I Loved the Idea of Compost Jelly............

 .............that Sue in Lancashire had on her blog so started collecting bits and bobs in a bag in the freezer. Apple peel and cores, a few squashy plums that were in a bag that I bought for £1 from a boot-sale (most were OK thankfully) and some blackberries picked from the other side of the churchyard.

Bought a lemon and made a drizzle cake then added the remains to the box.

Finally when I'd peeled the tasteless Charles Ross apples I added all their peelings too and had enough to almost fill my big jam pan.

Covered with water and brought to boil, then simmered for the rest of the morning, I mashed everything several times with a potato masher.

When I strained through a jelly bag it made nearly 4 pints of quite a watery liquid, which seemed rather a lot so I tipped all the juice back into the jam pan and heated and simmered for a couple of hours to reduce it. 

Eventually added the sugar and boiled to setting which made 6 jars of lovely dark red jelly.....I'd put 5 out in the freezer room cupboard before I remembered a photo,  the jelly looks black, but hold it up to the sun and it really is dark red. 

Two jars will be used in the Christmas happens and I think I'll make scones soon so I can try the jelly on top - better buy clotted cream!

Not sure I will make it again because, although the ingredients were free, it took quite a bit of electric for cooking and I'm not a huge jam eater anyway. If I do make it again next year I'll use less water at the beginning.

Back Tomorrow

Sue

Bags for Christmas

Apologies for mentioning the Christmas word in June but  I saw these jute shopping bags at a boot-sale at 3 for £5 and had a brainwave...........

This Christmas, to make a change from the usual hampers that I do for my sister and for Col's sister, I'm going to fill these bags with some home made chutneys - if I get round to making any -  plus some eco-friendly products.

Good to have a plan!

And as an antidote to mentioning Christmas it was good to watch the tennis tournament from Queens Club in the heat of last week. Because we don't get to hear about tennis so often in this country (unless you have a paid-for TV channel) we don't know about new up-coming players until they arrive here to play on grass in the summer. At last there are youngsters who can take over from the always injured Rafa and the misery of Djokovic.

One week until we see how they get on at Wimbledon........exciting!

Back Tomorrow

Sue

Looking Forward Almost a Whole Year

 Thank you to everyone for the New Year wishes yesterday , apologies for not replying, had to go to son and DiLs again to help them eat their leftover food! Youngest Granddaughter and Middle Grandson were much less hyper - just totally exhausted from a week of being busy! They do far more than we ever did when our children were small. 

Also Hello and Welcome to people who've clicked the follower button recently - hope you enjoy reading.

The rest of this post I'm writing just so I can label it "Christmas Hamper Gifts". Then I'll know where to find it next Autumn when I start making things!

It was a mention of Roast Garlic Chutney on someone's blog that made me need to write myself a reminder to look up a recipe. Then I came across a note I'd made in the back of the 2022 diary for Honey, Apple and Mustard Chutney just the name - no details ...............not got the foggiest where that idea came from - another one to research.

And then Sister in Law asked if I wanted the hamper basket back from the 2022 hamper. So I'm getting organised for 2023's gifts already!

Back Tomorrow

Sue

H is Hampers for Christmas

 A few weeks ago, when I wrote about Rose-Hip syrup, I said it was difficult to find except for the Lakeland company having it - and I mentioned liking the look of one of their Christmas hampers. Only problem was that it costs £129.99!.

Here's what was in the £130 hamper on the Lakeland website that looked so good.............at first sight!

• Antonio Facchin Dalla Balla Prosecco (750ml) 
• Condado de Artola Rioja (750ml) – .
• Donelli Red Sparkling Grape Juice (750ml) 
• Simon Weaver Cotswold Brie (140g) –
• Godminster Star Vintage Organic Cheddar (200g) –
• The Ribblesdale Cheese Company Superior Goat’s Cheese (150g) –
• Cropwell Bishop Blue Shropshire Wedge (200g) –.
• Grants Smokehouse Rope-Hung Smoked Scottish Salmon (100g) – .
• Great Glen Charcuterie Venison & Pork Salami (60g) – 
• Roger Vidal Terrine Fine Champagne (180g) – 
• Made For Drink Chorizo Thins (18g) –
• Ballancourt Lobster Terrine Pâté (90g) –
• Fosters Sobrasada Pâté (110g) –
• Duncan’s of Deeside Wheat-Free Scottish Oatcakes (200g) – .
• Olina's Cranberry & Pumpkin Seed Toasted Crackers (200g) – .
• Drivers Real Ale Chutney (350g) –
• Mrs Darlington Christmas Chutney (130g) – 
• Fosters Savoury Gouda Cheese Straws (150g)

On closer inspection it would be a big waste of money for me as  I don't drink alcohol, and make my own chutneys and cheese straws. I'm not a fan of salami, chorizo and pates now that I don't eat  much meat. 

