Staying In

Cook With Forced Rhubarb

With its bright pink hue, rhubarb is one of the prettiest vegetables around, and its tart taste makes it a popular ingredient in puddings. In the UK, most varieties can be harvested from late April or May, but one kind is drawn out of hibernation early, allowing us to enjoy it earlier in the season from January to March – hence the name, forced rhubarb. With a sweeter, more tender taste than regular rhubarb, it’s great in tarts, crumbles and cakes, as well as jams and chutneys, and pairs well with sweet and creamy flavours like custard, ginger and shortbread. An important note: only the stalks are edible – don’t eat the leaves, as they contain oxalic acid, which can be poisonous. To prepare rhubarb, wash the stalks, trim off the top and bottom, then slice it into your preferred shape. Give this tart recipe a go this week.

Going Out

See Art By British Women At The Courtauld

Tate Britain’s landmark Turner & Constable exhibition is ongoing, inviting visitors to appreciate two very different (yet equally celebrated) approaches to landscape painting (ends 12 April). It’s a distinctly British medium, something that is being explored at another exhibition, this time at the Courtauld – and this time told through our oft-forgotten women artists. Opening today, A View of One’s Own showcases landscape drawings and watercolours by British women working between 1760 and 1860, from accomplished amateurs to those ambitious for recognition. It was a heavily male-dominated era, with painters like JMW Turner and John Constable dominating the limelight. But, as always, women ploughed on, some achieving acclaim in their lifetimes, others working in private and discovered only later. Painters exhibited include Harriet Lister and Lady Mary Lowther, two of the very first artists to depict the Lake District; plus Amelia Long, Lady Farnborough, one of the very first British artists to travel to France after the Napoleonic wars. 28 Jan-20 May, courtauld.ac.uk

Property Of The Day

Originally built in 1846, this Grade II listed property possesses rare heights of drama. Once the church’s nave, the main hall now offers open-plan living complete with soaring gothic arches and double-height windows, while the former chapel has been reimagined as a relaxed seating area. Outside, the remains of the original aisle have been turned into an open-air courtyard complete with gothic columns. Boasting vaulted ceilings and a bell tower ripe for conversion, this is certainly one heavenly home.

On the market for £995,000. finest.co.uk

Little Luxury

Fortnum & Mason has hopped on the wellness bandwagon with its new Botanical Blends range. Made in partnership with Chelsea Physic Garden, the teas draw inspiration from ancient apothecary and folklore, with ingredients chosen for their symbolic and medicinal qualities. Available in Love, Calm, Cleanse, Protect and Vigour, there’s a tea for every mood. £9.95, only available in store. (181 Piccadilly, London W1A 1ER)

Competition Time

Escape to Mauritius in style with this exclusive competition: win a five-night stay for two at Shangri‑La Le Touessrok, a legendary hideaway on the island’s eastern coast, housing six, sugar-white beaches, verdant tropical gardens, and luxurious facilities. Enter now

Psssst…

In the headlines today is the ominous news that scientists have brought the Doomsday Clock closer to midnight than ever before (we’re now just 85 seconds away from catastrophe). But what does that actually mean?

Whatever You Do, Don’t

Miss the sample sale from London-based womenswear brand Aligne, taking place tomorrow and Friday from 9am – 7pm and offering guests the chance to shop pieces not typically available to the public. 19 D’Arblay Street, London, W1F 8ED