Garlic
On sleepless nights I play the game ‘What single ingredient would you choose to enhance your cooking?’ it’s a fist fight between onions, garlic and thyme. Onions and garlic win. And out of the two, garlic is always the victor. Garlic enhances, but on it’s own it can be incredible as with Jocelyn’s baked garlic recipe. Fresh garlic is a also a great addition to a salad. Even the leaves of a fresh garlic head can be chopped and added to a dish. Obviously they are much stronger than chives so a little goes a long...
read moreMoorhen, Gallinula chloropus
When I returned to Anna’s house this week, deep in the Essex countryside, something drew me to the window of a peaceful upstairs bedroom that overlooks the moat. I spotted a moorhen swimming with two chicks. Moorhens are shy creatures. They are enchanting wild birds but rush for the cover of the reeds if they hear the gentlest footfall. If you are lucky, you just see a fleeting foot and a flash of white tail. Then they vanish. For ages. I shot down to fetch my camera from under Jalopy’s front seat. By the time I returned to the...
read moreBest recipes for leftovers: roast pork
Danny and I tend to buy decent sized joints these days. A bigger joint is tastier and easier to roast, and the leftovers take care of another meal or two. The problem is that I never fancy leftovers. I want to cook from scratch. D “What are you cooking for supper tonight?” F “Sausages with Anna’s onion gravy.” I know that Danny loves this gravy so will be deflected from the joint that’s lurking in the fridge. The distraction is only momentary. “What are we going to do with the pork?” “Why...
read moreThe puzzle of the nest of mixed eggs
I am working at my friend Carol’s house at the moment; she is so enthusiastic and full of life. Carol rushed back from tennis this morning and popped her head into the conservatory where I was painting. “I’ve got somtehing for your blog.” I perked up immediately. Any help with the blog is always gratefully received. “There’s a nest beside the front door of my friend Alison’s house in Ashley that’s filled with duck and pheasant eggs. It’s incredible. And she says that you can take...
read moreMashed potatoes with olive oil, goats’ cheddar and chives recipe
Last night someone came to the blog looking for the answer to a fundamental question, “Who invented vegetables?” Whoever invented potatoes was onto a good thing. They are included in 80% of dishes in the Northern hemisphere and Danny adores them. Occasionally I cook rice or cous cous but when he cooks, potatoes are always included. They are his touchstone. Until I met D I just bought “white potatoes”. Apart from Jersey Royals in the Spring. Danny knows all the names (even the ones from his childhood when he was forced...
read moreSetting up the drip feed water watering system for the summer
I’ve spent the afternoon playing with water. There’s nothing more relaxing. Especially if you know that your system will save time, energy and water throughout the summer. There are loads of watering systems available for your garden. The ones that run from butts appealed to me as they are environmentally friendly by reducing mains water usage. We now have six small (250-300 litre) butts and a large 1500 litre one. We have another large butt waiting in the wings to be linked up. We have four sheds that potentially could feed...
read moreHome grown Purple Sprouting broccoli
If more people tasted home grown purple sprouting broccoli they would surely cultivate it. You would see it on London balconies, in country herbaceous borders and standing proud in every kitchen garden in the land. Home grown does not have the slight limpness and bitterness of the supermarket stuff. It’s sweet and delicate and melt in the mouth. The only problem with this vegetable is that it takes a year to mature. The seeds are planted towards the end of April and the long-ish wait puts people off. I reckon most people plant it, loose...
read moreDigger
I have spent the last four days with a large friendly black dog. Digger minds the house when his owners are out earning the cash for his private medical care and top of the range food. The last comment is an assumption. They love him so I’m sure that’s it is true. And he adores them. Ten minutes before they are about to return he gets up and yawns. Sniffs my hair and ranges over to the French windows. This is a handy signal as I know I have to shut Digger in the house so that they can open the five bar gate and drive in. The first...
read moreCauliflower cheese with smoky bacon recipe
I love cauliflower cheese but for years battled unsuccessfully to create the best sauce. I thought that it should be a simple béchamel sauce with cheese. Wrong. My sauce was so thin that you could almost see the dish beneath due to the volume of liquid (water) produced by the cauli. So, after a few years, I gave up. My cauliflower cheese making enthusiasm was packed away. When we miraculously brought Fred’s dying cauliflower back to life, I decided to have one final go. Miracles tend to spawn more miracles and I had a thought. If I made...
read moreFlowers from the garden: March into April
Danny used to say that he didn’t buy me flowers because I would think that he was having an affair. Despite assurances and numerous gentle hints, his trotters were in. So I always bought my own flowers until January 2007. Then I decided to try and not buy any for a whole year. I am noticing and enjoying the flowers in the garden much more as a consequence and picking these for the house. We have been so busy lately that I missed the boat on the March Flowers From The Garden post. I picked daffodils (we have early and late) from the...
read more
Most Recent Articles
I made two litres of dog food by mistakeOn Monday I decided to test out the theory that cottage pie is best made with pieces of beef rather than minced… »
Recipe for meatballs and spaghetti with red wine, tomatoes and bell peppers. Foolproof slow cooker/crock pot recipes“Please don’t buy mince again. I just don’t like it.” Danny grumbled out of the kitchen. “But you like… »
Win £50 worth of B&Q vouchers with The Cottage Smallholder and Direct Line Grand DrawFor those of you who missed out on the metal bedstead competition: we’ve got another great prize to offer you!… »
New layout for CSH – testers wanted pleaseDanny here, everybody. 14% of our visitors use mobile devices, such as tablets, iPad, smart mobiles and so on.… »
Update on the remaining Min PinsIt’s been seven weeks since The Conteesa died suddenly in her sleep. Danny buried her in the garden under the… »
It’s the little things that make the differenceI don’t often write much about the little things that give me pleasure. They initially seem too insignificant to… »
Recent Comments
{ I was thinking the same as Magic Cochin but then like you I don't have my phone attached by an umbilical cord wherever I go.... } – Wed 8 :47 pm
{ Good point but I don't tend to take it about with me everywhere 
} – Wed 7 :25 pm
{ Doesn't your mobile phone have an alarm setting? C x } – Wed 6 :32 pm
{ I would put it towards a bbq, it's just a shame you can't purchase some sunshine from b&q } – Wed 12 :04 am- { Hi Lesley The clucking means that she is brrody also plucking her own feathers is a sign too. } – Tue 11 :58 pm
- { Hi Lesley They have to stay in the broody coop 24/7. Could you put in a garden shed or garage? } – Tue 11 :57 pm
FD