Rhubarb and Ginger Jelly

After looking at the rhubarb yesterday, I couldn't bear the thought of it sitting there and going over, so I picked a good few stalks and stewed a little in the oven for tea, with the rest I chopped it up and simmered it with some sliced root ginger and a frozen packed of pectin rich stock ( made from filtered, boiled, apple and lemon skins left from a previous recipe). 

I then left it to drip in a jelly bag all night, and this morning am boiling it up in small batches with 450g of sugar to every 600ml of juice. The recipe calls for less sugar, but last year I couldn't get it to set without the usual 450/600 ratio.

Ive added a teaspoon of citric acid per litre of juice too, just for certainty on the set, I'm sick of reboiling things.

The rhubarb juice is such a beautiful colour, I took some pictures but I'm not sure they really do it justice.

Rhubarb, Rhubarb

This year our rhubarb is MASSIVE, it looks so healthy at the moment and although we eat it, it's time to decide on the preserving route. It's not a big seller on my stall, I've tried varied recipes over the years, rhubarb jam, rhubarb and ginger jam, rhubarb and vanilla jam, and all those as jellies. I've never tried it as a chutney and don't fancy it myself as its so soft, that unless I added loads of other things, I don't see the chutney having much texture. I think I fancy making a jelly again, it is always the most beautiful colour, it's a bit of a drawn out process though, so better get started.

Broody hens..again

We have a couple of broody hens, I noticed on Sunday and have watched for a couple of days and sure enough they are staying in the same place, which is at least safely inside the hen hut, both in the same nesting box. They are sat on around 20 eggs. 

This happened around this time last year, and we got 10 hatch last year between 3 mothers who were all squeezed in to one nesting box. A couple died in the first few days, which is always heartbreaking, but the rest flourished and we ended up with 5 hens and 3 cockerels. Our adult cockerel went missing not long before they reached maturity, we never found out what happened to him, it's unusual for a fox to just take 1 bird, plus we couldn't find the strike point, so we assume he didn't like the competition, he was an old lad, and went off. 

One of the cockerels grew into a beautiful bird and replaced him as father of the flock, but the other two were ugly whitish birds, pretty hefty looking things and they started ganging up on the girls to have their way with them. I ended up cornering them one day and getting Mike to despatch them. So we have a dozen birds at the moment, and are swamped with eggs, the two broodies will slow that down a little, but everyone that comes to the house leaves with eggs at the moment.

Made me think

I've just been reading a friends post about going very green and chemical free and it did make me think about what we use in the house, I am a big fan already of bicarbonate and vinegar for a lot of the cleaning, but we do have chemicals, we also have a septic tank so are quite careful about many things, but again use cheap shampoo and shower gels, the step son has 2 showers a day.
We don't have a tumble drier, or dish washer, so that isn't an issue, but I started to think about what shower gels and shampoos could I buy instead.
I was hoping there was a site that just gives you a list, but on my brief investigations this morning, that doesn't seem to be the case...so far.
I read about the issues of SLS in products a few years ago and although it gave me some concerns, I'm very much a believer in fate, and if you take all the precautions you can, you could still get hit by a runaway car on the day your number is up, but it wouldn't do any harm to look up a few 'better for you' products.
Anyway back to day to day - I have 3 gardening jobs on today, it's cold and windy and a threat of rain, I told all my customers this year that I'm going to be a fair weather gardener, I have too many aches and pains nowadays to be out when it's bad...so the question is...will they be expecting me.
Only one way to find out I suppose.

Sore joint oil

Having just said I need to go and get on if I'm to pick my wild garlic, I just want to make a note on here about my sore joint oil, really just to remind myself for later.

I made up another batch yesterday morning and just need to bottle it up, it's a very simple mix using a plain olive oil ( not Virgin, as it smells too strong) along with a number of warming and soothing essential oils, I've made it before both for myself and to sell on my stall and it's a useful one to have around.

It contains the following essential oils:- Rosemary, white thyme, eucalyptus, black pepper, cajeput, basil, clove, marjoram and ginger.

Only a few drops of each into half a pint of oil. I use olive oil not just because it's cheap, but it is easily absorbed and full of nutrients.

The hunt for wild garlic

I love wild garlic and although I have a small clump in my garden, it's not really big enough to crop much from yet, it is spreading, but not as quickly as I'd like, it makes the most delicious pesto, as well as puréed and frozen in ice cube trays it can be added to almost any savoury dish to enhance it...in my eyes anyway. Now is the time to be picking it, before the leaves get too big and tough.

This morning I only have one job on, but it is a fair distance away, but out in the direction of some woods where I know wild garlic grows in profusion. 

