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Whilst on Arran last week, I decided to have my afternoon cuppa al fresco. It wasn’t wet, which for West Coast Scotland definitely means all possible opportunities to be outside should be utilised. However, the still, slightly damp air brought with it the inevitable clouds of midges. Fortuitously, there was a giggling flight of swallows performing an aerial display above my head, stocking up on midges, ready for their imminent journey to Africa. Directly below they were inadvertently providing a midge free zone.

What a wonderful symbiosis for me and the swallows! It made me think of the symbiotic relationship we humans make use of – the gut bacteria that live in all of us. The bacteria obtain nutrients and a stable environment and in return they

help us in the digestion of food and also contribute to the production of essential vitamins.

This time of year is a wonderful one to create your own food that will naturally promote gut health and also preserve crops of vegetables to enjoy later in the year.

One such example is beetroot kimchi. Beetroot is ready for harvesting right now, having spent the summer soaking up the sunshine. To make your kimchi, take 3 raw, peeled beetroot and grate into a large bowl. Add 3 minced garlic cloves, 3 diced spring onions, 3 inches of ginger grated, 3 chilli’s (optional) and 1 tbsp salt. Massage all the ingredients together well, then pack into a jar ¾ full. Cover the top with a circle of greaseproof paper, put a weight on top to hold the ingredients under the liquid, then put the lid on. Leave at room temperature for 4-5 days, opening the lid daily to release any pressure. Beetroot Kimchi is incredibly versatile as side dish with almost anything you like.

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June 2025

May has showered us with the most wonderful weeks of sun. I’m desperately hoping that the line in the Simon and Garfunkal song – “June – she’ll change her tune. In restless walks she’ll prowl the night” won’t come to fruition, but this is Scotland so all bets are off.

Whatever June brings, May’s sun has set up the garden for what looks to be a bumper yield of gooseberries. I can’t decide if I partly like these so much because they are harder to come by than other British berries, or if it’s just because of their “suck-your-gums-in tartness” and the completely satisfying way they burst in your mouth. I could enjoy them raw in their dozens. They also happen to be full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants so snacking on them straight from the bush is like taking your daily vitamin tablet.

I will use a good number to make gooseberry ice cream, which provides the perfect balance of fragrant tartness and rich creaminess.

This ice cream recipe is so easy and doesn’t require an ice cream maker. Start with 500g gooseberries, 4 tablespoons sugar and 3 tablespoons water. Cook until the gooseberries burst and breakdown into a pulpy, jammy mixture. Blend in a food processor and then pass through a sieve to remove seeds and skin. Leave to cool.

In another bowl whisk together 1 tin of condensed milk (397g), 600ml double cream and 1 tsp of vanilla extract until thick. For a higher protein alternative, you can replace the double cream with an equal quantity of Greek yoghurt.

Stir through the cooled gooseberry puree, tip into a suitable container, cover with cling film and freeze until solid.

For the ultimate seasonal dessert, serve with some delicately stewed rhubarb and decorate with some mint leaves.