Out & About Autumn 2021

FOOD & DRINK - HONESTY ROMILLA ARBER turns her thoughts to warming soups and seasonal vegetables and to wrapping up warm and embracing the great outdoors ready for a ‘positive winter mindset’

I wrote this sat in Tuscany in the warm, morning sun. Messages from the UK told of heavy rain with brief sunny spells. It was ‘one of those summers’ and the weather all over the world seemed apocalyptic. Autumn is now beginning to work its magic. Autumn is my favourite season when one can still enjoy the outside and yet the inside has an allure of cosy comfort. Covid has made us all a bit more gung-ho about how we approach being outside, encouraged us to make the most of chilly evenings by wrapping up warm, enjoying the starry skies and sitting round a brazier of some kind. The Scandinavians do it and they seem eminently sensible so we should give it a go. It is referred to as embracing a ‘positive winter mindset’ and is associated with well- being and a better mental outlook. The right sort of clothes are essential. The adage that there is no such thing as bad weather,

Honesty cookery school

just bad clothes does make sense. I think climate change will probably change one’s idea of what constitutes bad weather anyway, but that is an aside. If the right clothes are essential then the same can be said of food. It is around this time of year that our bodies start to crave a slightly heavier diet and the seasonal ingredients available don’t disappoint in this regard. We should be enjoying the last of the colourful vegetables and fruit, peppers, raspberries, tomatoes and aubergines,

while starting to eat the early autumn offering like leeks, onions and cabbages. These vegetables contain properties that help to protect us from winter cold bugs and eating well is also vitally important for our mental health at this time of year, when there is less sunlight and we tend to spend more time indoors. If you are planning food for outside around a fire of some sort then soup is a must. It warms and sustains. You also want food that you can easily consume with your hands, no cutlery needed, so wraps full of crunchy autumn vegetables with a thick dressing would go down well. There is also the ubiquitous sausage roll which is the perfect accompaniment to a mug of hot tomato soup. Children of course never need an excuse to enjoy a cup of hot chocolate, topped with whipped cream or marshmallows. Welcoming the shifting seasons is such an important key to enjoying

life and seeing how nature operates, it’s rhythms, helps us to find our own perspective. At Honesty things continue apace. Our restaurants will be continuing to offer the best seasonal fare that the UK has to offer. One of our strategic goals this year is to make stronger ties with local producers that are equally rewarding for all involved. We will be opening a café in the Ascot area very shortly which is very exciting for us. Have a look at some of the new courses we are offering at the Honesty Cookery School and don’t forget that the barn is available to hire for private dining if you are thinking of hosting a nice get together with family or friends. It also has some great outdoor space for those seeking the Scandinavian experience. We have several events planned up to the end of the year and you can have a look at these at honestygroup.co.uk/online- shop/events/

Dummer Down farmshop

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O&A AUTUMN 2021