Cottage Smallholder Summer Party 2012. Complete and unexpurged report
Danny was up at five am hacking through the undergrowth – whilst I snored above. So most guests made it to the front door and into the kitchen to offload generous foodie goodies and get fixed up with a drink. Then everyone was propelled out into the garden and sunniest day that we’ve had for weeks. We were a small but perfectly formed party. Actually our parties are not ‘parties’ as such, they are more hangouts. Loads of eating, sipping and laughing. There is always an undefined queue for the capacious swing seat and a lot of...
read moreGrow feverfew – great as a moth repellent!
Our garden grows feverfew like a weed. I rather like the small daisy like flowers. I used to keep just a few plants dotted around the garden but now I cherish them and harvest armfuls of plants in July. The flowers are a good remedy for treating headaches but when I was researching potpourri I discovered they are an extremely good moth repellent. Clearly moths don’t suffer from headaches as they steer clear. Moths can be a problem at the cottage. Not the beautiful specimens that fly through the open windows at night. Rather the clothes...
read moreRedcurrant jelly recipe to add a sparkle to your meals
Who needs to wear rubies when you can decorate your table with jewels such as these? Redcurrant jelly is the king of jellies. All jellies shine but redcurrant jelly glitters. It enhances the food that it’s served with. If you’re only going to make one jelly in your life, make redcurrant. You’ll never regret it. I’m pretty sure that my mother used make this when I was growing up. I remember that redcurrant jelly was the star turn of Sunday roast lamb. I’ve loved it since I can remember Mum hauling out the heavy roasting pan from the...
read moreGooseberry vodka recipe
Have you ever tasted homemade gooseberry vodka? It’s superb and immensely gluggable. Served in shot glasses that have been sitting expectantly for an hour or so in the freezer, it is the queen of the taste of summer. Sweet yet sharp. Like raspberry vodka it incapsulates sunshine and the freshest waft of a perfect bright morning in a small glass. The kick from this drink is not quite so innocent. I have had a hardened Soho (London) producer helped to back seat of his car to be driven home, unable to face breakfast the next morning. My fault...
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When Danny mentioned that I might like to sign up for Pinterest, I wasn’t very keen. “Well what is it exactly?” “People pin images on boards.” He didn’t blink, just tilted his head to one side and added, “It’s very popular with, well, women.” I’ve never been a scrapbook fan. Images on boards? Why on earth would I want to do that? I ignored his suggestion. Then I heard that Pinterest is the fastest growing media site of all time. So I went and had a very brief peek. Even though I’m a visual type of person, I couldn’t...
read moreZingy lemon and lime marmalade recipe for grownups
This is a zingy marmalade that can be made at any time of year – a sweet gel with tangy strands of lemon and lime. Be warned it’s very moreish – whilst Danny was on a conference call this morning I slathered it on slice after slice of toast. A jar of this superb marmalade would be a perfect in a Christmas hamper or just produced with a flourish as a present for someone very special. A few jars kept at home on a larder shelf would give you a taste of summery freshness during those short dark winter days. My mum used to mention the...
read moreYummy lamb steak recipe: lamb, halloumi, couscous and summery salad served in warm pitta/pita envelopes
Sometimes I get sick and tired of conventional meat and two veg sit down suppers. I want something that I can pick up in one hand and eat beside the pond or balance a plate on the arm of the sofa and guzzle whilst I watch a bit of TV. I know that there’s a big move to get people to sit down at a table and eat together so I’m bucking the system a bit here. What I’m saying is that as Danny and I always sit down to eat together – sometimes it’s good to have a meal that just needs a fork simply our hands to eat. This sort of meal is a...
read moreParty
The worst party that I can ever remember was shortly after I moved from London to this area. I was 30 years old and had been used to a sort of free flowing easy going life. I only entertained people that I liked. I received an “At Home” invitation to a local party in a month’s time. I misread the surname of the lady who’d invited me. Let’s call her Mrs Bloggs. Luckily, within a couple of weeks had discovered that her name was in fact Mrs Blaggs. Her daughter was the long term girlfriend of an old family acquaintance of mine....
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