TARRAGON & THYME

Am likely to be missing for a little while - due to family illness.  Will get back as soon as I can. Pattypan x

OH is at a works social this evening which has given me some personal free time just to be.  Its been my first week back at work and although a shock to the system on Monday I have slowly picked up momentum and speed as the week has gone on but I am grateful it is the weekend. I have had scampi and chips with Tartare sauce for tea and I have enjoyed every moment although the amount of scampi you get in the bags these days is getting less and less, but still tasty all the same. I went to the market at dinner time for a bit of a mooch around the plant stall and came back with four hanging strawberry planters that had been reduced down to £5 for two plants so since getting home I have been putting them in situ and watering up some of my other plants.  It has been threatening rain this evening but so far has not happened although we had a lot of rain mid afternoon but it soon dried up. I had ordered a little while ago some lavender plants but these have been delayed a...

Yesterday I paid a visit to Lakeland to follow up to see exactly which Ball jars they had in stock and planning which jars would be suitable for me to use for different projects i.e. the tiny ones for making home made cheeses (the fruit cheese) or membrillo, jam or equally for bottlin g blueberries and cranberries where only small amounts of fruit are needed.   I had become very excited about the Ball bottling jars and wondered whether or not this was a precursor of things to come and when I found the Ball Blue preserving book produced specifically for this country and had a look at the recipes I was filled with hope and got very excited about being able to produce such goodies in my own kitchen.  Recipes like bottled, crab, clams,chicken and beef.  Logic dictated to me that surely they were now going to stock Pressure Preservers or Pressure Canners otherwise the recipes in the book would be of no assistance to me at all.   However it is a beautiful book and only £5...

I thought about crafting last week but in the end did not get round to it.  There is always something to do craftwise but this week just was not the week for it more's the pity.  I hate wasting time or not doing anything but this week I have had to listen to my body.  I am a workaholic and don't know when to quit at the best of times so I think this latest episode  was a warning (we call it switching off in my family as basically my electrical system goes into overdrive and then fuses out.  Just before I go out I get what is called the aura which to me smells of burning cordite/rice cakes). I was diagnosed  with epilepsy at about 7.  The little girl who lived next door had whooping cough.  It was the one illnesses my mother was terrified we would get and we were marched off to the GP for the set of injections polio, diptheria and whooping cough I think were the illnesses covered as soon as she was diagnosed. We had not had them when we were y...

Mum gave me a load of these that she used to use when I was a child.  At the time that she gave them to me though you could not get the seals, although I have latterly used the Liefheit seals which fit these jars beautifully.  The rings are the original ones and I have decided that I am going to have the rings refurbished so that I can reuse the jars for bottling fruit.  They are a good size.  The other reason for considering this is that on my travels I have come across some Kilner Dual purpose jars for sale and I much prefer the size of these jars for storing fruit in.  They are more family sized.  So I am hoping this Saturday coming if they are still there manage to buy the jars -  there are six of them and I think they are about 3 to 4 pint sized.  I will post this post if and when I obtain them.  Even if I do not manage to get this lot I shall keep my eyes peeled as now I know the rings can be refurbished and the Liefheit sea...

Once upon a time I used to buy quite a lot of magazines per month but after OH lost his job I did not buy any for over three years but made use of those I already had. However recently I have been very taken with the Land Love and Landscape magazines.  Not only are they beautiful coffee table magazines and a visual feast of photography but they have to me some very different and lovely recipes as well as well written articles on seasonal items. I especially like the alternative recipes with what to do with foraged goodies.  These two magazines are my treat for the month together with the Home Farmer Magazine which also has some cracking articles and lovely recipes. I was very interested to see an article on using the compost heap to grow veggies on.  This is not something new to our family as my granddad always grew the rhubarb and the marrows out of the compost heap with nasturtiums in between.  Even the forced rhubarb with an old bucket upside down over the rhu...

