Thou Shalt Eat by Emily de Aguilar

TH O U

SHALT

E A T

Thou Shalt Eat C

ooking doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to be a rushed experience, or something we do on autopilot, distracted by thoughts, feelings, and inner-dialogue. In fact, of all the tasks we do in our daily lives, cooking offers a wonderful opportunity for us to train ourselves to be present, to be patient, to persevere, to be creative, gentle, generous and to practice self care. Cooking can teach you more than just how to satiate hunger. In this book are 7 lessons and 7 practices that encourage a more wholesome and rewarding experience as well as stories about food and cooking from myself and my father, who along with my mother, taught me to cook and facilitated all of my food experiments.

Be Patient Fermenting & Preserving (4-11)

Persevere Bread (12-19)

Be Mindful Baking (20-27)

Be Creative Pizza (28-35)

Be Gentle Eggs and Dough (36-41)

Be Generous Sharing meals (42-51)

Love Yourself Drinks (52-59)

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one: be patient

Fermenting & Preserving

Fermenting & Preserving Practice patience when fermenting and preserving. The more you wait, the better the results will be.

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Kimchi

Ferment 1 week minimum Makes 500g 500g kohlrabi or daikon, finely sliced on a mandoline 1 tsp salt ½ tsp sugar 2 large garlic cloves, finely sliced 25g ginger, finely sliced 60ml light soy sauce 60ml fish sauce 1 tbsp Korean red pepper flakes

Be Patient

ix the mandolined vegetable of choice with the salt and sugar. Rub together so the vegetable starts to release some of its water, then sit the mixture in a colander overnight to release some more. *The next day, wash the vegetable briefly in cold water and drain. *Mix the garlic and ginger with the remaining ingredients before rubbing the mixture into the drained vegetables. *Pack into sterilised jars, leaving 1cm clear at the top, and ferment for a least a week before using.

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Tomato Chutney

*1kg Green tomatoes (preferably skinned) *1kg chopped Onion *3 Cloves of garlic *350 to 400g Brown sugar (depending on how sweet you like it) *500 ml balsamic vinegar *100ml sweet sherry or port *150 g Sultanas or other dried fruit *A pinch of cayenne pepper (or some fresh chilli to taste) *1 tsp Salt Âź tsp black pepper

Fermenting & Preserving

egin by caramelising the onions in a splash of oil, then add the chopped tomatoes (the thickness of the tomatoes and onions can be changed according to preference) and all other ingredients, bring to the boil and simmer for at least an hour. The chutney will thicken when it is ready, most of the liquid will have evaporated. *Prepare clean jars by heating them in the oven (160-180 ยบC) for around 15 minutes , remove carefully to a large tray and then ladle in the hot chutney into the hot jars to the brim line, allow to cool. *When cooled, cut squares of cling film and place them over the jar, tuck it down so that its completely touching the surface of the chutney, seal and store ideally for 6 to 12 weeks.

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Chutney I

n the summer Mum brings buckets of tomatoes from the greenhouse. Red, green and in-between. Every year it seems like an emergency. ‘Quickly we need to do something with them before they go off!’ So, Dad sets a day and on that day, the whole house smells sweet and vinegary. The biggest pot we have sits on the stove and bubbles quietly for a few hours. Then, lined up on the counter are big jars filled with delicious chutney. They sit in the dark cupboard untouched until the nights get shorter. Summer ended, Autumn has passed and now it’s Christmas. Finally time to eat. Somehow it tastes like Summer and Winter at the same time. It’s always worth the wait.

Be Patient

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two: persevere

Bread

Bread Practice perseverance through the making of bread, there are many steps but keep at it and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be rewarded.

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Sourdough

For *700g

the strong

white

starter flour

For the loaf *500g strong white flour, plus extra for dusting *1 tsp fine salt *1 tbsp clear honey *300g sourdough starter *flavourless oil, for greasing

Persevere

irst, make your starter. In a large bowl, mix together 100g of the flour with 125ml slightly warm water. Whisk together until smooth and lump-free.

a warm place to rise for 3 hrs. You may not see much movement, but don’t be disheartened, as sourdough takes much longer to rise than a conventional yeasted bread.

*Transfer the starter to a large jar (a 1-litre Kilner jar is good) or a plastic container. Leave the jar or container lid ajar for 1 hr or so in a warm place (around 25C is ideal), then seal and set aside for 24 hrs.