After the job, I'm supposed to be going to see a lady who I worked for last year to discuss what is needed this year, if I get away now, I could go to the woods first and pick some garlic, I know you shouldn't pick wild flowers, but I can't resist the garlic. 

Iris - first one

Just outside weeding and edging after cutting the lawns this morning and come across this beauty, it's the first of my bearded iris to flower this year, it's only small, as it is a dwarf specimen, Pumila Blue, but it's gorgeous, I love my Iris, I have many and they really should like our dry sandy soil, but most of them never really seem happy here and I struggle every year to coax them through both summer and winter. I refuse to give up on them though. It made me smile to see what I hope will be, the first of many to photograph this year.

Weather forecast wrong again

All week we have had forecasts for a horrendous day today, heavy rain and cold winds, so I've left loads of jobs, like the dreaded ironing for today. Got up this morning and wall to wall sunshine and when I've checked to forecast, no sign of rain till later in the week. Damn!

We really need some rain in the garden, the soil is really dry, I want to put the annual seeds in that I mentioned a few days ago, I've got broad beans, artichokes and peas ready to go in the allotment bit and soil needs a real sustained drenching.

It was pretty cold last night, and when I arrived home from Frank's 80th birthday dinner, which was lovely, I went out and covered all my little seedlings in the greenhouse with cloches for extra warmth.  just going to check on them all now and do the usual dandelion and lily beetle checks.

Mike mentioned when we got up that we have wagtails nesting under the stable roof, we always have wagtails around, they seem to love patrolling the lane to the house and picking up insects, I love watching them. Anyway, as we sat there this morning one of them crashed into the porch windows, a real heavy thud, poor little thing sat there for a bit and I was worried it had badly hurt itself, but it's now flown away thank goodness.

Litter picking dilemma at the Shows

A week or so ago I got confirmation that I'm working on litter collection at the Bramham Horse trials again this year and last night I got confirmation that I'm working at the Yorkshire show again, I've done this for a few years now and it's a long hard few days, but I so enjoy it. The job I do isn't exciting, I supervise the litter packers, the show ground is split into 4 or 5 areas and each of us has an area. A couple of years ago I did the main ring and collecting areas and it was busy and hard to keep on top of, but I loved it. Last year I did the animal areas and a section of the stalls, it was ok, but not as enjoyable as the main ring. 

I'd really like to do the food halls and gardens area, but the same bloke does that every year, and this might be a bit opinionated of me, but he always seems to struggle with it and spends most of his time on the radio asking for extra help - we usually have a 'hit squad' who can rush to a problem area, and they are constantly called to his area.

He's a lovely man, but just a bit set in his ways and doesn't seem particularly flexible. Do I ask to do a more 'exciting' area or just be glad to be doing it and accept I might have an easy area again?

Chilli sherry

As it's quite cool outside today, I'm sorting out a few bits and pieces inside that I've been meaning to do for ages, I've been out in the little poly tunnel for a short while and planted more coriander and basil to replace the ones I've just had to compost due to scorching and death during this week...poor little things. I need to pot on some of the tomatoes and lupins too and will get on with that next.

I've been printing off labels for things I've made this week, so I can get them stored away.

 the Amaretto Apple conserve...hmm, still think it's a bit too sloppy and needs reboiling, will think on about that for a while.

The lemon curd is put away in the fridge, I made the shredless marmalade, not completely shredless, but instead of slicing up the peel, I grated the zest and added it and then threw the peel away after boiling, seems such a waste, but several people have asked for shredless stuff.

And I pickled some of our excess egg supply.

While working out where to store all this I came across a jar of chilli sherry that I put away after mixing, and it needs filtering, however, can't get the top off! Just boiling the kettle to pour over it and see if that works. This will be hot stuff and I will bottle into small jars for people to use like Tabasco.

This is what it looks like after its filtered and bottled.

Saturday blues

Feeling a bit down this morning, I have a rather achey knee, I think I strained it somehow at Maggie's yesterday, it's a bit strange, sometimes it absolutely kills, it was hurting quite a bit at Sarah's last night when I was sat down and I dreaded putting weight on it, but when I did it wasn't as bad as I expected, and it was the same this morning, I not had a good nights sleep because it was hurting on and off during the night, but then it wasn't too bad when I got up- very odd.

Anyway, this is the sight in the poly tunnel that greeted me this morning. These belonged to Mrs H and when I had to empty her house after her stroke I couldn't get rid of these and there's nowhere at the bungalow for them to go, so I brought them here for the time being.

Gorgeous sad magnolias

I have 2 magnificent camellias, these were one of the first few things I planted in this garden, and they were tiny little things when I got them, and I planted them much too close to the wall, which is south facing, I hoped this would be a nice sheltered spot for them, they have really prospered there and we have to cut them back so we can get down the path, BUT, at this time of year the frosts damage the flowers so badly, it's just such a shame.