That would leave me with grape juice (although I'd rather have apple!), salmon, cheeses, oatcakes and the toasted crackers to eat with the cheese. 

A few years ago I thought about buying a few special things to make my own hamper but it didn't really come to anything.

I decided to try again this year. Thinking of things I wouldn't usually buy - special one-off food treats that I would like and all for much, much less than £130! 

These are the first 3 items for my hamper - all from Morrisons.

There will be no chocolate in my hamper because something odd happened during the summer.............I ate no chocolate at all for about 3 months and then when I tried some in September I found I just didn't like it anymore! Very, very strange.

I always put together two Christmas hampers for my sister and her husband and Col's sister and husband. It started several years ago when I didn't know what to get them. I make up the hampers using my home made jams, chutneys, marmalade and anything else I can think of. Thank heavens the cost doesn't amount to anywhere near £130. Both sisters would have a shock if it did!

I'll take a photo of the two hampers I shall be giving away in December and maybe if I find some more things for mine, I'll do a photo of that too.

Back Tomorrow

Sue

The Week Just Gone

I love the continuity of the Monarchy, no waiting for long drawn out  elections but straight away it's "The Queen is dead, Long Live the King". Although I don't think they still have messengers on horseback riding round the country, blowing a horn and announcing this in every village as they did hundreds of years ago!

 It seems incredible that a Monarchy has survived in this country for so long. Wonder if I'll still be around when Charles passes the crown onto William? With his parents both having such good genes for living a long life it could be more than 20 years until that happens. Will my Grandchildren see the crowning of another George after William? They could be a generation that sees 3 Coronations. 

At last an appreciable amount of rain on several days this week which hopefully isn't too late for the perennials. Isn't it typical than now there's nothing much left to water in the greenhouse the water-butts are now full!

This week I've swum, shopped, been to the Ghostly WI meeting and my own village WI Knit, Stitch and Sew (and natter!) group and not much else until Col's Sister  had a bag of windfall cooking apples for me and I had a net bag for her onions that Brother-in-Law had left here for her so we did a swap.

Apple and chilli jelly was what I decided to make and then I found a recipe in the WI Preserves book for spicy apple jelly so thought perhaps a combination of the two might be OK . 

I only had to buy a chunk of ginger root and a lemon. This is another thing for the Christmas Hampers.

Think I might have made it a bit too hot and spicy!

There are some cooking apples left so perhaps a couple of small apple crumbles would be nice for a change.

This week I'm grateful for

• A gift of cooking apples
• Rain to save the garden
• Good books to read 

Have a good weekend

Back Soon Sue

Saturday 3rd

Thank you for all the comments about the new wood-burner. Everywhere we lived in our married life we always had an alternative to electric. For 5 years we had an  LPG fire but usually a Rayburn stove or a wood-burner and I always cooked on an LPG cooker. I knew moving here I was going to regret it only being electric and oil heating but I didn't know the electric was going to be off so often!

It was very quick for them to fit the woodburner- being a bungalow the flue didn't have to be too long to get out of the roof and no mess either.

Definitely not needed the fire this week, another glorious sunny week - long may it last.

Had a visit from Col's sister and her husband last weekend, first time I'd seen them, apart from dropping off the Christmas hamper, for over a year. - They only live 6 miles down the road but are very busy and had been seriously shielding all this time. So it was the first time they'd seen the bungalow. It's a bit different to their home which is a very old farmhouse, with huge rooms and big enough to get lost in. 

She brought me a bag of very hot chillies which was so lucky as they were on my shopping list for making another batch of proper Red Hot Relish. I said they would be getting some of the chillies back in this years Christmas hamper!.

