The Journal.

Stories, Notations, Discoveries.

Monthly Musings...
April

Happy Spring. Such a lovely time of the year, a sense of renewal and the promise of warmer days and lighter eves on the horizon.

Hello April

April is a lovely time of year on so many levels. The garden is springing into life, it's now warmer to spend longer pottering in and out, cooking up something yummy on the BGE and for my brand a whole host of newness arrives. Spring is here.


What's New 

At Abigail Ahern

Unveiling Our New Paint Collection

The biggest thing by far and something we have been waiting on for over 8 months is the relaunch of our paint collection. Our old factory closed down suddenly and so its taken a time to find a partner we really wanted to work with to produce some of the coolest paints on the planet.


Graham and Brown is our new partner renowned for producing the hightest quality paint and this collection is literally another level. It's earthy, it's sumptuous it's highly pigmented and it envelopes, cocoons and takes rooms to a whole other level. From what I can see of sales (we launched on the 26 March) you are also really loving it so thank you so much.


New Season Drops

From the coolest sculptures, to lighting, vases to furniture it’s a season of newness here at AA. Talking of furniture our Medina Coffee Table lands simply cannot wait as we are now making it in two sizes. Years ago (20 plus years ago to be precise collections used to be seasonal so twice a year and now we have landings every single month).When we launched there was no web, no buying on line how things have changed.


Travel Plans

It’s a travel month for Gem and I, we have a big trip to Asia working on SS26 so we start in Delhi, fly to Hong Kong where we visit some factory showrooms then off into the depths of China for a week of factory tours, sample tweaking and no doubt a lot of sleepless nights!
The best part of the trip is the time spent in Hong Kong, April is normally rainy season so the weather can be so hit and miss but this bustling steamy metropolis never fails to excite. One moment you are walking the hot busy streets flanked by skyscrapers and the next you’ll be on a remote mountain trail or a beachy island.


What's Cooking

Before I go I have to tell you about the best pesto I ever made! Got it from an old Anna Jones recipe called 'Roast roots with waste pesto'.

Roast roots with waste pesto
by Anna Jones


Roast Roots with ‘waste’ Pesto

by Anna Jones

Ingredients
1 bunch of carrots with tops
1 bunch of beetroots with tops
1 small butternut squash
100g whole black olives in oil
2 tbsp baby capers in brine
1 unwaxed lemon
1 whole garlic bulb
A chunk of hard, white cheese (whatever you have in your fridge)
Extra virgin olive oil
Method
For veggies I didn’t have beetroot or squash that Anna suggested so just used up carrots but regardless of the veggies it’s the pesto that is game changing. 
Use your carrot tops, pop in the blender with parmesan and use a few pine nuts (and the best part a whole roasted lemon, not peeled or pipped or anything with a whole roasted head of garlic and its beyond). Literally beyond you will be having this recipe on rotation for years.

Shakshuka by The Big Green Egg


Shakshuka - Big Green Egg 

Ingredients
4 tins of good quality chopped tomatoes
100ml olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
10 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 red peppers, diced
1 chilli pepper, finely chopped
3 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp sumac
1 tsp chilli powder
5 eggs
1 bunch coriander, finely chopped
2 tbsp za’atar
Method
OVERVIEW
Once you know how to make this one-pan wonder, you can adjust it to suit your preferences. Add chorizo, ramp up the heat with extra chilli, or scatter some feta on top before serving.
SET UP YOUR EGG
Set up your EGG for direct cooking, with the Stainless Steel Grid. Your target temperature is initially 180˚C.
SAUTÉ YOUR BASE INGREDIENTS
Add the olive oil, onion, red peppers and chilli pepper to the Big Green Egg Paella Pan. Burp your EGG, open the dome and place on the Stainless Steel Grid. Cook, stirring regularly, for 15 minutes. Add the garlic and spices (except the za’atar) and cook, continuing to stir, for a further 10 minutes.
ADD TOMATOES
Add the tomatoes, turn your EGG down to 140˚C and cook for 30 minutes. Make small wells in the mixture and crack in your eggs. Cook for a further 6-7 minutes until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny. Scatter over the za’atar and coriander and serve with some fresh flatbreads.


Style Surgery

If you fancy catching up on some of my recent Style Surgery Instagram Lives, I've saved them all in one place so that you can check out all the latest interior design and decor natterings from my fabulous and v stylish community.

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