It's that time of year, when fruit and vegetables are entering and exiting the kitchen faster than bemused lovers in a French farce. Bags of windfall quinces, cooking apples and boxes of plums are competing for space in the fridge and the green tomatoes (salvaged from the outdoor blighty plants) are attracting fruit flies on … Continue reading Plot To Plate: Tomatillo Salsa
The whole house smells of Christmas and mulled wine - sweet, spicy and aromatic. We're trying to make each of our quinces count as we harvested ten and after sending a couple to a friend, we were left with two for stewing with our apples and six for poaching. There will be none for jelly … Continue reading Plot to Plate: Cinnamon Poached Quinces
These little beauties work really well in cupcakes as they hold their shape and pack a punch with tiny flavour bursts. They are a lovely plant to grow and thrive in a sheltered position as an edible alternative to box hedging. I've been growing Chilean Guava (Ugni molinae) for 3 years and have had harvests from year one … Continue reading Plot to Plate: Chilean Guava Cupcakes
Crab apples have to be one of nature's most beautiful fruits - with their rich colours and glorious sheen. And to gather them on a crisp October morning is a real seasonal joy. I've loved everything about cooking with these foraged beauties - their sweet smell with a hint of spice, their massed colour and … Continue reading Plot to Plate: Spiced Crab Apple Jelly and Crab Apple Fruit Leathers
Last week the courgettes were destined for savoury fare in my courgette and chilli cornbread. This week's courgette production shows no let up, so I've been experimenting with sweet uses of courgettes. First I tried a courgette chocolate cake using a recipe from the Delemere Farm Goat's Milk carton. It was meant to be avocado and chocolate, but ended up … Continue reading Plot to Plate: Courgette Tea Bread
Everywhere you look at in my house at the moment there are courgettes of different shapes and sizes. In the sinks, the fridge and on the worktops. It's a lovely problem to have and I'm intending to conquer it by including courgette in every meal and snack for the next few weeks. I might just … Continue reading Plot to Plate: Courgette and Chilli Cornbread
If you have a glut of windfall apples and have already made a sticky apple traybake with this irresistible recipe from A Bookish Baker (for a gluten free version I just substituted gluten free self raising flour for ordinary flour), I would heartily recommend turning the rest into apple and cinnamon butter. You can then enjoy … Continue reading Plot to Plate: Apple and Cinnamon Butter
I've sometimes grown fruit and veg in the garden and then had insufficient time, in the whirl of hectic family life, to harvest and/or cook it, which rather defeats the object of growing it in the first place. Now my youngest is at school I'm resolved to make more time to enjoy the fruits (and veg) of my … Continue reading Plot to Plate: Stuffed Summer Squash
It was too hot tonight to spend much time in the kitchen - what was needed was a quick supper for the family to eat in the garden. Salad is plentiful at this time of year, so add a bit of pasta on the side and job done. Pesto is great to mix with speedy … Continue reading Hey Presto – Pesto!
It's not been the easiest time in my life, but the past 5 years have been the making of me - mentally and physically. I've been a full-time mum for 7 years, having left the teaching profession to focus on being with the kids in their formative years. I've loved being at home, but have also had to deal with illness, … Continue reading Grow your way to happiness…