An Orchard Has Exploded In My Kitchen...

There are jars and fruit everywhere! Last week I traded a jar of blackberry jam for a bag of plums so I decided to stew them and put them into the freezer for crumbles or toppings on yoghurt and custard. I got four containers worth so three went in the freezer and one in the fridge for snacks. Then someone offered me some grapefruit and lemons which I wanted to make some marmalade, so I thanked him with a jar of my tangy mustard relish.

While I was there he offered me some jars so I took the chance to increase my jar collection and then I don’t have to give away all my special ones (yes I have special jars). My enthusiasm quickly diminished when I got home and realised that while some labels peel off easily after a little soak...others have glue that could only be compared to cement. Why they need to use something so potent to stick a paper label onto a jar completely baffles me but I persisted and finally won the battle. I now had a bench full of gleaming glass jars. Me 1, Glue 0.

Now while some of the grapefruit didn’t look very pretty, inside was the most juicy, sweet flesh. After giving them a good wash and picking the best ones I sliced them thinly and removed as many pips as I could. I wanted the slices to be thinner this time because the last lot I made, although delicious, was a bit too chunky for my liking. And it’s all about making things to taste isn’t it? 

When it was all sliced up, I gave it a rough weigh to see how much I had and then put them in a large pot, covered with juice and water to sit overnight. I used more juice and less water because I thought it would give the marmalade more flavour. This afternoon I got busy sorting lids and jars then put the fruit on to simmer. While my marmalade was cooking I washed, halved and stoned another bag of plums to put in the dehydrator. Those plums I traded for another jar of blackberry jam and I ended up with four trays loaded with the most beautiful sweet plum halves. If you want a really lovely plum tree for your backyard then try the “Hawera” variety. They are so tasty and very easily halved and stoned...one that is definitely going on my wish list!

Now back to the marmalade, I got nine jars in total which I thought was quite good from just over, give or take, 1.7kgs fruit. All my lids have popped and it has set nicely so I am quite happy with today’s efforts.

Tonight I was able to sort out all my seeds that have been drying under the veranda. There are quite a few corn and more sunflowers to come so I will have a reasonable stash and hopefully a good strike rate. It’s such a nice feeling to know that this year I won’t have to buy any of these seeds as my seed bank is growing, especially seeing as these are ones I absolutely want to grow again. It was lucky I grabbed them when I did because Sugar got into my smaller garden and cleared it out, needless to say, I am keeping one step ahead of that mischievous she devil now. 

 

The tomatoes are starting to colour now and I discovered the one I have been eagerly awaiting, ”Zapotec Pleated” just look how funky this little fella looks! I can’t wait to tenderly pluck him from his stem, carry him gingerly into my kitchen, and proceed to butcher him with the sharpest knife I can find for my lunch *evil laugh* Just to see the unusual shapes and colours will be fantastic. 

Well its time for me to toddle off to bed, hope you have enjoyed the latest post.Any hints or ideas are always welcome, just message me for a chat, subscribe or follow to get regular updates.

*waves goodnight*

I’ve been a busy girl!

We have been getting some fantastic weather lately, just perfect for summer dresses, evenings in the garden and walks along the beach. Every second or third day I get between 500-1000gm of fresh blackberries picked which either go into the freezer or get used for fruit leather which has become rather popular in this house. 

The first batch I made was what I would call “whole fruit leather” which is everything, seeds and all. While that was rather tasty, the leather had a seedy crunch to it and I would imagine that might not be everyone’s cup of tea. The second batch I made was cooked down with some sliced apples and put through a large sieve and came out looking like stained glass, very pretty and absolutely delicious! 

 All the gardens are now weeded and ready to plant into which is always an exciting time because I get to rummage through my seed box and contemplate the next season’s goodies and make a list of any seed I need to acquire. It is a warmer climate here so I will be able to plant quite a variety of vegetables which is going to be great for the pantry. So far I have decided on some different types of beans, beetroot, carrots, cauli, celery, spring onions, pearl drop onions, broccoli, cabbage, parsnips, radish and a few herbs but once I get perusing I’m sure much more will be added to the list.

It is also time to put aside some seed for next growing season. I have seed from the purple tepee and golden runner beans, onward peas and four cobs of heirloom honey and pearl corn drying that will go into my seed bank. As soon as the tomatoes are ready, seed from those can be added as well.  I have a great spot under the veranda at the back where they can hang in a dry, airy place until they are ready to be bagged and labelled. 

The tomatoes are looking fabulous, last week I did a tidy up under the stair area while weeding and re-staked some of the taller plants. Some of them have grown so well I have been able to push them through the steps so they can tumble over them as they grow. I have been able to get a hold of my great grandmother’s tomato relish recipe so really looking forward to my first harvest. I also have her old recipe journal so when I get a few spare moments I am writing her recipes into a new journal which I will add other special family recipes too as well. My nana on my dad’s side will probably have some wonderfully strange Scottish treasures to add to it also. 

One night last week I sautéed some finely chopped onion, celery from the garden and grated carrot then added some lamb mince. When it was cooked I added kidney beans, fresh tomatoes, cumin, coriander, chilli and some of my dried tomatoes and capsicum strips. It was so yummy and I was quite surprised how much flavour the capsicum had...I will be drying a lot more of that! Now the girls have started to lay again I will be able to make a bacon and egg pie, gourmet style. And yes I will probably smother it in mustard pickle lol. Some of those blackberries and apple might make a nice dessert pie as well or with a sponge or made into a jelly...I need a village!

