It’s late spring here in Australia and the weather has been unpredictable. Some days are warm and cloudy, others are cool and sunny. The blankets go on and off the bed with great frequency and several light cardigans are scattered throughout the house in case I feel a tiny bit chilly. Self-care has become a priority.
I’ve thought a lot about comfort and safety over the last few weeks. I’m so privileged to live in Australia and have a roof over my head and plenty of good food to eat, and my heart goes out to those who aren’t in that position.
As a result, this issue is focussed on simple pleasures in the hope that you can find some peace and happiness too.
Some things that have made me happy in the last few weeks are a beautiful bunch of sweet peas from my lovely friend Helen, a bountiful array of fresh veggies from the local greengrocer, and of course books. Always books.
What I’ve been reading
I’ve just finished Juno Loves Legs by Karl Geary and I was a bit hesitant about sharing it here because it’s not exactly a light read, but it’s wonderful in a heart-wrenching kind of way.
Juno is a feisty girl who gets a raw deal from life and makes you want to hug her.
Her mother is a seamstress, hardworking and underpaid. Here Geary describes the moment when Juno tries on her mother’s wedding dress.
She opened the zip, and I raised my arms over my head. The smooth of the satin passed down my body, falling in places it should not fall. I was reminded Mam was a woman and I, I was not. Still, as the fabric touched my skin I was overcome. When Mam’s back was turned I ran my hands along it, coal dust still under my fingernails, pressing it where my flesh was bare. I thought of the scores of girls who had stood as I stood, with a secret feeling, set ablaze in their mam’s kitchen.
Mam knelt before me and started to shape and pin. I tried to remember the last time I felt me mam this close, but I couldn’t. I remained silent, lest I say the wrong word and ruin it. After she had pinned she told me to walk the length of the kitchen and she watched, she really watched. She was thinking about something else when she said casually, with a small hint of surprise, ‘You’re a pretty thing Juno. Not beautiful or that, pretty.’
Can you remember what it felt like to try on your first truly beautiful dress or silk shirt? It’s a sensation like no other.
Juno Loves Legs is set in Dublin in the 1980’s and tells the story of two friends whose lives are constrained by violence and religion. Their friendship begins at school when Juno defends Sean (nicknamed Legs) against an attack from yet another horrible nun. (Those nuns really had a lot to answer for it seems.) They become friends for life, loyal to the bitter end.
This is a sad book, but it’s beautifully written and not without hope. I wasn’t familiar with this author but I would love to read more of his books. A big thank you to Denise for recommending this one.
Earthly Delights ( a new feature)
My friend Emily writes a newsletter called In Good Taste - it’s full of recipes, good lunch break links, and other good things. It’s the kind of newsletter I save for moments when I need a treat because it’s full of interesting stuff and good vibes. Emily is a big fan of UK House and Garden and I’ve also become a bit addicted to watching their videos. They’re gorgeous and an antidote to all the doom and gloom.
I recently watched a tour of the home of Flora Soames, an English interior designer, and became entranced with the idea of growing dahlias so that I would have some beautiful flowers to cut for the house. I’m not sure that growing dahlias is a very good idea in Australia as I suspect they need quite a lot of water, but on our recent trip to Victoria I bought myself a single dahlia tuber and can’t wait to plant it somewhere in the garden.
Here’s what I chose. I’ll let you know how it goes.
Have you ever grown dahlias? Got any tips?
International Book Club
I finally got my hands on The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store after a long wait, but I’ve already read it and can’t wait to talk about it. I’ve sent out the invitations for our next meeting so if you didn’t get an invitation and you’d like to come, just hit reply. You are very welcome to join in. We will be meeting at 9am Australian Eastern Standard Time on December 6 (that will be Dec 5 in the USA and Canada).
What I’ve been eating
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Ottolenghi’s new cookbook Comfort. The recipes are fab and the overall vibe is positive and therefore, comforting. I probably won’t make many of the dishes unless it’s a special occasion, but the sheer joy of reading the text and imagining that I might one day be the person who cooks all this delicious food from scratch, was worth it.
I was particularly entranced by this recipe for white poached chicken with Chinese cabbage and peanut rayu, but I don’t need the quantities stated in the recipe, so I made a tiny amount (keeping the proportions the same) and it was fantastic. I will probably make a full sized batch one day, but in the meantime, I dressed some rather boring chicken I had in the fridge and it was delicious.
That’s all for this issue!
If you have questions or comments, don’t be shy. I love hearing from readers.
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Warm wishes and look after yourselves, your loved ones, and anyone else in your community who might be feeling lost and afraid.
Marg xx
I'm just catching up with your newsletter and love this edition, Marg. I recently purchased one of Ottolenghi's books--Plenty--full of creative vegetable dishes. Mostly I've been reading rather than making anything, but the title Comfort seems to speak to the moment we're in when we all need food that will soothe us. And flowers too! Good luck growing dahlias! I've got a brown thumb (and rather bad soil), but it would be fun to try to grow something that blossoms in such bright colors and intricate geometry!
Funnily enough, I have also considered planting some dahlias. I see them in magazines and I think they are having a resurgence in popularity.