Bit of a Catch up

Today has been a busy day.  The weather has been gorgeous lovely and mild.  It was an early start for me and I am now starting to feel a little fatigued and tired.  Lots of washing done, and a pair of Marigolds also worn at one stage.  Further tidying done, not completed yet but slowly starting to make a serious dint.

I nipped to the veg shop earlier on and came back with four bowls (4kg) of purple plums, two bowls of Lemons, and I was given an offer of a crate of Seville Oranges for the princely sum of £3 as they wanted shot of them.  They indicated that a lot of people just have not made any preserves this year. I hasten to add there is nothing at all wrong with the Seville Oranges. I have also agreed to supply them with a couple of jars of marmalade as part of the price, which I am quite happy to supply.  I was as pleased as punch.  I have also a large tray of eggs as well.  Pickled Eggs here we come.  They will probably get done tomorrow night as I need some fresh herbs to flavour them with. I have the vinegar in-house. However if I do not get to them tomorrow, I will on Sunday.

I am intent to squirrel away as much as I can this year especially after last year's fiasco.  I want to err on the side of caution.  When I get the freezer, which he has promised me but is pending on the shed being sorted, and the old freezers being removed, I can then concentrate on sourcing veggies and meat to stock it with.  This is something my family have done literally for years always making sure that there has been food to hand and especially for the winter months.

I shall look again tomorrow  at the veggie shop to see what else they have reduced. I need fresh veggies anyway as we will be picking up the  meat order tomorrow and hopefully will be having a T bone steak for tea tomorrow night and then a Sirloin roast beef for Sunday dinner. I have in the past picked up some very serious discounts here.  It is the discounted fruit that I always turn into preserves of one sort or another.  They also if they can look out for items I am after and more often or not they appear.  I have a bit of a reputation when it comes to preserving at the Veg shop.  What me!

I also need a net of onions to turn into dried onions and onion powder.  Both useful additions to the pantry.  I also want to have a go at making home made Onion Bhaji's and some Onion Marmalade and Onion Relish.  I need to source my spices first though and there is an Indian shop around the corner that sells really big nets of onions (for next to nothing) so I may get a net from them.  I known not everyone favours onions, but we love them and I usually have quite a few to hand.

For a short while this evening I have been watching a couple of tutorials on making some preserves that I have not made before.  Hopefully they will get made tomorrow evening as I now have everything to hand.

Tomorrow morning is going to be a tad busy.  We  need to collect the Meat Order from the new Butcher we are trialling. Then go to the Bakery, then on to the Fish Man and then to the Farm shop. So it will be afternoon before I get into the kitchen despite an early start.

Right I need some shut eye.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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