Recipe: Blackberry & Elderberry Tartlets

September 27, 2022 Tia Tamblyn

I’m a bit in love with these tartlets as a delicious, wholesome snack at any time of day. Made with seasonal ingredients that are easily adaptable, there’s no added sugar with the chia seeds working to thicken the berry sauce before it’s added to the cases.

You can swap in different types of berries - fresh or frozen - according to the time of year and what you have that needs using up, and similarly the nuts that form the base of the cases; I used hazelnuts but these could be substituted for others, so do feel free to play around with the recipe.

I shared these tartlets with Julia Bird and John Hersey whilst recording on location for Episode 17 of my podcast, Breakfast & Beyond, in which we discussed the art of Julia’s beautiful seaweed pressing art that is inspired by the Cornish coastline. They tasted amazing accompanied with coffee by local roasters Lars & Margo, I definitely recommend giving this recipe a try - all the better if you can take them to the beach for an al fresco breakfast!

Listen to Episode 17 of Breakfast & Beyond and share the visual story through John’s stunning photos, via the Episode 17 web page.

Recipe: Blackberry & Elderberry Tartlets

Makes 12
Prep time: 20 minutes (plus waiting for one hour for dates to soften). Cooking time: 25 minutes.

Ingredients:

80g pitted dates
120g hazelnuts
120g ground almonds
1 tbsp coconut oil
Flour, for rolling out (use gluten free if required)
1 tbsp sunflower oil, plus more for greasing
120ml maple syrup
300g berries, fresh or frozen - I used a combination of 3/4 blackberries and 1/4 elderberries
2 tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

An hour in advance - roughly cut the dates into small pieces then place the dates in a bowl and add just enough water to cover them. Leave to soften for approx one hour.
Heat oven to 180°C.
Place nuts on a baking tray and cook in the oven for 5 - 10 mins, until turning darker in colour - ensure they do not burn. When ready, remove from oven and set aside to cool.
Sieve dates ovr a bowl to collect and reserve the date juice.
Warm coconut oil in a saucepan over a low heat, then set aside.
Place the cooled nuts in a food processor, blitz for around 30 seconds so they are well broken down. Add the ground almonds and blitz again. Use a spoon to work the mixture out of the sides of the food processor if it starts to compact before blitzing again until well combined.
Add the coconut oil and drained dates to the food processor. Blitz again. Check the consistency of the ‘dough’ - it should be sticky and pliable so that you can roll it out. You may wish to add a splash of date juice, if it feels too firm and crumbly. If adding date juice, just add a little at a time, blitz and re-check consistency.
Remove ‘dough’ from food processor and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll out carefully to a thickness of approx. 5mm.
Grease a 12 hole shallow muffin tin. Select a cookie cutter or glass with rim that is just wider than the muffin holes. Press out 12 circles and place over muffin tin. Shape them as you gently press them in, and smooth over any gaps that appear.
As you bring the dough together to roll out for a second time, use another splash of date juice if the consistency becomes too dry.
Cook tart bases in the oven for 10 - 15 minutes until turning darker in colour. Remove from the oven, use a knife to work around each tart base and ensure it isn’t stuck to the tin, then set aside for 10 mins to cool and harden.
While the tart cases are in the oven, in a large, non-stick frying pan warm the oil then add the maple syrup. Turn up the heat a little until the maple syrup starts to sizzle, allow it to continue simmering for a couple of minutes.
Add the berries to the pan and mix well. Stir regularly as the berries warm and release moisture. Continue cooking for 10 - 15 minutes, stirring regularly, until the berries are well softened and their shape has broken down then remove from heat.
Add the chia seeds and vanilla extract, mix well then set aside for 20 minutes to thicken and cool.
When the bases have cooled and hardened, remove them from the tin onto a plate. When the berry mixture has cooled and thickened, place a desert spoon of berry mixture into each tart case.

Recipe: Tostada con Tomate (Tomatoes on Toast)

August 10, 2022 Tia Tamblyn

This recipe comes from my lovely friend Dom who contributed it for our Lostwithiel School Cookbook, which was a 2021 school fundraising project. Having spent time living and studying in Spain, Dom was introduced to this meal which continues to be a daily breakfast staple for him. High summer is the perfect time to eat this in the UK - as we reach peak tomato season - and I was able to source delicious heritage tomatoes along with garlic from the Real Food Garden who grow organic fruit and vegetables in their Cornwall-based market garden. Along with Cornish Sea Salt, olive oil sourced via Fowey Valley and fresh sourdough by Vicky’s Bread, the only thing I could possibly add to this recipe is some fresh herbs from the garden!

Researching the recipe, in Spain there are different techniques used to make the ‘paste’; sometimes the tomatoes are grated with skins removed, sometimes chopped small or blended. Blending is a great option as it means you can use the tomato skins without wasting them.

Do give this a go, especially if you have a glut of tomatoes - we’ve enjoyed it for breakfast, lunch and a light supper.

Huge thanks to Dom for this recipe, which was shared with Bella Collins of sustainable packaging company Flexi-Hex in Episode 16 of my podcast, Breakfast & Beyond. Take a listen as you enjoy your tostada con tomate!

Recipe: Tostada con Tomate

Serves 2 - 4

Ingredients:

250g vine tomatoes
1 tbsp olive oil (plus a little more for drizzling on toast)
Pinch of sea salt
Grind of black pepper
1 garlic clove
4 slices sourdough bread (or 2 large slices)
Handful of fresh, seasonal herbs (I used flat leaf parsley)

Method:

Cut the tomatoes in quarters then place in a blender with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Blitz for approx 20 second until broken down but not completely smooth
Toast the sourdough - in a toaster or skillet
Peel the garlic clove then rub it across one side of the toast to give a hint of flavour then drizzle with olive oil
Spread the tomato mixture over the toast, add the fresh herbs on top along with a few grinds of black pepper

Recipe: Smashed Purple Sprouting with Poached Egg on Sourdough

April 2, 2022 Tia Tamblyn

I’ve struggled to know what to call this; ‘Early Spring on Toast’ seems the most simply explained, although it doesn’t speak to the ingredients! I wanted to create topped-sourdough breakfast / brunch dish that could take the place of avocado on toast - delicious, but imported. I was very excited to see our purple sprouting plants produce another batch of tender stems and wanted to incorporate them, accompanied by other ingredients that are available in the garden and hedgerows in early Spring. At this time of year (late March) it’s known to be hard to find local ingredients - there’s a promise of much to come, heralded by the arrival of clumps of wild garlic; but little has got going yet.

This recipe also embraces zero waste principles, utilising not only the very tops of the stems but leaves and some of the firmer stalks that might often be discarded; they are quickly roasted then blitzed along with the other ingredients.

I prepared this as I shared brunch with Jeffrey Robinson of The New Yard Restaurant in West Cornwall. You can listen to our conversation on sustainable cooking within the restaurant industry via Episode 13 of my podcast, Breakfast & Beyond.

Enjoy!

Recipe: Smashed Purple Sprouting & Poached Egg on Sourdough

Serves 4

Ingredients:

150g purple sprouting broccoli - use the heads, stems and leaves
50g hazlenuts
Small handful wild garlic leaves
1 large lemon
1 tsp rose harissa
Couple of splashes cider vinegar
Small handful parsley (or other garden herb)
2 tbsp olive oil, plus a little more for drizzling
2 tbsp ricotta
Salt & Pepper
4 slices sourdough (or alternative bread)
4 eggs (at room temperature)
To garnish: hedgerow leaves and flowers of your choice eg wild garlic flowers and leaves, sorrel

Method:

Preheat oven to 180C.
Roughly chop the purple sprouting broccoli (heads, stems and leaves) into bite-size pieces, spread out on a large baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place in the oven for 5 minutes then remove (when vibrant green colour), turn off the oven and set aside to cool.
Roughly chop the hazelnuts, toast for a few minutes in a small, dry frying pan, shaking regularly, until just starting to turn golden. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Once cool, put most of the hazelnuts into a food processor, setting a few aside for garnish. Blitz those in the food processor for about one minute, until resembling breadcrumbs. Add the cooled broccoli, blitz again.
Grate the lemon rind into the food processor, then add the lemon juice. Set aside a few wild garlic leaves for garnishing, roughly tear the rest and add to the food processor. Add the harissa, the small handful of parsley, 2 tbsp olive oil and a dash of vinegar. Blitz again until well combined. Add the ricotta, blitz again and season with salt and pepper. You can adjust the consistency if you would like to with olive oil and/or lemon juice. Set aside.
Bring a pan of water to simmer, add a dash of vinegar. Keeping the pan at a simmer, crack the eggs in one at a time. Keep the pan simmering, you will likely need to turn up the heat slightly once the eggs are in. Set your timer for 4 minutes. Prepare a plate with kitchen roll on top, that the eggs will be placed on when they come out of the water.
While the eggs are poaching, toast the sourdough slices. When toasted, lay on plates and drizzle with olive oil. Spoon the smashed broccoli onto the toast, so there’s a thick layer on each slice.
When the eggs are done, remove with a slotted spoon onto the kitchen roll. Lightly lay another piece of kitchen roll on top to remove excess water. Then place an egg on top of each piece of toast.
Garnish each plate with the remaining wild garlic leaves, toasted hazelnuts plus any other seasonal flowers or leaves such as sorrel or wild garlic flowers. Crack pepper on top and serve.

Recipe: Rhubarb, Beetroot & Lemon Compote

March 12, 2022 Tia Tamblyn

This zingy compote brings together three ingredients that can be found growing in late winter / early Spring - when the sparse season means that supplies of fresh fruit and vegetables are limited - so is a welcome pop of colour and flavour to enliven a breakfast, or indeed a dessert later in the day. It’s also a fun way of getting some vegetables in at the start of the day!

I picked the early rhubarb from our veg patch here at Botelet Farm; the beetroot and lemons were grown within Cornwall and sourced via Fruutbox, and the honey is made locally.

I cooked this compote for Marcus Alleyne of Black Voices Cornwall and we used it to top granola bowls as we shared breakfast during Episode 12 of Breakfast & Beyond - do take a listen.

Recipe: Rhubarb, Beetroot & Lemon Compote

Serves approx 4

Ingredients:

200g rhubarb (weight after topped & tailed)
100g beetroot
Rind of 1 lemon, juice of 3 lemons
Small nub of fresh ginger (or 1/2 tsp ground ginger)
1.5 tbsp honey (replace with maple syrup for a vegan version)
100g dried apricots
100ml water
1 star anise
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp chia seeds

Method:

Wash the rhubarb stalks and chop into small pieces. Wash and grate the beetroot. Finely chop the apricots. Place all in a medium sized saucepan.
Finely grate the find into the saucepan, add the lemon juice, water, a decent grating of fresh ginger and the star anise.
Simmer for approx 8 minutes stirring regularly, until ingredients are well combined and softened but there’s still a little shape to the rhubarb pieces.
Take off the heat, remove the star anise and stir through the vanilla extract and chia seeds. Allow to sit for at least 10 minutes to enable the chia seeds to absorb some of the liquid, then eat warm, allow to cool completely or store in the fridge for up to three days.

Recipe: Pumpkin & Apple Compote

November 11, 2021 Tia Tamblyn

This most versatile of recipes can be eaten at any time of day - as breakfast, snack or pudding. It’s a great way of using up autumnal fruits, the version I made pictured above uses up pumpkin flesh left over from Halloween along with windfall apples - did you know that around 180,000 tonnes of pumpkin are thrown away each year (Guardian)?

The compote can be eaten on its own, perhaps accompanied with yoghurt; added to cereals, muesli or granola at breakfast time; and it also makes the perfect fruit base for a crumble.

In the recipe below I’ve included details of how to make the crumble topping if you wish to use some or all of the compote in this way. It also stores in the fridge for a good few days so you can come back to it and use it in different ways. This recipe is refined-sugar free, and can be made vegan by replacing the honey with maple syrup, and gluten free by using GF oats.

I cooked this recipe for breakfast with Alex Geldenhuys of New Dawn Traders for Episode 9 of my podcast, Breakfast & Beyond. Do take a listen!

I hope you enjoy x

Recipe: Pumpkin & Apple Compote

Serves 8 (8 generous compote portions, or with crumble topping added, 8 portions of crumble)

Ingredients:

400g pumpkin, peeled, seeds removed, cut into bite-size pieces
500g apples, cored & cut into bite-size pieces
2 tsp ground cinnamon
Few shavings fresh ginger (or 1 tsp ground ginger)
80g raisins (or other soft fruit eg dates or apricots, chopped into small pieces)
100g honey (or maple syrup for vegan version)
400ml water
1 lemon
2 tsp chia seeds

If you wish to make a Pumpkin & Apple Crumble, for the topping you will need:

300g oats
100g mixed nuts, roughly chopped
1 tsp cinnamon
100g honey (or maple syrup)
80ml sunflower oil

To make the compote:

Place pumpkin and apple pieces in a large saucepan, add the water, cinnamon, ginger, raisins, honey and juice of the lemon. Stir well, bring to the boil then turn down heat and simmer for approx 20 minutes until pumpkin and apple have softened, but still keep their shape.
Remove from the heat, add the lemon’s zest along with the chia seeds, allow to sit for 10 minutes.
The compote will be ready in 10 minutes once the chia seeds have absorbed some of the liquid. You can eat it straight away, cool it and refrigerate, or place it in the base of a baking dish and add the crumble topping. You may wish to eat it on its own, add to cereals or muesli, or serve with yoghurt or ice cream - great as a breakfast or a pudding!
If making a crumble: preheat oven to 180C. Warm honey and sunflower oil together in a saucepan. In a large bowl mix the oats, nuts and cinnamon, then pour over the honey and sunflower oil when melted, stir well. Spread the compote mixture in the bottom of a baking dish, add the crumble on top, bake in the oven for approx 30 minutes until the top turns golden.

