Sunday Lunching Moodboard

A love list/letter to long Sunday lunches.

Hello! Thank you so much for being here! How did you find last week’s menu?

Did you give any/all of the recipes a go? Please let me know (via comments below) if I can help with any tweaks, variations, other options for an ‘easy win’ lunch this weekend?

I’d also love to hear if there are any recipes/menus/themes you’d like covered here. Feedback, as they say, is a gift!

Ok. So this is our fortnightly inspo post - instead of a menu of recipes (next one of those drops next week), we’re moodboarding an easy Sunday (or anytime) lunch.

The wonderful Nigella Lawson once said that recipes are a reminder of possibilites, hopefully these posts allow us to daydream about the possibility of a long lunch or dinner one weekend soon; what we might cook, how we might set the table, what we might wear, listen to and drink on the day!

Sophie x

Ps - I can’t tell you how blown away I’ve been by all the people who have already taken up paid subscriptions. I so appreciate your support and can’t wait to create all kinds of menus for you. Thank you.

List for a long lunch

• Put a Lid on It make the best containers, they’re all spill proof for going places and cute and colourful enough to go straight onto the table.

• The umbrella; Basil Bangs of course! Our BB brolly is going strong after about five years of constant Summer use. It spends more time in the garden by a lunch table than by the beach but then again, so do I.

• For an easy win dessert - what about a pile of cherries, a pot of chocolate sauce and maybe some crushed nuts (pictured here is a sweet dukkah, recipe below) to dip them in. I feel like that would be a super chic, light and EASY way to end any Summery meal.

• For an easy win starter; another easy win could be melon wrapped in proscuitto. Or you could get some really lovely, ripe peaches, wrap in prosciutto, drizzle with balsamic and maybe some dukkah (as per below).

• For the bits in between (aka the main course); I refer us back to last week’s menu because that slow cooked beef, the collapsed capsicums and the quinoa salad with pickles are all so good, so easy to do ahead and so perfect for these warm, busy days.

What Should I Cook This Weekend? A lunch of easy wins.

• The napkins; Not local I know but when in Italy last month for Pink Pelican Tours (clang), the wonderful Emiko Davies introduced me to Bitossi Home and I’m now completely in love with all they do. Am dropping hints to Mum to see if she can make me up some napkins like these cuties. She’s clever like that.

• The plonk; Printhie’s sparkling rose please. And a big jug of sparkling water with lots of lemon, ice and mint.

• Also, how sweet are these ‘Mrs Tiggywinkle’ napkins from Binny!?

• The hat; Local Orange milliner Fiona Schofield makes the most beautiful hats, I have a version of the one above and flog it every summer. The best bit? She offers a free ‘servicing’, so every year I can drop it in (or you could post back), and Fiona gives it a re-shape and a bit of TLC and it’s good for another fifty million wears.

• The tablecloth; Aquadoor Designs screen print their tablecloths to order (allow 7 days). So gorgeous.

• The frock; Read & Bell is my go to for light, lovely Summer frocks. I have this one and it’s so lovely and easy to wear. Hard recommend.

• The music; here below is a nice playlist for long lunching 👇🏻

Sweet Dukkah

I sprinkle this stuff on everything, from porridge to bircher muesli, cheesecakes, poached and fresh fruit and pancakes with natural yogurt. But it’s especially good as above; with fresh cherries and chocolate sauce for dipping. This recipe is from my book A Basket by the Door.

Makes about 1 cup
Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 10 mins

1/2 cup (65g) hazelnuts or walnuts
1/3 cup (30g) sesame seeds
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
2/3 cup (90g) raw, unsalted pistachio nuts
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Pinch of sea salt

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Spread the hazelnuts or walnuts onto a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5 minutes.

Add the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and coriander seeds to the nuts, and continue to toast for another 5 minutes, until the nuts are lightly golden and fragrant. Remove from the oven and let them cool slightly.

In a food processor or mortar and pestle, combine the toasted hazelnuts/walnuts, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, coriander seeds, and pistachios. Blitz or bash until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs (you want some texture).

Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, brown sugar, and a pinch of sea salt to the food processor or mortar. Give it another quick blitz or bash to combine. Taste and adjust the sugar and salt to your preference, if needed.

Store the dukkah in an airtight jar or container at room temperature.