Gardening and more gardening

Today I am back to the day job, and gardening for others, it's been lovely to have some time to myself and get things done I've been meaning to, even though I've still not tidied/sorted out the dreaded craft room.

I have Maggie to see at 9.30, a lovely lady with a beautiful herbaceous border, she does a lot of flowers for her church so this bed is a sight to behold in summer, there will be a lot to do today I assume, she normally has the bed mulched over winter with rotted manure, but that encourages weeds as well as flowers, so much to be done no doubt.

I'm at Sarah's tonight for a CDWM, I'll be driving and so far 2 am picking up MIchelle and Jenny on the way, just waiting to hear from Anne. That means after Maggie, I need to call back here and get a change of clothes before heading in to town. I have repaired jewellery to deliver and Mrs H to go visit as well as buying flowers and wine, oh and call at IHs and water plants, and do all the usual,little errands I do for her while she is away.

I'd like to get the grass cut, but I put weed and feed on last week and although I watered it in well at the time, I think it might be better to leave it until we've had the rain early next week, I'll see when I get there.

Just been out into my greenhouse, had a small disaster yesterday and the sun damaged one of my trays of courgettes, but this one, which is the Nano Verde di Milano look ok, I've put the others into the shady poly tunnel and I'm hoping they recover, however, the coriander and black basil which were in the same tray look like they've had it.

Fortnum and Mason - bee cam

I'm finally sat down doing nothing for an hour, well not actually doing NOTHING, I seem unable to do that, so I'm sat in the garden with a cup of tea and reading through a couple of cook books for new preserves ideas.
One of the books, which I have to admit was a disappointment when I bought it, was the Fortnum and Mason book, Honey &Preserves. There is only a small section on preserves, and a large portion is taken up by the story of Fortnum and Mason, including their on-site honey production, which refers to a bee cam on their roof, interested, I signed on to the website, and have read all about the honey and beekeeping, but can't find reference to the bee cams, another disappointment, anyway I've sent them an email.

Cottage garden seeds

Got up this morning to a rather misty and grey start,  forecast says it's going to improve, but we are coming to and end of the dry and warm spell according to the forecasters. We really need some rain so I'm not too upset about that.
Put a few more seeds in yesterday, A tray of sale mix and a tray of echinacea, when looking through my box of seed packets, I had loads of packets of annuals, the type you're supposed to sow in situ. So I've opened them all, mixed them up and am going to sow over the patch where we dug the heathers out of. The soil is pretty poor and dry and so no point putting anything of any real value I there until I've improved it somewhat, it'll be an interesting experiment anyway.
Out tonight again at the Fat Abbot in Escrick. Hope the service has improved on last time, lovely people but so disorganised.

Macarons or macaroons

I had plans yesterday, which never came to fruition, but may do today, to make macarons. By macaron, I mean those tiny cute little things that you sandwich together with highly flavoured filling and then sell at a vast price...or so it would seem in the shops.
However when discussing it with friends, they always say, don't you mean macaroon?
Is there a difference? - according to the internet a macaroon is a coconut bun/cake sort of thing, but I do recall as a child having a biscuit sort of thing, similar to the macarons, but bigger with an almond usually decorating it on the top.
Not that it matters, maybe it's just fashion and fanciness.
Right, must get on.

Apple Mango Amaretto Conserve

Just potted up a new preserve that I've been wanting to try for ages, I found the picture of it on Pinterest but then when I tried to link to the recipe it didn't work, so I've had to bodge together a few ideas, especially as it was an American recipe which used some sort of pectin ingredient which I was uncertain exactly what it was...involved calcium water, what ever that is.

Anyway the recipe came out quite well, I added a very ripe mango to the recipe too, really just to use it up, but I thought I would go.

So from what was originally a recipe for Brandied Apple Conserve, we now have Apple Mango Cinnamon Amaretto Conserve.

What is a conserve anyway...apparently it's a soft set Jam, usually including some sort of dried fruit..well not this time.

Successful CDWM

Well a lovely night was had last night, the food was excellent, even if I do say so myself, we had a great night, lots of laughs and chatting, just how a dinner party should be, it was quite a late night and the boys got into trying out all sorts of spirits and liqueurs as the evening wore on. 

I tried to be sensible with the thought that I had my friend Julie coming today at 7.30am when her husband would drop her off on the way to work, and I'm glad I did as I was tired but fine all day.

Mike, however, spent most of the day in front of the TV feeling sorry for himself.

Had a really nice day today with Julie, got loads of crafty stuff sorted out, some jewellery repairs started that I've had for a few months from people and we ate loads of leftovers from last night.

Mike goes away tomorrow for a few days, so I plan some more sorting out over the next couple of days.

