Lovely readers, I have not one but two pieces of alternative media for you today, a podcast, AND a recipe video. (And just a little bit of introductory writing.)
Firstly, the podcast! I thought it would be fun to mix things up and entertain a series of interesting guests at my table over lunch, and first up is Lucy Maxwell of Horticulturalish. Lucy is a gardener and garden writer, and like me a former lawyer (albeit she lasted MUCH longer than I did - ten years!) After becoming a fan of Lucy’s writing here on Substack, I lured her to my house with the promise of lunch and some decent recording equipment because I had a feeling we’d get on marvellously - her writing is so funny, and our first and only disagreement is on rugs in gardens: she is against, I am pro and alas, the foxes in my garden are on her side.
We had a riot recording this, and should have left the mike running for the indiscreet conversations that followed - nonetheless, I hope you’ll enjoy the above!
Lucy & I - with the BEFORE photo of my garden (the dodgy fence has been jet washed, by moi, and now looks much better. Also - success on the oven-started aubergine seedlings!)
Secondly - Alba made her debut cooking with me in our first ever recipe video. I must caveat by saying we were paid - by Bluey! - to make it, to encourage children to explore new food and cook with their parents.
I wasn’t quite sure on the ethics of asking Alba to perform on film (I suppose three years old is a little young to send her up the chimney to help with our terrifying mortgage), so asked what she thought:
Me: Alba, would you like to do some work for Bluey?
Alba: I LOVE Bluey. What’s the work?
Me: We’re going to cook some muffins on a video, so other children can watch and cook with their parents.
Alba: I like chocolate.
Me: You can have some chocolate.
Alba: Can I have a kite?
Me: I’m going to put some money in an actual bank account for you for the work [I didn’t read Ballet Shoes on repeat for nothing], but yes. You can have a kite.
Alba: Now?
Me: *sighs. opens laptop, googles ‘best kite for children’*
I would love it if you’d click over to Instagram to have a look at our video - it was really special making it with Alba and on a practical note, it’d be so helpful if you click the heart over there if you enjoy it - you’ll find a recipe for our vg spelt, cheddar & muffins there too. (Boring and hideous to talk about cash - the horror - but it’s nice to keep this writing on Substack free as for long as possible with the option for subscribers to support, and that’s easier to do if total legends like Bluey want to pay me to cook with my child. But then they do then quite like people other than my mum to watch.)
(For readers with young children, if you’re looking for some Easter activities, there’s a v helpful hub of ‘Bluey’s Let’s Play Chef’ free printable cookery related ideas & activities too - I’ve been known to get Tim to print off the Bluey colouring-in sheets at work - what are work printers for, if not printing stuff for your kids?)
Have a wonderful Sunday afternoon, and back with the more traditional writing content next week! If there’s anyone you’d like me to try to lure over for the next At the Table lunch (or head to with a vg packed lunch) and a podcast chat, do let me know in the comments! Mini xx
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