Winter Warmers and a Snow Day Minestrone

Here we are, tucked right into the heart of winter at Essington Park, with snow on the way and that lovely hush in the air that makes you want to put a pot on the stove and stay close to home. These are the days for woolly socks, steamy windows, a proper cup of tea, and the sort of simple kitchen care that has been handed down through families for generations. Nothing fancy, just good ingredients, a little common sense, and the comfort of being looked after.

Winter Comforts from the Garden and Pantry

When the sniffles arrive, I always think the best remedies begin with slowing down. There is no magic cure for a common cold, of course, but rest, plenty of fluids, warm drinks, steam, honey, broth and a good bowl of soup can make the whole business feel a great deal kinder. If you are very unwell, symptoms linger, or you are worried about a child, an older person, or anyone vulnerable, please do check in with your doctor.

• Honey and lemon drink: The old favourite for good reason. Stir honey and fresh lemon juice into warm water and sip slowly. It is soothing on the throat and feels like a small act of kindness. Remember, honey is not suitable for children under one year old.
• Ginger tea: Slice or grate a little fresh ginger and let it steep in hot water for 5–10 minutes. Add lemon or honey if you like. It is warming, fragrant and just the thing when the weather has crept into your bones.
• Thyme steam or tea: If there is thyme in the garden, bring in a few sprigs and steep them in hot water for a simple herbal tea, or let the steam rise gently from a bowl nearby. Take care with hot water, especially around children and pets.
• Garlic in meals: Add garlic generously to soups, stews and roasted vegetables. It gives everything that deep, savoury backbone that makes winter food so satisfying.
• Salt-water gargle: Stir ¼ to ½ teaspoon salt into a cup of warm water and gargle to ease a scratchy throat for a little while. Best for adults and older children who can gargle safely.
• Warm broth: Keep a pot of broth close by and sip it throughout the day. Warm liquids help with hydration and bring a little comfort when you are feeling under the weather.
• Hot Toddie: this is the cheeky version of the hot lemon and honey drink with a shot of  Whisky.

Snow-Day Minestrone

Serves: 6 | Time: about 45 -60 minutes

Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 onion, diced; 2 carrots, diced; 2 celery sticks, diced; 3 garlic cloves, crushed; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 1 tin diced tomatoes; 1.5 litres vegetable or chicken stock; 1 tin cannellini or kidney beans, drained; 1 cup small pasta; 1 zucchini or 1 cup chopped cabbage; 2 cups chopped silver beet, spinach, or kale; 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs; salt and pepper; grated parmesan and parsley to serve.

1. Warm the olive oil in a large pot. Add onion, carrot, and celery, then cook gently for 6–8 minutes until softened.
2. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste for 1 minute, then add the diced tomatoes, stock, beans, and Italian herbs.
3. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Add pasta and zucchini or cabbage, then simmer until the pasta is tender.
4. Stir through the greens just before serving. Season to taste.
5. Ladle into bowls and finish with parmesan, parsley, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Pantry tip: Minestrone is very forgiving. Use whatever winter vegetables are on hand, add leftover roast vegetables, or swap pasta for rice or barley.

Flavour boost: I also love to add the rind of my parmesan cheese, which I keep in a snap-lock bag in the freezer for this very occasion. It’s totally optional, although it’s a great way to use up your leftover parmesan rind and it brings such great flavour.

Classic Chicken Soup for Cold Days

Serves: 6 | Time: about 1 hour

Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 onion, chopped; 2 carrots, sliced; 2 celery sticks, sliced; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 1 small piece fresh ginger, sliced; 1.5 litres chicken stock; 2 chicken breasts or thighs; 1 bay leaf; a few sprigs thyme or parsley stalks; 1 cup small pasta, rice, or noodles; 1 cup peas or chopped greens; lemon juice, parsley, salt, and pepper to serve.

