Yesterday I felt I pretty numb. The murder of the priest in Normandy, the inconceivable violence in Germany, it all just broke my heart. So much hatred and confusion in the world right now. Classic “comfort food” can sometimes ease the heart-ache, but yesterday anything ‘man-made’ felt inappropriate in light of the man-made mess the world is in.

For lunch, in silence (aside from the crunching) I simply ate my way through a bowl of exceedingly fresh radishes. Yes, radishes. Expressing nowt but their untainted, uncomplicated, unashamed radishness. I am 100% certain that this is the first time I’d eaten solely radishes. I’d never appreciated their lipstick-pink, perfect, firm, roundness before, let alone their crunchy juiciness. Why are radishes often sliced paper thin and hidden in a salad, when devouring them whole is the only way to fully know them?

I remember the Zen teacher Edward Brown once saying something like when radishes aren’t good enough, pretty soon nothing is good enough. Everything falls short. Nothing measures up. Yet when someone can pick up a radish and be delighted… all beings benefit.

Why has life got so complicated?

This morning my heart says yes to comfort food – hence, blueberry scones, (recipe courtesy of Smitten Kitchen). And shared with my house mates… which is also comforting.

Very Blueberry Scones

1 cup all purpose plain flour

1 cup wholemeal flour

3 tbsp golden castor sugar

1/2 tsp salt

zest from one lemon

2 tsp baking powder

70g butter

1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

3/4 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy, all good)

1 egg

1 tbsp granulated sugar

Method:

Take a few deep breaths and give thanks.

Heat oven to 200c, and line a baking sheet with baking paper.

In a large bowl, combine the flours, sugar, salt, zest & baking powder. Cube the cold butter, add to the bowl, and rub in with fingers to get gravel size lumps.

Add the blueberries and gently mix. Add the milk, combine as quickly and gently as you can, but not worrying too much if some of the blueberries squish or squirt their juice into the dough.

Tip out onto a floured board, flatten to 1 inch high mass (a circle, or square, or whatever delights you), then cut into portions. (Deb says 8-10, I was greedy and went for 6). Transfer to lined baking sheet, brush with the beaten egg and sprinkle with the granulated sugar.

Bake for 15-18 mins until golden. Best eaten warm, with friends.