‘Summer afternoon-summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.’ Henry James

Life with a newborn is so busy that I am typing this month’s IMK and feeding Alice at the same time.  Typing with one finger is incredibly slow and frustrating – lol!

Anyway here goes.  In my kitchen this July….

Graviola juice from the Brazilian food shop in Epsom.  Graviola fruit comes from a tree in the rain forests of Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia.  It’s scientific name is Annona muricata.  It is more commonly known as custard apple, cherimoya, guanabana, soursop and the Brazilian paw paw.  My yoga teacher is from Venezuela and she recommended this juice as it is low in sugar compared to other fruit juices that you would buy in the supermarket.

First of this years garden produce

Nothing says summer better than new potatoes with butter and a sprig of fresh mint.

Peas, tender enough to be eaten raw. You can’t beat the crisp snapping sound when breaking shells.  Lots of protein, carbohydrates, vitamin C and dietary fibre.

British strawberries herald the arrival of summer in the UK.  The heart-shaped fruit has long been a symbol of purity, passion, and healing and continues to be so.

Stand aside, large, regular peach, for the doughnut peach is the new star.  First grown in China in the 19th century they have taken a while to catch on.  Many say the flavour is sweeter than other peaches with an almond top-note.  These were purchased from Epsom market.

Apricots, those beautifully orange coloured fruits full of beta-carotene and fibre that are one of the first signs of summer.  Keep an eye on http://www.surreyKitchen.com as I’ll be featuring a cake recipe soon with antioxidant rich apricots.

Baby Alice’s Swim Pants. First swim this weekend.  Happy Days!

Miles wants to show you how much he has been suffering since baby Alice came along. His looks of indignation are keeping us all entertained!

I wanted to share this picture of Morden Hall Park because I have been visiting this green oasis since childhood and it was recently featured in Time Out as one of London’s best hidden gems.  Now owned by the National Trust the tranquil former deer park is one of the few remaining estates that used to line the River Wandle during its industrial heyday.  The river meanders through the park, creating a haven for wildlife and the snuff mill, which generated the park’s income in the past survives to this day.

 

Thank you again to the wonderful Celia at www.figjamandlimecordial.com for all the IMK fun this month.

Wishing you all a very happy July.  Emma, Ross, Alice and Miles xxxx