SPRING FORWARD INTO 2026:
Dreaming of ripe tomatoes,
fresh asparagus and Jersey Royals …..
Although it’s still technically winter, with plenty more cold, wet, grey — and even snowy — days ahead, I can’t help but find myself thinking of warmer weather, longer evenings, and plans for the months to come.
As spring begins to stir, I’m already dreaming of early summer, when fresh fruits and vegetables are in glorious abundance. I miss the aromatic scent of ripe tomatoes and strawberries, fresh English asparagus, and those delicious Jersey Royals. Supermarkets certainly do their best, but unless you hop on a train to Borough Market, patience is very much required!
Dark winter evenings are spent leafing through cookery books, watching cookery programmes, and planning menus that make the most of these wonderful seasonal ingredients.
Recently, I’ve been reviewing our current menus and revisiting the dishes that have proved most popular since the launch of Second-Helpings in December 2019 (just as Covid arrived!) Those days feel like a distant memory now: supermarket queues, empty shelves, and conversations dominated by the lack of toilet rolls!
To make things easier, I’ve brought all those much-loved dishes together into one extensive menu of suggestions, which you can find here on my website. Looking ahead, I plan to introduce new pop-up menus inspired by seasonal produce and more themed evenings.
In 2026, I’m hoping to host another French and an Italian themed evening — and possibly more if they prove popular. Dates will, of course, be shared once confirmed.
January was something of a whirlwind for us. Having promised ourselves more culture and fun this year, we certainly got off to a strong start! Highlights included a visit to Tate Modern for the Turner v Constable exhibition, an evening at the ballet to see Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes, followed by supper at a lovely Italian restaurant opposite the theatre called Fumo. We also enjoyed a theatre trip to see Sheridan Smith in Woman in Mind, a visit to Everyman Cinema in Oxted for La Traviata, and finally, to round off the month, we hosted a James Bond–themed 70th birthday party for my husband, Paul. It was a fantastic evening — and I can highly recommend the company Event-Kings if you’re planning a special celebration.
Like many in the area, we also felt the effects of the East Grinstead water outage, lending our shower facilities to friends and family. Sadly, the constant use of our ageing washing machine proved too much for it, and it has now given up the ghost — a replacement is on its way!
We also hosted two lovely family get-togethers, each with three generations coming together to enjoy each others company over a delicious lunch and afternoon tea.
Last but not least, we managed to accommodate a very late booking for a film crew shooting locally for Ancient+Brave. I must admit I hadn’t heard of them before, but now they seem to pop up everywhere on social media! I was delighted with the feedback on the takeaway lunch I provided — seems like Coronation Chicken is set to make a comeback! 😊
Their products look fantastic, so I’ll certainly be giving them a try. Take a look here.
With February now upon us, the sun is setting three minutes later each day! It won’t be long before we really notice — and once February is behind us, we’ll be well on our way back to
British Summer Time
😊😎🌞
A new piece from Barry Wilson ….
I first met Barry when I organised a Fundraising Gala event held at the Saatchi Gallery for a children’s charity I used to work for – that was over 10 years ago now. He very kindly donated one of his pieces which sold in the auction and raised well over £3K towards the £125K raised on the night. Luckily we kept in touch and now he loans his works for us to display for our guests enjoyment. When you visit, you will see that various pieces are for sale. This latest painting is a London scene on a rainy day, but do you know where?
(If you are interested in purchasing any pieces, contact Barbara@second-helpings.co.uk)
Barry’s highly distinctive paintings have been exhibited in major museums and galleries worldwide with international acclaim.
PLEASE SAVE THIS DATE – Sunday 28th June, 2026
YOGA & LUNCH
in the garden
If you have an occasion coming up and would like to celebrate in style please do get in touch.
Come and have a cuppa, look at the space and discuss ideas.
Brunch, Lunch, Afternoon Tea, Supper – formal or informal – inside or out.
Can also accommodate small, local corporates for away days.