food and Drink · garden stuff

garden tidying

For the last few days I’ve been dodging the showers to be out tidying up in the garden because most of my harvest is over for this year. If I’m lucky I’ll get a few more handfuls of raspberries from our canes and maybe 2 more pullings of carrots. Funnily the carrots have done really well this year – just when I had decided that I’d not bother growing them again they decide to prove that they are a worthwhile crop, so they will be on my list of seeds to buy for next spring after all.

The beetroot is also still going well and is such a pretty crop. This year I grew a variety called Chioggia which has pink and white rings when you cut it. It doesn’t stain your fingers as much as the full-bodied red kind but is just as sweet and earthy to eat.

It’s time to tidy up the beds and fix the protective fronts and backs – back in spring I was lazy and didn’t seal up the gaps and so the cabbage white butterflies have feasted on my cabbages and broccoli – that will learn me!

I do love growing things in my garden and it’s a bonus when you can eat them too. I’ve roasted the beetroot I picked earlier and will shortly be peeling them, tossing in some balsamic vinaigrette and eating them with some goat’s cheese, salad and crusty bread for lunch.

Do you grow things to eat and if so what are your favourites?

crafts & knitting · food and Drink · general stuff

Finished

Yay, I’ve finished my Peerie Flooers and am looking forward to wearing them on my next wood walk with Toby, which will definitely bring me a smile – I do love them!

No doubt there will be quite a few wood walks (weather permitting) over the next couple of weeks because here we are again at the last day of term. Toby went into school this morning laden down with homemade peppermint bark for all of the teachers (this is so easy to make and is really good, so it’s now my first choice for teachers gifts).

Tomorrow is the start of 17 days of full-on Toby watching. Keeping him safe and entertained with the changes in routine and the added differences that Christmas brings will be a challenge but hopefully there will be some good times sprinkled in there too. I’m hoping for a quiet and calm Christmas with good food, plenty of sleep and some peaceful walks in the woods (with warm and pretty hands!)

All that remains is for me to wish you and those you love a very merry Christmas and a happy New year wherever you are xxx

autumn · crafts & knitting · food and Drink

Kitchen poetry 3

Well despite the lack of chill in the air these past few weeks the leaves have started changing colour and the clocks have gone back, so it feels that autumn is well and truly here again. Its arrival has made me want to get ready for winter and I’ve been making lots of soup for the freezer. Soaking split peas for split pea and ham soup (from River Cottage Everyday) and roasting butternut squash for Squash & Cumin soup (recipe from my mum)

To serve 6:

3 teaspoons of cumin seed

1 teaspoon of coriander seed

1 teaspoon of caraway seed

1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

olive oil

1 medium squash (either butternut or onion) around 1kg in weight

2 large onions

3 garlic cloves

50gms butter

750ml stock (vegetable or chicken)

220ml creme fraiche

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 190 degrees / gas mark 5. Cut the squash in half and remove all of the seeds, place in a roasting dish, drizzle over the olive oil and bake in the oven for up to an hour until soft. Toast all of the spice seeds in a dry pan and grind to a powder.

Finely chop the onions and garlic and sweat in the butter until they are soft and translucent. Set aside until the squash is done. Scrape the roasted squash flesh from the skin and put in a deep pan with the onions, ground spices and stock. Simmer for a few minutes. Add the creme fraiche and blend to a thick, smooth soup. Good to eat with warm crusty olive bread.

Even my knitting has been touched by autumnal colours – I’ve been working on a very soft and very decadent new scarf in gorgeous pure cashmere (Jade Sapphire 8ply cashmere in Chamomile). I’ve gone for a very simple garter stitch because when the yarn is this special I don’t think it needs fancy stitches.

These autumny pursuits have inspired Amy and I to write another bit of kitchen poetry…

When autumn comes a-knocking

Amy and I make soup,

We also kick through fallen leaves

and shop for yarn at Loop!

ย Poem by Amy & Julie

 

Making preparations for winter is something lots of people are doing at the moment and there’s a wonderful project just started by Silverpebble and Thriftyhousehold called Making Winter which aims to celebrate all of the lovely things that winter brings. So if you fancy sharing some of your favourite wintery things pop over and join in x