Herbal Things, Shopping and Venturing Out

Beautiful sunny day again and I ventured out with OH for a walk with Missy. First time this week.  It was lovely and everything is starting to grow and bloom.  We saw that many different coloured Bees Orangey middle Bumble Bees, and different species of butterflies it was enchanting to watch them fluttering around and enjoying the warmth of the day.  I had an ulterior motive for going out as I am eager to go for a forage and I wanted to see what is available. Some of them are not quite ready; but will be in the next few days or so.  I shall be getting some nettle tops to process and to do things with for my pantry but more on that for another day.  I will need to start stocking up on sugar again as I have plans for making some wines making use of whatever I can get hold of including nettles.  It will be lovely to get the "wines" and "beers" on the go again!

On the way back we called at another local shop and I topped up on some bits I needed.  Normally they have more of a choice on items, so I came away with what I could from there and then went to the Veg shop and my local Co-Op.  I must say it has been very strange to go out, especially as I have been cooped up at home for the past three weeks plus.

Today I have bought some black and white grapes, Satellite peaches, a punnet of plums, bananas, apples and oranges from the veg shop.  The apples and oranges are going into the dehydrator for a later day.  The rest is for everyday eating for a couple of days.  I really wanted to get some more plums, but am still not up to a session of preserving over the cooker.  I would have used the plums for bottling them up in syrup for use in puddings.  They are the beautiful black plums with purple flesh.   Therefore to contain my need for putting something up, I intend to dry the apples for use in muesli, dried fruit salads, spiced apple tea, cakes etc. The oranges will be used for adding flavour to stews, casseroles, hot drinks, flavouring chicken, dried fruit salad, etc.  

I have also stocked up on Spinach, carrots, broccoli, swede, parsnip, petit-pois, cauliflower.  I really need to get some sweet potato, courgette and squash as well.  Might send OH off for some Italian sausage during the week served with some mixed roasted veg. Might do a couple of trays of the roasted veg as it can be used in pasta the following day. I still have some peppers in the fridge in any event.

I also intend to make a couple of batches of Four Thieves Vinegar which will take about a month to macerate before it can be bottled and then used to take daily as a tonic, or for use in cleaning especially if a member of the family is sick.  It is a very good disinfectant and one that has been passed down through the years.  The link for this is here on the Herbal Academy Blog, Four Thieves Vinegar which includes the recipe. You can used dried herbs or fresh herbs to make this.

I also want to make some furniture polish, but I need to get some Lemon essential oil in order to do this.  I thought I already had some, but it appears to be evading me at the moment, the same as my Lavender oil is as well.  It will either turn up when I am not looking for it or I will have to go and purchase some more.

Another thing I want to grow a lot of this year is Black Peppermint and ordinary mint.  Since being in hospital I have been drinking copious amounts of Peppermint tea, usually at night before I go to bed. It certainly seems to be working for me in that it refreshes my palate (by drinking this my water uptake has been increased) and is soothing my digestion.  Apparently it is a natural trait of my system to be a tad "colicky" since I was a baby, so it is what it is and as long as I can try and keep it "soothed" I will do.

Also on the Agenda are a couple of types of Bouquet Garni.  I have mentioned before making my own Broth Posies for soups, stews and gravies. They can be made according to what they are going to flavour, i.e. Chicken, Beef, Lamb etc. However this year I also want to utilise my Bay leaves in a slightly different "Bouquet Garni".  There are various versions all over the Internet of this and they cost an arm and a leg to buy, but are quite simple to make.  Not quite ready for doing that yet, but it is on the cards to make a batch.

A lot of peripheral things I want to get stuck into, but can only do what can do.  It is as much about making the most of bargains that come your way, like the apples for a bowl £1 same with oranges.  There are about eight in each bowl.  I bought a couple of bowls of each.  Will soon be able to build up a useful stock of orange and apple slices this way, especially if they have some available next week when I shall nab another couple of bowls of each if I can.  Once the dehydrating is out the way with can then concentrate on wines.

We had roast chicken for tea last night which was delicious.  We have had a repeat performance again this evening.  Unless I am baking to save on fuel costs, I only ever use either my small electric oven or the small gas oven and stuff as much as I can in each.  Big oven only goes on when I am bulk cooking and then I make several things and then put cooker on and do the cooking batch after batch.  Save the fuel where you can.

Right am off to put  my feet up.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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