Recipe: Breakfast Fried Rice with Kimchi & Wild Mushrooms

November 10, 2021 Tia Tamblyn

This recipe was cooked for Alex Geldenhuys as we chatted over breakfast about the company she founded, New Dawn Traders, which transports goods by sail across the Atlantic and from the European coastlines, pollution free. The rice I used, sourced from New Dawn Traders, was brought over from Portugal, and I wanted to combine this with some local, seasonal breakfast ingredients to create a tasty and nourishing recipe with a bit of bite to contrast with the soft rice.

I cooked the rice with sesame seeds, beaten eggs and some finely chopped spring onions and fresh kale from our lovely friend Caroline’s garden - you could replace these with other seasonal veg, chopped small, that you have available or to use-up.

Just before meeting Alex, I spent a few days in West Cornwall with the family, and during that time visited New lyn Fermentary .. on more than one occasion! I fell in love with their kimchis and krauts, so topped this recipe with their Winter Kimchi, along with wild mushrooms sourced from Bello Wild Food and fresh herbs from the garden.

You can listen to my conversation with Alex via the Episode 9 webpage.

Recipe: Breakfast Fried Rice with Kimchi & Wild Mushrooms

Serves 4 - 6 depending on portion sizes

Ingredients:

280g rice (I used Caroline rice, sourced via New Dawn Traders)
650ml water
3 tbsp olive oil
4 spring onions, chopped including leaves
50g kale, finely chopped including stalk (or you could use alternative seasonal veg)
2 tbsp sesame seeds
3 tbsp soy sauce
4 eggs, beaten
4 tbsp kimchi (I used Winter Kimchi sourced via Newlyn Ferm entary)
100g mushrooms (I used wild mushrooms sourced via Bell o Wi ld Food. If using larger mushrooms, you may wish to slice first)
2 tsp dried thyme (or a handful of chopped fresh thyme)
Cracked pepper
Handful fresh herbs, roughly torn (I used flat leaf parsley from the garden)

Method:

You may wish to warm 4 or 6 plates (depending on how many you are serving) on a low setting in the oven while you prepare the dish.
Cook the rice (this can be done the day before, with the rice placed in the fridge when cooled): place the rice in a saucepan with the water. Bring to the boil then turn the heat down and simmer gently for about 20 minutes until almost all of the water has been absorbed by the rice. Remove the saucepan from the heat, place a clean tea towel on top of the saucepan and the lid on top of that, allow to sit for approx 15 minutes to allow the remaining water to absorb and the rice to finish cooking. Then place the rice in a sieve, pour over just-boiled water, and allow to sit in the sieve over a saucepan to cool - then store in the fridge overnight, or the rice is ready to use immediately once the boiled water has drained away.
In a large frying pan, warm 2 tbsp oil over a medium heat. Add the spring onions, kale and sesame seeds, crack over some pepper, and cook stirring regularly for approx 2 minutes until the seeds start to pop.
As you cook the onions, kale and sesame seeds, in a separate smaller frying pan, heat 1 tbsp oil over a medium-high heat, add the mushrooms and thyme, stir well and flash fry for a couple of minutes until mushrooms are cooked but keep their shape. Remove from heat and set aside when ready.
Add the rice to the frying pan with kale, spring onions and sesame seeds and stir to combine. Add the soy sauce, continue stirring carefully to make sure the rice is well cooked and combined with the other ingredients, but go gently to ensure it keeps its shape.
Add the beaten eggs to the pan with the rice, stir it through continually for a couple of minutes, until egg is cooked in with the rice. Remove from heat.
To serve - divide the rice mixture in the centre of each of your plates. Add 1 tbsp kimchi per person on top of the rice, then scatter over mushrooms followed by fresh herbs and another crack of pepper.

Spring recipe: Asparagus Dip

May 27, 2021 Tia Tamblyn

This subtle, creamy recipe is a lovely alternative to enjoying asparagus stems whole if, like me, you tend to over dose on asparagus during it’s short local spring season! It’s also a great way of using up the stalks if you have included the softer tips in another recipe. You can use every part of the asparagus stem that has some ‘give’ in it, except any completely hard, woody, bits at the bottom - so a good one for zero waste cooking!

The cashews need to be soaked at least two hours in advance (and can be overnight), then the recipe can be made in advance of when it is going to be eaten and stored in the fridge.

I served this dip to accompany Magnolia Petals with Marinated Veg for breakfast in Episode 4 of my podcast, Breakfast & Beyond.

I hope you enjoy!

Recipe: Asparagus Dip

Serves 6 - 8 with a generous dollop, or less as a more substantial part of a dish

Ingredients:

200g asparagus, I use St Enodoc Asparagus
100g cashew nuts
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Zest of 1/2 a lemon
Small handful fresh spring herbs, including stalks - I used parsley - roughly torn
Small handful wild garlic, roughly torn
Generous pinch of salt, I use Cornish Sea Salt
Cracked pepper

Method:

Place the cashew nuts in a bowl, cover generously with water and leave to soak for minimum two hours, or overnight, then drain and set aside.
Cut the asparagus stalks into small, bite-size pieces, using all but any completely hard, woody ends. Separate the softer tops from the harder parts of the stem - the softer tops will need less time cooking.
Bring a pan of water to simmer, add the harder pieces of asparagus stem and simmer for three minutes then remove from heat and add the softer pieces of asparagus tops. Leave the asparagus to sit in the hot water for five minutes then drain, refresh with cold water, and set aside.
Place the drained cashews in a food processor and blitz for approx 1 minute until well broken down. Add the asparagus, blitz again. Add in lemon zest, wild garlic, fresh herbs and blitz to combine, then pour the olive oil in as blitzing to form a smooth paste. Season with salt and pepper, blitz to combine, then adjust seasoning and olive oil until you reach the desired consistency and flavour.
Pour into a bowl and serve immediately, or store with a lid on in the fridge for a few days.

Spring recipe: Rhubarb Overnight Oats

May 27, 2021 Tia Tamblyn

This is one of my favourite spring breakfasts - I adore rhubarb and love the way the flavours come through having been gently baked in apple juice. It’s hearty, full of goodness, and love to serve it with a little crunch on top from toasted seeds, to contrast with the soft textures of the oats that have absorbed the liquids overnight. It’s also incredibly easy, after baking the rhubarb simply place all the ingredients in the bowl, mix together, and pop in the fridge overnight.

I served this for breakfast during Episode 4 of the Breakfast & Beyond podcast with Vicki Jones of Sand & Palm, and Episode 14 with Avril Greenaway of Cleaner Seas Group. Vicki is vegan so I used plant-based milk and maple syrup rather than honey, but you can easily adjust these according to preference. For the Breakfast & Beyond meal, I sprinkled stitchwort flowers on top which I had foraged from our hedgerows here at Botelet - a delicate, dainty edible flower that’s perfect for this dish. Bear in mind foraging guidelines if you choose to use edible flowers.

Recipe: Rhubarb Overnight Oats

Serves 4 - 6

Ingredients:

200g rhubarb (weight of stalks with leaves and hard ends removed)
100ml apple juice
1 tbsp maple syrup (could use honey if not vegan)
180g oats
2 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp ground flaxseed
Few shavings fresh ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Seeds from 2 cardamom pods, crushed
2 tbsp maple syrup
500ml plant-based milk (or dairy alternative)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Optional serving suggestions: fresh fruit, plant-based yogurt, edible flowers, sprinkling of toasted nuts & seeds .

Method:

Heat oven to 180C.
Begin by roasting the rhubarb: wash the rhubarb stalks and chop into small pieces. Spread out on a baking tray, pour over apple juice and maple syrup, stir so all pieces of rhubarb are covered, place in oven for approx 15 mins, until rhubarb pieces are soft but still holding their shape, then remove and set aside to cool.
Place the oats, chia seeds, flaxseed, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger and crushed cardamom seeds in a large bowl, mix well then add the milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract and the rhubarb, once it has cooled, along with any juice from the baking tray. Stir well so thoroughly combined.
Place a lid or plate on top of the bowl and place it in the fridge overnight or for at least six hours, until the liquid has been absorbed by the oats.
I like to serve overnight oats at room temperature, so remove from the fridge approx half an hour before serving, add your favourite toppings (or none) and enjoy!

Recipe: Lemon & Lime Marmalade (Sugar Free)

March 17, 2021 Tia Tamblyn

I love the tangy flavours of marmalade, but don’t eat it as often as I might as I end up feel a bit sugared-out - and I tend to get a bit militant about how much the kids consume. However the arrival of some beautiful Cornish-grown lemons and limes via our Fruutbox delivery got me thinking about how to create a version that not only doesn’t use refined sugar, but replaces the sweetener with locally-sourced honey, and at a much reduced ratio that the traditional 50 / 50 fruit / sugar weight. So here’s the recipe, I hope you enjoy it. So far we’ve spread it on toast, used it as the filling for an almond flour-based tart and as a compote alongside yoghurt. It keeps in the fridge for about a week .. I’d love to know your thoughts.

Recipe: Lemon & Lime Marmalade (refined sugar free)

Makes 2 medium size jars

Ingredients:

500g lemons & limes (in whatever ratio you like, or just use lemons or limes)
300ml water
150g local honey
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tbsp chia seeds

Method:

Note - prepare the marmalade by cutting the fruit and soaking overnight, then finish the recipe the next day.

Wash and dry the lemons and limes. Remove the hard ends, then slice into thin circles, removing pips and reserving juice as you cut them. Cut any larger slices into halves or quarters. Finely chop the rind at each end into small pieces. Place sliced lemons and limes along with any juice from cutting into a large bowl. Add the water, pop a lid or plate on top of the bowl and place in the fridge or a cool area overnight.
The following day, transfer the lemon and lime slices along with the water to a saucepan along with 1 tsp ground ginger. Bring to the boil then simmer for 30 minutes until the fruit has softened.
While the fruit is simmering, sterilise your jars.
After 30 minutes of simmering, add the honey to the pan, stir until melted and well combined then remove from heat.
Add the chia seeds and stir well then leave to cool, during this time the chia seeds will absorb the moisture and the marmalade will thicken.
When cool, pour into jars. Store in the fridge.

A Tonic of Our Time

February 28, 2021 Tia Tamblyn

This article is published in Drift Magazine Volume No 10

Words by Tia Tamblyn I Images by John Hersey

Social media is awash with stories of rosy faces fresh from salty dips, especially so in the era of Covid-19 when many of us have turned to nature as a form of therapy, soaking up the exhilaration of being exposed to the elements and inspired by the natural landscape. As the world we know it has been turned on its head, with dramatic changes for many in work and home lives, the great outdoors – and wild swimming in particular – has offered great comfort for many, including me.

Lucky enough to live in Cornwall, we have seascapes aplenty as well as rivers and lakes to dip our toes (and more) into for that chilly hit of happy hormones. Growing up on the west coast of Scotland did, in hindsight, offer a useful apprenticeship in the joys of cold water immersion and dodging jellyfish. Yet, although I’ve never been far from the sea, it has never beckoned more. How wonderful that so many people have been drawn to this free, powerful and abundant source of natural therapy.

Cold water swimming offers a startlingly comprehensive range of physiological and psychological benefits, including: reducing stress hormones, boosting the production of serotonin and dopamine that help to improve mood and reduce depression and anxiety, lowering heart rate and blood pressure, directing circulation to the brain and vital organs which aids detoxification, boosting vitamin D as we venture outside, along with the range of benefits that arise through precious shared time with friends, social restrictions permitting.

However, outlining the benefits of wild swimming doesn’t address a reality of this activity which, let’s face it, puts many off, especially during winter: it’s absolutely freezing (or perhaps not actually below zero unless you’re north of Cornwall), almost painfully cold at times as you immerse yourself into the ocean or river, and in so doing become acutely aware of each and every body part.

So what, then, makes cold water swimming so enjoyable? For me it’s more than just knowing the potential benefits. Despite every nerve ending in the body sending a warning signal to the brain: “too cold, turn back”, we continue to head seaward, whether inching in gradually or with an icy launch. In that moment there’s an opportunity to push past those uncomfortable feelings and be truly present, feel the body come alive. The ability to overcome the cold is exhilarating, and there’s a moment of surprise that you have kept going – immersed – then begin to acclimatise. After an initial grimace or operatic warble comes laughter, joy and connection with those you are swimming alongside.

I swim in open water once or twice a week during winter; these are much-needed moments when they come around. But, as the era of social restrictions and disruption to ‘normal’ life looks set to continue, I wanted to talk with someone for whom cold water swimming is a daily ritual, someone who has committed to the practice over the course of years and can speak of the power of the ocean to support our wellbeing.