I made the Relish and as the first lot was labelled 'Not Very Hot Red  Relish', this batch has been called 'Very, Very Hot Red Relish'..........think I might have over done the chillies a little!

During the week I texted Brother-in-Law to ask if, in his garage full of things that might come in handy, he had any net sacks to store my onions. He said he had "500 - how many did I want?" Just the one I said wondering why he had 500 but after thinking about it I reckon they are at the farm where he and a friend used to do kindling for sale.

Have you noticed an ad on TV for a collection of  "Time-less Classics" books - a part work - a book a week I guess, the first one is £2.99 ( A Jane Austin or perhaps Little Women, I can't remember) then the next 74 are £11.99 each!. Add that lot up and then guess who  won't  be subscribing - they are all available in the library for free for goodness sake.

This week I have been grateful for

• A gift of hot chillies for making relish
• Enjoying the late summer sunshine
• Reading and enjoying ' The Bookwoman's Daughter'
• Planning for winter warmth
• Lots more peppers put into freezer

And finally - apologies to my cousin A - if she reads this. It's her birthday today and although I wrote the card in plenty of time, I forgot to post it.........twice! Duh!

What have you got happening this weekend? I'm doing some unexpected Nanna duty over by the coast and going to a car boot sale of course. There's garage sales in a nearby village too. No rain forecast here for Saturday or Sunday but more unsettled weather next week although the % chance for rain here is never more than 60% .

Back sometime next week

Sue

Saturday 27th

My Week..............

While over in the west of the country they have had rain and cooler weather, here it was hot and humid nearly all week. I need to get on with some clearing outside but it's been too hot - especially in the greenhouse. Even on Thursday when thunderstorms were forecast and there was a 90% chance of rain for several hours, what  we had here wasn't even enough to run off the roof! In Bury St Edmunds which is only about 20 miles away, they had a months worth of rain in a few hours.

Took me half the week to recover from having the nearly 6 year old  Eldest Granddaughter to stay overnight last weekend! Lovely to spend time with her, as now she's at school I don't get to visit so often but she has a lot more energy than I have!

I got a good batch of Red Relish made during the week. I labelled it Not-So-Hot relish because when I went to Asda for chilli peppers they only had some of the milder sort and I couldn't be bothered to go anywhere else. I used 4lb of the huge tomatoes, 2 large red pointy peppers, 1lb red onions and 3 small mild chillies + White sugar and 1 pint red wine vinegar. I'm planning another similar sized batch but I'll make sure to get proper hot chillies for that. Also made 3 pastry flan cases for the freezer ready for quiches.

From the garden this week I've been eating the corn cobs - they are just so good. I've got some butternut squash ready to harvest but the are very small - tennis ball size - there are some slightly larger that I hope will ripen before too long. I was hoping for runner beans but no flowers appeared until the plants were 3 foot tall and then not a single flower has set - that's something that's never happened before. Brother-in Law said he's had two meals from his but it looks as if that will be it. Must be the heat I guess.

Then there was the lovely load of library books which made for a good week all in all, until on Friday morning there was no hot water. I took the front cover off  the boiler and the low pressure light was flashing - Oh Bother! I could see a drip of water too from somewhere in the bottom corner so left a message with my friendly heating engineer and he called in on his way by and quickly fixed it.

After watching all of the Luther series' on the catch up channel last winter and deciding to replace Kevin Costner with Idris Elba as my new favourite actor (sorry Kevin!) and after getting the weekly email from the cinema in Stowmarket,  I'm debating if I should go to watch I.E.'s new film..... 'The Beast' - The story of a lion stalking a "recently widowed ordinary father " and his two teenage daughters who are on a visit to a South African game reserve.............. or maybe not!

Instead, as I've not been to a car boot sale for weeks, that's what I shall be doing this weekend plus there is the regular Flower Festival at Crowfield church, which obviously hasn't been held since 2019. Although I like the flowers I'm really going for the large second-hand book stall they always have!

Enjoy the Bank Holiday weekend whatever you have planned.

Back Next Week

Sue

Jars

 We are lucky to have a place locally that stocks all sorts of packaging things plus a ton of other stuff for flower arranging/parties/cake making/ and all sorts of other bits and bobs and I went there a couple of weeks ago for some 12oz jars ready for making my Red Hot-as-you-like Relish and Red Onion Chutney and more Marrow/Apricot and Ginger Jam - all things I want to do soon, some for me and some for Christmas Gifts.

