‘Giggles, gardens and good grub – I love these girls and I love this book’ Davina McCall
Rhubarb Rhubarb collects the witty, wide-ranging correspondence between Leiths-trained cook Mary Jane Paterson and award-winning gardener Jo Thompson. Two good friends who found themselves in a perfect world of cupcakes and centrepieces, they decided to demystify their own skills for one another: the results are sometimes self-deprecating, often funny, and always enlightening.
Jo would find herself one day panicking about what to cook for Easter lunch: a couple of emails with Mary Jane and the fear subsided, and sure enough, a delicious meal appeared on the table. Meanwhile, Jo helped Mary Jane combat her irrational fear of planting bulbs by showing how straightforward the process can be.
The book is full of sane, practical advice for the general reader: it provides uncomplicated, seasonal recipes that people can make in the midst of their busy lives, just as the gardening tips are interesting, quick and helpful for beginners. Mary Jane shares secrets and knowledge gathered over a lifetime of providing fabulous food for friends and family, while Jo’s expertise in beautiful planting enables the reader to have a go at simple schemes with delightful results.
More information
Mary Jane Paterson
Jo Thompson
Mary Jane Paterson trained at Leith’s Cookery School where she completed the one-year diploma. She worked at various places including at the English Gardening School at Stoneacre in Kent creating feasts for trainee gardeners. Since then she has taken on various culinary projects including hosting cooking days at her house in Sussex, most notably with CJ Jackson who runs Billingsgate fish school. In the last few years she fulfilled a life long wish to go to drama school. She ended up with a certificate and a little more stage fright than when she started. Her love of food is legendary, her fare is fabulous and everyone looks forward to going to her dinners. Her first rather sad culinary adventure was documented in her mother's novel, Yadav-A Roadside Love Affair.
Jo Thompson is one of the UK’s leading garden designers, which came as much as a surprise to her as it does to everyone who knows her. She is renowned for her exquisite planting and innate sense of place. Jo's Wedgwood Garden won a gold medal at the 2018 Chelsea Flower Show, and she has won numerous other awards including a smattering of Chelsea golds. Apart from being a full time designer, she lectures and writes for the Sunday Times.
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27th October 2022Rhubarb Rhubarb goes to Chelsea Thursday 3rd November 2022
It turns out that next Thursday is actually the 3rd of November.....mysteriously posted by me previously as the 4th of November!!!
SO - PLEASE COME AND VISIT RHUBARB ON THE ROAD
ON THURSDAY 3RD OF NOVEMBER
FOR A BIT OF FUN AND A GLASS OF SOMETHING SPARKLY
FROM 4PM-8PM
AT WHITE COCO, 237 KING'S ROAD, LONDON, SW3
25th October 2022Rhubarb Rhubarb goes to Chelsea Thursday 4th November 2022
Hello everyone
We would just like you to know that Jo and Mary Jane will be having a bit of a late late launch at White Coco in the King's Road on Thursday 4th November from 4pm - 8pm.
We will be signing books, drinking a bit of prosecco and chatting to all.....gardening, cooking, and life in general. You could drop in, look at some lovely clothes, buy a gift for someone for Christmas or just…
30th October 2019Rose tinted and loving it.....
Seeing life through rose tinted glasses....If you haven't seen our cover here it is! We love the pink and green colours - it was our favourite design and we think it is perfect for our book. We hope you like it too!
It's now available to pre-order at Foyle's and is on the Amazon and Waterstone's website for publication in April 2020. Please follow us on instagram on rhubarbrhubarb_
Thank…
2nd October 2019Rhubarb Rhubarb is coming soon....
We are very excited today as we received our cover copy and page design samples yesterday. They are quirky but elegant and pretty too so the book is looking exactly how we imagined it. Publication is set for spring 2020 so thank you for your support and patience. We will be fulfilling some of the pledges soon too so we will be in touch. I am oarticularly looking forward to the authors lunch - surprise…
10th January 2019Coming up smelling of Roses
The start of the New Year and I'm definitely starting afresh. We've ripped out every last plant of our two borders and Jo T has picked out 68 roses to go in this Saturday. I never thought I'd say this but gardening is quite exciting! On the cooking front I've been obsessed with beetroot soup- making it with a couple of parsnips with lemon juice to add a zing and a swirl of creme fraiche and toasted…
14th October 2018Rhubarb Rhubarb at Cheltenham Literary Festival
Well, we had a complete blast at #cheltlitfest https://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/literaturelast week. It was a huge honour to be invited to share the stage with Caroline Donald, Gardens Editor of The Sunday Timeshttps://www.thetimes.co.uk/?sunday . We chatted about roses, tricky garden spaces , more roses and tricky projects over a delicious tea. There was a last-minute drop-out - lovely Peter…
28th August 2018Bank Holiday Cooking
Thanks so much to all those who have pledged for our book this bank holiday. I've been doing some summer Asian cooking.I made Summer Rolls with a Peanut Dipping Sauce, Som Tam Salad and Chicken Panaeng Curry. All very yummy though I say so myself and a nice change on bank holiday Saturday. My garden is looking a bit tired and forlorn...time to call Jo for some inspiration! Looking forward to some…
22nd May 2018Rhubarb Rhubarb - the merry month of May
Just a quick update on our progress. Jo has won a gold at Chelsea today for her Wedgewood garden so if you are going to Chelsea this week don't forget to visit her beautiful garden. We are one third of the way to funding our book so please tell your friends to pledge for our book if they haven't already - we need support to reach our target. May is such an amazing time of year - everything is looking…
