A day with Sarah hosting the chef, veg and fruit grower, mixologist and award-winning cookery writer Mark Diacono - who has a new book out Abundance this autumn.
Sarah will chat and demo things like how she will be decorating her door, Christmas tree and house almost entirely from the garden. And a bit on forcing bulbs for fragrance. Demo-ing recipes from his new book, Mark will follow on with winter garden cocktails and food presents for Christmas.
Itinerary
10am arrival - tea/coffee
10:30am - 11:45am - Sarah's talk and demonstration, growing and arranging flowers and decorations for Christmas
11:45am - tea/coffee and homemade cake
12pm - 1:15pm - Mark's talk and demonstration including Christmas drinks - cocktails (such as Ginger Rosemary Tom Collins and Nutmeg Brandy Alexander) and infusions for presents (such as Rose gin, Hazlenut vodka and Quince ratafia). He'll also chat us through some winter recipes - again suitable to give as presents such as celery and tarragon pesto and Hazlenut and chocolate cookies.
1:15pm - 2:15pm - Lunch, complied by Mark and cooked by Sophie and Susie, our Perch Hill chefs
The shop will be open after lunch and Sarah and Mark will sign and personalise books.
About Mark
Mark is lucky enough to spend most of his time eating, growing, writing and talking about food. He has written a number of award-winning books, including A Year at Otter Farm and A Taste of the Unexpected (which both won Food Book of the Year), Sour (which was Food Book of the Year 2019 in The Sunday Times and Daily Mail, and nominated for a James Beard Award in the US), Herb, Spice and Vegetables.
Known for growing everything from Szechuan pepper to pecans to Asian pears, Mark's refreshing approach to growing and eating has done much to inspire a new generation to grow some of what they eat. He was involved with River Cottage, appearing in the TV series, running courses and events at River Cottage HQ, and he has written four River Cottage books.
Mark is a columnist for The Sunday Times, Delicious and Country Life, and his features have appeared in The Observer, Guardian, National Geographic, and others. He hosts the monthly Cafe Murano Book Club with Angela Hartnett, and writes to a global audience on his best-selling Substack: 'Mark Diacono's Abundance'. He is a figurehead of the food writing collective a Scribehound Food, and Writer in Residence at Limewood Hotel, England. His next book - Abundance - is published in August 2025.