Katie Maggs began sea swimming from her home in Penzance five years ago following a burnout breakdown during which she experienced anxiety, fatigue and a feeling of total overload. Reconnecting with her childhood love for the ocean, Katie began swimming every morning, initially a short swim but gradually going further and for longer as her confidence grew. Katie recounts: “my journey with ill health spanned over a year but it was daily sea swimming, a wonderful outdoor swimming community and underwater photography that magically brought all that I once was back to me.”

Katie swims from Battery Rocks in Penzance at dawn each day, which during winter means submerging into extremely cold, black water. I asked Katie about swimming through the seasons, and whether her routine changes during winter. “I front-crawl swim in the sea all year round. In winter I swim with other people to be safe and as it’s dark first thing, we have waterproof lights and tow floats, it’s an incredible experience! We swim for about 15 minutes, but in summer we will often be in the water for up to an hour, swimming a few miles. I swim with a lovely group of friends that has really grown over the years.”

How, I ask, does daily sea swimming contribute to her wellbeing? “It can be a coping mechanism or a cure for things you’d never dreamt of it helping” replies Katie. “I’ve personally seen it help to heal grief, manage anxiety, low self-esteem and depression. I’ve witnessed it build resilience along with physical and emotional strength, and provide people with comfort, consistency and a sense of belonging.”

For Katie, the ocean’s healing power lies in the close connection to nature that is offered through wild swimming. “It is the unexplored hidden depths of the sea, its ever-changing moods that draw me to it. Daily swimming brought about a newfound respect for the sea and its vast range of marine life that I encounter. I always wear my wide lens goggles as I want to spot wildlife and marvel at the magic land that lies in wait below.

“I see such a range of wildlife at dawn when it’s so peaceful and quiet. Each day there’s an array of seabirds such as shags, the odd cormorant and guillemot, terns, sandpipers, curlews, and far out you can often see gannets diving. A heron feeds in the shallows of the rockpools most days. I see a lot of common grey seals which come up on the rocks in pup season. The list is endless really. I’ve watched dolphins and minke whales, as they tend to take the same routes following the fishing boats early in the morning. My favourite are the wonderful varieties of jellyfish, over the years I’ve photographed crystal jellies, compass, stalked, blue, moon, comb and barrels.”

Katie’s proximity to sea life has led her to undertake Marine Mammal Medic Training with the British Divers Marine Life Rescue, so she is on call to attend to stranded whales, porpoises, seals and dolphins around the Cornish coast. She is also a member of the Mount’s Bay Marine Group, working to protect and conserve the local marine environment. For Katie this has been a natural extension of her deepening relationship with the ocean, and a chance to give something back.

I was curious to know whether Katie’s own swimming practice had changed during the past year as a consequence of Covid-19. “It was humbling to be able to visit a natural place that was very familiar to me at a time when the world fell quiet. The increase in wildlife as a consequence of less human disturbance was painfully obvious and absolutely remarkable. We saw the return of basking sharks in Mount’s Bay and choughs nesting – both a first in years. Sea birds also arrived at the seafront in their masses.”

I asked Katie whether she has noticed a change in the level of interest and engagement in wild swimming over the past year. She replies: “It’s so much busier this year where I swim at Battery Rocks, which is fantastic to see! It is encouraging that so many people are taking it up, utilising the outdoors and giving it a try.”

I had to ask – Katie’s favourite wild swimming spot? “There are so many wonderful places to swim in and around Cornwall, beautiful beaches, incredibly deep hidden tidal pools, but I think Battery Rocks will always be my favourite due to my long-term relationship with it. At dawn it’s like the Serengeti of Penzance! Swimming straight from the rocks into deep water surrounded by so much wildlife with the sun slowly rising over St Michael’s Mount – what more could a girl ask for?”

Right now, late winter, as many of us struggle to keep our heads above water in the face of ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, should we seek solace in the sea? For me one of the most joyful elements of wild swimming is its inclusiveness, a rare activity that cuts across all ages, genders and abilities, one that can be enjoyed in varying ways by everyone from toddlers right the way through (my mother in her late seventies can still regularly be found submerged in the ocean or a local river).

There is no ‘right’ way to swim in open water – you can wear a wetsuit or a bikini, dip your head under or wear a hat, stay in for two minutes or twenty, swim in the ocean, river, a lake (or even take a cold shower in the morning - my ritual on days when I can’t swim) – yet still experience the same elation, energy and uplift.

Hearing Katie’s story has made me reflect upon my own journey with wild swimming. I love to walk and run in the great outdoors, but this is somehow different – hard hitting, immediate, immensely powerful. Perhaps as we swim in cold, wintry water we become at one with nature in a unique and vulnerable way, as we strip back the physical and emotional cocoon of our daily lives and give ourselves up to a moment of presence and vitality. I have been truly inspired by Katie’s journey, I’m determined to commit to more regular open water swims and to tune in to the wildlife that surrounds me. Dawn tomorrow? You’ll find me in the sea.

Katie’s top tips for safe winter swimming:

Allow your body time to acclimatise, especially if you are new to wild swimming – cold water shock can otherwise create a panic-like reaction which can restrict breathing.

In the depths of winter when the water is cold, don’t stay in for too long – 10 to 15 minutes maximum. Invest in a wetsuit if you wish to stay in for longer.

Don’t swim too far from shore – remember you still have to make the return journey! Check tides and the suitability of the area for swimming.

Tell a friend or family member where you’re going and check in with them afterwards.

Swim with someone else, especially when new to wild swimming.

Bring plenty of warm layers to change into afterwards, including base layers close to the skin and warm socks, gloves and hat. Get dry and dressed quickly, out of the wind.

Bring a flask with a warm drink for after you have changed.

Thanks to Katie Maggs for sharing her thoughts in the interview for this article, you can find out more via her website - https://tonicofthesea.co.uk - and watch Katie’s BAFTA nominated short film ‘Tonic of the Sea’

Thanks to the community of Cornwall-based swimmers who feature in this article Katie, Tom, Rosalind, David & Clare

Recipe: Blackcurrant jam (sugar free)

February 25, 2021 Tia Tamblyn

I made this jam in December with some frozen blackcurrants picked from my Mum’s garden in Lostwithiel during late summer. They are a treat to come to once the rush of summer berries has ebbed away. I wanted to make it processed-sugar free; balancing that with the tartness of blackcurrants makes for an interesting challenge, the bass notes of the bay leaf work to mellow the tangy top-note flavours. The kids step in as very handy taste-testers here - brutally honest and inclined towards the sweet! They’ve given it the thumbs up and have been spreading it thick on fresh baked bread.

Without the sugar, the jam won’t last as long - keep your jar in the fridge and use within approx five days.

Recipe: Blackcurrant jam (processed sugar free)

Makes 1 small jar

Ingredients:

300g blackcurrants, fresh or frozen
3 tbsp local honey
1 tsp cinnamon
Few shavings fresh ginger
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 tbsp chia seeds
3 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

1. Sterilise your jar in preparation for making the jam.

2. Place the blackcurrants, honey, cinnamon, ginger and bay leaf in a saucepan along with a splash of water. Simmer for approximately 8 minutes until blackcurrants have softened but there some are still holding their shape.

3. Remove saucepan from heat. Add in chia seeds and vanilla extract, stir to combine then allow to cool.

4. When cool remove the bay leaves then pour the jam into the jar.

Autumn Recipe: Beetroot & Apple Overnight Oats

November 12, 2020 Tia Tamblyn

This breakfast recipe celebrates fresh autumn ingredients - apples and beetroot - that can be found in abundance during autumn in Cornwall, and it packs it’s plant-powered punch offering a vibrant, nutritious start to the day. Prepare this simple recipe the evening before then pop in the fridge overnight. Delicious served on its own or with a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkling of granola.

Beetroot & Apple Overnight Oats

Serves 2

Ingredients:

80g oats
1 tbsp chia seeds
1/2 tbsp flaxseed
1 tbsp sunflower seeds
1 small apple (approx 60g when peeled and cored)
1 small beetroot (approx 60g)
A few shavings fresh ginger
250ml almond milk (or alternative milk)
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
Optional – granola and yogurt to serve

Method:

1. Place the oats, chia seeds, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds and grated ginger in a mixing bowl

2. Peel and core then apple, then grate and add to the mixing bowl

3. Wash, top and tail the beetroot then grate and add to the bowl, mix well

4. Add the almond milk, maple syrup and vanilla extract to the bowl, mix well.

5. Place a lid or plate on top of the bowl and place in the fridge overnight.

6. Take out of the fridge approx 10 minutes before eating to warm slightly, give a good stir before serving

7. Optional - add toppings of your choice such as a dollop of yogurt (plant or milk based), and a sprinkling of granola

As shared via the Muddy Stilettos Cornwall blog

July Botelet Breakfast Club Conversations: Kris Hallenga, Nell Smirthwaite & Richard Tamblyn

July 24, 2020 Tia Tamblyn

Garden Gate Flower Co floral arrangement at Botelet, image credit Allen Tsai

High summer this year brings that perfect combination of drizzly days and dazzling heat that keeps alive our appreciation for summer sunshine. As lockdown continues to ease it’s been a joy to welcome back visitors to Botelet, all in need of open spaces, fresh air and down-time after the intensity of city life over the past few months.

Whilst we still aren’t yet ready to re-open Botelet Breakfast Club due to the intimate nature of the setting, it has been wonderful to again reach out to members of the Breakfast Club community to hear more about their experiences of the past few months, united as we have been by the pandemic yet totally unique in how it has played out for each and every one of us. Hearing these voices - shared in the conversations below - has reminded us of the importance of holding onto those reflections and learnings from lockdown so that even as we feel the pull back to ‘normality’ we try to play an active role in consciously re-creating what that will mean for us.

We are so thrilled to share conversations with three more brilliant Breakfast Clubbers this month: Kris Hallenga who discusses the experience of quarantining as someone who is not new to enforced isolation, and sheds light on the impact of C-19 on cancer care; Nell Smirthwaite who reflects on the possibilities for a more sustainable future post C-19; and our very own Richard Tamblyn who shares, amongst other things, the joys of eating home-made cream that comes from the family’s house cow. A huge, huge thanks to Kris, Nell (and Richard!) for taking the time to share their thoughts with us, so grab a cuppa - we’re sure you’ll love reading these breakfast conversations as much as we have.

For our July Breakfast Club recipe, we have for you a gooseberry and mint compote - making the most of the summer bounty and delicious served for breakfast (or pudding) with granola and yogurt. This recipe takes ‘simple’ to a new level - we hope you enjoy.

Stay well, sending love from us all here at Botelet x

Botelet Breakfast Club recipe: Gooseberry & mint compote

Introducing Botelet Breakfast Clubber Kris Hallenga …

Kris (right) with twin sister Maren (left)

I met Kris - rather fittingly - at Botelet Breakfast Club a few years ago. She came along with her lovely mother and twin sister, Maren. I loved chatting, especially (as a mother of twins) talking with Kris and Maren about their experience of growing up with a buddy-from-birth, but it wasn’t until they had left that I came to realise Kris’s story. And my, what a story. But before I get to that … by bringing her story into the public eye through her campaigning work, a lot has already been written about Kris and the insanely inspiring, dedicated, fun and creative person that she is. She has won multiple award, scrolls through numerous A-listers in her contacts, and is in hot demand as a guest célèbre. But through the huge privilege I’ve had of getting to know Kris since we first met at Breakfast Club, what I find most powerful is her humble charm, her witty words, her grounded, toes-in-the-sand vibe and her willingness to be open and share her vulnerability in a way that catches your breath and makes you confront very directly what is - and is not - important in life; how to look past the heavy stuff and focus on the light. Or, as Kris so eloquently puts it: how to glitter a turd.

And so to Kris’s story. Kris has Stage 4 breast cancer. She was diagnosed age 23 after finding a lump, visiting her doctor three times then finally being diagnosed with incurable breast cancer. Kris was unaware that breast cancer could affect people in their twenties and knew very little about the disease, finding that there was little information to support young people with diagnoses of breast cancer, which led to Kris along with twin sister Maren founding the charity Coppafeel! in 2009 to address this gap - sharing information to support young people with catching cancer early in order to improve survival and recovery rates. Since 2009 both Kris and Maren have dedicated so much of their energy to raising awareness and funds to increase understanding of the symptoms of breast cancer and support early diagnoses, having a phenomenal impact upon the health of so many people, and being open about their experiences in a bid to inform and empower others. For more about Kris’s story, the charity Coppafeel! and to watch the BBC documentary ‘Dying to Live’ that was made about Kris in 2014 see https://coppafeel.org/our-charity/kris-story/.

As well as relishing the opportunity to catch up with Kris during our conversation for this blog, I was really keen to hear about Kris’s experience of lockdown as someone who relies on regular access to healthcare, and who understands from the inside through her work with Coppafeel! how Covid has impacted upon the charities that support cancer care.

We are so grateful to Kris for taking the time to contribute to this month’s Breakfast Club blog - in amongst, as well as many other things, writing her first book (which I for one am ridiculously excited to read, see Unbound for details) - and for sharing her story so that countless of us along with those we hold dear are educated about breast cancer and supported in the journey through diagnosis and beyond. And more than that - for breaking down taboos, opening up conversations, and creating a friendly, fun and welcoming platform for us to engage and learn, and from which so many draw hope and positivity. You see what I mean - pretty hard to sum up a human like this one! Basically Kris, thanks for bringing a sparkle into our lives as you do for so many millions of others. We’re so glad you came for breakfast. And that you have written a book. Oh, and guys and girls - check your boobs.

