It is already August! Can you believe it? Is it terrible to admit that I’m already eagerly anticipating autumn? It is? Forgive me.
As you may know, usually, the first Sunday of the month is reserved for our year-long celebration of the seasons: a newsletter full of in-season produce picks and flavor pairings. But I lost track of time and failed to account for the fact that last week’s Easy Summer meals and desserts edition was already brimming with gorgeous summer recipes.
Honestly, the best seasonal cooking advice I can give you right now is to set up camp at the farmers’ market. August produce is stupefyingly abundant. Everything is ripe, sweet, fragrant and practically begging not to be messed about with. To be honest, I do very little that could be described as cooking at this time of year. Rather, I tend to buy whatever looks and smells good, then slice it, before adding a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of flaky salt. Often these tasty morsels are eaten whilst leaning against the kitchen counter, juice running down my chin. (Have you ever tried a ripe peach with olive oil and flaky salt? It’s transformational!)
This seasonal edition of the newsletter may have departed slightly from the usual format, but I couldn’t let the start of August go by without presenting something special. So, instead of the usual round-up, I have one wonderful hero recipe : smoked zucchini dip with roast garlic, brown butter and mint. Zucchini/courgettes are at their absolute peak right now, and this recipe fully captures and celebrates the depth of flavor of this seasonal vegetable.
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When summer entertainment is in full swing, a good dip is an easy and versatile addition to any meal, in that it can be served with almost everything: warm flatbreads, grilled sourdough, crisp vegetables, roast chicken, fish, lamb chops, or cold potatoes. And joy of all joys, this culinary workhorse can be made ahead of time (up to two days), before any guests arrive.
This means you can greet your friends, a glass of chilled white in hand, looking casually sun-kissed and relaxed. So much better than the alternative version of oneself as the slightly manic and faintly sweaty host who has just fought six saucepans and lost. Not chic.
For this recipe, the courgettes/zucchinis are roasted until they become soft, smoky and collapsing. They are then blitzed with sweet, fragrant, roasted garlic (heaven), Greek yogurt, lemon, mint and nutty brown butter. A topping of quick-pickled courgette introduces a note of piquancy, whilst a scattering of nuts adds crunch - although the dip is perfectly happy without them. But before we get cooking…
Clio, Marylebone
I was invited to try Clio in Marylebone, London, on Friday. New York may have perfected the power lunch, but judging by the number of tables occupied by sharp-suited business types, London is doing its best to catch up. After a particularly grueling work week, my husband and I had no intention of discussing business, so we chose a table outside in the sunshine and ordered margaritas.
I love Greek food and have eaten more Greek salads than I can count, but the outstanding version served at Clio’s may have been the best I have ever tasted. Heirloom tomatoes, capers and outrageously good feta arrive in a huge bowl to be tossed tableside. Subsequent dishes included: creamy taramasalata with bottarga, langoustines, warm yogurt flatbread, suckling pig and duck confit. Oh man, everything was marvelous, including the cocktails and refreshingly cold skin contact Rosé.
Clio feels impressive without being formal, equally suited to dinner with friends or a long lunch on the company credit card.
The perfect white shirt
I have an unhealthy obsession with white shirts, and I am not sure there is a more dependable one than the classic Ralph Lauren Oxford shirt. Tucked into jeans and worn with Birkenstocks, it has become my lazy-chic uniform.
My new morning routine
Speaking of power lunches, what about a power breakfast? My ambition is to become someone who gets the day started at 5.30am. For now, 6.30 or 7am will have to do.
I recently read that JPMorgan Chase CEO, Jamie Dimon, begins his mornings with a formidable stack of newspapers. I tend to start with a less intense version. Whilst still in my pjs, I dip in and out of the FT, The New York Times and one or two other daily publications, accompanied by a homemade vanilla iced coffee (my vanilla bean syrup is something else). I have become increasingly interested in deepening my understanding of financial markets, from equities and interest rates to the economic forces moving markets around the world. My new morning routine is proving a useful way to stay informed and updated. Adulthood, it turns out, is greatly improved by assigning yourself new challenges and hobbies.
Research as hobby
Speaking of hobbies, being deeply curious is both one of my defining characteristics and the reason I am forever disappearing down esoteric rabbit holes. When your work keeps you immersed in one particular world, I think it is important to wander regularly into completely different subjects. I also think that it is essential, especially during times of great uncertainty, to stay curious and engaged, rather than bury one’s head in the sand.
Recently, I have been broadly researching areas such as: engineering, the space economy, LLMs, fusion energy, sustainable power, fintech and health tech. One thing always seems to lead to another! Honestly, it is fascinating to read about the people involved and how they are fundamentally changing our lives. Allow me to geek out for a minute, however, if you’re hungry, keeping scrolling down for the recipe!
One of the companies I have been reading about is PhysicsX, a British company lead by two seriously impressive individuals with Formula 1 credentials: Robin Tuluie and Jacomo Corbo (do look them up). With these two at the helm, I thought PhysicsX might be worth researching a little more. It turns out I was right.
PhysicsX uses AI to help engineers predict how a design will behave, from airflow and drag to heat and crash safety, before anyone has spent a fortune building it. Will continue my nerdy research endeavors and report back! Super interesting.
Most useful
Back to cooking! I hate to say it, but autumn is on the way, which means the ovens will soon be switched back on - hurrah! Regular readers will know that I love a good loaf cake, and the loaf tin from Williams Sonoma has stood the test of time in my kitchen. I wholeheartedly recommend it, and there may even be a few lurking in the summer sales right now.
The full recipe, downloadable pdf and step-by-step video is below!
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