At the age of 90, my grandmother emigrated to Hawaii. She lived out the rest of her days on the beautiful island of Maui. It seems an extraordinary move to make at such a ripe old age but if you knew her you would know that it was not out of character. She had a spontaneous and adventurous spirit and hated the idea of being tied down. Nothing pleased her more than to pack a bag and head off at the last minute on an adventure. She was the centre of our world, like the sun, we orbited her. It didn’t matter where she lived, we would have happily gone to the ends of the earth to get one of her hugs. Which is exactly what we did for the final 10 years of her life. Read More
Making Kefir and a Blueberry Smoothie
Spring is in the air, the English countryside in East Devon is humming with bird song, the trees are suddenly bright with with electric green leaves unfurling from their sleepy brown branches. Blossom from the apple tree is fluttering down like flowery snow covering the ground like a carpet of petals, making everything feel brand new and fresh. There is nothing which connects me more to the here and now and with such gratitude than when England throws off her winter cloak and blesses us with a sunny day. Read More
Spring Green Kimchi
Kimchi is a traditional Korean dish made from whatever vegetables are in season with the addition of salt and spices and then fermented. It is so popular in Korea that it is eaten with almost every meal and is very much a part of their cultural and national identity.
It took me a while to convince my husband that kimchi was going to be the new and healthy addition to our meals. His meal in particular, because unlike me, he has a passion for chilli jam and Jamaican hot sauce. He was quite skeptical at the thought of something new taking the place of these much loved condiments. He has since become a kimchi convert, which makes me happy, knowing that he is eating something not only extremely tasty but with enormous healing potential to boot.
Fermenting day at Trill Farm
Trill Farm lies nestled in a sheltered valley, surrounded by rolling hills and woodlands just up the road from me in East Devon. It is a 300 acre mixed organic farm which the owner Romy Fraser runs as an education centre and hosts a community of small businesses complementing each other and making use of the amazing resources the land has to offer.
I’ve done a few courses here over the past few years and have always come away feeling both inspired and grateful. When the opportunity came to do a day course on preserves and fermenting with the new chef in residence Chris Onions I leapt at it.
Toast (Oas) Inspiration
FOOD+DRINK / OAS | FOUR WOMEN – TIFFANY JESSE – FOOD ALCHEMIST
It was a huge honour to be asked to be part of this Toast campaign. The campaign was to highlight the launch of their new work wear collection Oas. I have loved receiving their catalogues ever since I first got one through the post 11 years ago. It dropped through my door having been recommended by a friend and I was instantly smitten. I swiftly bought a soft grey blanket and a pair of slippers, hoping to emulate the warm and cozy world they presented. They were the first company that I had ever come across that really sold a life style that captured the imagination so well. Always inspiring, with beautiful styling and photography.I have been thinking for sometime that I would like to write a blog. I wanted to share some of the things I have learnt over the years with my children and friends. It didn’t really occur to me that others might be interested. After this piece came out, I realised from the feedback I got, how many people were looking for answers. Not only where their skin was concerned, but also about fermenting and how it can help restore gut health and a sense of well being.I’m still wearing the clothes I was sent a few weeks before the shoot. They get better and better with each wash, becoming my good and treasured friends.