Chocolate Torte

Just cooked the chocolate torte for tomorrow nights dinner, a Gordon Ramsey recipe, very simple but smells and looks delicious, there was a risk at one point of it overflowing the baking tin, but it stayed..just. It's now in the oven cooling for an hour before I take it out, really want to try it, but must resist.
The bourguignon is in the slow cooker, I seared the beef this afternoon and got it going, or didn't as it happens, as I'd forgotten to switch the slow cooker on, so that means it's midnight before I turn it off.
Made the dauphinoise potatoes this afternoon too, I use a recipe in a book by Joanna Weinberg, called How to feed your friends with relish, you start them off in a pan on the stove, then tip into a baking dish to finish off in the oven, if you need to prep ahead as I do, you can do the pan bit then tip in to a dish and cover with cling film and leave until the next day , brill stuff, the secret ingredient is anchovies!

Blauhilde & Blue Lake

After I finished work today, I've come home and planted some beans and peas, all the other seeds are starting to show apart from the chillis. Might bring the seeds in next week when Mike is away and just see if they get a bit of extra warmth in the house.
Anyway, back to beans, I've planted Blue lake and Blauhilde , I've planted these two varieties for a number of year, the Blauhilde are a black coloured bean, but it turns green on cooking, I was a bit disappointed the first time I realised this, but still grow them because they look good on the plants.
In two minds whether to plant runner beans, I really don't like them, well that's not quite true, it's the bit about if you don't catch them quickly they go stringy and I hate them like that, so never bother growing, hmm, decisions, decisions.

Best cut of beef for braising- difficult to get an answer

This morning I thought I'd look on line for recommendation on the best cuts of beef for braised dishes, obviously with my bourguignon in mind for Saturday. Proved not as straightforward as I expected.
Delia was pretty good, but many of my usually trusted site, which I won't name were pretty ambiguous and I was quite disappointed.
Anyway, during the day today I went to Sainsbury's to pump up my car tyres and though I might as well get a hand car wash, as I've to take it in to Honda tomorrow for a safety recall on the electric windows, so while they were washing the car, I had a wander round and a look at what 'braising' steak they had on offer, I asked at the meat counter and the bloke was pretty rubbish, had to ask someone else, who told him to get 'the book' out and show me...anyway, it turned out to be shoulder, which is chuck steak, and the stuff I'd decided I was going to get, so bought 1.25kg, think that should be enough for 5 heart appetites, but so disappointed with the 'butcher' in Sainsbury's, you'd expect he should know his meats!

New People

Today I gardened for 2 new ladies, one of them Naomi has recently had a stroke, and she is needing lots of rest to recover, I had agreed to do some gardening for her before the stroke, but was only due to start this week. I knew ( or thought I knew) what she had planned for me, but in the end her neighbour had asked for plants to be cut back near to her fence, to allow them to replace damaged fence panels, it was hard work and I thought it a little off that her neighbour had asked her to get it done, bearing in mind her current condition.
The second lady, Jennifer, is pretty poorly in several ways and it was enjoyable tidying her garden and seeing her enjoyment in it looking better, it just need a good cut back of dead stalks and winter rubbish, so looked much improved.
I planted roses into pots for Frank and then called in at the bungalow to collect Mrs H's mail and check on the place.
Tea was fish and chips out of the freezer after I'd had a chance for a quick check of my greenhouse plants and watering pots outside, we've had no rain to speak of for weeks.
Tired out today, and quite achey, so any early night for me.( midnight)

Cake, cake and more cake

Now that the CDWM menu is decided, it's had me looking at cook books and I've spent a nice hour this evening reading Nigella's Feast book. I have a cake stall to do in a few weeks so I've earmarked one or two of them to have a go at. Most of them are chocolate versions but I've got to have a go at her macaroon recipe, sounds wonderful with ground cardamom in them.
 Next week Mike is away on a golf trip so I'm having a few days at home to do some 'me' stuff. Sorting to my craft room, which I started the other day is high on the list, by them I think some of the seedlings will be ready to repot, I have more grape fruits to make marmalade with and some apples that might end up as chutney or maybe an amaretto apple jam recipe I've seen.

Decided on the CDWM menu

After much debate and mind changing, I have finally decided on the menu for this weekends Come Dine With Me (CDWM).
Having realised I have a craft fair in the morning to do, I definitely needed to go for prep ahead stuff, so have gone with the anti pasti, boeuf bourguignon, dauphinoise potatoes, cardomom roasted carrots and garlicky green beans. To be followed with a pudding from nigella's cookbook 'feast', a lemon meringue cake which sounds divine.
Sent the menu to them all on Facebook, waiting for feedback.

