Weekend supplement
a few things I loved
Good morning! It’s too hot again and the dogs have spent most of the week barking at giant combines (wheat harvest, a month early). World Cup preparations are afoot - Belgium tonight (I’m writing this on Friday), and obviously ENGLAND on Saturday, TONIGHT as you read. This by Sophie Heawood is great on that subject.
I almost can’t bear how badly I want those boys to win. I love them, not just because of their talent but because they make me proud of the sort of young men multicultural Britain can produce. They make me proud, full stop. I want to live in the England they represent. They’re what I want the England flag to mean.
This week’s picks include a fantastic new skin balm/tint, my new, simplified summer skincare routine (very pleased with it), a good source of vintage paintings, an insect bite device that works, recipes for boiling weather, lots of links to excellent things to read - you know the drill. (Unless you don’t, in which case have a look at last week’s one of these, which is currently still free to read).
This week I’ve also added a very occasional section called Notes, which is little snippets of vaguely newsy things that are in my head.
The new Ottolenghi cookbook
Simple is one of the cookbooks I use the most, sometimes from memory because I’ve made some of the recipes so often. This week I got a pdf of its sequel, Simple Too. It is absolutely fantastic. I can’t wait to make the things (already earmarked: baked za’atar tomatoes with mascarpone, breakfast potatoes, chicken meatballs with pomegranate molasses, lamb kofte in yogurt sauce - the list could easily run on for two paragraphs. Lots of the recipes take about half an hour).
It’s not out until September - I’ll remind you - but you can pre-order above. Also, early heads-up, I’ll be in conversation with Yotam Ottolenghi in the jaw-dropping setting of Ely Cathedral on September 14, so do come along to that if you’re in that neck of the woods. I think it’ll be fun, and if you get bored you can just gaze around you in wonderment.
Tickets here. The rest of his tour dates/tickets are here (including US dates, talk about putting in the legwork). I wonder if he brings snacks to events, I must find out.
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ICYMI: this is the first chapter of the perfect summer novel, free to read:
The Shampoo Effect
What I love about Jenny Jackson’s books is that they present as breezy - pure joy to read - but are also really satisfyingly meaty and astute (and funny). They’re absolutely pin-sharp when it comes t…