Tamarisk Farm Blog
A why, wherefore, and howto of an Organic family farm on the Jurassic Coast
A series of newsletters, recipes, and other such things
Chapatis
- by Leila Simon
Writing this recipe feels more daring than writing the others I think this is because we are giving it a recognised name rather than a descriptive one, implying that these chapatis are the same as the traditional Indian ones. While the chapatis we make are excellent, they can never be quite as good as those you eat on the streets of small towns in India. Traditional chapati flour is ground finer than ours, and we haven’t yet perfected the Indian chapati makers’ technique of rolling and turning the chapatis in the same movement and of thinning them by throwing them from hand to hand with panache.
Continue readingRuminations on Methane: Separating Sheep From Scapegoats
We need more Vegans in the world. Vegans are by definition, people who have thought a great deal about animal welfare and global issues that affect us all and are prepared to change their own lifestyles to help. We desperately need more people like this in the world. While we might disagree on certain priorities, we hope that more people will choose to be more selective of the food they eat.
Continue readingTalbinah
- by Leila Simon
Talbinah (also spelt talbeena, talbina, talbeenah and probably some other variation that I’ve forgotten) is the Muslim word for barley porridge. It is a delicious alternative to oatmeal porridge, and as we currently grow barley but not oats, I’ve been experimenting with it this winter.
Continue readingBarley Scones
- by Leila Simon
Nora first experimented with using our barley flour to make scones, and passed this recipe on to us after it proved to be a success.
Continue readingSnickerdoodles (Cinnamon cookies)
- by Leila Simon
Apparently snickerdoodles aren’t German, no matter how much I think the word sounds it. Whatever they are, they are also quick, soft, and delicious. I found this recipe whilst staying with my brother and sister-in-law when their twins were only two months old, and we all quickly decided that these were perfect snacks for the late nights that were going on. I usually make two or three times the dough in one go, and only bake some at a time. The rest I put into one or two bags and leave in the freezer for when I want something sugary.
Continue readingA change of tune (Bridport Times, May 2020)
- by Leila Simon
We write monthly for the magazine Bridport Times. To see this article as originally published, view the pages on Issue.
Written by Ellen Simon
On a recent brilliant sunny day, I was riding our pony Salix, at speed, up the committee fields to visit the cattle and sheep littered in the fields at the top of the farm; the phrase ‘in May, I sing all day’ came to mind. The road at the top of the hill and the sky above were quiet because we were already in ‘lockdown’. Maybe part of the reason these words came into my mind was that this silence matched the quiet days of my childhood. For me, the words are from a time when the world had less noise and the rhyme from which they derive is part of my primary-school lore:
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