Then a week later I found these 8oz jars at a boot sale for £2.50. The lady also had some half packs of smaller jars too but they were really too small for jam or chutney.

(The other bits were small Lego kits for oldest Grandson who was about to visit and 3 bigger vehicles to add to the car box...............that's despite me saying I had enough already!)

Back Soon

Sue

An Odd but Good Jam

 What to do with an over large courgette - I wouldn't call it a marrow but it was a good size already.

I used to make Marrow and Ginger jam but it never sets well and it's not a favourite anyway so I looked in my preserving books and came across..................

 An odd combination perhaps but as there were apricots left from the Christmas cakes that needed using and lemons in the freezer I decided to give it a go. (Lemons from the freezer can't be grated for the rind so I added the juice and quite a lot of the pulp instead)

It also sounded a bit dull so I decided to buy some ginger and grated that in as well. I didn't make as much as the recipe - the large courgette wasn't big enough (produced 1lb prepared  plus 8oz apricots and 1¾ lb sugar )

Just to make sure of a set I used proper jam sugar which I'd got in ready to do Strawberry Jam later.

Rather a nice colour. Filled these 3 smallish jars and half another.

It might sound like an odd combination but oh my goodness it's delicious and more like a marmalade than jam - nice and tangy. The two small jars were planned for the 2 Christmas hampers  - but they might be kept!

(this was made a week or so ago before the weather got really hot !)

Back Tomorrow

Sue

It's Never Too early...............

 ................to start shopping for Christmas.

So when I spotted this tin in a charity shop for £1.50, I bought it ready for a small cake for Christmas Hampers 2022.

Just need to look out for another one the same sort of size.

Back Tomorrow

Sue

27th December After Christmas and Before New Year

 Many, many thanks for all the Christmas greetings on and before the day.

 

This is what the hampers for the two sister's (my sister and husband and Col's sister and husband) looked like before I wrapped the whole thing in red cellophane.

 

 

The only things bought from shops were the After Eight Mint sticks and the Christmas plates (made of bamboo!) that the cakes are sitting on. The insect hotel and the baskets came from boot sales and everything in jars is homemade. - A Candle, Chutney, jam, marmalade, Elderberry Syrup and that pickled cabbage mentioned last week and finally just a small bag of spiced nuts. (Only a small bag because after the necessary taste test to make sure I'd added enough spices, I  kept most for me....... they are so good 😄)

 Hope they liked all the goodies.

 

On Christmas day I travelled over to the coast to have a Christmas dinner with Youngest Daughter, the excited 5 year old Eldest Granddaughter, EG's Daddy and one of his mates.  EG painted my nails! Presents were exchanged, dinner was delicious. Then later in the afternoon I came back to Mid Suffolk and spent some time with Son, DiL, excited nearly 4 year old Youngest Granddaughter and laid back  nearly 2 year old Middle Grandson, Dil's Sister and Dad. Presents were exchanged and lots of toys admired. Then I went home and caught up with the Strictly Christmas Special and the Queens Speech.

On Boxing Day BiL came round, he was going to help me dig a mini pond but it rained nearly all day. I fed him a home made veggy curry , because he's a meat eater and says curry is always too sloppy! He actually said it was good.

I've proved there's a huge difference between a home made curry and a takeaway!

 

Back Tomorrow

Sue

 

 

 

 

 

 

Advent Photos 2021. December 23rd and ?

?.......... Why ? ..........Just run out of oooomph  for a proper Advent post today - it was supposed to be all about mistletoe......... but I got sidetracked by watching a film.(I really must venture out and see if the mistletoe I spotted within reach last year is still there). 

 

This is the Nativity Scene by the main gate of the Church. It's lit up at night.

 

 

And this has appeared on top of the post box, not a good photo I'm afraid  as the sun (which was a pleasure to see after so many dull days) was just wrong for a better photo.

 

 

  I made something for the two Christmas hampers this week that I shall Never EVER do again. It was very simple, it was only pickled red cabbage but blimey I ended up with bits of red cabbage all over the place and purple chopping board, colander and sink.

The first jars I used were too big  so I had to sterilise some smaller ones and move the cabbage from one to t'other and the kitchen smelled horrible from the pickling vinegar even though the extractor fan had been on.