Lipstick is now a free range bunny, there was an incident the other day where Sugar thought the wire netting on Lippys hutch would hold her weight (little hippo) and I came home from visiting at the hospital to find her happily grazing around the yard. She doesn’t go anywhere and seems to be happy hanging out with the chooks all day so I have decided to leave her be for now. When I am in the gardens she is happy to come and see what I am doing and will stretch herself out in the sun. 

Meanwhile, Sugar has become a teenage minx. I probably threaten her with becoming a curry on a weekly basis though it doesn’t faze her one bit...she knows I love her dammit. 

In A Pickle...

Finally I found my camera cord (after searching in every other imaginable place!) which had fallen down behind a chest of drawers where the lump likes to sit and groom himself.  So it was great to be able to upload all the photos I have been collecting in the last few weeks...all one hundred and twelve of them. Today was wet and windy here at the cliff but I decided to take myself for a good long stroll down the beach anyway. The sea was a foamy and the wind whipped through my hair while I walked along popping colourful pebbles into my pockets, this black sand beach deserted but for a few brave souls...the best time to go!

The latest job in the kitchen was making another lot of spiced vinegar for some pickled vegetables. I am only making smaller quantities at the moment so I can see what I like and what I don’t and changing recipes to suit my tastes. I only use a new recipe as a guide line if I am honest and usually it always ends up completely different but the one piece of advice I would give is to taste as you go...taste everything!

And here is my latest addition to the kitchen...In total about thirty large Agee jars which I traded for some fresh eggs. They had been stored in a shed so needed a good clean but after a scrub they came up looking like new and I am now thinking about what I am going to fill them with.

This Is What Happens When You Neglect Your Blog...

I have all this news to catch up on and Murphy’s Law, I have misplaced (not lost I promise!) my camera cord...which means I have a heap of pics to upload and no connection to do it. That will teach me for being slack over Christmas and New Years! So I will steam along anyways, trying to be as entertaining as possible and if these posts are adorned with pretty pictures you will know I found it...if not...I’m looking still.

It is now the 13^th January and the chilly nights are back. I have been so busy in the last few weeks the poor gardens have gone a little wild but there is certainly some yummies in there. The wind has beaten my beautiful sunflowers so much they have lost most of their petals and are looking rather dishevelled but with any luck I will still get lots of seeds from them. Every few days I give the corn a little squeeze to see how much they have plumped up.

The celery, peas and beans are looking and tasting fabulous and I’m hoping to touch the first of the tomatoes to my lips soon. I would have to say that the “Orange Blossom” variety has grown the best here so far, even the ones in the basket are oodles ahead of the others. The best spot for growing them would have to be under the stairs, followed by the hanging baskets under the veranda.

I am thinking that maybe the new garden is just too exposed to the weather for things like the tomatoes and I would be better off planting something a little hardier instead like... railway irons. When we get nice weather its beautiful here but we also get such strong gusts at times I’m surprised anything is left on its feet including Sugar and the chooks. Luckily we are made of tough stuff on the west coast and that includes our hens too! Sooo, what else have I been up to? Usually the pics remind me of all the little things I want to tell you... 

                                

Well, Christmas and New Years were quite cool actually, lots of different things happening and a lot of fun. I enjoyed the company of family I don’t see often enough, made homemade kites and took them to the beach, was entertained by Papa making balloon animals, had numerous random visitors, eaten and got merry, laughed, sung, played with Whipple and been to learn to swim classes. I have made new friends, found old ones, shared meals and bartered things I don’t need for things I do. I have learnt, been inspired and given from the heart an received from it also.

My latest adventures have been in the kitchen. I have been given a dehydrator to use and the box of fresh veges I was given the other day was a great start to experimenting with drying different foods. At the moment it is loaded up with fresh plums, halved and stoned, four trays full of them.

I guess I didn’t consider it much before but presently I have small jars of dried tomatoes, apples, broccoli and spinach in my pantry and I keep looking around for new ingredients to try out, I didn’t realise you could dry so many types of food. Later in the week I will be making pumpkin flour and pineapple pieces...It’s all rather exciting!

A few days ago I made a lovely tangy, sweet spiced vinegar for some pickled onions. I only had a small bag of onions but I ended up with three jars worth which I thought wasn’t too shabby.  The problem will be waiting at least three weeks before sampling them.

 With the leftover spiced vinegar and some fresh veges I made fourteen jars of mustard pickle yesterday and it is absolutely delish. I am going to happily smother cheese and crackers or cold meat with it, even the piece of bacon and egg pie I had earlier was slathered in it, yum!

Today I went on a mission to pick blackberries. My limbs are now torn to shreds and covered in scratches and welts but I have ten jars of fresh blackberry jam to show for it.

Luckily the canes aren’t too far away so I was able to limp my way home after slipping on some large flax leaves and sliding down a bank on my derrière. To add to my joy, I stood on a rusty nail that went straight through my sneaker and into my foot. I think I will have to console myself with fresh bread and jam...