Happy Solstice the longest day of the year from now on in the light gets shorter and shorter.  It is officially summer lets hope its a good one as last winter although not the coldest on record certainly was grey! However you celebrate may blessings be upon you and yours . The wheel moves ever onwards we know not where but it moves. Pattypan x

When I buy bottles and jars I buy in bulk where I can for the cheapest of prices.  What I can save often buys those extra things that I would not normally contemplate. Some of you will have read that I often bottle sauces, cordials, squashes, juices etc by hot water bottling using a baby steriliser. This effectively takes any excess air out of the bottle and stops the contents going off - so you end up with a much longer storage date as a result. There is not much room in one of these little pasteurisers and I have found that the inbetween sized hexagonal sauce bottles are ideal for providing appropriate amounts of sauce/cordial that can be processed efficiently and which you receive a reasonable quantity of.   You can find posts here:  https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7703817848238285099#editor/target=post;postID=8718171233591310310;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=10;src=link here https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=77...

This is not an advertisement for Wilkinsons but it does have some lovely items for decorating the tea table and at not too exorbitant prices as I found out just recently.  It also has some lovely practical items to help either make wine, cook, bake and generally is good all round value. I tend to use the store a lot especially for basic items and I always source my winemaking equipment and bits and bobs from there. Last Christmas I had seen a slate glass domed cheese board at Lakeland which I did not manage to purchase because of the price (I think one was about £40 but I was very taken with it and would have purchased it if I could have).  I had not really until then considered slate for use on the dinner or tea table, but that one item made me look at slate in a different way.  In the run up to preparing for my mum's birthday celebrations I decided that I would have a look around for some items to add to making the table look more interesting as I always like the t...

Thank you for your kind wishes and concern.  I considered doing some crafting to keep myself occupied whilst I have been recuperating but in the end did not get to any. I have just rested. I bashed the back of my head quite badly whilst in the fit and also did my back in as well.  I am never really with it for a few days after an attack  - I did not even know what day it was and have spent the best part of my recuperation either sleeping or just sitting. After a fit I am a bit foggy and headachey quite frequently for a few days after until I land.  I just come too naturally - its less stress to my body this way. I have not been able to focus on anything in particular and I think the just sitting often benefits me far more although doing nothing drives me up the wall.  I find it very difficult just to sit and several times I fell asleep on the settee.  Not very productive but what was needed. I even had my sewing machine set up and th...

Bit of a difficult one for me but I am under restrictions again.  I had a further epileptic attack last Sunday morning - not as bad as the last one (which was 14 months ago) but still concerning. OH had taken the dog for a walk and when he came in found me sprawled on the kitchen floor.   The last bit I remember was feeding some sausage rolls into my small cooker and then not much afterwards, but I am funny with heat at the best of times, and though not the only reason I think it played its part.  It was a bit of a b..... actually because it was my mum's 80th birthday celebrations and I did not get. We were supposed to go out for a meal with family members and then back to my brothers for a strawberry tea and cakes and sausage rolls which just did not happen (I was providing the tea). Feel really cheated on that one but there is not a lot I can do.   Things could have been a lot worse so thank goodness for small mercies but it has put me out of action for a week...

Well I went and purchased one of the large Kilner drink dispensers eventually after letting everyone else know that they are £10 cheaper in Wilkinsons (i.e. £20) than John Lewis or Lakeland where they are (£30). I have promised myself another one by the end of the month when OH should be able to give me transport for the same.   I have some vouchers to use up and these are something that I have had my eye on for a few months now.  Should be ideal come family parties! The photo is not mine it comes from the Lakeland website. | Now I need to save up to buy the drinking jars. Ideal for a barbecue and home made lemon barley water frozen and then allowed to thaw. Catch you soon Pattypan x Addendum: This is the 8 litre jar - there are 5 litre versions on the Internet but the Wilkinson's one is the 8 litre version. Pattypan x

I have been up town today shopping and nipped into Lakeland for a quick look around and I got a very nice surprise.  Lakeland have started selling Ball Preserving jars in different sizes and at a reasonable price. Eureka.  And I bought two packs of 4 of their 135ml Regular mouth quilted jars for £4 odd each set of four. I have also found out that the lids and rings are interchangeable with the Kilner jars.  They had four different packs of jars in different sizes and also beginners water bath set for processing the jars.  I thought the prices were reasonable they certainly appeared to be cheaper in the long run than the Kilner jars, but perhaps those of you who do source the Ball jars will know better.  All the items are on the Lakeland website.  The jars I bought are the smallest but will be ideal for popping redcurrants or blueberries (for topping my yogurt of a morning) in or for pates and also for cheeses and membrillo although for pates I would need a...