*Line a medium-sized bowl with a clean tea towel and flour it really well or, if you have a proving basket, you can use this. Tip the dough back onto your work surface and knead briefly to knock out any air bubbles. Shape the dough into a smooth ball and dust it with flour.

*For the next 6 days, you will need to ‘feed’ the starter. Each day, tip away half of the original starter, add an extra 100g of flour and 125ml slightly warm water, and stir well. Try to do this at the same time every day. * After 3-4 days you should start to see bubbles appearing on the surface, and it will smell yeasty and a little acidic. This is a good indicator that the starter is working. * On day 7, the starter should be quite bubbly and smell much sweeter. It is now ready to be used in baking. *Tip the flour, 225ml warm water, the salt, honey and the starter into a bowl, or a mixer fitted with a dough hook. Stir with a wooden spoon, or on a slow setting in the machine, until combined – add extra flour if it’s too sticky or a little extra warm water if it’s too dry. *Tip onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 mins until soft and elastic – you should be able to stretch it without it tearing. If you‘re using a mixer, turn up the speed a little and mix for 5 mins. *Place the dough in a large, well-oiled bowl and cover with oiled cling film. Leave in

*Place the dough, seam-side up, in the bowl or proving basket, cover loosely with a sheet of oiled cling film and leave at room temperature until roughly doubled in size. The time it takes for your bread to rise will vary depending on the strength of your starter and the temperature in the room, anywhere from 4-8 hrs. *The best indicators are your eyes, so don’t worry too much about timings here. You can also prove your bread overnight in the fridge. Remove it in the morning and let it continue rising for another hour or 2 at room temperature. The slower the rise, the deeper the flavour you will achieve. *Place a large baking tray in the oven, and heat to 230C/210C fan/gas 8. Fill a small roasting tin with a little water and place this in the bottom of the oven to create steam. Remove the baking tray from the oven, sprinkle with flour, then carefully tip the risen dough onto the tray. *Slash the top a few times with a sharp knife, if you like, then bake for 35-40 mins until golden brown. It will sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Leave to cool on a wire rack for 20 mins before serving.

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Black Bread

*2 x 7 g packets of fast-acting yeast *1 teaspoon white caster sugar *1 shallot *4 tablespoons molasses *75g unsalted butter , (at room temperature) *1 shot of extra-strong coffee *25 g dark chocolate (70%) *4 tablespoons cider vinegar *60g wholewheat flour *400g rye flour *400g strong bread flour *125g bran *2 tablespoons caraway seeds *Â˝ teaspoon fennel seeds *olive oil, for greasing

Bread

n a jug, mix the yeast and sugar with 100ml tepid water and give it a good stir to combine. Leave it to one side to activate, when the surface will become foamy. *Peel and finely chop the shallot. In a pan, heat the molasses, butter, coffee and chocolate with 500ml of water until the chocolate and butter have melted, then add the vinegar. *For this step you can either use an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, or make the bread by hand. In your mixer or bowl, stir together all three flours, then scoop out about a third into a separate bowl and set aside. Mix the bran into your main flour, along with the caraway seeds, fennel seeds, 2 tablespoons of sea salt and shallot, then pour in the chocolate and yeast mixtures. *If you’re using a mixer, put it on medium speed and mix together until lovely and smooth, around 3 to 5 minutes, or beat it with a wooden spoon, although it’ll take a little longer by hand. *Reduce the speed and add the remaining mixed flour a little at a time until it comes together in a dough. It should feel a little sticky, but firm and

dense. You might not need all the flour. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead it well, so it becomes springy and elastic. Mould the dough into a ball with your hands. *Lightly grease a clean mixing bowl and the dough ball with the olive oil. Pop the dough ball into the bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and leave in a warm place for 2 hours, or until it has doubled in size. *Now knock the dough back by turning it out onto a lightly floured surface and kneading for a couple of minutes. Cut the dough in two and form each half into a round loaf. *Place them on a lightly greased baking tray, seam-side down, cover with a damp tea towel, and leave to rise again for about an hour. *Preheat the oven to 180ºC/gas 4. Slice a cross into the top of each loaf and place in the oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until browned on top and cooked through – they’ll sound hollow when knocked on the bottom. *Serve ideally,

with soft a selection

butter and, of caviar.

