Being careful and taking precautions

I do apologise for the length of this post, I sort of got the bit between my teeth again with what I am and I am not going to do in practical terms with regard to my food storage systems and making sure that there is food for the winter months.

I was speaking to my veg shop people yesterday and as a direct impact of the hot weather we have had it is very likely that basic food items may be more expensive this year than before.  Normally when we have problems in this country the rest of the world is pretty unaffected.  This time no.  They have also been having very hot periods and drout.  I am not meaning to scaremonger here, it is just the practical side of me that mentions this.  I am erring on the side of caution more than anything else.

I am in the pros of sorting the freezers out in any event so I shall freeze an awful lot of basic veggies like carrots, swede, parsnip, carrot crush, broccoli, buy a few bags of frozen peas in and also prepare roast potatoes, mashed potatoes and Yorkshire puddings.  I shall freeze some ready for use but I will keep my usual sack of potatoes in as well.  I will also freeze sweet potato, pumpkin, squash and whatever I can get my hands on.

I always keep a sack of potatoes in.  I asked for a sack yesterday and they informed me if they can get the potatoes they will do but there are no guarantees.  The price may be too high and in this community there is not a lot of money around.  Apparently there has been talk amongst the growing community that they may be £10 a bag onwards.  A bag normally lasts me a good six weeks or more and I am talking the big bag not the little ones that you can get.

I also keep onions in as we use a lot.  At the moment I have two nets of large onions in and they are going to be processed into chutneys and relishes as they can also be used to pep up meals.

Part of the reason the prices are going up is that the growers have had to pay for water for the crops to be kept alive as water stocks have been severely affected to.  Even more reason for me to grow my own next year and grow whatever I can.

As I have said before if I have food in the pantry then I feel more secure.  My father always used to maintain that if there were another war the first thing he would do was head to mine as he knew we would never "starve" (and I know the majority of us do not know the true meaning of that word) and that there would always be a meal of some sort.

I have plans this week to get the canner on the go at long last.  In intend to make some chicken stock first off to get used to the process of canning and then go onto different soups, stews, chicken pot pie filling, different fruits, salsas, tomatoes, tomato sauces, plums, pie fillings.  Canning your own in glass bottles is recyclable.  Tin cans that we buy from the stores, are processed in the same way in real terms but the glass jars are reusable time and time again.  So less impact on our environments from my perspective.  That is another reason for doing it.

Christmas warning

I have noticed today that the Co-Op have their usual offer on for dried fruit at £3 for two bags.  Thought I would let everyone know as this is the time of year I start accumulating extra supplies for the pantry and also the freezers.  It very much starts with the dried fruit for the Christmas cakes and puddings which will be made in September then I can forget about them.  I make for myself and my brother and his family.  I also want to get the mincemeat under way as well.  I use up the remnants of last year's dried fruit for this as it gives the fruit extra legs and of course you can always turn them into dried fruit chutney.

I will of course also be stocking up with sausage meat and chipolatas and pork pies so that I have a healthy supply in stock.  I also want to make a load of Cornish pasties, Danish pastries, cookies, sausage rolls, fruit pies  etc and pastry cases for pies so that I can just drag them out and make up a pie as we need it.  It would make sense to make them in bulk  - say a baking day once a month for pastry, cakes etc. and using up whatever comes to hand.  I want to get back to the making myself more than anything else.  Time consuming yes but I really do enjoy cooking and having a big bake up.

Whilst at the Co-Op I managed to take advantage of the bargains, reduced butter, cream, blueberries, some oranges for spiced orange slices, So all useful goodies.  Being able to take advantage of the bargains is another plus in me not being at work.

I am starting to wade through my list of jobs, very slowly but I am getting there which is the main thing.  I have also made some mixed fruit (Jumbleberry) jam as well.

It will be an early start tomorrow as I have plans if the weather is fine to go foraging and take Missy for a long walk in the process. I shall take one of my many wicker baskets as well as several carrier bags. It is time to get some Blackberries and Elderberries and anything else I can put to good use.  If I leave the Elderberries for much longer they will not be fit for use and I intend to make Elderberry jelly, Elderberry wine, Elderberry Rob (a good cough cordial in the winter months), hedgepick pie filling * a mixture of apples, wild plums , damsons, a few elderberries, apple and elderberry jelly, Pontack sauce, Elderberry vinegar to name but a few things.

Right dinner awaits.  We have roast chicken and all the trimmings.

Catch you later on.

Pattypan 

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