Our conversation with Kris …

Where do you call home?
Right now it’s in my little pink semi-detached cottage in Newquay. I rent but I have a great landlord who basically lets me feel like/believe the house is my own. During lockdown I decided I wanted to live in a pink house so it got painted and now I do. I’d like more landlords to be as open minded as mine and allow for some autonomy, they would probably find that their tenants would look after the property much better too. I moved to Cornwall from London four years ago and it was the best decision ever.

What’s your occupation?
WELL. I’m the founder of a charity called CoppaFeel! that I now work part time for as an ambassador and celebrity liaison (although currently furloughed). The rest of my time is filled working with my twin sister Maren in our vintage cake and coffee truck, called Beyonce, serving up delicious freshly ground coffees and our home baked German style mini bundt cakes. Right now you can find us in the Harbour in Newquay every weekend but we can also be found at events around the county - the van is over 50 years old so she’s pretty slow and doesn’t like to leave Cornwall if she can help it. Oh and I’ve just written a book abut my life.

What do you love to eat for breakfast?
I don’t have much of a breakfast routine as I pretty much fancy something different for breakfast every day. On the first day of me quarantining (before the official lockdown) I decided to eat rhubarb crumble and clotted cream at around 8.30am because it seemed nothing was normal anymore so why should breakfast be? My ideal breakfast is a brunch, with favourite people, involving a fresh pastry starter, followed by a savoury dish that involves eggs followed by something sweet like waffles and a huge coffee - ok that sounds like a lot but this whole scenario might be stretched across the entire day!

How would you describe your lockdown experience - what have you found most challenging, and are there positive takeaways for you?
I think on the whole it’s hard to complain about my situation. Living on my own anyway it didn’t feel like a big shift and because I have cancer I already know ALL about quarantining and being socially distant and dealing with cancelled social events and missing people! If anything it was fascinating to see people around me dealing with stuff that I had already experienced many times over and in a way it was reassuring that I wasn’t the only one going through it, that we were ALL facing the same problems. I have been on the official “shielding” list as I have active cancer in my bones and liver and have ongoing oral chemotherapy making me more susceptible to horrible viruses. I’ve had an army of people helping with shopping and I get weekly meal deliveries. I am walking distance from the beach which I think is the main reason I haven’t gone completely mad. I also had to focus on getting my book written. When I first got my book commission I didn’t in a million years expect to be writing it during a global pandemic but in a way it’s forced me to spend a lot more time in my head and in my home. It’s not been easy by any stretch as I was still so massively distracted by global pains - from the daily death tolls and the Black Lives Matter movement. It often felt so selfish and self serving to be writing a book about me. But alas I did.

Your work is dedicated to raising awareness of health issues, specifically around young people and breast cancer. In your experience, how has Covid has impacted on this work which helps lead to earlier diagnoses and therefore improved prognoses, and what has the impact been in terms of accessing healthcare during lockdown - and as lockdown begins to ease?
Covid-19 has impacted charities so much more than I think we’ve heard about on the news. The fact that our biggest cancer research charity in the UK has had to let a quarter of its workforce go is pretty horrific and has set us back in terms of drug developments and treatments hugely. It’s quite frightening that a lot of cancer research labs were taken over for Covid testing and that thousands of cancer patients have had to delay curative operations and treatments. This year alone we will see an increase of around 8,000 cancer related deaths. On top of that we will see a spike in late diagnoses. My charity CoppaFeel! tries to ensure breast cancers are diagnosed at the earliest stage possible, when treatments are more effective and survival rates are higher. This is only possible if people speak to their doctors. Sadly people are delaying GP appointments and therefore referrals are at an all time low. It will be charities like CoppaFeel! who will be picking up the pieces of this pandemic long after all industries and everyone’s beloved Nandos has reopened. It’s a scary time. Please know that GPs have not stopped cancer referrals and will listen to anyone with any suspected cancer symptoms. If this is you, give them a call NOW.

How do you feel about moving forwards as lockdown eases?
I feel nervous to be honest, not helped by the hoards of people who are now in Newquay. I am of course glad because our local economy relies so heavily on visitors but we’re not out of the woods yet. I feel nervous about CoppaFeel!’s financial future and I feel nervous about the state of event fundraising for the charity sector as a whole. HOWEVER we are adaptable creatures and one of the things we as a charity are good at is adapting and innovating very quickly. At the start of lockdown we hosted a months worth of online events called the Sofa Series that included quizzes, game shows, breathing sessions and film screenings. In total we raised over £30k which helped plug a hole that cancelled events caused. Going forward we will continue to find work-arounds which I actually find quite exciting. I have learned SO much about online streaming and have immersed myself in tiktok - still deciding if that latter is a good thing or not, it’s made me laugh during some of the lowest times if nothing else.

Do you have any top seasonal tips to share with the Botelet community?
SEA SWIMMING! It’s the best cure for just about anything. Also stand up paddle boarding down the Gannel estuary with a beer during sunset is the best tonic too.

Introducing Botelet Breakfast Clubber Nell Smirthwaite …

Since my first conversations with Nell at playgroup sessions in a loud and brightly lit community hall with babies and toddlers crawling all over us, I have been captivated by Nell’s interest in sustainability. In her understated way, Nell has dedicated the past few years (alongside bringing up her two adorable girls) to harnessing her interest in sustainable living and sharing this informally within her friend and community groups, along with supporting local businesses through workshops and written materials - and she is now taking this a step further in her Masters studies. What for me makes Nell’s approach as an advocate for sustainable living so persuasive is that she meets people - and businesses - where they are at, acknowledging rather than playing down the complexities of taking a more ‘sustainable’ approach, and offering solutions that are both practical as well as compassionate.

As a Breakfast Clubber who has broken bread round the table with others as well as hosted various sustainability workshops with us here at Botelet, I was fascinated to hear more about Nell’s experience of lockdown, and her thoughts on the possibilities that the Covid era might hold for a more sustainable future.

Our conversation with Nell …

Where do you call home?
Home is Cornwall. I grew up in St Austell and spent my teenage years aching to get away, but I didn’t realise how lucky I was. My husband and I lived in various places during our twenties, but after our first daughter was born, we made the decision to come ‘home’. My Mum grew up in Hong Kong and I always assumed that I would settle in a different area to the place I grew up; I loved the sense of adventure that idea would bring, but after a year’s travelling with a one way ticket I yearned for home, and what I have learned is that bringing your children up in the place you grew up is incredibly grounding and gives you a deep sense of having roots. One of my favourite things to do is show them where I went to school and where we used to go as children. Not sure if they enjoy the stories as much as me but they endure them with good humour!

What’s your occupation?
I’m currently studying for an MSc in Sustainable Development and was very fortunate to secure a three-month contract as a Research Assistant in a partnership project between Cornwall Council and Exeter University. Cornwall Council has recently committed to implementing Kate Raworth’s Doughnut Economics model, which places social and environmental goals at the centre of policy making. Kate Raworth is my absolute hero and her book was my main inspiration to undertake the course, so this opportunity has been truly incredible!

What do you love to eat for breakfast?
I have to say I’m a marmite on toast girl! A freshly baked farmhouse loaf, lightly toasted with real butter and smidge of marmite will always make me smile!

How would you describe your lockdown experience - what have you found most challenging, and are there positive takeaways for you?
From a personal perspective our lock down experience was positive. We spent a lot of time in the garden and I felt like I learned a lot about new ways to enjoy spending time with the girls. I have always been an advocate for slow living but the reality is life throws so many pressures your way - not just for work but also wanting to give your children a broad range of experiences and memories, which for us normally means getting in the van and heading to the coast, or racing around to various ballet, swimming and drama groups, but we found genuine contentment in staying home. Our challenge is one that is shared by many; finding a way to make our business survive in the new world. My husband is a dentist and dentistry has been hugely impacted by Covid. However, our saving grace is that people will always need a dentist, so we will find a way to make it work one way or another!

As someone working in the sustainability sector, what are your thoughts on whether the impact of Covid is likely to shift us forwards in terms of sustainability?
Well I actually wrote my last assignment on just this! We are living through a global paradigm shift and if ever there was a time to break from the old and start anew, now is it. There are huge opportunities for our leaders to kick start the economy in a way that lays the foundations for a more sustainable future, from withdrawing subsidising the fossil fuel sector and reinvesting those funds into renewable technology, to carefully selecting which sectors to financially support going forward. There are lessons to learn about the way we practice agriculture, the way we travel, the way we trade and what we value in society; and models are emerging that provide a framework for governments to implement change by prioritising social values and the environment in policy making. Scotland, New Zealand and Iceland are leading the way in this area; so is Amsterdam, and I’m very proud to say, Cornwall too!

From an individual perspective I think the biggest shift is people’s ability to work and carry out meetings from their home, making huge savings in time, money and of course impacting positively on the environment. There are also huge opportunities for schools to adapt and embrace a more outdoors-based learning style in response to Covid; rather than plastic shielding screens and isolated work spaces, those that are able to could build outdoor classrooms, reducing the Covid risk at the same time as making nature more integral to learning. This would bring great benefits to both the children and, I believe, teachers too.

Do you have any top seasonal living tips to share with the Botelet community?
Always keep some grapes in your freezer to drop in your drink on those long hot sunny days - a great way to cool your drink without diluting it!

Introducing Botelet Breakfast Clubber Richard Tamblyn ….

Curator of spaces and chief barista at Botelet Breakfast Club yet mostly to be found behind-the-scenes, I thought the Breakfast Club blog might prove to be a chance to share Richard’s thoughts on lockdown living and beyond.

Some who visit Botelet will have met Richard, if his head isn’t in a plumbing or fencing project; but all who visit will have stepped into his hand-crafted spaces - from barns to boiler rooms - that represent a lifetime’s work of restoration underpinned with a timeless, functional aesthetic.

Often heard saying “Mind the paint!” as the kids tear through the house dragging a trail of toys behind them, the most reliable time to catch Richard is 10.30am - crib time at Botelet - as he powers up the coffee machine…

Where do you call home?
No surprise, 57 years on it’s right here at Botelet, though I have a little way to go to catch my father’s 93 years or my grandfather’s 102 years living in the same farmhouse.

What’s your occupation?
Farmer - with all its diversifications … sometimes architect, plumber, stonemason, light maker, decorator, barista, and ultimate catch-all. I have spent many years focusing on repairing the old, with a little injection of modern design. Creating spaces, working with timeless materials and nurturing the landscape for future generations makes me tick.

What do you love to eat for breakfast?
Sugar puffs with mother’s scalded cream, though I haven’t tried this since 1985. My father milked a house cow and mum would spend two days separating the cream from the milk. The milk ended up so thin that the only thing to do was add the cream back on top.

How would you describe your lockdown experience - what have you found the most challenging, and are there positive takeaways for you?
It felt like heaven for a tiny period, like rewinding the clocks to a slower and more caring society, when the summers were always sunny.

Mentally doom was never far away but it became a rewarding challenge to live more raw, eating what was left on the shelves or growing nearby, making do and repairing, forming routines with the family and exploring what is right outside the door rather than driving around in circles in search of something new.

I have found the easing of lockdown challenging, especially thinking of those that may be suffering or just forgotten in the rush back to a faster, digital spin and consumer-based lifestyle. Many other toxic global issues seem to be raising their head under the smoke screen of Covid. I worry we’re not going to hold on to many of the lessons learnt living through that strange, unique and borrowed time.

Do you have any top seasonal tips to share with the Botelet community?
Get outside and get going with one of the trickier tasks on your list, often the best ideas come with doing rather than whilst planning, my father used to say “a job started is a job half done”.

June Botelet Breakfast Club Conversations: Becca Stuart, Dom Bond and Julia Bird

June 12, 2020 Tia Tamblyn

Summer arrives: here at Botelet wind ripples through fields of long grasses which this year are already tinged with yellow following the warmth of spring; a full compliment of leaves adorn the trees, now deep green and heavy-set; sweet notes of elderflower and wild rose from the hedgerows stop you in your tracks to breathe deeply as you walk.

Such a sweet season, June being a month so full of hope for the summer that will unfold, revelling in the light evenings and long days. Yet this year also carries such a different tone and hue, with all of our lives still affected by COVID-19 in some way - and an acute awareness that for some this is still with huge challenges carrying grief, extreme workloads or anxiety from the weeks and months that have passed. As nature settles into summer, there is also a sense of deeper appreciation: that first trip to the beach, wild swim or meander through woodlands that we might perhaps have taken for granted in years gone by, but now notice, value, lean into more. What an opportunity this summer presents - to experience the season with a sense of joy that we are finally able to access it, touch it, play in and explore it.

