By Samantha Hillman

Editor of D&D’s Sunday Paper

EGGSELLENT STUFF

Hello HELLO! 

Happy Easter, if you’re doing that. Happy Sunday, if you’re not. I forgot about Easter until basically now, so this week’s Leisure Letter is regrettably not egg-themed (we love themes!). 

But not to worry! There are still recs to be had. Such as: This! Gorgeous! Book! Grandma cooking. You can always trust a recipe that’s named for the woman who made it - Nicoletta’s watermelon and jasmine jelly. Jean’s ackee and callaloo. Dora’s caponata. It’s so gorgeously shot (on film!). Come for the food, stay for the wisdom. 

And speaking of grandmas, or moreso, grandmas who aren’t technically grandmas: I’m having a real Fran Leibowitz moment. Paragon of leisure, national treasure, hater of Doing Work and lover of sleep. Call it a Frandemic. Spend the day as you deserve, snacking on chocolate beneath a glamorous quilt, reading all these interviews . Tell me that they don’t make you cackle. An Idle Idol if I’ve ever seen one. 

Want more fun links? There’s something so unexpectedly ethereal about this photo series - a little Sophia Coppola-esque, even? - the hazy light and the marshmallow tones, the crinkly plastic bags and dirty sneakers and the babies-holding-babies. Yes! I live for this sort of photojournalism: the sort that captures women doing utterly mundane, human things, like doing the shopping or pushing a pram. Old cameras have a way of making the very ordinary look extraordinary. 

Anyway, something (more!) to cook; it’s spring and herbaceous sauces are here to stay. I have planted a herb garden to ensure a constant supply of the Gjelina salsa verde (I was worried I’d have to type out the recipe, but bless the internet, someone already has). It’s bright and garlicky and belongs on everything, but especially steak and especially eggs. Do make it! It keeps well in the fridge if you submerge it under enough olive oil. I’m also chomping at the bit to give this grilled cheese sandwich a whirl (they had me at scallion chutney, but anyone putting potatoes inside a sandwich deserves instant and endless and unconditional respect). And while you should never trust a peach before July (we’ve all learnt that the hard way), you can hit up apricot jam (the best jam) at any old time of year: on toast with butter, on crackers with cheese, or, as I did last year (not sponsored, btw, just enthusiastic) spooned over a fragrant rice pudding with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. And speaking of apricot, or at least things that are just sort of apricot colored: THESE! WIDE! LEG! PANTS are my pick (not that you asked, and not that that’s ever stopped me) of the Lowland Forest collection. Probably not apricot-coloured at all, come to think of it. More of an egg-yolk (is that technically a colour?), so maybe there’s a bit of an egg theme going on here after all. 

Happy Easter, happy Sunday x