S2 Ep5: NEST (simplify + decorate)

The Calm Christmas Podcast with Beth Kempton

This episode is all about nesting – getting your home and heart ready for the winter, with natural Christmas decorations, and ideas for mindful crafting. With inspiration from Laurie Lee, Ariella Chezar (@ariellachezardesign), Lucy Hunter @lucytheflowerhunter, Truman Capote, Lizzie Kamenetzky, Cleo Wade @cleowade, The Royal Horticultural Society (@the_rhs), and my mum!

Featured in this episode:

• A Village Christmas and Other Notes on the English Year by Laurie Lee (Penguin Classics)
• Seasonal Flower Arranging by Ariella Chezar (Ten Speed Press)
• The Flower Hunter by Lucy Hunter (Ryland, Peters & Small)
• Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year: A Little Book of Festive Joy by Beth Kempton (Piatkus)
• A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote in The Penguin Book of Christmas Stories edited by Jessica Harrison
• Winter Cabin Cooking by Lizzie Kamenetzky (Ryland, Peters & Small)
• Heart Talk by Cleo Wade (Atria)
• Slow Down and Grow Something by Byron Smith and Tess Robinson (Murdoch)

Download my free guide to creating a wreath HERE and ideas for other natural decorations HERE.

To be in with a chance of winning a signed copy of The Flower Hunter by Lucy Hunter and a signed copy of my book Calm Christmas, head over to Instagram @bethkempton. The deadline for entries is 4pm UK time on Friday December 3, 2021.

Ingredients list for featured recipes:

Salt dough

- 1 cup of plain flour

- Half a cup of table salt

- Half a cup of water

French onion soup

Serves 4

- 25g unsalted butter

- 3 tablespoons olive oil

- 1kg large onions, very thinly sliced

- 250ml dry white wine

- 1 litre rich beef stock - or you could replace with vegetable stock for a vegetarian version

- Freshly grated nutmeg

- A small handful of fresh thyme sprigs

- 2 fresh bay leaves

- 75ml good quality Madeira

- 1 day old baguette or other crusty bread, cut into slices

- 1 garlic clove

- 150g Comte cheese, grated (or you could use a vegetarian cheese)

- Sea salt and ground black pepper