As the continuation of lockdown means that we are sadly not yet able to welcome guests to Botelet Breakfast Club, we relish the opportunity to connect with the community through this monthly space sharing conversations on lockdown life and seasonal living with three lovely Breakfast Clubbers. This month we hear from Becca Stuart of The Garden Gate Flower Co who so kindly shares techniques for creating a stunning floral arrangement as well as her musings on lockdown life; Dom Bond who is fully embracing the principles of simple, seasonal living that many of us have been drawn to connect with more deeply during lockdown; and Julia Bird for who the quiet coves of Cornwall provide solace for the soul, but also inspiration for the beautiful art she creates, see Molesworth & Bird. The greatest thanks to Becca, Dom and Julia for taking the time to share their thoughts with us.

Just before we share the words and insights from our friends, this month’s Breakfast Club recipe is for a simple, seasonal drink - elderflower and rhubarb cordial - a gentle, sugar-free version that can be enjoyed with a splash of sparkling water on a warm summer evening, but also as a morning cleanser topped with warm water a spring of mint to energise. I hope you enjoy this recipe, along with the conversations with Becca, Dom and Julia, and Becca’s beautiful floral demonstration which I absolutely cannot to have a go at myself!

Sending much love for a joyful June from us all here at Botelet x

Botelet Breakfast Club Recipe: Rhubarb & Elderflower Cordial

Introducing Botelet Breakfast Clubber Becca Stuart …

Becca Stuart, image credit Holes in the World Studio

We first met Becca at a summer garden party; Becca is the kind of person who you remember meeting, bubbling with creative ideas, fizzing with a warmth and energy that soaks you up and leaves you tingling with inspiration, yet utterly grounded in her work and family life.

Right from that first conversation I’m sure we had planned numerous creative collaborations, and it has been a joy to get to know Becca and a privilege to work with her over the past few years. Becca doesn’t do things by half, her floral design company The Garden Gate Flower Co is top of its game offering arrangements that echo the seasons using British flowers including those grown in her garden at the Duchy Nursery in Lostwithiel, and Becca is always in high demand to to teach floral design and business skills.

We were due to be hosting a floral retreat with Becca here at Botelet in September, this has been cancelled due to COVID as guests were due to attend from across the globe. Lockdown has been tough for Becca’s business, with the wedding industry coming to a complete standstill and by then her garden was already bursting with flowers and foliage that had been invested in and needed to continue being nurtured. However as ever Becca is full of innovation and in these challenging times has created a new venture, Friday Flower Club, for which she has set up an online shop and sells seasonal bouquets locally. Becca’s Friday Flower Club is sold out each week ahead of time, and she has recently partnered with Relish in Wadebridge and Appletons in Fowey in addition to Watt’s Trading in Lostwithiel, to expand pick-up points for her beautiful bouquets. Such a lovely way of keeping the business ticking over, sharing the extraordinary flowers she is growing, and spreading sentiments of love during lockdown.

As well as sharing her thoughts on seasonal living during lockdown (see below) we are thrilled that Becca has also created a video demonstrating how to put together a stunning summer floral arrangement using garden flowers and foliage such as roses, foxgloves, snapdragons and pea leaves. Watching the way Becca gradually evolves the arrangement is like visual therapy as the feast of colours and textures takes shape. Such a fascinating insight into floral design techniques - so much thanks to Becca for sharing the beauty of her summer garden with us all in this way.

Click here to see Becca’s summer floral arrangement video

Our conversation with Becca …

Where do you call home?
Home is right where I am now - I'm a Cornish girl and whilst I wandered for a while I always knew I wanted to return home to bring my family up by the sea!

What’s your occupation?
I never really have come up with the right 'snappy' term for what I do - I'm not a conventional florist and I'm not a farmer. I find the title of what I do hard when I fill in important paperwork and do normally just say florist! However, I grow flowers for my floral design work. My business (pre COVID) has been predominately weddings and events in Cornwall and teaching floral design but now with a quick pivot I have set up an online Flower Shop and created a 'Friday Flower Club'.

What do you love to eat for breakfast?
Well since the lockdown the family made the decision to invest in a waffle maker - we are a huge fans of weekend breakfasts in our family and would normally have French crepes. However with the arrival of the waffle maker this has quickly become the 'special' weekend breakfast. Whilst the children opt for chocolate and strawberries I've chosen to have mine with roasted peaches and a generous pour of maple syrup!

What have you found most challenging about the COVID-19 lockdown?
For me COVID really brought my entire business model to a standstill as weddings were no longer allowed - it has been quite a shock and there has been a lot of anger and tears. However, I like to think, I've got an entrepreneurial head on my shoulders so I quickly set about planning an alternative client for my flowers. It also goes without saying if you have children at home and a business, generally trying to do anything suddenly becomes a challenge - the house is permanently a tip and I regularly fail at homeschooling....oh and I'm now wondering why I spent so much money on what I thought was a 'pretty / on trend' paper diary.....!

Do you feel as though there are positive takeaways for you as a consequence of lockdown living?
Ok, so I really would give different answers based on what day I'm having in lockdown - I feel my mood, on many of the days gone by is like 'four seasons in one day'!! There have been days where I suddenly realise my 14yr old and I have spent way more time together and this wouldn't have happened with the temptation of friends always ringing to 'go out'! So family times for the most part have been really nice. However, I think living in the super community of Lostwithiel I realise how sociable we all are and how used to seeing our friends we have been. It's been hard to adjust to this. I would say though one of the biggest things I have found as a positive takeaway is the kindness of the community and other local businesses to support one another. Emma from Bellamama helped me to set up Friday Flower Club initially from Bellamama Deli, I am now working alongside Denise and Tom at Watt’s Trading in Lostwithiel along with Hugo from Relish in Wadebridge and Andy and Lyndsey from Appletons in Fowey doing this same. It's these acts of kindness from local businesses to support each other that I find reassuring in what has been a really tough time.

Do you have any top seasonal tips to share with the Botelet community?
Yes! Now is the time to get your bi-annual seeds ready for mid to late June sowing. Bi-annuals are a huge boost to a cottage garden and whilst it feels like a long term investment, i.e. sow now for flowering next spring, they are a really good at filling in gaps in the flowering season. My advice is to go with things like foxgloves to add height to your garden, Hesperis (sweet rocket) for scent and Daucus Carota which gives you buckets of flowers from only a couple of plants.

Introducing Botelet Breakfast Clubber Dominic Bond …

Dom and wife Sophie moved to Cornwall seven years ago, and we are extremely lucky that they chose our local town Lostwithiel to land in as their family base, so that our children have grown up together. Dom and Sophie’s life stories are remarkable and even after many years I’m still always struck by new stories and insights that are gleaned from humbling conversations with them.

Dom helped establish Sabre Education in 2004 and has since been at the helm of this early years education charity, supporting the Ghanaian government in building sustainable kindergarten schools and developing innovative child-centred teacher training programmes.

Back at home, Dom and Sophie’s family life has taken them on a journey that has involved paring back, simplifying and becoming immersed in seasonal living. Last August Sophie and Dom’s dream of settling in their own wild piece of land was realised and they spent a pretty gruelling (in my mind!) wet and chilly winter living as a family of five in a yurt, as they finalised plans and waited for clement weather to arrive to begin renovating their stone barn. Winter saw meals huddled together round a small table by candlelight, showers underneath the outside tap, and the first autumn storms brought rainwater rushing down the inside of the newly erected yurt roof. Yet always a smile, a sense of excitement around the latest modification (“We have a woodburner!” half way through winter) and a baffling ability to make small spaces utterly charming, uncluttered and truly welcoming.

I can’t think of anyone else for whom the arrival of summer must have been felt so significantly: warming the bones, witnessing nature wake up in their wild orchard for the first time, and the relative ease of living with three children when you can all spill outside, leave doors open wide open, climb trees and run through the fields, dig the soil and tend to your first crop of vegetables - as well as finally begin roofing the barn that will become their family home.

Thank you Dom for your thoughtful words below, and to you and Sophie for the ongoing inspiration on simple, sustainable living.

Our conversation with Dom …

Where do you call home?
Home is a mature apple orchard in south east Cornwall just a few fields away from beautiful Botelet. We recently began converting the 200 year old stone barn we bought with the orchard, and in the meantime home is a yurt and an old tractor shed we have made into our kitchen, bathroom, living space. It’s not the most conventional temporary accommodation and means we can really enjoy the journey of our barn conversion project.

What’s your occupation?
For the last twelve years I have worked for Sabre Education, an early years education charity working in Ghana. We work in close partnership with the government education service to train teachers in an active and play-based approach with child-friendly classroom management skills that remove fear and physical punishment from their classrooms and provide four and five year old children with the best possible start to their education. As well as working on the quality of teaching we also help to improve school facilities, from classroom renovations and playgrounds right through to full kindergarten school construction.

In July I will hand on to Sabre’s new CEO and plan to focus on matters closer to home, hopefully working with a principle called The Children’s Fire, which is a pledge to work to the benefit of the children of all living things, placing their wellbeing ahead of profit and growth. It is early days, and I am feeling very excited about where this new path might take me…

What do you love to eat for breakfast?
I lived in Spain as a student and discovered a breakfast that has become a bit of a morning ritual for me these days. It’s called ‘tostada con tomate’ – literally tomato on toast, and is incredibly simple to make and so delicious. My perfect version would involve homemade sourdough and homegrown tomatoes … the tomatoes are blended with olive oil, salt and pepper then generously spread on a piece of toast that’s been drizzled with yet more olive oil, and perhaps rubbed with garlic for a bit of a kick. Pair it with a strong black coffee straight from the espresso pot and I’m in heaven!

What have you found most challenging about the COVID-19 lockdown?
To be honest lockdown itself hasn’t been such a challenge in the physical and literal sense – we feel very blessed to be in this beautiful Cornish valley, we had previous experience of home education, and the weather has been sensational so we have spent a lot of time outdoors doing projects with the kids.

What has been most challenging for me has been trying to navigate the various claims and counterclaims about COVID-19 and sift fact from fiction. Clearly the virus wreaks a terrible toll on the most vulnerable, but I can’t help feeling that lockdown itself is causing an equivalent or even greater economic, emotional and social hardship for so many people, that will continue to be felt for years and years to come. It feels like a set of scales where everyone loses no matter how you balance them.

Do you feel as though there are positive takeaways for you as a consequence of lockdown living?
Definitely! I have really appreciated the stillness that has settled around us, and which seems to have allowed nature a period of respite and perhaps even recovery.

The concept you recently shared about reframing self-isolation as a period of ‘cocooning’ really emphasised the positives we can take from this time, and in that vein I’ve been mulling over the word ‘community’ and its implications for ‘co-immunity’. I have been inspired by the many acts of local kindness and community spirit that have emerged over the last two and a bit months and I feel optimistic that one of the positive takeaways might be a greater sense of community and a more local focus, which will in turn improve our resilience to future shocks and crises. For someone who has spent the last twenty years with a very global outlook, this more localised worldview has been quite a radical shift in perspective!

Your work connects you with Ghana in West Africa. What is your experience of how COVID-19 is impacting upon communities in Ghana?
In general terms, Ghana seems to be coping remarkably well with the pandemic, with strong containment measures swiftly introduced by the Government, and lessons from the recent Ebola pandemic in West Africa very fresh in the region’s mind. Our Ghana team at Sabre has had to make a rapid adjustment to remote working, which was completely unchartered territory for most of them, and we have pivoted our education work to support families through the ongoing schools closure with radio broadcast sessions for children and guidance for parents.

Community structures are much stronger in Ghana than the UK, and I am sure there is much we could learn from the importance of these in providing a localised network for co-support and response. For now, it seems that Ghana’s outbreak has been contained and after a brief period of lockdown in the major cities, life is gradually opening up again.

Do you have any top seasonal living tips to share with the Botelet community?
We were already striving to eat more seasonally and shop more locally before COVID-19 struck, and as we come into summer the eating seasonably part becomes much more viable. We are very lucky to share a vegetable patch and polytunnel with our neighbours which is now brimming with promise of the bounty to come. We also have a weekly organic fruit and vegetable box from the Keveral Community of Growers, and our local Spar in Pelynt has a really wonderful variety of goods which means we can be much less reliant on the big supermarkets. I’d encourage everyone to try and shop more locally and enjoy the abundance of local seasonal produce over the coming summer months.

Introducing Botelet Breakfast Clubber Julia Bird ….

Julia was one of the original Breakfast Club crew, taking the plunge to reserve a place at the table of this unknown and pretty quirky pop-up cafe in the backwaters of rural Cornwall! It has been a true delight to welcome her back many times since.

Connecting with the landscape in which she lives is at the heart of Julia’s work, foraging for seaweed and creating stunning hand-pressed designs that are made into art prints and homewares. It’s always fascinating to hear of Julia’s latest explorations and findings and - when we’re really lucky - bumping into her at a quiet Cornish cove and sharing a wild swim, which is a fundamental part of Julia’s seaweed-gathering ritual.

It’s always a treat to spend time with Julia chatting over a cuppa at the breakfast table, the charm and humility that you feel in her company resonate through the words that she shares below - thank you so much Julia and we can’t wait to welcome you back to the breakfast table - and join you for a wild swim - soon.

Our conversation with Julia …

Where do you call home?
I am currently in between homes … so these last few months have been a challenging time. I truly feel my home is where my heart is and at the moment that is on my allotment or anywhere on the nearby stretch of coastline of Lantivet Bay … that is where I am happiest!