Erm, last minute addition, seen a Gordon Ramsey recipe for a Chocolate torte, so going to make that as well, they'll have to choose which pudding they like...or have a bit of both.

Monday blues -sky that is

Woke up to a glorious looking day, I feel sad for those who have 9-5 jobs when the weather is awful on a weekend and then turns back lovely on a Monday morning. That's how it's been this weekend, it was pretty cold yesterday and Saturday wasn't great but today looks like it's going to be the same as last week.

I've got work on from lunchtime today, Pat today, it's the first time I'll have been to hers this year, but she's been away and we had a break over winter. Tomorrow I've got the 2 new ladies gardens to make a start on and I also need to get to Frank this week.

I'm going to have a quiet morning, sorting out the greenhouse plants and seeds and see how everything is coming along.

Still haven't sussed my menu for the CDWM yet on Saturday, and to add to it, I've realised I've the little church table top sale to do on Saturday morning first. I can't really not go, as I made a diary mistake and didn't attend last time. It's not much of an event, but I feel I like to support them and I usually sell a few bits.

Prolific egg laying

Our hens seem to have gone in to overdrive recently over egg laying and we are struggling to keep on top of supplies, I'm always trying to think up ways of using up and today whilst making chutney I've made some bacon,onion and cheese quiches as well as some crustless ones in little silicone cup cases. Just got them out of the oven and they look delicious .

Carolina Reaper Chutney

The weather forecast for today was heavy rain, which so far hasn't appeared, but as Mike is out all day at a golf tournament I thought I'd tackle the Carolina Reaper Chutney. He hates the vinegary smell associated with chutney making.
I'm sort of doing my own thing with this, not particularly following any written down recipe, but I think I have enough experience to get something decent out of .

My base is Cooking apples, onions, fresh ginger, fresh garlic ( lots of) raisins ( but not too many) then the Carolina reaper chilli powder, along with around 30 mixed chillis minced up, seeds and all.

I want it to be a really dark red colour to signify the heat, so I've added paprika and cayenne which will add flavour as well as colour. 

This s how it currently looks.

Progress on seeds

Just checked in on the seeds in the greenhouses, I've been pretty disappointed as there has been little showing and we've had such a warm and sunny week that I starting to think they had all failed, but at last there are things showing.

However, having thought I'd written down everything I planted, I have an un identified tray, and yes of course, that's the one that's sprouting. I think they are black basil, but can't be sure, I think I can just about see some tiny tomato seedlings coming through, but it could be wishful thinking.

Yesterday I went to one of the local garden centres and picked up a few well sprouted tomato plants at  reduced prices and today I need to pot those on.

Friday and the fat abbot

Mike on his way out the door to a funeral of one of his golfing buddies, said these things are so bad because it makes us all realise the frailty of ourselves, he plays golf with a senior group several times a week. , I asked him if they ran a sweep on who's next. What was that film called, it had Clint Eastwood in it, the Dead Pool, something like that.

Ive got another potential customer to visit this morning then on to York to do IHs, before calling at the nursing home to see Mrs H and meet up with her granddaughter.

Tonight we've booked to try the new gastro pub in the next village, the Fat Abbot, rather looking forward to it but reviews on trip advisor are mixed..

purple springtime

Had  a wander round the garden after emptying out the greenhouse so that I could position my tomatoes, and make space for more seed plantings,
I've got several trays of small iris rhizomes to get put in somewhere and it made me realise how much is already sprouting and so much is purple, now I've always aimed for a pink and purple garden in summer but hadn't really realised the number of purple spring flowers I have.
The chickens then upturned several of my trays of seedlings that were sat out in the sun and I've had to repot them, mainly lupins but a few omphelodes that I got from Mrs H's garden before she moved.
I've dug up all overgrown heather today, or rather mike and I did, but got loads of other weeding done and a few more plants in - some anemones that I bought a few weeks ago, although I've planted some up in seed trays too.

Alternative to a mower

The last couple of days we've been electric fencing off areas of  grass around the place to let the horses into and give them some rich grass that needs cutting, so far so good, but we've always got the risk with little Misty that he'll get laminitis again, so having to watch carefully and only let them at it for a couple of hours at a time. They seem to be enjoying it and it's saving us a job, so wins all round - so far.

Grand National

Blimey, where does the time go, it's the Grand National this weekend, when I was working in an office we always did a sweepstake and I rather miss doing that.
Mrs H and I used to do a pin sticking session leading up to the day and we'd choose a handful of horses each, which we would then use Mike's telephone betting account to put on a few quid each way.
Need to look at the runners and choose my horses, there is usually no science that goes with this, I randomly choose names I like or silks colours that stand out to me.
Update - so at first glance, based on colours, I'd go for Rocky Creek and Balleycasey and with  names, the ones that I like the sound of are Carlito Brigante and Balthazar King.

