The most chic biscuits that there have ever been are these olive oil and rosemary shortbreads (though I’m not sure it’s exactly like a shortbread) with shaved dark chocolate and salt. They are very grown-up, very sparkly, very complex, perfect with coffee, and so so easy: I mean one bowl and straight into the oven and no faffing at all, such a dementedly ideal effort:success ratio.
I made them this week because, to be extremely honest with you, I was in a weird funk of joy: that strange numbness that one gets when one’s dreams come true (and I hope I’m not alone in that feeling).
My book is a bestseller again for the second week in a row. There are roses in my garden. I get to swim in the pond at Knepp, which is one of my favourite places on Earth, whenever I want; and I didn’t get a single duck mite bite from plunging in last weekend. The vicar, who is our friend, came round to talk with us pre-wedding and she brought the most amazing blousy peonies which are throwing themselves gloriously across the kitchen counter. My book is a bestseller for the second week in a row, this goal I’ve been striving for my entire working life, how to be happy enough!
The point is that too much of any feeling is not good for my equilibrium: I’m a delicate ecosystem, I’m a temperate rainforest! Anyway luckily I know what to do in these moods. Let me tell you something very important: there is an absolutely flawless four-part cure for too much happiness, too much sadness, or too little energy, or too much or too little anything.
It is unfortunately very simple and very easy to implement but it often does not feel like that….but it is. It is so simple and if you complete all four steps you will feel better.
The cure for too many feelings goes like this:
1.) Go outside.
2.) Move.
3.) Make something.
4.) Give something to someone in person.
This is vital and very very important because it never fails. Or at least it has never failed me, not once, not ever. You think it will but it won’t. You have to do all four steps.
I went outside and cut some rosemary from the garden, which continues to blow my mind with beauty. I talked about this with Alice Vincent last week in a Live, which I have never done before.
The most fun part was when she did a quick-fire round of “Chic or Not Chic?” which is the best interview question I have ever asked. Trifle? Chic. Coloured glasses? Only chic if you REALLY believe in your own powers. The Vaseline-lens effect of my camera is unintentional and to do with having a very old phone, but quite flattering in my heatwave semi-nudity— and if you subscribe to Alice you can see it all (all the video, not all my nudity. I have a dress on the WHOLE time).
So anyway: I went into the garden (Step One) and cut some rosemary and called up a friend to see if she wanted to have coffee (Step Four) and I said I would go to her house so I had a reason to walk somewhere (Step Three).
I cut three big sprigs of rosemary and shredded them very finely; then weighed out everything else. Step Two in action.
Comments
Nothing yet. Say the first thing.
Sign in to join the conversation.