The Cottage Smallholder

I planted this beautiful rose beside the front door fifteen years ago, following the advice of Saggers nursery in Newport, Essex. Saggers give really good advice. In fact most of the best plants and stunning shrubs in our garden come from them. Being privately owned they are a good bet compared to the more commercial Read More »

Finally Danny announced that he would make his fabulous Gratin Dauphinoise Potatoes to accompany the roast beef this evening. These are a more traditional recipe than my Cheesy Dauphinoise Potatoes and are delicious. Gratin dauphinoise reheat well. In fact, when I worked in a restaurant years ago, they were made in advance and reheated and Read More »

We take turns to make each other breakfast in bed at the weekend. It seems to be Danny’s turn a bit more than mine. Yesterday he was served Craster kippers and hot buttered toast with a mug of coffee. This morning I was presented with Fred Fitzpatrick’s home cured bacon, eggs from our own chickens Read More »

“How would you cook a couple of fat, free range organic chicken breasts?” Anna put down her brush and gazed into the middle distance. “I always marinade chicken breasts in lemon, garlic and olive oil. Have they got skin?” I didn’t know. I had just discovered them in the freezer this morning. “If they have Read More »

About twelve years ago I visited Christopher Lloyds’ garden at Great Dixter. An amazing, inspirational place. It was around this time of year when everything is buzzing in the garden. I turned a corner and saw that the ground was strewn with large cerise petals. The scene was stunning. These had fallen from a large Read More »

A nibble of cold pheasant, straight from the fridge, is good if a little dry when one is grazing at lunchtime. But I never fancy a proper meal of cold game remnants.This is a hot pie that we made using up the Gypsy style pot roast pheasant leftovers (about half a pheasant) including the remains Read More »

Yesterday it was the birthday of the two Carols in my life. My friend Carol and her namesake, Carol the chicken. As my pal doesn’t have chickens at her new house I thought she might like a box of fresh organic eggs to celebrate her big day, we had three in the larder and another Read More »

I was devastated when we lost our two colonies of bees a few weeks ago The garden was so quiet without them. I used to have a horror of flying insects (especially those that sting) but somehow the bees have buzzed underneath my skin. When they were gone, I realised that I had grown to Read More »

I was introduced to the Penultimate Paramour’s elderly parents thirteen years ago on a classic “come down for the weekend” invitation. They were charming and we offered to cook supper. They had bought a chicken so roasting was the easy option. We grinned. Roast chicken is easy. We could shine. Looking back now, I appreciate Read More »

“Two of my hens are broody.” Bunty was exasperated. “We’ve got a broody one too.” This was our first summer of keeping bantams (a small friendly breed of chicken). Bunty continued, “I wish I hadn’t suggested Bantams. I’ve discovered that they go broody at the drop of a hat.” Years ago Bunty had kept chickens Read More »