Chocolate

I love chocolate, and it's my downfall, when I was working and earning good money I used to be a member of the chocolate tasting club, and I loved it, not cheap, but a box of new chocolates each month would arrive, with 2 of each chocolate, ( usually around 30 chocs in total) you were supposed to score them out of 10 and send or your review, sometimes we would sometimes we wouldn't,

Yesterday I went to Hotel Chocolate ( the retail shop for the tasting club) to see wheat they had reduced after Easter, disappointed there were no large eggs left, there's just something about Easter eggs...anyway they had a few things reduced and so I splashed out on a number of this, caramel bunnies, champagne mini eggs and two of the H boxes filled with mini eggs...let's see how long they last.

Wednesday 8april

Busy day yesterday and I'm a bit achey this morning, so had a bit of a stay in bed till 9.15. I've got gardening at Frank's to do today and then my voluntary work this afternoon. Would like to sit here drinking coffee and searching ebay for unusual items but suppose I need to get on.
Diet went well yesterday until about 9pm when I sat down after getting the tomatoes repotted when I then broke into my Guiylan Easter Egg from IH. It's the one with the sea shells with it, and I suppose fortunately, I don't like praline at all, so have given the sea shells to Mike.

Went to see Mrs H again yesterday afternoon, but she was asleep again and I couldn't wake her, I left her some dark chocolate and a little note, one of the nurses said they would tell her I'd been.

5:2 starts today

There are just over 6 months until I go on holiday with my sister and so I need to get so up weight off and get a bit fitter. As I left home this morning without my pack up, that's a good start, no cheese and coleslaw sarnies for lunch, even though I could murder them about now.

I tried the 5:2 diet a while back and although only did it for a brief while, I enjoyed the principle behind it and it suited my lifestyle, so that's what I'll get back on with.

Today may as well be a fasting day then as I've had no breakfast and just a pear and a cereal bar at lunchtime.
Tonight I plan to do grilled fish for tea with left over boiled potatoes, Mike will no doubt want a parsley sauce, but I'm happy with a drizzle of lemon and maybe a bit of salad.

The shame is, I've been to Hotel  Chocolate today while in York and bought a few half priced Easter goodies..well none for me tonight then! More about chocolate later

coal dust briquettes

mike has been complaining for ages as to how our coal bunker is half full of coal dust and he has recently bagged a load of it up, with no real idea what to do with it. I had read somewhere about turning it into briquettes by mixing with a weak mixture of wallpaper paste and  squashing into small plant pots, the leaving to dry.
So I gave it a go today, used some of the 6 module trays that you get bedding plants in, I have tons of them as I can't bear to throw things away and every Spring and Autumn I spend much of my time putting in bedding for some of my customers.
So far so good, just need to leave them to dry now and see if they can be turned out and used. Will update in a couple of days.
I already make paper logs from old newspaper and so made a start on them again this year, I've had some paper soaking in a large true of water for a few days, so made a couple of logs and refilled the true with more paper. Just need warm weather now to dry everything.

Monday Monday

Bank holiday Monday and a day to myself, was going to see Mrs H, but the traffic into York will be horrendous and it's a lovely day and she has other visitors, so going to spend the day doing things in the garden.
I have a climbing hydrangea in a pot that I want to repot and get in it's final growing position, I need to re-position a trellis on the wall for it. I can check on all the seeds planted, hoe over the veg patch, cut back the normal hydrangeas and do some more weeding...all with an already aching back. Let's see what I manage.
And later...
Well I didn't repot the hydrangea, but I did get the trellises repositioned, and the normal hydrangea cut back, got loads of weeding done and we had a bonfire, which is always a great opportunity to make rash decisions and chuck things on before I change my mind, disposed of an old redcurrant that really needed to go, and a small rose that has refused to do anything much. Feels very cathartic.
Later as the fire died down a bit, we cut down some old dead Holly bushes and then sat with a glass of wine and enjoyed the glorious evening.

So...more about the scorpion sauce

As I'm still very new to this blogging lark, I can't work out how to reply to questions and comments...and am still certain I'm adding pictures incorrectly...any help would be appreciated.
I have been asked about the scorpion sauce...I make this myself, as I think I've mentioned, I make preserves to sell at local fairs and events.

It's based on a recipe I use for a fiery Bengal chutney, which contains cooking apples, onions, fresh ginger, garlic, vinegar, sugar and chillis, I usually use scotch bonnets, but often get asked ( usually by men) if I do anything hotter.

So I did some research and bought some (chilliepepper.com)  ground Trinidad moruga scorpion chillis, these are the 2nd hottest chillis in the world, I'd originally planned on using Naga ( ghost) chillis, but decided to got for these instead, thinking the name was interesting.