Apart from that it was fine!

Although I don't even know if it will be edible..... Hey Ho.

Next year I won't be moving house or living in holiday lets so hopefully will be able to do more proper chutneys.

One  hamper has gone to my sister and I'll give the other to BiL to take to his sister on Christmas day, as he is calling in on his way past. She thought I'd said I didn't want to do presents anymore (why would I say that?) so my gift will be something off my uptheamazon wish list ....but maybe late! (I did say please don't worry and I love making the hampers anyway, which I really do.)

(Photos of hampers on the 27th)

I've been shouting at this book below all week. As I said on my Library Book Photo post it's by an American author so how good it was depended on the authors research. Well. The book is obviously written for  American readers and no effort has been made to change the words we don't use here. So taps are faucets (Now if I know a faucet is a tap then why can't American readers know that a tap is a faucet!)

 

 

 And in all the books about WWII I've read, the Anderson shelter built into peoples gardens to help  protect them from bombs and shrapnel  was NEVER called an 'Andy!' NEVER!

There are several other weird figures of speech too, in fact too many to list. But I'm persevering just to see how many more times I'll be shouting!

 

Back Tomorrow

Sue

First Weekend of November

Life at the bungalow this week................

Last Saturday  I noticed the Rugby Union Autumn Internationals 🏉 were on Amazon Prime at weekends through November. Then...Yippe dippee do ...Tennis 🎾 was on there too this week. I was having a couple of months of paying for Prime for the free delivery around Christmas so very good timing.The only problem being that every time I watched a Brit playing in Paris......they lost!.

 I put my candlelit Pumpkin 🎃 out last Sunday as it got dark and the children next door were the first round then about 30 more, usually with parents. When the sweets ran out, the pumpkin came in and no one else knocked. I've no idea what the children thought as I opened the door wearing the witches hat  and asking"who's that knocking on the witches door!" and waving my broom stick at them before doling out the sweets and wishing them a fun evening.

Visitors can now use the toilet🚽 in the bathroom without having to sing! because weeks ago I tried to fit a bolt to the bathroom door but couldn't because of the shape of the architrave, so I got a hook and eye closure then  got in a muddle with the screws not going in far enough. BiL was having a quiet week so came to the rescue and sorted it and also brought a stake for the pear tree. It was lunch time so I "had" to treat him to Pensioner discount Fish and Chips again !

 On a foggy and chilly morning I had a trip out for church visits for the blog. On the way home I stopped at the Corn Crafts shop where I went last year when looking for a corn dolly. Last year I found some things for Christmas gifts, this year..........nothing found and nothing needed and I didn't even stay for coffee and cake 😇 

Having decided to make the glace/jewel  Christmas cakes  for the hampers, I started to wonder what I can put them in to gift. I trailed around all possible shops in Stowmarket looking for an empty, small Christmas cake sized tin with no luck. I looked online with no luck (except for between £7 and £28 each - much too much). So looks like a new plan will be needed - a cake board, foil and cellophane maybe or foil and a cardboard cake box. I'll work it out.

 

 

 Purple Alstromeria are my flowers on the table (window-sill)  this week  because I went to Aldi where they are cheap enough for me not to think twice. (So much for my flowers every week plan when I downsized. The price of a big bunch makes me gulp and decide I'd rather spend on a book!)

 

This week I'm grateful for

• Making a decision that was right for me
• Really good library books 
• Watching some new-to-me people playing tennis 
• Some sunny days for garden clearing
  

Hope you all have a good weekend wherever and what ever you are up to. I know the things I'm Not doing but not so sure about what I am doing but I will be back Monday all being well.

Sue

Multi-Coloured

 I wasn't going to make a Christmas cake this year but then changed my mind and decided to make the Light Glacé Christmas cake from my Delia Smith's Christmas cook book and not just one for me but for the Christmas Hampers too.

The Grape Tree shop in Diss had almost everything needed for this multi-coloured cake...... green from the angelica, red from the cherries, yellow from the crystallised pineapple, orange from the apricots and mixed peel, and gold from the sultanas, brown pecans. Not forgetting crystallised ginger. 

 

(The Grape Tree usually have multi-coloured cherries but I had to settle for red)

 

Should look good.

And I do love a bit of Christmas cake with an apple and chunk of cheese for the days after Christmas.

