The Cottage Smallholder

I’ve been chatting to Smoking Methusala for a while. He cures and smokes his own bacon on a hillside in Wales. He has agreed to share his knowledge with all would be bacon smokers out there. I’ve heard of a man who smokes fish and bacon in an old wardrobe but this story takes the Read More »

There’s nothing like chilling in someone else’s garden on a Bank Holiday Monday. It might be the last day of the three day weekend but a day snatched from the working week makes it extra special.
I used to work on Bank Holidays. Now I try and take the time off. My clients expect me to Read More »

The evening that we buried Great Aunt Daisy Beatyl I went down to the Emerald Castle to check if any of Mrs Boss’ clutch had hatched. One egg containing a tiny embryo had burst the day before. I was losing heart that we’d get any hatchlings. Bantams usually hatch after 21 days and this was Read More »

It’s Danny’s birthday.
“What would you like to eat this evening?”
“Well, I don’t know really.”
“How about Diana Henry’s Spiced Chicken breasts on melting onions with preserved lemon? They’re delicious Even Bunty asked for the recipe.”
“They sound great but I don’t remember them.”
But I couldn’t find the chicken breasts in the freezer.
“How about a takeaway from Arif?”
D’s Read More »

Many years ago my mum was given Great Aunt Daisy Beatyl by a couple of generous Miniature Dachshund breeders. She was five years old and needed a good home.
We motored into the country to collect her. As far as I can remember it was quite a long drive and they questioned us carefully about her Read More »

John Coe and I were closeted in the kitchen, sipping coffee and gossiping.
The conversation gradually veered towards our vegetable gardens. The weather is causing problems and neither really wants to mention our problems first.
“How are your potatoes doing? Any sign of the blight?”
He suddenly started to play with Inca who remembers the sandwiches that he Read More »

A couple of years ago I found a wonderful blog – Orangette. I read her post on bananas and was totally hooked. In fact, I often think about that post. Her writing is superb, it nips you gently and you remember it forever.
A week or so ago a new friend emailed me. She had tried Read More »

What could be sweeter than a posy of flowers. Picked from your own garden, on a sunny evening when the air is full of swallows and bees.
Not just the flowers but the joy of the moment is carried indoors to curl beside me on the kitchen table. Companionable, late into the night.
Outside, the garden drifts Read More »

We’d had a bag of lamb knocking about for so long in the freezer that I finally decided to cook it. It was a bit of a sacrifice as the bag had been useful. It was the perfect side prop to stop more precious things dropping out.
“What cut of lamb is it?”
I had no idea, Read More »

Good pickled walnuts are a wonderful accompaniment to strong cheese or cold meat. They are an English tradition. Often they are made with malt vinegar and can be very challenging to eat. This year I was determined to try to make the ultimate pickled walnut.
Part one of the challenge can be perused here.
After the two Read More »