The Cottage Smallholder


stumbling self sufficiency in a small space


Delicious pork steaks recipe: baked with wild plum jelly and blackcurrants

Posted in Pork Ham Bacon Sausages, Sauces Gravy Dressings | 6 comments

Delicious pork steaks recipe: baked with wild plum jelly and blackcurrants

However careful I am about constructing my fruit cages a hungry bird or twenty always seems to crack the code and get in. One year one of our fruit cages was constructed with high security in mind – nothing apart from me could get in or out and it was such a struggle to access that I cursed the plan all Summer.  It seemed to work initially and then deteriorated fast. A  family of wrens had built a teeny nest in the climbing roses at the back of the cage. I didn’t notice them during the construction process and only realised that they...

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Pear butter recipe

Posted in Jam Jelly and Preserves | 14 comments

Pear butter recipe

  Having pointed you in the direction of Chickens in the Road and Suzanne’s tale of making pear butter with Georgia, I just had to try this delicacy for myself. I bought some American cups at TKMaxx last year and they are handy when trying recipes from North America. We are lucky. We have a young pear tree that is planted over the grave of a very special pug. Titus lived with my sister and was a great companion to my first Min Pin, Fly. In fact he gave solace to many people who offered an ample lap to this small black being. He...

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Hot crabapple chilli cheese

Posted in Hedgerow food, Jam Jelly and Preserves | 47 comments

Hot crabapple chilli cheese

I only discovered how delicious fruit cheeses are a few years ago. Until then I had rejected them out of hand – using the left over pulp from jelly making seemed skinflint behaviour to me. And anyway would this pulp have any flavour at all? I didn’t even bother to taste the pulp when jelly making which was a big mistake as I missed out on this treat. Fruit cheese can be sliced and served with starters, chops, roasts, cheese and even with fruit desserts. Crabapples, particularly when they first start to ripen often produce very little...

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Homemade raspberry jellies recipe

Posted in Desserts | 9 comments

Homemade raspberry jellies recipe

Tiny hands clap with glee when I make jellies. “Why do we only have jellies when we are entertaining? Let’s make far more than we need or invite less people next time.” Danny was scraping a small stolen tumbler clean. Good fresh fruit jellies are a delight. Wonderful as a little something if you are laid up in bed, a great dessert for everyone, including those on a low fat diet. Gelatine is also good for you, strengthening your hair and nails. So for once you can let rip and indulge with impunity. The amount of sugar that you...

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