Back Tomorrow

Sue

First Saturday in October

 I wish someone would slow down the weeks. Since Saturdays became the day on the blog when I look back and round up my week it comes around far too quickly.

 

The burnable stuff left from the yard sale has gone to BiL, he double checked that he could burn the ancient wallpaper/car booting table this time as luckily he hadn't burned it when I rescued it back for the yard sale. It wobbles worryingly and while at his got wet as well so  really is past it. As a new folding table is £18 it would be a big expense just for car booting  so from now on I'm definitely doing no more boot sales and everything that goes out will go straight to a charity shop.

A box full and a bag full of bits went to a charity shop in Stowmarket and the garage is now much clearer.

 

The weather turned much colder through Wednesday and the leaves from the churchyard trees are now blowing down the road. Several heavy rain showers too, especially on Friday, but they were needed. While the weather was grotty most afternoons I've started reading my Giant pile of library books. Titles have been added to the books read 2021 page.

I made some jars of Red Onion Chutney (often called Onion Marmalade). Unfortunately I put a few onions through the food processor before I realised the blade was in upside down and it was grating instead of slicing so the texture isn't quite right. Although I'm sure it will taste fine.

2 Jars for the Christmas hampers and 1 for me. I'm currently eating my way through a large jar that I made 2 years ago so one jar will be enough until next year.

I've had no luck with finding someone to do some big gardening jobs. All landscape gardeners are so busy - too busy to even visit, look and give a price. More luck with an electrician coming to look at why two of the lights in the kitchen are flickering. They are "modern" (which means complicated in my book) set right into the ceiling with no separate bulb. Annoyingly it means they need completely replacing. How easy ordinary light bulbs would be! The bathroom and en-suite have the same sort of down-lighters. And would you believe in the living/dining room one switch turns on 10 small light bulbs (5 in each of two fittings) and it's the same in my bedroom/craft room. He had a look behind the switch and nothing can be done about them without a lot of hassle..... Hey Ho..

 

This week I've been grateful for..............

• When the Kenwood dough hook fell out of a high cupboard and landed on my face it did no damage!
• I can now walk to pick up prescription meds - saving diesel. 
• A prompt visit by the electrician (he will order two replacements)
  

 

The weekend weather forecast is horrible but  today there are 2 coffee mornings in the village - one a regular 1st of the month thing and the other is a fundraiser for animal charities not sure I ought to have coffee and cake at both!

On Sunday I'm planning on a visit to youngest daughter over by the coast. Because of not going far in the last 10 days I still have a tank nearly full of diesel. Are things back to normal on filling station forecourts yet? I've no idea because now that Strictly Takes 2 is back on TV I don't even watch local news!

Have a good weekend

Back Monday

Sue

Suffolk Fourses Cake plus Marmalade

 When I was looking through my books for the 1st September folklore post I came across the recipe for Suffolk Fourses Cake. Not something that was a regular for baking in my Suffolk kitchen - because I'd never heard of it except in this book.

Although Fourses is a Suffolk word I knew............ it's  the afternoon version of Elevenses ....so I thought I'd better set to and make this. It's from the recipe in the book Cattern Cakes and Lace.

"A traditional lardy bread, served to Suffolk harvesters in the afternoons with sweetened beer. Rich and full of calories, they were welcome after back-breaking toil"

(How real the corn looks - but it's just a photo in the book! Cattern Cakes and Lace by Julia Jones and Barbara Deer Published in 1987)

 I used half the recipe. It's a cross between bread and cake and I think it should have risen a bit more. I'm eating my way through it - spread with butter. Very solid and filling! would have been perfect for farm-workers.

Time to cook up another batch of Marmalade. This time I used a tin of prepared oranges and a tin of  pineapple in juice which is an idea from the WI book of preserves.

2 for the hampers and the rest tucked away for winter. With the closure of the Lakeland Ipswich shop there's now nowhere to easily and cheaply buy the tins of prepared lemons for marmalade, which is a shame........ so it will be variations on orange from now on.....orange and grapefruit, orange and ginger, orange and whisky as well as the pineapple and orange on it's own of course.

 

Back Tomorrow

Sue

Candles for the Christmas Hampers

 Sometime back in the summer I got a Kirstie Allsop candle making kit from a charity shop and wondered why I'm often tempted by craft making bits.

