2010.08.01 My Day

Its been a quiet day today; I am slightly incapacitated with a poorly wrist - think its down to the arthritis, but I have a splint on to support my wrist and my hand at the moment as I don't want to let it get any worse.  I don't make a good patient at the best of times.  Too darned impatient!

Early on we took Missy for a  long run and I managed to pick a few wild blackberries, still early but the odd one is ready here and there and there are no end of berries to come in the next few weeks or so.  They taste very sharp.  The elderberries are starting to blacken as well so they won't be long.  Will have to sort out some recipes in anticipation of these black gold to come.

  We looked at the Cherry plum/bullace we have been harvesting but they are nearly now all gone. We are not the only ones who have been harvesting nature's bounty.  These are the ones we collected before.

However, we spotted that there were loads of "golden plums" high  up; so we determined would go back later in the day to see if we could with the aid of a rope and stone see if we could capture the bough and then the fruit.

So dear little Missy has had two walks today (she is now snuggled up on the settee next to me but absolutley flat out )as we went back off again and managed to obtain about 4lb of the yellow cherry plum/bullace, although quite a few fell on the floor as they are just ripe for picking.  However, the trees are at the top of a slope, so the ones that fell ran to the bottom of the slope each time, but there we are something worth the bother is worth the effort.

These are intended to be bottled in syrup for later on in the winter months.  Hopefully we will manage to get some more in the week. There are quite a few trees and I am ever on the look out for different types of wild produce. 

I have noticed that there is an awful lot of meadowsweet down by the river.  Will have to see whether that can be utilised or not. It's something that I don't know too much about and part of the fun for me is researching recipes and picking out the ones that appeal to me to have a go at. I think I tend to be a tad experimental with recipes in any event.

I have completed the Wild Cherry Plum Preserve batch number 2 and have changed my mind re the Wild Cherry Plum Cheese and have decided to make a form of membrillo with the pulp instead.  [Please see separate post]. The Jelly I didn't get round too but that will go in to drip overnight with me making up tomorrow evening.

I have also started the Home Made Pickled Gherkins [ see separate post]. OH is quite partial to these and goes through them at a rapid rate of notts but these are for Christmas so hands off Mr M!  You are banned!        

We have had Roast Chicken done on the Roasting Spit for tea done in butter and then served with a side salad with a hot garnish for the leaves of mushrooms cooked in butter and then served as a hot dressing liberally sprinkled over the leaves.  This time I used button mushrooms.  I have also fried some onions just to lift the flavour a little more.  Was very tasty.  Its been a busy weekend and its going to be another busy week.

Catch you all soon.