What’s your occupation?
I am co-owner (together with my dear friend Melanie Molesworth) of the design company Molesworth & Bird. We collect and press seaweeds from along the Dorset & Cornish coasts, which we then use to create distinctive art works and homeware.

What do you love to eat for breakfast?
A good breakfast sets the tone of the day and I can’t do without it! My favourite thing is to make wholemeal spelt scones with walnuts and finely chopped rosemary. Eaten hot, straight from the oven, smothered in butter and a drizzle of honey together with my favourite French bowl of really good coffee. Simple and delicious!

A really special treat is to go out for breakfast where I will delight in indulging in something completely different … Botelet Breakfast Club springs to mind!!

What have you found most challenging about the COVID-19 lockdown?
Missing friendly hugs and spontaneity … particularly the freedom to go where I please. In the early days I found it hard witnessing my life grind to a halt … I was so used to being really busy all the time. It was my default setting. I decided to volunteer to make Scrubs for NHS workers, which allowed me to maintain some structure and sense of purpose in the early days of lockdown whilst also refreshing my long-dormant sewing skills. It was very satisfying and I loved being part of a team of makers … helping preserve my sanity!

Do you feel as though there are positive takeaways for you as a consequence of lockdown living?
Most certainly ... I am relishing a new slower pace of life – I feel rested and I fully intend to keep it this way! I feel so blessed to live in one of the most beautiful parts of the world. During my less hurried daily walks with my dog it has been wonderful to witness Spring’s seasonal journey down to the finest details. I have loved extending my knowledge of the wild flowers, trees, ferns and birds around me … finding time to look up new species. Stopping a while, listening - seeing.

My life has become infinitely more wholesome and balanced – I am finding time to read books, make garments, have conversations with old friends afar, listening to music, growing vegetables … slowly finding my creative self, which I had kind of lost these past years. It has in turn led me to make a fundamental change to the way I was planning to run our business in Cornwall, instead adopting a simpler approach hopefully allowing me more time for life and creativity. It feels that through what has been a year of tumultuous change I have found a clear new direction and that feels really exciting.

Opting for a more nurturing, mindful lifestyle feels vital for us all.

Do you have any top seasonal living tips to share with the Botelet community?
I am going to make sure I am ready for a spontaneous wild camping trip - as soon as we are able and the weather is willing! Sharing with someone special, living simply under canvas and immersed in nature ideally beside the sea for wild swims, conversation and cooking over a campfire. That is my recommendation for restoring heart and soul.

… and there is a really special, wise and wonderful book that is beautiful to dip into – it is called Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer … indigenous wisdom intertwined with scientific knowledge and the teaching of plants. It was the perfect lockdown read and will remain with me for life.

May Botelet Breakfast Club Conversations: Joey Hulin, Hugo Hercod and Sophie Farrah

May 15, 2020 Tia Tamblyn

May: the sweetest month in Cornwall? Hedgerows bursting with a riot of colour - bluebells, campion, cow parsley, buttercups - a potent freshness and vibrancy that melts the heart and lifts the soul; how lucky we are to be in Cornwall right now during lockdown and as ever, our love goes out to those friends of Botelet both near and far.

Despite the ongoing restrictions we are all facing in our lives, we continue to delight in being able to share with you conversations from the Botelet Breakfast Club table each month, on the date our Breakfast Club would have been held. A common theme right now seems to be that physical distance doesn’t have to mean social separation and I’m sure that like us, you’ve found some elements of your life all the richer for the lockdown era - whether it’s keeping in touch with relatives on the other side of the world via zoom, or reaching out to neighbours that in the past you were somehow to busy to stop for.

For our May offering we welcome three fabulous Breakfast Clubbers who have shared thoughts, insights and above all messages of seasonal joy and hope for this era we are living through: Joey Hulin, Hugo Hercod and Sophie Farrah. The lovely Joey also shares a scrumptious breakfast recipe of sweetcorn fritters with poached eggs, avocado and cherry tomatoes - yum! So much thanks to Joey, Hugo and Sophie for taking the time to be part of our May conversations, we have loved connecting with your varied stories - which is, in essence, what Botelet Breakfast Club is all about.

Oh and we have another Botelet Breakfast Club recipe for you to try this month - our Seasonal Smoothie Bowl (pictured below) which is so versatile according to what you have available, and our go-to daily breakfast.

So get your cuppa brewing then settle in to share delicious conversations with these three gorgeous people.

We can’t wait to be welcoming you in person back to the Breakfast Club table, but for now - sending love from us all here at Botelet x

Seasonal Smoothie Bowl recipe by Tia Tamblyn from Botelet Breakfast Club

Botelet Breakfast Club Guest Contributor Joey Hulin …

Our first guest Breakfast Clubber this month barely needs an introduction; she is part of the family and fabric here at Botelet. Anyone who has spent time with us over the past few years will likely have been touched by Joey’s magic. Joey founded her retreat and meditation company Horizon Inspired four years ago and we were lucky enough to host one of her first meditation classes. Since then I can’t think of a week when we haven’t worked, played, eaten or simply just laughed together. Joey’s work with us here at Botelet has grown into hosting retreats throughout the year, Soul Suppers, Joey has also led beautiful soulful Breakfast Clubs (we have another coming up in December for anyone who’s keen!) … and not to forget being the celebrant at our children’s naming ceremony last summer! It’s fair to say we all simply adore Joey - and the generous, curious, playful sense of calm that imbues her life and all who are lucky enough to be touched by it.

Joey is currently living in lockdown in one of the Botelet cottages, so we are lucky enough to have regular smiles, waves and chats over the fence; and if you haven’t already tuned in, Joey is currently offering a free short morning meditations live on Instagram at 7.30am BST Monday to Friday - such a nourishing way to get going each morning, it’s the daily ritual that starts our day.

Hugest thanks Joey - for your beautiful words and recipe that you share with us below, but ultimately for your love and friendship - and we can’t wait until we’re allowed to extend those arms through the gateway and give you a great big hug!

Where do you call home?
I have bit of a gypsy spirit which means I move around a lot. I moved from London to Cornwall just over five years ago now and can definitely say I've found home here in this beautiful county.

What’s your occupation?
I am a writer, meditation facilitator and retreat host. I run a company called Horizon Inspired which offers meditation support, written inspiraton and wellbeing retreats. I try to create and offer down to earth, kind and non-judgemtnal experiences and words to help people to pause and come home to their hearts. I have just finished writing my first commissioned book which was a big dream come true. I loved every single step of the process and hope it's the first of many more to come.

What do you love to eat for breakfast?
As long as coffee is served, I am happy! I tend to go through phases, largely depending on the seasons, when it comes to making breakfast at home. In the Spring and Summer months I love to make light, fresh fruit smoothie bowls, overnight oats or a simple banana, cinnamon and honey toast. Then at other times I am all in for a hearty savoury breakfast of baked eggs with goats cheese toast, sweetcorn fritters smothered in sweet chilli sauce or a full on Sri Lankan breakfast (yum!).

What do you love most about spring?
The relief of colour. Witnessing the hedgerows burst into delicate bloom and colour with wildflowers and weeds, and the trees' winter bare branches filled with vibrant green leaves. I also love the long, light evenings that turn into star littered skies in Spring.

What positives are you hoping to take from the current global health situation?
I do truly believe the potential for positive change is exponential. We're all remembering what is really important and realising what is not. We are more engaged with our communities; be that caring for our neighbours, checking in with our parents more or being part of a community online. It seems most people are thinking and engaging more with 'we' than just 'me', which is a massive shift in our culture. And, most importantly, the positive effects we've seen for the breathing, healing planet. I wrote myself a list of 'things I promise to remember' the other day, when reflecting on how I personally would like to move forward from this time. It was a list of the simplest of things; driving less, calling my mum more, not rushing around like I would. But the most important thing for me will be to ensure I take responsibility and make conscious choices for the planet and stay connected to the collective 'we'. It would be only too easy to say now how wonderful I think it is that the planet is breathing and then to return to flying, driving, frequent supermarket shopping trips, consuming what I don't really need to consume once life returns to 'normal'. The positives are real, I think it's just about making sure we each take responsibility to live and embody them.

Do you have any top seasonal tips to share with the Botelet community, as we all spend a lot more time at home?
Dance! In your living room, out in your garden, on your own, with your family, with friends viz Zoom, whatever! Just put on your favourite song and dance so hard you get sweaty! Then see how you feel :)

Joey’s Sweetcorn Fritters with Poached Eggs, Avocado and Cherry Tomatoes

Recipe: Joey’s Sweetcorn Fritters with Poached Eggs, Avocado & Cherry Tomatoes

Serves 4 as a light breakfast dish (makes approx 8 fritters)

Ingredients:

1 large tin of sweetcorn (340g) - drained
6 eggs (2 for fritters, 4 for poaching)
70g flour (GF or plain)
1 tsp baking powder
2 spring onion, roughly chopped
1 red chilli, finely chopped
Handful coriander, roughly chopped
1 tsp paprika
Salt and pepper to season
Coconut oil
Approx 12 cherry tomatoes
1 an acovado, sliced
Sweet chilli sauce
Salt & pepper

Method:

Heat oven to 180C
Prepare cherry tomatoes: place on a roasting tray, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Beat the eggs in a large bowl
Add flour, baking powder, sweetcorn, chopped spring onion and paprika and mix through
Transfer roughly half of the mixture to a food processor and blitz before adding it back to the bowl of un-blitzed mixture – again, stir though
Add the chopped chilli, coriander and season with salt and pepper
Heat the coconut oil in a frying pan
Spoon even amounts of batter into the hot oil (this mix should make 8-10 fritters depending on how big or small you want to make them)
Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until crispy
Place the cherry tomatoes in the oven for 10 mins
Slice the avocado
Poach the eggs - fill a saucepan with boiling water, turn down to simmer, drop the egg in really close to the water so it doesn’t disperse too much. After a couple of minutes once the egg white is hardening, turn up the heat for a minute, then remove the egg from the boiling water with a spoon and set aside.
When fritters are ready, place one or two on plate with sliced avocado, a poached egg and cherry tomatoes, drizzle sweet chilli sauce on top and season with salt and pepper

Botelet Breakfast Club Guest Contributor Hugo Hercod …

Our second May Breakfast Clubber is Hugo Hercod: family friend along with his wife Sarah, all round lovely bloke and barista extraordinaire. Any coffee drinkers who have sat around the Breakfast Club table will have sampled Hugo’s delicious Rising Ground coffee beans, roasted in Cornwall.

Hugo established Relish Cafe & Deli in Wadebridge 14 years ago, a great little place to visit for local produce and good coffee. Seriously good coffee. Hugo was UK Barista Champion in 2008 .. and has also been crowned 10th best barista in the world (sorry Hugo, I feel you blush!) and Rising Ground, created along with business partner Sean Gee, was a natural next step. They are well, well worth checking out.

A few years ago, Hugo and I bartered some coffee workshops for Richard in exchange for therapeutic massage sessions for Sarah - and I don’t think I’ve ever seen Richard happier than spending hours learning, tasting, drinking and exploring all things coffee. And I mean, all things. What Hugo doesn’t know isn’t worth … and all that.

Thanks Hugo for keeping Richard and the whole Botelet Breakfast Club community - saturated with just the right level of tip-top coffee; for your endless hand-delivered beans which are still, every time, a joy to receive; and for your beautiful contribution below to the Breakfast Club conversation. Oh, and how exactly did you manage to hold your breath for five minutes??! Definitely want to hear more about that …

Where do you call home?
A little house on Summers Street, the best street in Lostwithiel.

What’s your occupation?
Broadly I’m in hospitality, I have a cafe and delicatessen in Wadebridge called Relish Food & Drink and a coffee roasting business called Rising Ground.

What do you love to eat for breakfast?
Until a couple of years ago breakfast hardly featured, at weekends I’d brunch on eggs, scrambled really slowly with ridiculous quantities of butter.

Health issues changed all that, I now start every day with a glass of homemade kefir followed by a litre of smoothie and a hand full of supplements. It’s like a nutrition sledge hammer and I’m addicted.

What do you love most about spring?
The end of winter? I spent most of my youth abroad living in the sun and I've never loved the UK's cold, dark, wet weather.

Whilst I’m off exercise it’s the arrival of longer days, a warm sun, the explosion of colour in the landscape, the promise of fruit from the garden.

In better days spring would signal a return to the water… I scull on the River Fowey, there’s nothing like a solitary paddle at dawn on mirror flat, crystal clear water on one of the most beautiful rivers in England.

As the sea calms and clears I would also freedive around the Gribbin Head. Freediving is an incredibly calm, meditative way to enjoy the wonderland off our coast. The calmer you are the longer you get to hang out with the fish, I learnt to hold my breath for over five minutes though I’d struggle to get past three these days.

What positives are you hoping to take from the current global health situation?
Personally, lockdown has forced me to stop, a much needed break to reassess what life’s all about. Globally, I hope this signals a change in course for the human race, to something less self destructive.

Do you have any top seasonal tips to share with the Botelet community, as we all spend a lot more time at home?
Get the sun on your skin and in your eyes, drink less, sleep more and eat fermented stuff. Your body will thank you for it.