I've now made them for the Christmas Hampers....ta da!

I can't stand scented candles - some give me a headache and others make me feel sick  - but it didn't really dawn on me that making them would be just as smelly.

I had to put the extractor fan on and shut the kitchen door until they'd set.

I shall wrap them in cellophane - if I've got any - label them up and put them somewhere out of the way until Christmas.

Back Tomorrow

Sue

Is it Allowed.................?

....................Starting to think about Christmas is what I'm talking about. Is it allowed in September?

 Every year for several years now I've put together a collection of items - some home made and some bought - for my Sister and for Colin's sister and their husbands. If I'm to do the same for 2021 it really needs thinking about now.

I started by searching on here for what I did for last years Christmas Hamper gifts but there's hardly a mention except for the plant labels I made from the self-hardening clay. Thank goodness there was a list in my Christmas book. There's one hitch for this year- no fresh produce from home to use so even more ingenuity and ideas will needed.

 

I'm not sure what I'll use to pack things in although I still have several new jute bags but I've used bags before and the sisters do online shopping so probably don't even need shopping bags.

 

Now it's just a case of stopping thinking and to actually get on with doing! 

 

Then last Sunday at the car-boot sale I spotted these.

 They were on the stall of a lady who sells decoupaged bottles and boxes every week, she said she hadn't had time to decoupage these (thank goodness I thought!) so was selling them off cheap (£2.50 each) before winter. ....I had a brainwave....one each for the hampers and one for me.

So I've made a start.

Back Tomorrow

Sue

How One Thing Leads to Another and Mango Chutney

What gorgeous weather we've had here in Mid-Suffolk over the last few days. Absolutely perfect for Autumn outdoor work, although my list of outdoor jobs to do seems to be getting longer as I start doing one bit of clearing which then turns into finding somewhere else that needs tidying.................the straight forward job of cutting back the Lavender ended up in pulling out a lot of  the Phlomis - Turkish Sage that was spreading everywhere - it might look good in early summer but it's a bit of a bully.

 Brother-in-Law using the topper to clear on the meadow gave me access to the small heap of  road planings that were delivered not long before Colin died. They were meant for patching up pot-holes down the track and most were used. Now I've cut away the brambles that were trailing over the heap I can use some of what's left for doing the edge of the track and just inside my gateway............ it turns muddy in winter because I squeeze through one gate to save me opening both! Another job for the list.

Sometimes I have to switch to indoor jobs to use the things that are growing, so here's another chutney to make use of the big red peppers, hadn't made this one for ages. Possibly another  concocted from a couple of other recipes to make something sweet and fruity to go with curry. One recipe  tried years ago before making this one, turned out even hotter than the curry - not what I wanted at all.

MANGO CHUTNEY

3lb Mangoes ( 3 Very large or 5 small)

½ tsp salt

1 Large Red pepper

12oz cooking apples

15 fl oz distilled vinegar

1 large onion chopped

7oz  gran. sugar

1tsp ground ginger

Slice the mango flesh, place in a non metallic bowl, sprinkle with salt and set aside.

Put vinegar and sugar in a preserving  pan and heat gently until sugar is dissolved.

Add the peeled, cored and chopped apples, mangoes,onion and ginger to pan, bring to boil slowly stirring regularly.

Reduce heat and simmer gently for about an hour, stirring more frequently until chutney is thick with no excess liquid.

Pour chutney into sterilised jars and seal with new sterilised lid.

Leave to mature for 2 weeks and use within a year.

 

Chopped in the pan and ready to cook

 

 

This is what I want it to look like when cooked...... after about an hour or so. I gave it a bit of a mash with a potato masher just to squash a few bits of the mango which didn't cook down so well.

 

Just a tad under 4 jars full, 2 will go in the Christmas hampers.

 

 I've eaten several, given some away, put loads in the freezer, made two lots of chutney and there are still 4 huge peppers - gradually turning to red -  on the plants in the greenhouse!

 Back Tomorrow

Sue

A Sneak Peek

I can't resist giving a sneaky peek at what I've been doing with the air-drying terracotta coloured  'Das' clay.

Nearly ready for the Christmas hampers. Hopefully today is  a day that neither my Sister or Sister in Law looks at the blog!

Back Tomorrow
Sue