I am starting this week’s newsletter from the sofa, feeling rather rough and full of fever with a sore throat - courtesy of a virus that has been doing the rounds. Productivity this week has therefore been reduced, much lower that I wanted, but pet sofa snuggles and time spent reading books has increased exponentially. I have now started reading Truss at 10 by Anthony Seldon. Not written as a comedy, but parts have had me laughing out loud, which has caused more hurt to my throat and chest in their already delicate state.

 In this week of hibernation I have also been searching for blogs to follow that are neither about vintage clothes nor textiles. It’s so easy to get bogged down reading blogs within your own industry - comparisons get made, and can leave you feeling inept or jaded. But finding blogs by creative writers and illustrators has helped to charge my creative spirit and given a much-needed change of outlook. I’m still on the hunt for other Substack accounts to follow, but I like to do this when I have a good amount of time, so I can sit at my laptop with a cup of tea, and discover at leisure. And now is the time for some soothing soup…. 

 Roasting Aubergines For a Cold

Roast aubergine and tomato soup is most delicious, so I thought I would share details here as if anyone else is feeling under the weather it really is a soothing balm:

Three aubergines, one onion, four cloves of garlic, juice of a lemon, 1 tbsp cumin seeds crushed, 1 tbsp tomato puree, 1 tin tomatoes. Fill the empty tomato tin with vegetable stock, then fill it again with water. Roast the aubergine, whole, in the oven at 250 degrees C until the skin is crisp and the flesh very soft (one of mine exploded, don’t worry if this happens).

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, fry the onion and cumin and then, later, the garlic. After some time, add everything else and simmer. Scoop out the aubergine flesh and add to the pan. Blend and pour into bowls, enhance with a little oil and enjoy with crusty toasted bread with melted cheese.

Swallows

In other news from this week: Ten little textile swallow sculptures, crafted from 1950s tablecloths and stained with tea and paint, were the items I planned to have close to completion by now. It is not at all the right season for swallows, I’m well aware that they have all migrated from the UK for warmer climates by now, but I have been sketching them for a little while; I adore their sleek long tails. I have managed to stitch 2 so far. That leaves 8 more to make! 

See you next time.