Black Bread This Russian bread is rich, dense, sweet and s lightly sour, with an aroma of caraway and fennel seeds. It's not easy but it is delicious. 20

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three: be mindful

Baking

Baking Baking requires you to be present and mindful. Read the instructions as many times as you need to and concentrate on the quantities. Try to focus all of your attention on the task at hand without being distracted by stressors like your phone. Take your time and treat this as a relaxing excersize.

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Chocolate & Pumpkin loaf

*125g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing *300g plain flour *2 tablespoons cocoa powder *1 tablespoon baking powder *1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda *1 teaspoon ground cinnamon *1 whole nutmeg , for grating *175g cooked pumpkin or butternut squash *100ml buttermilk *150g quality milk chocolate *1 teaspoon vanilla extract *175g caster sugar *175g dark brown sugar *3 large free-range eggs Ginger Icing *2cm piece of ginger *1 clementine *200g icing sugar

Be Mindful

reheat the oven to 170ÂşC/ gas 3 and grease and line a 12cm x 25cm loaf tin. *In a bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon. Add a good grating of nutmeg, and set aside. *PurĂŠe the cooked pumpkin or squash, then whisk with the buttermilk in a jug. Melt and add the chocolate, followed by the vanilla extract. Set aside. *Using an electric whisk, cream the butter and both sugars in a separate bowl until fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, whisking continuously, then fold in half the flour until combined,

followed by half the buttermilk liquid. Repeat until everything is mixed in. *Pour the batter into the loaf tin, then bake it in the oven for 1 hour, or until golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove it from the oven and cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then take it out and cool on a wire rack. *While the cake is cooling, make the icing. Peel and finely grate the ginger, then place in a bowl. Finely grate the clementine zest and put aside. *Squeeze the clementine juice into the bowl, then beat in the icing sugar to make a thick but spoonable topping. Pour over the warm cake,

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Lemon-Syrup Loaf Cake

125g unsalted butter (softened) 170g caster sugar 2 large eggs 2 lemons (zested) pinch of salt 4 tbsp milk 23x13x7cm loaf tin buttered and lined for the syrup juice of 1 and a half lemons 100g icing sugar for juice 150g

the half icing

glaze lemon sugar

Baking

reheat the oven to 180ยบC. Grease and line the bottom and the sides of the loaf tin. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy using an electric mixer or wooden spoon. This should take 2-3 minutes with electric mixer. *Add lemon zest and eggs. Add egg one at a time. If the mixture starts to curdle , add a tablespoon of flour into the mixture. *Add the flour and salt. At this point, use the spatula or wooden spoon to mix the batter. Mix just enough until flour is well combined. Do not over mix. Add milk and stir well to mix.

*Pour batter into the load tin and bake for 45 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. *For the syrup, put the lemon and icing sugar in a saucepan and heat gently until the sugar dissolves. As soon as the cake is out from the oven, puncture all over with skewer/ cocktail stick and pour over the syrup. *Leave cake to cool completely before removing it from the tin - about an hour. For the glaze, combine icing sugar and lemon juice until smooth and white. Once the cake is completely cool, drizzle the glaze over the cake.

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About Cake W

hen I come back from the supermarket with an arm full of lemons, butter and flour everyone gets excited. The lemon drizzle recipe is in a dog eared folder, there are translucent smears and splats on the recipe where I must have dropped some melted butter and a cup ring. Even though I know the recipe well, I read it through each time. Make sure I know the measurements. Forget which tin I used last time, every time. Spend too long cutting perfect strips of greaseproof for the tin. Find the right tools. Tap the flour bag very carefully to get from 72 grams to 75. Fish out the little bits of egg shell that fell in. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll spend this hour making a cake and not doing anything else. Sometimes it comes out a little dry, maybe I could have added some blueberries, or more lemon zest. It doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really matter.

Be Mindful

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four: be creative

Pizza

Pizza A blank canvas for you to experiment with flavours and ingredients. Don’t be too concerned with getting it ‘wrong’, play with food like you would as a child and be creative.

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Pizza dough

*1 kg white bread flour or Tipo ‘00’ flour , or 800g strong white bread flour or Tipo ‘00’ flour, plus 200g finely ground semolina flour *1 teaspoon fine sea salt *2 x 7g dried yeast sachets *1 tablespoon golden caster sugar *4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Be Creative

ieve the flour/s and salt on to a clean work surface and make a well in the middle.

can either use it immediately, or keep it, wrapped in clingfilm, in the fridge (or freezer) until required.

