Another long day

 Slogging away in the dining room.  Slow going.  This evening I have managed to empty out a large storage container of all small tools, get them all washed, found some bits I had forgotten about.  I have been hanging my nose over a Kilner hand coffee grinder.  Oohps good job I have not ordered one I found it this evening.  I also have the butter churner, and the cream whipper.  Would quite like the hand press for small quantities of tomato sauce and ketchup.  I am most definite that I do not have that.  Found a few other things as well.  So it will be an early start tomorrow as yet again I have a lot to do. Predominantly washing out one corner of the dining room, and then it is back to sorting stuff out again.  Must keep at it.

As I found the coffee grinder, I bought some beans to grind my own so that I can for a change have a small Cafitiere of coffee with my breakfast.

We went to the fish shop in Ramsey this morning rather than going on Saturday as we usually do.  We had crab mid-day which was lovely and then Lemon sole for tea.  It was delicious.  We have since had a mix and match of Crayfish tails, this seasons new cockles and OH had some Crevettes.  So that has been all the meals taken care of and it was delicious.  .

I also started off two gallon of Strawberry wine it is steeping at the moment and will turn that into the demijohns on Saturday then leave it to bubble away.

As well as housework and cleaning I also have the following to do over the next few days:

Sage, I have some more of this to dry, however as it has been wet today I have not been able to pick it.  This needs to be done on a dry day and then put into little bundles to dry.  I normally tie the sage together in little bundles, and surround with brown paper to keep the dust off the herb as it is drying.  I do this with all the herbs I hand dry.  I also have Rosemary and some Thyme to do the same way.

Tarragon Vinegar.  I need to make some more of this.  I use this a lot and also give it away as part of Christmas hampers.  This is very easy to make.  You need a bunch of fresh French Tarragon, and the herb should be dry as fresh can be.  Sterilise a jar and add the Tarragon to the bottle of the jar.  I boil up some wine vinegar and then leave it to cool (covered with a tea towel) until it is cool and then I add the vinegar to the Tarragon in the sterilised jar.  Add the cap and then leave for a couple of weeks.  Shake the jar every day.  I normally leave it about a month before decanting into suitable bottles. I do run it through muslin first to take out any sediment.

Raspberry vinegar and Strawberry vinegar.  Need to start this off.  I bought reduced fruit to do this with and 450g of Raspberries are steeping in some white wine vinegar  You basically crush the raspberries in a bowl or tub (I use the end of my rolling pin) add 640ml of vinegar (I use white wine vinegar) and then leave it covered somewhere cool (fridge if you have one).  Strain the vinegar through muslin and then pop into a saucepan and heat through.  Add about 80g to 100g of sugar (remember you can add it in but you cannot take it out) so add a little and often rather than all at once until you are happy with the taste.  Stir until sugar is dissolved then bring to the boil and simmer for about 10 minutes.  Get rid of any foam that appears on top of the vinegar as this will spoil the appearance.  Cool the vinegar and then ladle into pre-sterilised bottles.   Should keep on a cold pantry shelf or fridge for up to a year. 

Strawberry vodka.  You just need to soak a punnet or two of Strawberries in Vodka or gin in a lidded rubber ring preserving jar.  Add about 1oz of sugar to start with and then add the chosen spirit.  Seal down the lid.  Shake jar daily for about a month before straining and bottling.

Strawberry Champagne.

Make Long keeping Mint Sauce.  Recipe and Tutorial will be potted over the weekend if it is dry as the fresh herb needs to be dry before processing.

I have some dried goods to decant into storage jars, namely garlic powder, ground ginger, Filini pasta.

I also need to start collecting some cheapy sweets for some cake recipes I want to try.  Sweeties with long stop dates on them.  By the way this is not an advertisement however I found some White mini chocolate Terry Orange slices for £2 a bag.  Now the milk chocolate ones are on offer at £1 a bag at the Co-Op at the moment they are not bad.  But the white ones they are to die for (I am a white chocolate addict).

Right must get to bed as otherwise I am not going to be early getting up.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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