1. Heat oil in a large pot. Cook onion, carrots, and celery until softened.
2. Add garlic and ginger, then pour in the stock. Add chicken, bay leaf, and herbs.
3. Simmer gently for 25–30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
4. Remove the chicken, shred it with two forks, and return it to the pot.
5. Add pasta, rice, or noodles and cook until tender. Stir in peas or greens for the final few minutes.
6. Season with salt, pepper, lemon juice, and fresh parsley.

Comfort note: Chicken soup is not a cure, but it is one of those deeply reassuring things: warm, steamy, nourishing and wonderfully restorative when winter has you feeling a bit fragile.

Glühwein For a Clear Star-Filled Winter’s Evening

We love to light our fire pit outside, wrap up in our flannies, scarves, beanies and Ugg boots and sit round the fire sipping on Glühwein. The evening is made even more perfect when we have the grandkids with us, and we toast marshmallows too.

Serves: 6 | Time: about 25 minutes

Ingredients: 1 bottle dry red wine, such as shiraz, merlot, cabernet or pinot noir; 1 orange, sliced; 1 strip orange zest; 2 cinnamon sticks; 4 whole cloves; 2 star anise; 2 tablespoons brown sugar, honey or maple syrup, plus extra to taste; ¼ cup brandy, rum or orange liqueur, optional; extra orange slices and cinnamon sticks to serve.

1. Place the orange slices, orange zest, cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise and sugar or honey into a saucepan.
2. Add a small splash of the wine and warm gently for 3–4 minutes, just enough to wake up the spices and dissolve the sweetener.
3. Pour in the remaining wine and keep the heat low. Warm until steaming, but do not let it boil or the flavour will become sharp.
4. Let the Glühwein steep gently for 15–20 minutes, tasting as you go and adding a little more sweetness if needed.
5. Stir in brandy, rum or orange liqueur just before serving, if using.
6. Strain into heatproof mugs and garnish with orange slices or a cinnamon stick.

Kitchen note: Keep the Glühwein warm over the lowest heat, or in a slow cooker on warm, and never let it boil. It should be fragrant, gently spiced and just sweet enough to make your hands curl happily around the mug.

Something to Read by the Fire

Winter is a time to snuggle down with a good book, to let the afternoon grow quiet around you and give yourself over to the small luxury of a story. When the soup is gently simmering, the fire is murmuring away, and the world outside has turned soft and white, there is nothing lovelier than settling in with a blanket over your knees and a few pages waiting to carry you somewhere else.

• For a wintry mystery: Try a story set somewhere cold and quiet, the sort where the landscape becomes part of the plot, and every cup of tea feels important.
• For comfort: Pick up a favourite family cookbook, an old gardening book, or a well-loved novel you have read before. Winter is a good season for returning to things that already know how to look after you.
• For little ones: Choose a snowy picture book, a gentle animal story, or a tale that can be read aloud under a rug with warm socks on.
• For a quiet night: Read a few pages of poetry, nature writing, or something reflective before bed. It is a lovely way to let the day soften around the edges.

And if nothing on the shelf is calling, leave a book by a bedside, lend one to a neighbour, or tuck one beside the spare-room pillow for a guest to discover. A good story, like a good pot of soup, warms the house long after it has been shared.

What’s on my reading list right now….

• Hanna Kent, Burial Rites ( ‘a gripping tale’ )
• Virginia Evans, The Correspondent (‘A warm, funny gem of a novel’)
• Danielle Alvarez, Recipes for a lifetime of beautiful cooking  (A book filled with beauty, wisdom and generosity’ )
• Simmone Logue, In the Kitchen ( that’s me, and yes, I refer to my own book every day lol)

A Final Winter Thought

So, as the snow begins to gather around Essington Park, I hope your kitchen is warm, your soup pot is full, and something good is cooling on the bench. Check on a neighbour, share a bowl if you can, and remember that winter is always easier when we feed one another well.

Happy snuggling and happy cooking

Simmone x

For more recipes and tips jump on over to essingtonpark.com and subscribe or gather your buddies together and come and stay… the home fires are burning.

My book In the Kitchen is available at essingtonpark.com in the shop section.