*In a jug, mix the yeast, sugar and oil into 650ml of lukewarm water and leave for a few minutes, then pour into the well. Using a fork, bring the flour in gradually from the sides and swirl it into the liquid. Keep mixing, drawing larger amounts of flour in, and when it all starts to come together, work the rest of the flour in with your clean, flour-dusted hands. Knead until you have a smooth, springy dough.

*If using straight away, divide the dough up into as many little balls as you want to make pizzas – this amount of dough is enough to make about six to eight medium pizzas.

*Place the ball of dough in a large flour-dusted bowl and flour the top of it. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and place in a warm room for about an hour until the dough has doubled in size. Now remove the dough to a flour-dusted surface and knead it around a bit to push the air out with your hands – this is called knocking back the dough. You

*Timing-wise, it’s a good idea to roll the pizzas out about 15 to 20 minutes before you want to cook them. Don’t roll them out and leave them hanging around for a few hours, though – if you are working in advance like this it’s better to leave your dough, covered with clingfilm, in the fridge. However, if you want to get them rolled out so there’s one less thing to do when your guests are round, simply roll the dough out into rough circles, about 0.5cm thick, and place them on slightly larger pieces of olive-oil-rubbed and flour-dusted tin foil. You can then stack the pizzas, cover them with clingfilm, and pop them into the fridge.

Pizza: Making pizza forces you to practice a lot of different skills and it can be great fun too. Here are a few less common pizza toppings to get you started. 34

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Pizza toppings Fresh Ricotta and Peach Pizza with Honey Drizzle *3/4 of a ripe peach *3 tablespoons of of fresh ricotta *drizzle of honey *drizzle of extra virgin olive oil *sprinkle of salt *heavy sprinkle of black pepper *sprinkle of ground parmesan

prinkle 1/4 cup of whole wheat flour on a cutting board and coat all sides of the pizza dough until no moist spot are left on the exterior. Roll out the dough, occasionally sprinkling the residual flour on both sides. Drizzle the dough with the olive oil, not too much and no need to rub in. Add a generous pinch of kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and a sprinkle of ground parmesan cheese. Add a generous amount of peach wedges

(around 1/2” thick) to the pizza. Place the dough in the grill after heating it up for roughly 10 minutes to make sure its hot. The dough should cook for approximately 12-15 minutes. You’ll know when it’s done, as it should be crisp golden in color, with an occasional char spot. Remove the dough. Spoon fresh ricotta on top. Add a generously drizzle of honey, especially to the exterior crust. Sprinkle with kosher salt and generous amounts of coarsely ground black pepper. Serve.

Pizza

Swiss Chard, Sausage, and Mozzarella 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 2 Italian sausages, casings removed 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 bunches Swiss chard, chopped Pinch of salt Freshly ground black pepper 30g cornmeal 1 ball fresh pizza dough (if frozen, make sure itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thawed) 125g fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced 50g freshly grated Parmesan 1 tsp. Crushed red pepper flakes, for garnish

reheat oven to 450Â° and lightly grease a baking sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil, then set aside. *In a large skillet over mediumhigh heat, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. *Cook sausage, breaking up with a spoon, until crumbly and lightly browned, 7 to 8 minutes, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. *Pour all but 1 tablespoon oil from pan, then add garlic and

cook over medium-high heat until fragrant, 1 minute. Add chard in two batches, stirring until wilted, 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a colander to drain. *Spread cornmeal onto a clean work surface, roll out dough into a large oval or rectangle, and transfer to a greased baking sheet. Add half the mozzarella, sausage, and Swiss chard, then top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.

Mushroom-Fontina Pizza with a Fried Egg *3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided *3 cloves garlic, minced *450g assorted mushrooms, thinly sliced *1 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves *pinch of salt *Freshly ground black pepper *450g pizza dough *85g fontina cheese, sliced *1 large egg *3 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

reheat oven to 450 degrees F and lightly grease a baking sheet with olive oil. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add mushrooms and cook until softened and golden brown, 8 minutes. Add thyme and season with salt and pepper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pizza dough into a large oval. Transfer to prepared

baking sheet and prick lightly with a fork. Top with half the Fontina, then cover with mushrooms, then add remaining Fontina. Transfer to oven and bake until crust is golden and cheese bubbly, 10 to 12 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Fry egg until white is set and yolk still slightly runny, 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Place egg in center of pizza and sprinkle pizza with fresh parsley. Slice and serve.