Botelet Breakfast Club Guest Contributor Sophie Farrah …

Our third Breakfast Clubber to join the conversation this month is Sophie Farrah whom we have been lucky enough to get to know along with her husband Tom as they holiday in Cornwall a few times a year with our friends along the lanes at Hideaway Huts. Sophie and Tom are regulars at the Botelet Breakfast Club table and were already booked in for a couple of dates this year before lockdown commenced.

Sophie and Tom are the perfect Breakfast Club guests - charming, interesting and interested, the kind of people that create a sparkle round the table and you know will be engrossed in conversation wherever they are seated. As a food writer, Sophie’s visits to Cornwall are punctuated with sampling the best local produce the county has on offer, and each time we are lucky enough to welcome Sophie to Botelet I am delighted to receive the low-down on the best new places to eat.

Thank you Sophie for taking the time to contribute to this month’s Breakfast Club blog, and we very much hope it won’t be too long before we can welcome you both back to the table.

Where do you call home?
Home for me is Barnes – a lovely, leafy ‘village’ in South West London. I grew up here and it has a real sense of community – I know lots of people who live locally, including my mum, so it very much feels like home. I feel very lucky to live here, and to have that sense of home.

Having said that, I also love to spend as much time as possible down in Cornwall! It’s definitely my happy place. The coast, the abundant nature, the amazing food and all the lovely friends we’ve made down there. We love it and I pine for it regularly!

What’s your occupation?
I am a writer / journalist by trade – I predominately write about food and drink, but also travel, lifestyle and the arts.

I write regular features, interviews and reviews for a variety of publications for both print and online. I love meeting and writing about people. People are just totally fascinating. We are all so different. And people who are passionate about things are just brilliant to talk to. I am constantly learning, which I love, and I love to hear people’s enthusiasm for a particular subject or project - it can be contagious. Especially when it’s about food and/or drink, which are probably my greatest passions! It’s also nice to be able to help to support and promote small businesses and individuals.

In 2017, I co-founded a creative design consultancy called Farrah & Pearce – we specialise in product design, branding, graphics and more, and there’s quite a lot of crossover with my work in the food and drink industry; we’ve designed restaurant branding and menus, kitchenware, websites and more.

And I am also a part time potter – not so much an occupation but definitely a passion, and a few people have been kind enough to buy my wonky pots in the past!

What do you love to eat for breakfast?
My day always starts with tea in the biggest mug I can get my mitts on. Pint-sized is ideal! English Breakfast with oat milk and a teaspoon of agave. That hot cup of comfort honestly brings me such much joy every day! In terms of food - midweek I eat a small breakfast - I am usually rushing! So it’s fruit, maybe a spoonful of yoghurt and a sprinkling of nuts, muesli or granola. I also make a very simple rhubarb compote when it’s in season.

Then at the weekend my husband Tom and I sometimes love to indulge in what we call a ‘hotel breakfast’ – a long, lazy spread of tea, coffee, juice, fruit, pastries, cereal and lots of toast, followed by organic scrambled eggs, roasted tomatoes, veggie sausages and a dollop of the South Devon Chilli Farm’s chilli jam, which I am addicted to! If it’s a special occasion Tom will make his famous brioche French toast – which he studs with blueberries before frying and tops with raspberries and maple syrup! It’s the best.

What do you love most about spring?
Oh goodness – everything! The colours, the smells, the sounds, the sunshine! It’s such an uplifting, optimistic and beautiful time of year. There is a real energy about it – all the new life pushing its way up through the ground and all the birds busily tending to their nests. Not to mention all the blossom! I just love it. Also, the lighter evenings are a treat, as is that first glass of rosé in the spring sunshine. And of course, wild garlic (pesto), asparagus (grilled with garlic and parsley) and rhubarb (compote) are all completely delicious.

What positives are you hoping to take from the current global health situation?
On a personal level, this experience has forced the great majority of us to stop and I hope that going forward I can continue to maintain and embrace a slightly slower pace of life. There’s so much pressure to always being doing something, and I want to try and get better at doing nothing from time to time.

I also hope that the situation continues to unite us more as a society, and that the mutual support and kindness that we’ve seen continues, as we hopefully help each other to rebuild. Due to Coronavirus, ministers promised to find all rough sleepers in England a roof over their head within two weeks; it shouldn’t have taken a pandemic for this to have happened, but now that it has, I hope that positive changes like this will remain permanent.

Also, the natural world has been given a much-needed chance to recover and thrive throughout this terrible period, and I deeply hope that this will continue too. Nature experts in Lebanon have noticed significantly cleaner and clearer air filled with migratory birds, the canals in Venice are running clear and dolphins have been spotted in Italy’s waterways, and dozens of countries are experiencing temporary falls in carbon dioxide and nitrogen dioxide of as much as 40%. This year will almost certainly see a much lower toll for roadkill by cars and trucks, and many councils have delayed cutting the grass on roadside verges, which means that wildflowers will thrive this summer and provide more pollen for bees. I read that with less human movement, the planet has literally calmed: seismologists have reported lower vibrations from ‘cultural noise’ than before the pandemic! We’ve been given an opportunity to reframe the way the world works, and I hope that we seize it and create new norms that benefit and protect the planet, rather than reverting back to our environmentally damaging old ways.

Do you have any top seasonal tips to share with the Botelet community, as we all spend a lot more time at home?
I know we’ve all heard it many times before, but sitting outside listening to the birdsong, feeling the sun on your face, and looking - actually looking – at all the emerging flora and fauna is just so special, especially at this time of year. I find it has a really calming and joyful effect.

In terms of seasonal eating - we live in such a time of convenience that the supermarkets are still filled with imported goods that definitely aren’t seasonal (even during lockdown!) – so it can actually be quite tricky to know what is actually in season and what’s not. I have a beautiful book called The Almanac: A Seasonal Guide to 2020 by Lia Leendertz. I keep it by my bed, and it’s divided into 12 months, so at the start of each month I read about what lies ahead. It’s filled with so much wonderful information and inspiration, from tide times, sea temperatures and moon phases, to what’s in season in terms of flowers and food, as well seasonal recipes. There are also features on each month's unique goings-on, like beehive behaviour, meteor showers, folklore, songs and stories, as well my favourite section about what’s happening in the hedgerow! It makes me feel much more connected to the natural world and I find that very comforting.

I also love to make a few plans for the summer ahead – new things I want to learn, things I want to cook and eat, places I want to visit, people I want to see. I know that’s a bit tricky to do at the moment, as who knows what the future holds, but I like to plan for the best, and it’s nice to have a few things to look forward to.

Recipe: Granola - via the Comfort Cookbook for Hospitality Action

May 10, 2020 Tia Tamblyn

I was honoured to be asked to share my granola recipe for the Comfort Cookbook - a beautifully curated digital offering featuring seasonal recipes from chefs across the South West. The book has been put together with the simple intention of sharing recipes to nourish us and our creativity during lockdown, whilst raising funds for the charity Hospitality Action. Donations from this cookery book will help Hospitality Action to support families impacted by the COVID19 pandemic who face hardship and an uncertain future.

The granola recipe that features in the Comfort Cookbook, alongside my Rhubarb and Lavender Compote, is a regular on the Botelet Breakfast Club menu. It’s easy to make and incredibly adaptable depending upon what’s available in your store cupboard right now.

If you’d love to give this recipe a go then do visit the Justgiving page where you can make make a pledge on a ‘pay what you can afford’ basis, then download a copy of this beautiful cook book. I’d love to know your thoughts on the recipe! And I cannot wait to be able to serve this again in-person once lockdown ends and we are able to open up the Botelet Breakfast Club table once again.

Take care
Tia x

March Breakfast Club Conversations: James Strawbridge, Miranda Hackett & Julie Tamblyn

March 20, 2020 Tia Tamblyn

Today our March Botelet Breakfast Club would have taken place. We are so sad that, like many, many ventures, we haven’t been able to welcome our guests to share breakfast in the farmhouse along with creative ideas and much laughter.

But - there is so much positivity circulating right now that is keeping us going, so we wanted to mark this date by contuining some connection with all those wonderful people out there whom we are lucky enough to call our community; we need this more than ever right now.

This morning, we’re thrilled to share conversations with three of our Breakfast Clubbers in the absence of an in-situ meet up, along with a beautiful Green Shakshuka recipe by our dear friend and Breakfast Club guest chef James Strawbridge. So grab a cuppa, we extend a warm welcome to the Breakfast Club table - let’s hope it won’t be too long before we’re breaking bread together again 🙏

James Strawbridge, photo credit Holes in the World Studio

First up is James Strawbridge. James is a source of ongoing inspiration for Botelet Breakfast Club, brimming with ideas for the menu and beyond and he is my go-to for culinary questions! Issues of sustainability permeate James’s work and as a family he, Holly & their children regularly garden and cook together - something I’m hoping to do more of over the coming weeks. James guest chefs at Breakfast Clubs and today we’re thrilled he’s shared breakfast chat and then below a stunning, seasonal Green Shakshuka recipe; I can’t wait to try it out, we do hope you enjoy it too
Thank you so much James x

Where do you call home?
Bodinnick-by-Fowey, Cornwall

What’s your occupation?
Development chef, author and co-founder of Sons of Thunder Agency
.
What do you love to eat for breakfast?
A bowl of Special K or poached eggs on sourdough

What do you love most about spring?
The palette of spring is joyous. Yellow, white and fresh sprouting greens. The snowdrops, primroses, daffodils, wild garlic flowers, gorse and hawthorn blossom is a sign of good times to come and it makes me super happy. I also particularly love getting back out into the garden with longer days & early starts. Also I’m very excited about bluebell season just around the corner.

What positives are you hoping to take from the current situation?
Off-grid living has never been more popular or necessary & I’m hoping that people learn to have some digital detox and focus on being in the moment with themselves & their families. I hope to rediscover my own quiet hobbies, nurture my garden and be there for my children. I hope it’s a time of reconnecting with the natural world & thinking about boosting our immune systems by spending time looking after ourselves & our loved ones.

Do you have any top seasonal tips to share, as we prepare to spend more time at home?
Go for a forage and preserve what you find. Make some wild garlic salt or pesto. Get outside and engage with the outdoors rather than checking social media. Be the positive news & feed yourselves rather than tuning into people’s fears & anxiety. Detach to rebuild & restore energy, health & good vibes. Ferment, pickle, forage, grow & explore. Be healthy & happy x

Recipe for Botelet Breakfast Club by James Strawbridge
Green Shakshuka

Serves 2

Ingredients
Handful of wild garlic
Bunch of chopped spring greens and chard (go for a fridge forage and see what you can find…)
1 spring onion
1 tsp capers
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp pesto
1 tbsp chopped fennel, chervil or coriander
1 tsp harissa paste
1 tbsp kefir or yogurt
4 eggs
6 olives

Method
Preheat your oven to 180˚C.
Make a simple pesto by blitzing wild garlic leaves, olive oil, pesto, capers and a pinch of salt.
Chop all your spring greens and wilt in a pan for 3-4 minutes until softened. Then add in your pesto and crack your eggs into the pan.
Bake for 5 minutes until the whites of the egg cook and the yolk is still runny.
Drizzle with kefir, some harissa if you like it spicy, and garnish with primrose and wild garlic flowers and some more fresh herbs.

Images by James, beautiful pottery made by James’s wife Holly

Our second Breakfast Clubber is Miranda Hackett. We first met Miranda at a Botelet Breakfast Club a couple of years ago, Miranda has been a regular since - and was booked in for today. Miranda creates beautiful seasonal floral arrangements and has run workshops with us here at Botelet in the past.

Where do you call home?
South Devon - we moved here three years ago.

What’s your occupation?
I'm an artisan wedding and event florist.

What do you love to eat for breakfast?
Natural yoghurt (full fat for the flavour!) with raisins and granola.

What do you love most about spring?
Watching the greening up of the countryside - mostly the trees turning from dormant branches to wintery buds to a haze of light green leaf shoots.

What positives are you hoping to take from the current global situation?
Creativity - how we will adapt to living in a different way and appreciate the simple things immediately around us.

Do you have any top seasonal tips to share, as we all prepare to spend a lot more time at home?
Create a photographic timeline of changes in the natural world around you to capture the development of spring. Take a photograph once a week of the same view/location e.g. a tree outside your house, or a flower bed in your garden, or a tray of seedlings on your windowsill, or the hedgerows down the lane. At the end of spring you could have these printed into a small book (using one of the free photo book apps online).

Julie Tamblyn, photo credit Holes in the World Studio

Our third Breakfast Clubber is Julie Tamblyn. Julie has lived at Botelet throughout her life, seeing the gradual evolution from working farm to diversification into holiday accommodation and beyond. Julie is a mainstay of our Breakfast Clubs, always ready to refill your tea pot and top up your freshly toasted bread.

Where do you call home?
Botelet, Cornwall.

What’s your occupation?
Co-owner of Botelet Cornwall - self employed.

What do you love to eat for breakfast?
Cereal (granola if I’m out) plain yoghurt, blueberries or raspberries.

What do you love most about spring?
Heat in the sun, dew, the promise of summer.

What positives are you hoping to take from the current global situation?
Getting back to basics, ridding the world of red tape, taking note of how communities are working together and applying love and sharing after the crisis.

Do you have any top seasonal tips to share as we all prepare to spend a lot more time at home?
Simply note the first fledgling, the first swallow, the dawn chorus then after sundown start one of those unread books we all have.