Currently in the kitchen there is two gallons of elderflower cordial soaking away to release all that muscat scent from the elderflowers.  Tomorrow evening is going to be busy.  I have the cordial to bottle and hot water bath in my baby steriliser so I will have a little production line on the go.  I am going through lemons like nobody's business at the moment. I am supposed to be doing my first sourdough loaf tomorrow night but I cannot see that quite happening unless I get lucky and the bottling goes smoothly.  I hope so as this sourdough starter is really starting to grow and is looking very active which is a relief as I forgot about the last one and killed it which was not a very auspicious start but I am hopeful with this one as it is quite lively and bubbling away well.  I think I may well be doing this on Tuesday night - rather than push things too far tomorrow.[It will give me time to post up my original post on Sourdough which I should have posted ...

We walked Missy down the river this morning and gave her a long hard run. A beautiful morning with the sun out it was getting progressively warmer and we were out in the countryside area of Peterborough down by the river enjoying the fresh air.  The wind was blowing through the trees and giving that soothing rustling sound rippling through the air with each sway. There was a reason for me going walkies this morning and that was to pick  the first of the Elderflowers so that I can get some Elderflower cordial and Elderflower champagne on the go .  Needless to say you cannot always get to the best flowers because there are stingers in the way and I got stung once or twice in the process but then I got the flowers that I was after which I am pleased about.  The Elderflower harvest is one of the important ones to me. I am hoping to go again in the week and get some more so that I can then get some Elderflower wine on the go as well which is one of my favouri...

This is a pancake shaker currently available on the market (it is the only image I could locate) but it is not quite like the one I have. This is not an advert either. I have had a batter mixer shaker for quite a few years which I had totally forgotten about. I was cleaning a cupboard out the other day  - looking for my Easiyo flasks when I came across it again.  I have therefore quickly pressed it back into use  for making breakfast pancakes, crepes suzette, Scotch pancakes, blinis etc.  We do not have them every day but the batter is there in the fridge for either myself or OH to quickly make something to eat before going off to work each day.  It keeps for a couple of days in the fridge like this and leaving it overnight in the fridge allows the gluten to give and you end up with a thicker batter or you can thin it down if you wish.  Its one way of having a quick delicious breakfast when you are on the run as it does not take long to cook at all...

I have  new book which I am rather chuffed with by Thane Prince.  A Good companion book for her previous publication Jams and Chutneys - Preserving the Harvest which is excellent - I regularly use the recipes from that book. This new book covers the following sections: Cheese and Dairy   Fresh Cheese with Garlic and Herbs; Marinated Feta Potted Blue Cheese, Home made yogurt...... Charcuterie   sticky glazed ham, jellied ham, Merguez Sausages, Veal and Chicken Boudins Blank, Sheftalia, Game Terrine Bread and Pastry   Sourdough, Lardy Cake, Hot Cross Buns, pastries, game pie, raised pork pie, Cakes Biscuits and Cereal   Panforte, golden gingerbread, chocolate biscuit cake, shortbread, crackers, salted peanut brittle, granola, seeded cranberry muesli Salt Curing Gravad Lax,Home Salted Brisket of Beef, preserved lemons, dukkah Rendering and Fats   potted shrimps, potted crab,potted lobster Salmon rilletes Rillett...

Its arrived - my new Excalibur 9 Tray Dehydrator with temperature and time  control.  For over five years I have looked to acquire one - as I could see the scope of this expensive piece of machinery in my household of not only giving me the option to do things quickly and efficiently with good quality produce to boot but also taking advantage of reduced items and gluts and adding interesting ingredients to my Pantry shelf.   Sometimes you have to spend to accumulate, but I hope that this will help with potential waste which I hate.   I am itching to get started with this and have already bought some oranges to make dried fruit peel and orange powder to reconstitute to make a fruit drink which should ensure a regular supply of vitamin c to the diet I have to clear a space in the dining room to set the machine up safely so that the cats leave it alone and then I shall get started. OH goes fishing so I thought it would be  good way of feedi...