The Journal.

Stories, Notations, Discoveries.

Monthly Musings...
May

We have just left one of the sunniest Aprils behind us that I can recall and the garden is loving it. April has been quite a whirlwind month with lots of buying trips but I'm excited for the new month, read on for the latest at AA HQ.

Hello May

My garden is loving this warmer weather, everything is in bloom, my ancient old lilac tree at the back of the garden smells amazing the minute you open the door and we’ve even managed to extend our living circles outside with weekend brunches and early suppers on the terrace. Talking of which have you checked out our outdoor chimineas and firepits! I love them.


What's New 

At Abigail Ahern

Unveiling Our New Wallpaper & Murals Collection

We have so much landing in May it’s turning out to be one of our biggest drops yet. First and foremost our collection of wallpaper and murals to go alongside our beautiful paint collection – which has had a record breaking response. The team and I literally cannot keep up with all the samples and paint orders going out so the hugest of thank yous. This collection of textural papers and prints literally enlivens walls. Inspired by ancient techniques and materials such as lime plaster, veined marbles and the weaving of ancient kilims these effortlessly powerful papers add instant fluidity to walls and I couldn’t be more excited. 


Each design carefully emulates deeply beautiful finishes - from chunky woven knits and natural reed grasses, to Italian marble and Moroccan plaster. Our curated range presents an interplay of materiality that excites the eye and offers a satisfying tactile quality.


More New Season Drops

From intoxicating home fragrance I’m talking patchouli, oud and cedar incense sticks, to beautifully textural cushions to our own AA outdoor tableware (not to mention we are turning tableware on its head with a stunning collection of glasses, platters and bowls)! Oh and drum roll please we are super excited about the return of our Medina Coffee Table which we have now also made in a smaller size. We also have plants landing, beautiful LEDS like our Denida which sold out in like a minute last launch, occasional tables, chairs plus so much more, I could go on. 


Travel

Hot off the plane from Asia, a whirlwind trip that encompassed Delhi, Hong Kong and lots of cities in China into a 10 day jam packed trip. The plan was to sign off the majority of SS26 and we are super close. I will try (on my monthly lives) to show you some sneak peaks – just don’t tell marketing


What's Cooking

I am on a bit of a food journey right now having listened to the Zoe podcast on the 7 foods to fight inflammation. If interested they are broccoli, extra virgin olive oil, chia seeds, turmeric, raspberries and red cabbage kraut. Oh and did you know with broccoli, cauliflower and garlic should all be chopped up and left for around 10 mins otherwise you’ll inhibit the sulforaphane from being released – who knew! So some fabulous recipes to incorporate these foods include:

Sage & Halloumi Roasted Broccoli with Caramelised Leek

by Donna Hay


Sage & Halloumi Roasted Broccoli with Caramelised Leek

by Donna Hay

Ingredients
1 Litre of Chicken or Vegetable Stock
1.5 Litres of Water
4 Small heads of broccoli, bases trimmed
300G Halloumi sliced
12 Sprigs of sage
Extra Virgin Olive Oil for drizzling
Sea salt & cracked black pepper
Caramelised Leek
2 TBS Extra virgin olive oil
30G Unsalted butter
3 Leeks, white part only, trimmed
1 TBS thyme leaves
¼ CUP (60ML) Apple Cider Vinegar
1 TBS Maple syrup
Sea salt & cracked black pepper
Method
1. Make the caramelised leek, heat the oil and butter in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the leek and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until soft. Add the vinegar, maple syrup, salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes or until caramelised. Set aside. 2.Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F). Place the stock and water in a large saucepan over high heat. Bring to the boil, add the broccoli and cook for 4–5 minutes or until just tender. Drain and allow to cool. Place on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper. Make 3 incisions in each piece of broccoli at 3cm intervals. Fill each cavity with the caramelised leek, haloumi and sage. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 10 minutes or until golden

Raspberry Chia Pudding 

by Choosing Chia


Raspberry Chia Pudding
by Choosing Chia

Ingredients
Chia Seeds
Almond Milk
Raspberries
Maple Syrup
Vanilla Extract
Method
1.Start by making the “raspberry milk” by blending the raspberries, almond milk, maple syrup and vanilla together in a blender. Then add the raspberry milk to a bowl with the chia seeds and mix together until combined. Place the bowl covered in the fridge to set for minimum 1 hour, but ideally overnight.
Serve topped with your favourite toppings!

Red Cabbage, Apple & Beetroot Sauerkraut

by Riverford


Red Cabbage, Apple & Beetroot Sauerkraut
by Riverford

Ingredients
1 red cabbage
1 small red onion or shallot – finely sliced
1 beetroot – peeled and grated
1 apple - grated
2cm piece of ginger, finely grated
1 tsp juniper berries, lightly crushed
1 tsp caraway seeds
fine sea salt (approx. 20g)
2 x ½-litre clean clip-top jars
Method
1. Weigh your mixing bowl and note the weight - you’ll need it for a calculation in step 3.
2. Remove 2 of the large outer leaves from the cabbage and keep them to one side. Halve the cabbage and cut away any tough central core with V-shaped cuts. Shred the cabbage as finely as you can and put it in the mixing bowl along with everything else apart from the salt.
3. Now weigh the bowl and subtract the weight of the bowl from the total, to give you the true weight of the mixture. You need to add 2% salt, or 2g for every 100g of mix. The easiest way to do this is to take the weight in grams and divide by 100. Now times that by 2 to give the amount of salt you need.
4. Add the correct amount of salt to the bowl. Get your clean hands in and give it a good mix and massage for a few mins, working the salt into the cabbage as best you can (see tips). Leave to sit for 20 mins to give the salt time to draw liquid from the mix.
5. Now pack the mixture tightly into the clip-top jars, along with any liquid in the bowl. Place a cabbage leaf on top to help keep the mix submerged. The liquid should cover the mix completely. If there isn't enough liquid, make a 2% brine (2g salt mixed into every 100g/ml of water) and add enough to cover.
6. Keep at room temperature in a dark corner for a week. You’ll need to unclip the jars once a day to 'burp', i.e. release any pressure building up inside. A pop as you open the lid is a clear indication of fermentation, alongside a sour/pickled smell.You may see discolouration on the cabbage leaves, but excessive mould or an unpleasant smell indicate that things haven’t gone well, and the batch should be discarded. It's a good idea to keep the jars on a tray or in a tub to catch any liquid that escapes during fermentation.
7. After a week, they should have a distinct pickled taste and be ready to transfer to the fridge. Remove and discard the cabbage leaves once ready. The sauerkraut will store and be usable for a month or so, and may need the occasional burp. You can decant them into smaller sterile jars if you want to share your achievements.


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. Join me on the first Sunday of every month at 11am where I'll be answering all of your decor dilemmas. See you there. xxx

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