Mixing old and new

When I bought my first house in my early 20s I decorated it in a migraine-inducing range of bright colours. I'm not sure what possessed me at the time! Gradually they got toned down (which probably helped the house to sell!) and then we moved. The new house got painted immediately the same neutral shade throughout (natural calico by Dulux) and the look was a modern but minimalist one.

That was 6 years ago and now the decorating begins again in earnest. And some growing up has happened in between. I have learnt to love the way antique and vintage items can blend with modern accessories to create a comfortable interior space that is harmonious but at the same time tells a story. I still like brand new things if they are beautiful but they have very little story to tell. Older objects have a known or imagined past that gives them character and interest. I will share some of the before and after images as the next few months progress but in the meantime here are a few of my favourite new old items that sit very comfortably in a relatively new, contemporary property.

Above a collection of new Italian glass and English cut crystal decanters sit alongside an art-deco one (front left) on a vintage silver plated tray. The Plymouth Gin glug-glug fish jug (Dartmouth pottery about 1950) is great for tonic or as a vase. The candle holders are from India Jane.

A Staffordshire figure of a gardener from the early 1800s sits under a modern glass dome, reminiscent of how the Victorians would have displayed their ornaments. Just to the right is the bass of a Kartell bourgie lamp - a modern take on a very classic design.

To the left, a Langley ware blue and cream plant pot from the 1890s picks up the colours of a modern William Yeoward studio art glass crystal vase.

I love old vases. This one can be dated precisely to 1853 due to the date lozenge and looks quite contemporary in a modern setting.

A few more tasty treats!

A few months ago my friend Mary and I got together to taste test some canape ideas. We had a great day cooking together and, of course, at the end of it all there was plenty to eat. She selected these fennel marinated feta and olive skewers (click here for a link to the recipe from the book 'Canapes' by Eric Treuille and Victoria Blashford-Snell). They were delicious with a complex and layered flavour.

Fennel marinated feta and olive skewers

Having recently sampled a smoked salmon croque monsieur starter at Gary Rhodes' restaurant in Plymouth I felt inspired to recreate it but in canape sized portions. Click here for the recipe I used. They kept very well in the fridge fully assembled and were just warmed through in the oven before serving to crisp up the bread and gently melt the filling.

Warm smoked salmon croque monsieur.

Please feel free to share your favourite canape recipes.

Plants for very small gardens

Most new-build houses in the UK are given very small garden plots indeed and ours is no exception at roughly 15 x 21 feet.  To make the plot even more challenging from a gardening perspective, it has a north east orientation and heavy clay soil over a solid chalk pan just a foot or so beneath. Drainage is unsurprisingly poor even though the garden slopes downhill away from the house.  Finally, the house casts shade over the whole plot from late afternoon, making it cool even on a sunny day!

When we bought the house the garden was not high on our list of priorities and the previous owner's simple response to the problems noted above - a three level patio descending to a single gravelled border with a few small shrubs about 5 feet deep - was appealingly neat and low-maintenance in nature.  However, over the years I have developed a keen interest in gardening and have subjected our tiny plot to some significant reworking in order to hone my skills for my dream garden of the future ... with its southerly aspect, crumbly  loam, and extensive, meadow-framed vista!

For the time being, though, I must be content with the space I have, and - with some carefully planned heavy work - it has enabled me to plant a surprisingly wide variety of trees, shrubs, climbers, and perennials without compromising the outdoor relaxing and entertaining space we need for the few warm, sunny days we get each summer in the UK.

It's my intention to share details of a few of my favourite plants, plants that seem - touch wood - to be thriving in the challenging conditions we took on.

The 'upper patio' of the garden outside the back door.

The photo above shows the top patio of the garden. Over the last few months I have had paving slabs removed on lower levels to create more planting space or 'borders' but here pots abound. Antique drain hoppers and chimneys and a varnished French wine crate sit alongside more traditional pots, hopefully providing interest and variety. In the foreground I have grouped a set of containers of similar shapes but different sizes to create a graduated effect which I find pleasing on the eye.The wooden crate has been 'upcycled' into a herb pot and contains oregano, chives, savory and lemon balm. The largest square pot is a new venture into cut flowers and they seem to be doing well. I like to include other objects of interest in the garden so the other items you see are reminders of holidays abroad or just quirky finds when shopping. Visitors usually find something to giggle about or comment on when in the garden so I like these little touches to add a bit of humour.

 

I think a variety of types of 'planters' adds interest.

