Pretty Perfume

“Who looks outside, dreams;

Who looks inside wakes.”

C. G. Jung

I’m going away for a few weeks on summer holiday! I'm looking forward to taking my baby son for his first splash in the sea, watching my older son sail. I will try my hand at painting, read a few books, jog each morning, enjoy yoga on the pier, meditate, stroke "Rusty" the cat, watch period drama's and chat away the hours, there will be lots of wholesome cooking too.

I won’t be writing my blog for a few weeks, so before I go, I wanted to share a special seasonal summer fruits recipe. This recipe is like a warm hug for the taste buds. Summer is full of little fruity gems, bursting with flavour, natural goodness, sweetness and fragrant perfume. The fruity scents and spices make this recipe irresistible. When you smell the wafting perfume, you may be very glad indeed that you tried this out. The freshness is like a sea view, both cleansing and healing...

A stones throw from where we stay

Feel free to choose your favourite fruits, though perhaps first time round, follow the recipe. I’m using a selection of my favourite summer fruits, including cherries; they are a good source of vitamin A and potassium, peaches, plump and lustrous skin will be yours for the taking - food like this nourishes on so many levels. Gorgeous figs promote a good nights sleep, so this would finish off a special meal beautifully.

The kitchen is quiet, the sky brightest blue, baby is sleeping and the kettle gently whistling. Breakfast time, one of summertime’s sweetest sojourns, watching the sunrise is a special joy and I’m reminded that each day brings new possibilities and promise.

I’m quietly considering, like a lion bathing in the shade, this is the stuff that dreams are made of… 

Wishing you all the most wonderful rest of summer, full of laughter and reflective insight!

FFX

Roasted Summer Fruits

Peach, 1 stoned and cut into wedges

Nectarine, 1 stoned and cut into wedges

Cherries, 12 stoned and halved

Figs, 4 trimmed and quartered

Black pepper, a small pinch

Grape juice, 4 tbsp

Sweet freedom/ maple syrup, 4 tbsp

Cinnamon stick, 1

Vanilla pod, halved and seeds scraped

PRE-HEAT oven to 180C/ gas 4.

SCATTER fruit, cinnamon stick and vanilla pod over a lined baking tray.

WHISK together the grape juice, sweet freedom, vanilla seeds and black pepper in a small bowl.

DRIZZLE over the fruit.

BAKE for 25 minutes.

SERVE warm or cold and most of all enjoy.