The easiest way to escape the quarantine boredom and feelings of confinement is by escaping into books, chores and Netflix. With this corona virus reading list you’ll feel a sense of purpose again and inspired to turn your time in isolation into something fun and meaningful.
Cooking with Tinned Fish (Dutch edition: Vis uit Blik) by Bart van Olphen
You might know chief cook Bart van Olphen from Discovery channel or his popular instagram @bartsfishtales where he shares short and simple cooking demos with seafood. Bart is an advocate of sustainable seafood with the MSC label. He even has his own sustainable seafood brand Fish Tales, consisting of canned fish, salmon and bottled tuna. In his recipe book Cooking with Tinned Fish, tasty meals with sustainable seafood, he once again demonstrates how easy and versatile seafood is. Although the book is not new, it’s more relevant than ever as you get to turn those tinned seafoods you hoarded a few weeks ago straight from the pantry into surprising and innovative dishes.
The pasta with tuna, capers and chilli peppers is my favourite followed by the crostinis with tomato and sardines.
MSC stands for the Marine Stewardship Council. They are the world’s leading certification and eco-labelling programme for environmental sustainability of wild caught seafood. Their iconic blue logo identifies all seafood products that come from well-managed, sustainable fisheries.
The Life-changing Magic of Tidying up by Marie Kondo (Dutch edition: Opgeruimd!)
Her series on Netflix was a global hit and not only sparked joy but also a world wide movement. After watching her on Netflix people started to clean out their homes and thrift stores were flooded with stuff. Few people knew that the series were based on Marie Kondo’s book. Kondo gives a step-by-step plan to declutter your home and organize your drawers and cupboards. The book was published in 2014 but its lessons are even more valuable today. De-cluttering and organizing your home not only gives you a purpose while being in quarantine, but also eases your anxiety. In this time of chaos and confusion a tidy home with order and structure lowers tension and creates a feeling of being in control of at least one part of your life.
The Balcony Gardener by Isabelle Palmer
As our only safe escapes out of the house are the garden or balcony, why not make it more pleasurable? The balcony gardener lays out a plan how to organize your small outdoor space to get the full potential out of it. It teaches about creating different styles, what materials to use and how to nurture your potted plants and flowers. It’s an indispensable guide for people who are new at gardening or who don’t have the proverbial green fingers. Especially during the Corona lock down, it is recommendable to find a new hobby, to learn something new and to be more in touch with nature. Balcony gardening or gardening is an excellent form of meditation and connecting with nature and will surely bring you a few hours of well-needed distraction.