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five: be gentle

Eggs & Dough

Eggs & Dough Practice gentleness when working with eggs and dough. In order to get the most from delicate ingredients you too have to be delicate when you handle them.

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Poached eggs

*1 tbsp white wine vinegar *2 free-range eggs *salt and freshly ground black pepper

Be Gentle

ill a small pan just over one third full with cold water and bring it to the boil. *Add turn

the down

vinegar and to simmer.

*Crack the eggs one at a time into a small bowl and gently tip into the simmering water. Lightly poach for 2-3 minutes. *Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen towels. *Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve immediately.

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Gyoza *2 tbsp cornflour *26 ready-made gyoza skins, *defrosted if frozen *2-3 tbsp vegetable oil For the filling *4 spring onions, ends trimmed, roughly chopped *2 large leaves of Savoy or pointed cabbages, hard stem removed, roughly chopped *a 1½cm piece of ginger, peeled and chopped *1 garlic clove *50g water chestnuts, about 5 (drained weight) *2 tsp soy sauce *2 tsp oyster sauce *1 tsp cooking saké *½ tsp sesame oil *140g minced pork or chicken

Eggs & Dough

ut the spring onions, cabbage, ginger and garlic in a food processor, and whizz to a fine mix (or finely chop by hand). *Add the water chestnuts and pulse to chop, but not too finely – these will add a nice crunchy texture. Add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sake, sesame oil and a pinch of salt, and whizz again. *Tip the ingredients into a bowl and add the minced pork or chicken. Mix by hand until well combined. Chill until ready to use. *Have a pot of water to hand. Sprinkle the cornflour onto a plate. To assemble the gyoza, hold the dumpling skin in the palm of one hand and put a heaped teaspoon of the filling onto the centre of the skin. *Dip your finger in the water and wipe around the edge of the skin – this will moisten it and help the edges stick together. *Bring the edges of the skin

together. Pinch pleats along one side, then press each pleat against the opposite flat side of the skin. *With each pinch make sure that you are sealing the parcel and keeping the filling in the centre. Put each gyoza onto the plate dusted with cornflour. Can be covered with cling film and chilled for up to 8 hrs. *Cook the gyoza in batches. Heat a non-stick frying pan with 1 tbsp vegetable oil. Brush off any excess cornflour from the bases of the dumplings. Fry the gyoza on one side only – don’t turn them over, you just want one crispy side. They should be golden brown after about 2 mins. *Add a good splash of water to the pan and cover with a steaming lid or a large sheet of foil with a few holes poked in the top. Cook over a medium heat for 3-5 mins until the water has evaporated and the gyoza filling is cooked through. Set aside while you cook the rest.

Thy Shall Eat

six: be generous

Sharing Meals

Sharing meals Cooking for people can be incredibly rewarding, it can also be nerve wracking. Sharing in food is an act of love so start by cooking for those closest to you, I assure you it will bring you even closer. Be generous, give to those around you.

Fideua: This is a recipe from my Mother's side of the family. Every Christmas eve we share this delicious Paella variation. It's my favourite family tradition. 46

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Fideua *400g Fideua pasta *250g of small shell on prawns *Fish scraps for fish stock plus onion and veg to taste to make stock with *1 Onion *½ Red pepper *½ Green pepper *300g Monk fish *Handful of mussels *Small squid *100g of other fish as seasonally available *½ tin of tomatoes *¼ tsp tomato paste 1 clove of garlic *Pinch of saffron *Bay leaf *Salt and pepper to taste *One lemon

Be Generous

eel the prawns and keep all skins and peelings. Fry peelings until they have some colour and are fragrant, then add fish scraps, onions, carrot, veg as available, bay leaf and enough liquid to make about 1 litre of stock.

they open, and set aside. Finely chop onion and peppers and fry gently in some oil until transparent.

*Mash up the garlic, a good pinch of salt, pepper and saffron in a pestle and mortar. Loosen it a bit with of stock and set aside.

*Add stock and build up the heat until its simmering. The pasta takes between 10 and 15 minutes to cook so 3 minutes before itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cooked add the fish back to the pan.

*Chop monk fish into large chunks (about an inch square). Fry for a few minutes until browned and put aside. Chop squid and other fish, fry quickly and put aside. Fry the muscles over a high heat, just until

*Add pasta, tinned tomatoes and tomato paste, the garlic and saffron mash and fry for a couple of minutes.

*Taste and season if necessary Cook for 3 minutes, turn off, let it rest for 2 minutes and serve immediately with lemon wedges and a sprinkle of parsley on top.

