering without cake? Thenlettheconversationanddrinksflowas youmakeplansforthesunnydays,alfresco dinnersandsummerpartiestocome. » *To discover what blooms make a good addition to the kitchen pantry this month, see the first of our Pick 'n' Mix series, on page 36. MENU Strawberrymimosas Asparagus,goat'scheese &pestopuffs Springgreensfloralsalad Spinach&feta herbyquiche Mark long lazy days with a summer spread that almost (almost) Lemon flower biscuits looks too good to eat Honey, orange & cardamom cake Asparagus, goat's cheese & pesto puffs Savoury pastry puffs with cheese and seasonal asparagus that'll surely be gone in a... Serves 8 as a starter/canapé 500g ready-made puff pastry 2 tbsp green pesto 120g soft goat’s cheese 1 bunch of asparagus 1 tbsp runny honey 1 tsp sea salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 handful fresh thyme 1 egg 1 tbsp olive oil A handful of edible flowers to serve 1 Preheat the oven to 160C/Fan 140C/ Gas 2/3. Meanwhile, roll out your puff pastry until it’s approximately 5mm thick, then cut into four squares. 2 On each square (lay it as a diamond when you place the food on top to allow you to roll the sides over the top of the ingredients) spread a layer of pesto, then add a 1cm thick slice of goat’s cheese and several stems of asparagus (trim the bottom 1cm of the stem as it can be tough). Drizzle with a little honey, a pinch of sea salt and a couple of twists of freshly ground black pepper. 3 Add three sprigs of fresh thyme and 8 GATHERING Fancy up your fizz with a strawberry syrup. Does double duty as a delicious ice cream drizzle, too gentlyfoldthepastrysidesoverthe ingredientscreatingaparcelwith theasparagusstickingoutofthe topandbottom. 4Beattheeggandbrushoverthe pastrytohelpitturnanicegolden brown,thendrizzlewitholiveoil. Placetheparcelsonanon-stick bakingtrayandbakefor25mins, oruntilgoldenbrown. 5Allowtocoolandsliceinhalfto Strawberrymimosas serveonaplatterwithascattering ofedibleflowers. Thissummer-in-a-glasscocktail capturestheessenceofJune Serves6 thestrawberriestosoftenandbreak 400gstrawberries down.Thisshouldtakeabout10mins. 1tbsplocalrawhoney 2Useastickblendertoblitzthemix 1bottleofprosecco,chilled untilsmooth,thenallowtocool.Pour Ahandfuloffreshmintleaves thesyrupintoasterilisedglassjar orbottleandsealuntilyou'reready 1Setasideonewholestrawberry touseit.Storeinthefridgeifmaking perservingtotopeachglass,then thedaybefore. removethegreentopsandhalvethe 3Toserve,fillathirdofachampagne restofthestrawberriesbeforeadding flutewiththestrawberrysyrupand toasmallpanoveramediumheat topupwithchilledprosecco.Give withatablespoonofwaterandthe yourmimosaagoodstirandgarnish honey.Allowthehoneytomeltand yourglasswithafreshstrawberry useawoodenspoontoencourage andafewmintleaves.Enjoy! » 9 GATHERING It’sallfineanddandy(lion). Lettucetemptyouwiththe delightsofaddingseasonal bloomstoyoursalad Spring greens floral salad Liven up your leaves with roasted nuts and plentiful petals. Serves4 125gbagofspringgreensaladleaves 8cherrytomatoes,halved. 4radishes,thinlysliced ½smallredonion,thinlysliced 75gpinenuts 25g(orageneroushandful)edible flowers 1Washandspindrythesaladleaves thenplacetheminaservingbowl. Addthecherrytomatoes,radishes andredonionandtosstocombine. 2Inasmallfryingpan,toastthepine nutsoveramediumheatfor5mins, oruntilgoldenbrown.Allowtocool completelybeforesprinklingoverthe saladalongwiththeedibleflowers. 10