                    

       

Using American cookery books

Whilst I am sharing recipes from American sources I should point out that they use a very different system of measuring ingredients such as 'cups' etc. This is really not problematic. You can get a set of American measuring cups at any good cookery shop and most supermarkets for just a few pounds. These are used for measuring dry ingredients such as flour and sugar. For liquid measures buy a measuring jug clearly labelled with cup measures. An American liquid cup measure is approximately 240 millilitres. I also recommend you get a set of accurate teaspoon/tablespoon measures.

Over temperatures and imperial measures can be easily converted. There are lots of sources online that will do this for you. Broiling is grilling just to clear that one up!

Butter is the other conundrum! In America it is sold in sticks. 1 stick consists of 8 tbsps of butter. 1 tbsp is 15 grams so a stick of butter is 120 grams. This should help you convert butter measurements when baking etc.

They also have different names for some ingredients (an aubergine is an eggplant, for example) so just check online again if you are not sure. I have got so comfortable with the American system I find it very hard to convert to UK measurements now! It is worth the extra bit of effort to be able to extend your cooking repertoire though. Happy cooking!

From left to right: measuring cups, graduated teaspoon/tablespoon measures and a US liquid measuring cup. Absolutely essential!

A delicious canape!

So here is an idea for a delicious canapé that I served before a casual Sunday lunch today. Fom Ina Garten, these are tomato crostini with whipped feta. Click here for the recipe.

I presented the crostini on the big antipasti plank by Jamie Oliver. I hope you agree that they looked lovely. They were utterly delicious with a glass of chilled Prosecco. Give them a try. They are a great first course too if you plate up 2 or 3 per person with some lightly dressed wild rocket salad on the side.

Tomato and whipped feta crostini - they went very quickly!

My Favourite Cookbooks

I have a bit of an obsession with cook books which I am trying to curb with varying degrees of success! I have about 150 or so at the moment as well as stacks of folders and note books containing recipes cut and torn from a variety of magazines, newspapers and other sources.

Most of my cookery book collection!

 I read them a bit like novels at bedtime or browse them when I am looking for ideas. I like the fact that they are there - it provides a certain degree of comfort that I can find a recipe for almost anything in one of these tomes quickly and easily. I also like cook books that aren't just a collection of recipes; I like them to present a lifestyle, an idea or a style of eating and entertaining that appeals to me.

I suppose I started with Delia Smith's books at quite a young age. I have always liked Nigella Lawson and think her 'Nigella Express' book is just brilliant. Rachel Allen and Donna Hay feature heavily alongside a bit of Jamie Oliver, Mary Berry and Nigel Slater. But my absolute favourites are my American cookery books. I find a lot of UK cookery books very samey. Just popping across the Atlantic provides a fresh new perspective with recipes that have never let me down. Martha Stewart, Ina Garten and Anna Pump are three authors that I encourage you to investigate further.

Probably my current desert island cookery book is 'Martha's Entertaining' by Martha Stewart.

Probably my favourite - at the moment!

A massive book, it really is inspirational. Martha takes us through a year of her lavish parties and celebrations featuring amazing table settings and ideas for truly memorable occasions. All of the recipes are in the back so you can replicate her dishes for your guests. We may not have a team of staff and chefs like her but we can learn something from every picture and recipe to enhance our home cooking and entertaining. Strongly recommended but hard to find. You will need to shop online I expect.

So, on to Ina Garten (the Barefoot Contessa) who has written 8 hugely successful books. They are all great but I do like her most recent, 'Foolproof'.

Everything by Ina is brilliant!

It is packed with mouthwatering recipes, all with superb colour photographs. You really can't fail with Ina as she writes recipes for things you really want to eat with a focus on simple techniques and great flavours. Salted Caramel Brownie anyone? Or how about a delicious Fig and Fennel Caponata at your next cocktail party? Her books are appearing more frequently on the high street now or, of course, you can go online.

And finally Anna Pump. She runs the famous Loaves and Fishes speciality food shop in the Hampstons. Relatively unknown over here, she has written a few books which are very hard to get hold of. I ended up phoning her shop in America and getting them sent over as some of them were going for silly money on Ebay! The one book you can find online easily and at a sensible price is 'Summer on a Plate'.

A great book. We can at least imagine we are having a summer!

Very well written and filled with delicious summer recipes this really does offer something different. The basic recipes for salad dressings are superb and her guidance on how to stock a pantry and the essential items to have on hand for impromptu visitors is very good. Worth tracking down.

I hope there's something new here for you to try. I would love to hear about your favourite cookbooks as my collection is never complete!

Happy reading!