Tasting the Rhubarb Syrup/Cordial

Before leaving for holiday, I managed to buy in a load of Rhubarb which I subsequently bottled in syrup for some puddings in the winter months.  I made too much syrup, and rather than waste it I decided to bottle it up, so that we could use it in fruit salads, or indeed as a spritzer, or just "squash". I subscribe to the "Waste Not, Want Not" mentality, and if there is any way I can use stuff up I will do. 

If you bottle your our own goods,  i.e. fruits in syrup, you can always use the juices that are left over mixed with some Gin or Vodka, white wine, water, fizzy water.  Rather than waste it.  It has so much flavour and is the freebie or perk of going to the trouble of "bottling" (the English term) or Water Bath Canning (the American term and sometimes also erroneously referred to solely as "Canning).  "Canning to me, is when food is cooked under pressure in a pressure canner (not cooker) and these for the best part tend to be low acid foods such as meat and vegetables.  It is worth putting up any fruits  you can (you only need a deep saucepan such as a very deep stockpot and Kilner or Ball jars to preserve them in.  If you go to the trouble of doing this, you will have treats to turn into puddings for a main meal, use in tarts or pies, think a kind of Bakewell tart here, with some cream, in a dish such as Hawaain Chicken or Pork if  you put up Peaches and serve with Rice or Noodles makes a very filling meal.

So I am very glad that I took the time to make the syrup shelf safe by water bathing it and then popping it into my pantry.  It is yummy.

Today has been a really busy one.  How the garden has grown (well in the front garden at least), since we have been away on our jaunt.  Today has encompassed OH trimming down a Holly tree (still needs some more but we ended up with a lot of bags of rubbish.  There is always another day.  The Cotoneaster has also been given a haircut as has the Privet hedge.  I have also washed the bin, recycling bin, garden waste bin and compost bin out.  The windows have been de-cobwebbed and washed down.  Everything was bagged up in readiness to go down to the tip.  We made a visit there and got rid of all the green waste.  The passage was de-cobwebbed and also swept out.  I will bleach the pavements both front and back another day. The trouble is that quite frequently people use our front garden as a rubbish dumping area which is not hygienic.  I always wear gardening gloves when doing out the front. One of the problems with having a Holly tree is all the leaves that fall off as when they dry they go thick and prickly.  We have gravel in the front garden and it all gets stuck in that.  So I have therefore been over it painstakingly to get rid of what I can in that department.

The electric went off whilst we were away which affected the fridge.  So I have had to give that its first clean and empty that out and get rid of a few items that got spoilt.  Fortunately not many. Nothing drastic but still annoying.  In fairness we had only left so much on the electric card, and we had not expected to be away so long; so our fault really.

We have also walked the dog, and located plenty of brambles.  So I will be going on a forage sometime this week so that I can turn nature's bounty into some wonderful preserves for the pantry shelf.  Fingers crossed.

We also paid a visit to the top up shop for the electricity.  We have a prepaid meter, and OH put some on yesterday, but when I came to put the key in the meter, nothing was put on.  He went back and the girl behind the counter did not really know what she was doing.  However OH has gone back this evening and spoken to the owner.  We have to contact the energy provider direct to get a refund.

And for tea, as I was knackered (sorry cream crackered), we simply had cheese on toast.  When I have a lot to do, scratch teas come into play quite a bit.  We do not always have glamourous meals.

Fortunately the weather has been fine today; it is still quite mild and indeed I got a little warm whilst working this morning.

Well today's efforts is a big item which I can now tick off the checklist.

I am going to potter this evening, putting a few bits away here and there; and then I am going to sit down for a while.

We have more projects for tomorrow!  Tiz just the depth, just the depth.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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