They are around 1.2million on the Scoville scale, scotch bonnets come in at around 350,000, so you can see the difference, anyway, posted a picture on Facebook, and what happens, I get a comment from a friend's husband, that it's now all about the Carolina Reaper now...so I've bought some of that too and will make the next batch with that. Carolina Reaper comes in at around 2 million on the scale. Wow.

Easter Sunday and horses

What a glorious day it has been weather wise, didn't get a chance to get out until later this afternoon,but we've had a lovely day.
Slept in a little and then when woke, realised the time and dashed downstairs to get veg prepped and coking started. Had to stall Sally with the grand kids by half an hour so that we had time to get the Easter egg hunt laid out, but it all went swimmingly in the end and fun was had by everyone.
Lunch was lovely, Sally had provided a gorgeous Greek salad to add to everything and had made a delicious chocolate fondue with fruit and marshmallow bunnies for dessert. Yum
Only hiccup of the day was when Austin fell into the ditch by the horses field and was soaked in stagnant water up to his knees - poor old Mike was 'on guard' at the time.
The kids had fun riding the horses for the first time, although poor little William seemed to develope a rash and were hoping he's not allergic.
Had the rest of the afternoon out in the garden, weeding and clearing, hurt my back digging out some overgrown heathers, hope it's just ache rather than a strain.

Red grapefruit marmalade

In addition to the baking and cooking for tomorrow, I'm making marmalade, I have a little stall at small fairs around the area over the year and I sell my homemade produce, preserves, today I'm making red grapefruit marmalade.
It's a lengthy process but not particularly difficult.

Juice 5 nice big red grapefruits, and 3 lemons.
Put the juice into a large pan with a lid.
Put the pips into a muslin bag or I have a spice infuser that I use, and place in the pan.
Then, with a sharp knife, slice the skins of the fruits into thin strips and chuck in the pan, add 2 pints of water and bring to a boil, turn down to the gentlest of simmers and put on the lid and leave to cook slowly for 2 hours.
Take out muslin bag and cool enough so you can squeeze as much as you can out of it, back into the liquid, then add 3lb sugar, bring to a hard boil and check for setting point. Pot up.
At this point I'm not going into all the ins and outs of jam making, I wash and dry my jars by hand and then sterilise in the oven at 150 for 15 mins, allow to cool slightly for 5 mins before potting up.
makes the most gorgeous rich orange coloured marmalade, really tangy. Today's efforts made 8 and a bit  good sized jars.

Fernando's most excellent meatloaf

Today I'm doing some of the prep for tomorrow's Easter Feast with the family, in with everything I'm doing is the most delicious meatloaf I've ever had.
It was given to me by a lovely Brazilian man, a friend of Mrs H, and it's definitely worth sharing, now it's not an exact measures recipe, but that makes it even better because you can play with it and adapt it to your own choosing.
Start off by frying one large chopped onion in a little oil and adding a bit of chopped garlic and a diced pepper, any colour, I prefer red. Once they have softened a little added some bacon lardons or chopped bacon and just colour it a little. Then put to one side to cool.
In a large mixing bowl put 500g of good beef mince and 250g of lean pork mince, along with a small can of drained sweetcorn, a few chopped olives, a few peas, a handful of raisins and a handful of chopped dried apricots, break in an egg, add the fried stuff then mix it all together, the best way is to get in there with your hands.
Next, in a flan or similar type dish lay strips of streaky bacon or pancetta, up the sides and hanging over, so then, when you put the mince mixture in and flatten it down, you can wrap the overhang over the edges and top of the meatloaf.

Place the dish on a baking sheet and cook in a170 oven for around 45 mins, then take it out, and carefully put a plate on the top, flip it over and slide it back into the baking dish - so the top becomes the bottom. Cook for a further half hour., leave to cool and eat just warm or cold. Here's a picture of the one I made last time.

masters at Augusta 2015

So having endured golf on TV while we've been eating tea, got in to a discussion on who will win the masters 2015 at Augusta next weekend. Mike has his money on Padraig Harrington and Danny Willett, (Danny being the home boy), I've gone for the ever so sexy Camillo Villegas , whom,I admit is a massive outsider, but will make the tournament watchable for me, and Ricky Fowler, just because I think he deserves a win for the ridiculous hats he wears.

Good Friday 2015

Well not a nice start to the holiday weekend, damp drizzly rain, which I suppose is better than expected, been sat playing minecraft for the last half hour while having breakfast of a toasted hot cross bun and a few cups of coffee.
Checked on all the seeds and plants in the greenhouse, only the broad beans are up, nothing else showing yet, but it is early days...I just get very impatient.
Now need to get on and get the braising steak in the slow cooker and then off to IHs, will pop and see mrs H after I've dropped them at the station this aft.