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Pilchards and Rice

*One tin of pilchards (400g) *One tin of chopped tomatoes *One onion *Two cloves of garlic *Pinch of cayenne pepper *Tea spoon of sugar *400g uncooked white rice (about 100g per person)

Sharing Meals

lice the onions and soften in a pan with a splash of oil (olive oil preferably). Add the crushed, chopped garlic and a teaspoon of sugar. *When the onions become translucent, add the pilchards, cayenne and tomatoes. Break up the fish with a wooden spoon or spatula and cook on a low heat. *Meanwhile cook the rice, add salt oil and stir the grains. The fish and tomato sauce can cook alongside the rice for however long it takes (no less than 10 minutes). *Add the fish and tomatoes to the rice when it is done and stir in. Turn up the heat so rice catches on the bottom of the pan, leave it for 30 seconds or so and then stir again, do that a few times and then serve.

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Pilchards and Rice My Dad told me this story about pilchards and rice. Big Dave, Ralph, Massy, 'one of Massy's pals' and my Dad (His name is Francis, they used to call him Fran, apparently) were all at my dad's place. a few of them announced that they were hungry but they had absolutely no money, opting to spend any money they did have at the pub. They set to work scraping together the few coins they did have and any hiding in between sofa cushions or behind furniture. 'See if you've got any dosh, any change. Fran reckons he can feed us for two quid'. Eventually they get enough for a tin of pilchards, a big onion and a bag of rice. Garlic too if there was enough change left. Big Dave is sent up to CostCutter and twenty minutes later he returns. 'Nicked the garlic didn't I'. Another 20 minutes later my dad puts down five big steaming plates of food. 'It was delicious to a bunch of hungry junkies'.

Be Generous

Thy Shall Eat

seven: love yourself

Drinks

Drinks Take care of your body and you're taking care of your mind too. This section lists simple recipes for drinks that can be small acts of self love if you want them to be or just delicious, healing elixirs for when you feel like you need one.

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Note: I believe this came from my Grandmother, who I never got to meet. Whenever I need some comfort, I find it in a cup of tea.

The Perfect Pot of Tea

For one large pot *Two Yorkshire tea bags *One lady grey tea bag *Sugar to taste *Milk to taste

Love Yourself

oil a fresh kettle of water and place all three tea bags into the pot. Once the kettle has boiled, pour over the tea bags immediately. Make sure to do this straight after the kettle has boiled. *Let the tea brew for 2-5 minutes (depending on how strong you prefer it). *Pour tea into cups, allowing for milk. Add sugar and milk to taste.

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Herbal Tea

Ginger Tea 1 tsp ginger root, grated 1 1/2 tsp honey 2 cloves 1-inch piece cinnamon bark 3-inch orange peel

ring your cupful of water to a bubbling boil. Next, add in all the ingredients, bring the heat down to low, and let everything steep for about fifteen minutes. Strain into a cup and drink.

Drinks

Sage tea 10 medium fresh sage leaves 1 mug boiling water 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon honey

teep sage leaves in boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove the sage leaves and stir in lemon juice and honey.

Lemon and Pepper tea Juice of 1 lemon 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 1/4 tsp pepper 1 1/2 tsp honey

lace the pepper and turmeric in the cup, and pour over boiling water. Stir in the lemon juice and honey, enjoy.

Tulsi Tea handful of fresh basil 1 tsp honey 2 tsp lemon juice

ut the basil leaves into a saucepan with one and a quarter cup of water. Bring to a boil. Then bring down the flame to low for 15 minutes. Strain into a cup, then add the honey and lemon juice and stir.

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Sugar and Milk I

don’t think of myself or my family as typically British, but one stereotype we do adhere to is excessive tea drinking. When I was young I was allowed one cup a day but that quickly escalated. I know I should drink herbal teas with lemon and honey and mint and sometimes I do and sometimes it makes me feel better if I’m under the weather but if you asked what really soothes me, it would be a cup of Yorkshire tea, one small brown sugar and a splash of semi skimmed milk. If I’m emotionally or physically unwell, this small gesture of self care always makes me feel better, even if only slightly. It wakes me up a little with caffeine, the sugar and milk gives me just enough sustenance to sit up and the warmth is so comforting. Being kind to myself is more complicated than making a cup of tea but it helps.

Love Yourself

For my parents, who taught me everything I know.

Emily de Aguilar