Pattypan's Kitchen Whats been on the Bubble!
Hubble Bubble toil and trouble the phrase which is quite easily directed that play the Shakespeare one beginning with M and the three witches. Well tis not the correct saying which is Double, double toil and trouble.
However in regard to this post "Hubble Bubble toil and trouble" is perhaps more apt in the circumstances. There is a little bit of alchemy going on as I am brewing up a storm here with wines, ciders, beers, ginger beer and apple pop. Ginger beer and apple pop being the main culprits as far as my father was concerned. Everything was okay until one summer's afternoon he got shot by low flying corks whilst mending his motorbike. Apparently the corks once they started flying went all at once with poor old Dad trying to dodge the "bullets" - corks in the process. On the inner side of the garage we had some beer racks hung for said ginger beer and apple pop and this particular summer's day the sun had been warm and shining along that side of the garage. Needless to say my licence to brew was revoked that day and I was banned from making said brews for the rest of the time that I was home. However it has not stopped me since. Touchwood not had anything like that happen but I have been careful where I store my brews ever since.
Hubble Bubble toil and trouble is very much what happens when I am let loose in the kitchen during preserving season. You can either find me standing over the cooker with a wooden spoon in my hand stirring fruit in my maslin pan minus the witches hat nursing fruit, sugar and other ingredients into something useful for the pantry shelf or I am engaged in foraging for useful wild items that can also be turned into something just as useful like the blackberry jam, jelly, vinegar and blackberry and apple pie filling or apple plum and blackberry pie filling.
However in regard to this post "Hubble Bubble toil and trouble" is perhaps more apt in the circumstances. There is a little bit of alchemy going on as I am brewing up a storm here with wines, ciders, beers, ginger beer and apple pop. Ginger beer and apple pop being the main culprits as far as my father was concerned. Everything was okay until one summer's afternoon he got shot by low flying corks whilst mending his motorbike. Apparently the corks once they started flying went all at once with poor old Dad trying to dodge the "bullets" - corks in the process. On the inner side of the garage we had some beer racks hung for said ginger beer and apple pop and this particular summer's day the sun had been warm and shining along that side of the garage. Needless to say my licence to brew was revoked that day and I was banned from making said brews for the rest of the time that I was home. However it has not stopped me since. Touchwood not had anything like that happen but I have been careful where I store my brews ever since.
Hubble Bubble toil and trouble is very much what happens when I am let loose in the kitchen during preserving season. You can either find me standing over the cooker with a wooden spoon in my hand stirring fruit in my maslin pan minus the witches hat nursing fruit, sugar and other ingredients into something useful for the pantry shelf or I am engaged in foraging for useful wild items that can also be turned into something just as useful like the blackberry jam, jelly, vinegar and blackberry and apple pie filling or apple plum and blackberry pie filling.
I am also very aware that I have been preparing stuff behind the scenes which I have not necessarily spoken about.
Wines and Drinks
This also includes things have started off in the three weeks or so as they have been started off and are or have been shortly to be popped into their Demijohns/ and/or are ready to rack.
3 Gallons Strawberry Wine
3 Gallons Rhubarb Wine
3 Gallons of Plum Wine
3 Gallons of Peach Wine
3 Gallons Mixed Fruit Wine
3 Gallons of Strawberry and Rhubarb Wine
3 Gallons of Orange Wine
3 Gallons of Lemon Wine
3 Gallons of Grapefruit Wine
3 Gallons of Apple Wine
I have located some sloes and I hope they are still there as I am going to go and collect some next week as well as Rowan Berries. So Sloe Gin is on the list to make. A favourite winter warmer here but I also use the fruit in melted chocolate to make sloe gin chocolates. I keep the spirited fruit after draining from the infused spirit in the freezer ready for use just before Christmas. I also try and take out some of the pips if not all and a messy job It is too.
I also want some sloes for the freezer but I would like to have a go at making sloe jelly as well.
Preserves made
Seville Orange Marmalade from oranges in freezer as had run out.
Plum Chutney
Plum Jelly
Plum Jam
Apple and Plum Jam
Bottled Plums for Victorian Sugar Plum sweetmeats and puddings
Mixed berry pie filling 5 jars
Rhubarb in syrup 6 jars
Piccalilli - this was started last night and should be ready to process later on.
Pickled cucumber.
So there is a lot going on in my kitchen as usual it is just the depth that varies. What has been going on in your kitchen?
Catch you soon
Pattypan
x
Roast chicken dinner consumed and carcase bubbling gently for the basis of chicken and veg soup. 6 cheese, 6 plain, scones and 18 chocolate muffins sitting cooling. Now checking if I have all the ingredients for piccalilli. Not quite your level of output but I enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteHi Jennie, well done. Its not necessarily about quantity but quality. I personally think making your own stocks makes the quality of your own gravies and soups that much better. I always add copious amounts of stock to both. My mum always said that the best flavour came from the gravy. The stew I made yesterday OH has demolished. He is off fishing for a few days and has requested that I make another batch so that he can take it with him. So have another batch to make shortly. The recipe I have used for the piccalilli is a Waitrose recipe and is one I like but you can vary the veggies. Cucumber, marrow, Romanesco, cauliflower can all be added but all the veggies need the salting to draw out the water from the innards of the veggies. I am so glad you enjoyed it. I love cooking and never get enough time to play but it is always satisfying to be able to produce something half decent for the table. My mum always used to do a big bake whilst the roast was in the oven as did my Nan and the puddings and the cakes etc. went into the meal plan for the week and the pack up boxes. There was always something in situ certainly at the beginning of the week with the baking being done like this in case anyone popped round unexepectedly. Both my Nan and my mum used to give visitors a bit of cake of some sort or another. I am chuffed for you Jennie. It is hard work but I think it gives you so much more in the longer term. Take care and enjoy the journey. x
ReplyDelete