June Editor's Picks
RHS Chatsworth Flower Show
5TH - 9TH JUNE
Stretch those green fingers in spectacular grounds for the third annual RHS Chatsworth Flower Show. Go dotty for dahlias at a display of over 6,000 of the finest blooms, then sip on limited edition strawberry and cucumber tea at the Wedgwood Tea Conservatory. Allotment owners rejoice: this year will introduce the first small-space garden design competition, with exciting and innovative entries galore.
The Festival in a Factory at Emma Bridgewater
6TH-8TH JUNE
The brainchild of pottery pro Emma Bridgewater and V&A museum Director MP Tristram Hunt, the Festival in a Factory sees Emma’s working pot bank transformed for three days of author talks, panel discussions and workshops. Brush up on your literary knowledge with talks from Mary Portas, Ben Macintyre and Viv Groskop before learning about all things pottery with a free factory tour.
Durham Regatta
8TH - 9TH MAY
Warm up your vocal cords, settle down on the banks of the Wear, and get ready to cheer for the 186th Durham Regatta. Take in the picturesque backdrop of Durham Cathedral, then head to the bankside enclosure for the best view of the head-to-head races. Prefer to stay dry? Land-lovers can enjoy performances from talented local bands, peruse the classic car display or chow down on some fish and chips.
Pistou Linguine
As the UK’s foliage bursts into life for summertime, reach for some greenery of your own with Mary Berry’s Pistou Linguine. Taken from her aptly named book Classic, this dish is based on a traditional French recipe combining basil leaves, olive oil and garlic. Whether you’re tucking in al fresco or at your desk, it doesn’t get much fresher than this.
Ingredients
300g (11oz) linguine pasta
25g (1oz) butter
500g (1lb 2oz) chestnut mushrooms, sliced
75g (3oz) Parmesan cheese, grated
For the pistou sauce
4 tbsp roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
4 tbsp roughly chopped basil
2 tbsp roughly snipped chives
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Juice of 1 lemon (see tip)
Method
1. To make the pistou sauce, place the herbs, garlic, lemon juice and crème fraîche in a food processor and whizz until the herbs are finely chopped. Season well with salt and pepper.
2. Cook the linguine in boiling salted water according to the packet instructions, then drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water (see tip).
3. While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a deep frying pan, add the mushrooms and fry over a high heat for about 1–2 minutes. Cover with a lid and cook over a low heat for 3 minutes, then remove the lid and fry over a high heat until golden and all the liquid has evaporated. Spoon the mushrooms into a bowl.
4. Add the pistou sauce and the reserved pasta water to the frying pan and heat until just boiling. Tip in the cooked pasta, season with salt and pepper and toss until coated and warmed through. Remove from the heat, add most of the Parmesan and mushrooms and toss to combine.
5. Tip into a bowl, scatter with the remaining Parmesan and mushrooms and taste for seasoning.