Wild swimming: a winter tonic?

November 26, 2019 Tia Tamblyn

Sea swimming is my therapeutic drug of choice: hard hitting, exhilarating, a great fun bonding experience with friends and - the best bit - no hangover.

Being brought up on the west coat of Scotland, my siblings, friends and I played like otters in the ocean throughout our youth - then I moved away and grew up. What a joy to return to rural living in my late twenties, with the sea a short hop from Botelet, our family home in Cornwall.

As an adult, I believe that sea swimming has quietly been one of the mainstays of my wellbeing, helping to shake me out of negative mindsets and give me a blast of positive, joyful energy. I’ve been wild swimming (ie in the sea, lakes, rivers) with varying degrees of regularity over the past 15 years since I moved to Cornwall: more so pre-kids (sometimes accompanied by a surf board for some very ropey surfing); less frequently but hugely appreciatively while the kids were toddlers and I was on occasion able to slip into the sea; and with some degree of regularity now our children are of school-age either as a family, with my husband Richard, or on a friends date.

Arriving at the threshold of winter it seems a pertinent time to examine what wild swimming may be able to offer us, especially during the colder darker months when those of us lucky enough to live near open water tend to gravitate away from the shoreline. As someone fascinated by what keeps us well, I want to know more about this super wellbeing strategy - why is it so powerful? What psychological and physiological effects does it have? And should we be digging deep and prioritising this beautiful, free, uplifting resource for our winter wellbeing?

Having dipped my toe into the research, even I as a wild-swimming-convert was surprised at the range of benefits that it can have, including:

Calming our whole body system - lowering our heart rate and blood pressure, and helping to control blood sugar levels
Reducing the production of stress hormones such as cortisol - and ‘sopping up’ excess stress hormones that are present within the body
Boosting the production of ‘happy hormones’ such as dopamine and serotonin - helping to improve our mood and reduce depression and anxiety
The impact of submersion in cold water directs circulation inward (to keep our core warm) thereby flooding the brain and vital organs with fresh blood carrying oxygen and nutrients and serving to detoxify these areas
Immersion in cold water can soothe muscle aches
If you go for a decent length swim this can improve muscle and cardiovascular tone, improving all-round fitness without putting undue stress on any area of the body

In my own non-scientific exploration I asked four of my sea-swimming buddies (Ashlyn, Johanneke, Richard, Nell - bios below) for their thoughts on open water swimming:

Why do you wild swim?

Johanneke: it’s in the word isn’t it - it’s the wildness of it that draws me to it. Like today is a pretty wild sea but just to get out there, to get in … it’s amazing.

Ashlyn: I find it really cleansing and I always feel different when I come out. The sea is so much bigger than you, so vast, so changeable. Feeling the energy of the waves against you .. you always feel in touch with the elements.

Richard: Coffee afterwards tastes even better! Last winter I swam in the sea weekly with [my friend] David. I didn’t always feel like going in or setting aside the time. The importance of keeping it up shows if you stop doing it - you are sharply reminded about how much its been keeping your mind on track.

Nell: It’s fun, and cold - brrrrr! I like swimming in winter because there aren’t any sharks!

How often do you manage to swim in open water?

Johanneke: I’ve got some friends trying to do it daily, or at least several times a week. They make it a quick run in in their costumes [without wetsuits] for five minutes and run out. I like to go for a decent swim when I’m in, so more like once a month in winter.

Ashlyn: I aspire to be the Finnish nonagenarian doing it every day, but I’d love right now to do it once a week, that would be amazing. In reality it’s more like monthly right now, plus some SUPing with the family.

Richard: Last winter I swam weekly in the sea, I’ve had a gap recently but am keen to get going again.

Nell: When Mummy and Daddy take me.

How does wild swimming compare with other forms of natural therapy?

Ashlyn: I find it the most efficient form of mood-clearing! It’s remarkably different from pool swimming - I would dutifully feel good about a pool swim, but it wouldn’t feel like I do after a sea swim. There’s a slightly spiritual element - whatever you’re looking for be it fitness, energy, uplift, you can find it in the sea. And there’s something about the sea that brings out the playful side in everyone.

Johanneke: It’s definitely being outside that makes it so special. I find that with any exercise I do, if I’m doing it outside it has another level of impact. It is so beneficial for your health giving you sunlight, fresh air, exercise and the cold shock of the swimming has health benefits.

Richard: Swimming in the pool feels good for fitness, but while I’m doing it I’m just counting lengths. The surprise element of the sea - the tide, the waves, the unknown of what’s below - adds to it. It makes you feel alive - every part of your body.

Nell: Blank face. May need to wait a few years to ask this question.

Where’s your favourite wild swimming spot?

Ashlyn: No brainer, Lantivet Bay. It’s just the most beautiful place.

Johanneke: Lantic Bay - it’s too far just for a quick swim in the winter but it’s a perfect spot especially in the summer, for some reason my kids don’t mind going there despite the steep scramble down to the beach then back up, the views from the top are incredible, the golden sand and blue sea. It reminds me of my childhood beach in Holland, but prettier!

Richard: Porthallow Cove near Talland, it’s where David and I aim for, a 1km swim from Stinkers beach and back. There’s never anyone there. When we arrive we flop like seals on the rocks for a break before getting back in again to swim back. Even on stormy days there’s often a moment of sunshine. You have to be there in the morning to catch the light.

Nell: I like going to Talland Bay because you’re allowed a hot chocolate in the café afterwards!

What stands out through having these conversations is the wholly positive impact that open water swimming has. For me what makes it so special is the immersion in nature, the excitement of stepping into slightly unknown territory (the murky lake, the seaweed-covered rocks) and that it’s a rare activity that cuts across all ages, genders and abilities, one that can be enjoyed in varying ways by everyone from toddlers right the way through (my mother in her late seventies can still regularly be found submerged in the ocean or a local river).

I write this following a sea swim with Ashlyn and Johanneke - a Monday morning date post school-run. I began the day rushed and slightly flustered after a busy and at times emotionally challenging weekend. I felt in a fog, a bit unclear, ok - but I wouldn’t say happy. Following a twenty minute sea swim - today playing in the waves as they crashed down on Talland beach - I feel calm, happy, clear. As I sit at my desk my fingers may still be waiting for some circulation to return, but my whole body is glowing, every cell feels energised and I feel so much better equipped to face the day. I know I need to do this again - soon.

If you too are keen, but new to open water swimming - here are some top tips from myself and my swim buddies:

Wear what works for you. It doesn’t matter whether you’re swimming in a bikini, or clad in neoprene from head to toe - there’s no right or wrong, just getting in the water will make you feel great. Do what works for you, if you’re wearing a wetsuit you may well have a longer swim so don’t feel you have to compete in the ‘how cold/brave I am’ stakes. Wetsuit boots and gloves (even hat in the depths of winter) can make it that little bit easier to get in.
Swim with others. Find your tribe who like swimming in the same places as you do (remote coastal cove or gentle lake swim), for similar lengths of time (a five minute plunge or a half an hour energetic swim).
Keep safe: check tides and the suitability of the area for swimming. Tell a friend or family member where you’re going and check in with them afterwards. Swim with someone else, wear a colourful swim hat so you can be spotted in the water.
Get some swim dates in the diary - and stick to them. There will always be reasons not to go wild swimming in winter, so plan ahead and find a tribe who will hold themselves - and in doing so you too! - to the date.
My latest discovery: bring a flask of tea with you, wrap your towel around it - and you will have a cosy towel to envelop you when you emerge from the cool waters.

And so this winter, if you are lucky enough to live near open water - or have the chance to visit - could wild swimming form part of your winter wellbeing? I know I want to make it part of mine. Time to dig out the diary and get some dates in, I need more of that natural high …

I’d love to know: what are your views on wild swimming? And where are your favourite spots for an open water dip?

Nell's 'freezing fun in January' face

Richard & Otto resting up on rocks

Johanneke & Ashlyn striding seaward

With thanks to my swimming tribe for sharing their thoughts, and for holding me to account to keep me swimming even when it’s icy …

Ashlyn Reed (from the beautiful Tredethick, near Lostwithiel)

Johanneke Kodde (GP, lives in Lostwithiel, originally from Holland)

Richard Tamblyn (aka my husband)

Nell Tamblyn (my daughter, age 5)

References:
https://www.stylist.co.uk/life/mental-health-benefits-of-wild-swimming-anxiety-depression-cold-water-river-mind-wellbeing/70305
http://www.wildswimming.co.uk/health-benefits/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321496.php#15-benefits-of-swimming
https://www.bupa.co.uk/newsroom/ourviews/2017/10/benefits-of-swimming

Images by me and Richard Tamblyn

Musings from a family retreat

October 29, 2018 Tia Tamblyn

We have just returned from a magical four days on the north coast of Cornwall at a Horizon Inspired bespoke family retreat. When planning our family retreat, we were mindful of what we could - and indeed, would - bring home from it that we could integrate into our day to day lives, as well as enjoy whilst away.

During our four day retreat we had a gentle structure to our days: beautiful breakfasts prepared for us - think smoothie bowls topped with fruits, fresh baked sourdough, perfectly poached eggs - followed by a morning mindfulness session with the children on the yoga deck, wrapped up in blankets. Joey, our retreat host, pitched these perfectly, encouraging mindful thinking and allowing the children to engage with that in different ways - verbally, aurally, creatively - encouraging us to be in the moment and sit comfortably and calmly with that. What was clever is that R and I also had a chance to have some quiet to be with our thoughts, as well as sharing that mindful space with the children.

Late morning we would head out on a family trip - mainly drawn to the north coast of Cornwall’s bucolic beaches, and of course the sudden drop in temperature didn’t stop the kids from ripping off their clothes and playing for a good couple of hours in the rock pools at Bedruthan steps. Therapy of its own sort!

We always returned home to a wonderful welcome - woodburner lit, candles glowing, kettle on ready to be handed a cuppa. An afternoon of massages for the grown-ups with Lisa Allen was a beautiful addition to one afternoon, and on another day our morning was spent at a fabulous family yoga session. Come evening, we played games by the fire, the children did lots of drawing and had a couple of movie afternoons, then a family supper at which we were always given a special card to invite a discussion about family, gratitutde and love with our meal. The children became excited to find out what the card would be, and within the few days of our stay, began to respond more easily and openly to the questions such as “What do you love most about each person in your family?”

Kids in bed, the retreat house is a beautiful place to stretch out and relax with long, comfy sofas and cosy blankets, log fire burning - and each evening there was a grown-up meditation to round off the day. Joey has set up her retreat house so that it is more than that - it genuinely feels like home, in part due to the laid-back, welcoming styling and in large part due to Joey’s relaxed, open and welcoming approach.

Looking back over the past few days, I feel so grateful for this opportunity that we have had to be really present with the kids. During school holidays, I’m often working or trying to sneak in chores whilst ‘playing’ with the children at home, and when we’re out and about we’re often doing a busy activity - which has real value and is great fun, but I’m not so often really present with them for an extended period. This has been a magical part of the retreat, carving out that time together away from home, sharing experiences that are gentle, mindful, small-scale and nurturing. The sense of calm that has pervaded our family retreat has, it feels, touched all of us.

That said, there have still been upsets, frustrations, disagreements - and high excitement and energy levels not least with the anticipation of sparklers on our last evening that Joey had so sweetly placed in the children’s room (along with the bubbles, colouring pencils and paper, flowers and beautiful notes …) Did being ‘on retreat’ mean that there were no arguments, no tears, no melt downs at the car park ticket machine by the beach about who was going to insert each coin, who could press the green button and who could collect the ticket? Of course not! But somehow both R and I stayed calmer, were more able to see the amusing side of the tantrums in the moment (it’s always easier when the kids are finally in bed and you reflect back on the day - but in the moment? I often struggle!) and so these moments seemed to pass without having such a deep imprint on our family time. Looking back, this is probably the first four sequential days in a while that we haven’t used a 'naughty step' for some time-out (for the kids and each other!!). Coincidence? I think not.

Having fresh home cooked food prepared for breakfast and supper was a particular joy, no having to plan menus ahead and steer a significant part of each day around food shopping, the cooking and clearing up - or the guilt I often feel that I should be using this time away from the pressure of home to dust down the Ottolenghi cook book and take on those long ingredient lists ..

So, what will we take from these magical four days that we’ve had? Firstly, delighting in the little things, slowing it down and remembering that sharing a small moment of mindfulness with the kids - as we drive to school, on a walk, at bed time - can be so enrichening for us all. Bringing ‘love notes’ to supper times; a great way to keep things positive, show each other love and respect in a tangible way (and perhaps the children will come to write the notes in due course?). Family yoga - we’re hoping to do a weekly self-guided session. Self-care - remembering that when I’m feeling calm and nourished, I’m better at nourishing my children.

As a family, we are so grateful to Joey for opening up her house to us and making it our home for the past four days. For tuning into all that we hoped to bring into the retreat and creating a bespoke, perfectly planned holiday. For bearing with the arguments and tears and meeting them with a smile. For holding that space for us. And above all, for dancing like crazy round the kitchen with the kids as they sang “Big - red - combine harvester” for the 457th time.

If you are interested in joining a Horizon Inspired retreat, do drop Joey a line - we’re so glad we did!