Well, that was a waste of time with Mrs H, she was fast asleep.
Busy time at IHs helping them pack and getting the house sorted ready, then dropped them off at station, Sally popped round this morning before I set off and needed some olives for the salad at lunchtime on Sunday, said I'd get her some, thought it would be easy but ended up at 3 different supermarkets looking for kalamata olives in their olive selection sections. Waitrose was the only successful one, after buying some in tesco and Morrisons. Will get them preserved in oil over the weekend and they will do as part of the CDWM starter.

CDWM - 18 April 2015

Ever since I left my office job, I have kept in touch with groups of friends through a series of Come Dine With Me type events, the voting side of it has long since died a death, but the get togetherness continue in a round robin sort of basis.
Anyway, my turn has come round for the event with Justin, Shaz and Dave, this is the only one that Mike attends and it's booked for 18th April, so need to start thinking of a menu.
I'm sort of known for my cooking by my friends, so there are certain standards to meet. No idea on anything yet, last time I cooked for this group, I did rack of lamb I think.

Update 8 April- was thinking last night, maybe a really good boeuf bourguignon?, starter I'm thinking  a anti pasti type thing. Maybe a lemon meringue for pud followed by cheese and biscuits. Or, no cheese and biscuits and a sticky toffee salted caramel chocolate pudding - which I've made before and is divine but incredibly rich.

Election Debate

So bored by the election debate already, 15 mins in, I hate politics, I find all politicians are liars or unrealistic optimists - or both. However I decided I should really listen to it as I have no idea who to vote for.
I believe we should all vote, but they make it so hard to decide who is the least dangerous. Do we want any of these people to run our country?

Late planting of sweet peas.

So the poly tunnel survived the horrendous winds last night, but was so worried, while sat in bed I could hear the howling and crashing and I was thinking about all my poor little plants.
Moved them all today in to the large greenhouse, it was lovely and warm there out of the wind but it is a bit too shady really and I need to move them back as soon as I can.
Picked out the geraniums today and also planted sweet peas, yes, I know, much too late but hey ho.
Planted up 4 pots with peas too and sorted out all the dried crap from J and planted what seeds I could find for the echiums and Malope. Hope they come up like they did at Js last year.

What to do for Easter Lunch

We will be having the grandchildren round for the usual Easter egg hunt on Sunday morning ( 4 & 5 yrs old) and are planning on following it up with an Easter lunch for the family, undecided between a buffet lunch that would suit the kids....and myself, or roast lamb which I know is what Sam and Andy would prefer...Sam even going so far as to say he was looking forward to some roast lamb...or do I do  a mixture of the two, nibbly stuff for the kids and I ( and Em) but provide a hot roast and cooked new potatoes in with it all.

Update..
Got a brill deal today, just called in at Waitrose on the way home, as it was late I was hoping they might have reduced their bread, they hadn't, but I picked up a boned and rolled lamb leg joint from their reduced shelf, £13 instead of £23. Still sounds dear for me, but even at half price, Sainsbury's lamb legs were coming in at £10-£14. Asda are advertising great deals on lamb joint, but they didn't have any in stock when I went today. No bloody point advertising deals if you can't supply them!

Pork in cider for tea

Heat a little oil in a good heavy fry pan that has a lid, stick in pork loin steaks or medallions and get them sizzling, peel and core an eating apple and chop into segments, chuck in the an and allow them to catch some colour.
Chop a few new potatoes in half and stick in and again allow the to get some colour the poor in a bottle of cider, stick the lid on and allow to simmer away for half an hour, add some course ground black pepper and a handful of chopped parsley and serve.
We usually have with spring greens, love it, my favourite way of eating pork.

Tuesday 31 March 2015

A busy day today getting around all my customers from last year and catching up with their news and ailments. Not much actual gardening done, but got to see Judith, Peggy, Laurie, Frank as well as a quick catch up with Jo P and a new lady Naomi.
Peggy looks very poorly and it was rather sad to see her like that, but at 93 she's doing well really. Naomi was very nice and I will enjoy working for her, she is not one for neatness and smart lines, very much likes the natural look of a garden.
The weather has been awful today, really, really windy and this evening I had to make reinforcements to my little poly tunnel, I'm hoping very much it survives the night, my poor little plants, well seeds really, I only planted them on Sunday!
Went to the garden centre today and picked up a few small fuschias, if I can get them coming on I could make cuttings and more plants for the summer. Frank had also got plants for me....36 minuscule  red geranium plugs.
Have re-arranged my week to get them planted up tomorrow alsong with some red and white barium plugs I bought, have agreed with IH and Jenny that I will see them on Thursday instead.