Today

I have been in the cupboard under the stairs again. It is all tidied out and I can now find stuff. I have boxes to keep smaller items in like Light Bulbs, Plugs and Fuses and other items that I use on a regular basis. I also have a box of candles, just in case they are needed. So organised chaos.

The Ginger Beer has now been transplanted into the cupboard under the stairs. It has been burped for today and I have had to be quick in getting the clamp open and then locked down again before the contents sprang out. So very lively it is. I am hoping that it will settled down a bit in the next few days or so. I might also get a batch of Apple pop on the go as well. I wrangled the sack of potatoes in too. No onions in this cupboard. A few more bits have been added to the shelves and I have also got rid of items that were in the dining room. There is still stuff to go in there, but now at least I stand a chance of finding things and will be able to put like with like.

In all honesty I need to decorate the cupboard under the stairs, but I am not going to at the moment. The reason for this is quite simply that the main Electric Board is to be replaced and as this is the cupboard, and there will be a mess involved, I am choosing to sort and patch this out later after the work is done. I will then be able to paint this room out to freshen it up and also replace the shelf covering with some washable vinyl. It will be a shame to have to take everything out, but this way on it will be sortable to take out and then pop it back again. Everything is clean and sorted.

This is under the stair part of the cupboard, the bit you do not normally see. All organised. The big cardboard box on the floor has the Le Parfait jars that I found yesterday in it. I have as many jars again to fit in here at some point but I need to source a couple of sturdy boxes to do this. You can also on the lower picture see the preserves that I added in yesterday on the shelf.

This is the side under the shelf where the Ginger Beer has been stored and the sack of potatoes.

It is compact and stuffed to the gunnells, but a bit more yet has to go in here.  There is still more sorting to do, further items from the dining room are to go in here as well.  Today I found a couple of boxes of Kilner bottles and also some Green Glass bottles (that I got a bargain buy with sometime ago at a Charity shop).  This is helping no end with me being able to make more stuff than I had envisaged.

I also checked on the Demijohns this morning to see that everything was working well.  The fermentation traps are constantly popping as the contents bubble.  The Blackberry/Bramble wine is still terribly frothy.  The orange is starting to settle, and has a sediment in the bottom of the bottle which is all quite normal.  The contents are starting to clear a lot.  My bathroom windowsill looks as though it belongs to a mad Scientist!

As my entry for the #everybitcountschallenge today I have made up an Elderflower wine kit that I had lurking in the cupboard.  We will see how that gets on tomorrow.

I have really enjoyed the #everybitcountschallenge, it has been great fun and I have been in contact with lots of new and interesting people who all have a passion for putting food on their table, never mind whether they grow it themselves, or indeed like me at the moment source items from local independent shops and bargains from the supermarkets and of course the wild larder.  It has been a pleasure to meet you all and I hope the contacts are kept  up.

For me preserving has been an integral part of my household for over 40 years plus.  Technically there are seasons for certain things which I do take advantage of, but equally if I have found a bargain with something out of season, I am still going to make use of it. That is called making the most of what comes your way! Therefore for me, preserving and putting food on the table very much is a year round thing.  I shall continue to post as I add goodies to my pantry shelf

The #everybitcountschallenge has also introduced me to so many more new recipes.  One of those was having a go at Fermentation and making Saurkraut, which I started five days ago.

Today for tea, we had fried onions, fried sausages, crispy fresh buns and a dollop of Saurkraut (oh and do not forget the tomato ketchup) for our teas.  The Saurkraut served in the bun with the sausage and onion really was tasty.

Verdict is that we like Saurkraut and it looks as though this is going to make a regular appearance in my kitchen from now on in.

It tastes a little salty but not unpleasant and at this stage does not taste strongly of cabbage.  It adds something to what you put it with.  We love cooked shredded cabbage which has been steamed and then a small knob of butter run through in any event.  This is just another way of making the most of cabbage.  I think it might be good in a form of Bubble and Squeak.

I am going to have another go with the Fermentation process, next time I think it will be a form of Kimchi.  I am looking into making Soda type drinks as well.

I still have loads of stuff to make, but cleaning up takes precedence at the moment.  I need to start on the Drinks rack in the cupboard (which I have not shown you) as it is full of old bottles that I can re-use with the winemaking.  They all need cleaning up, so that needs sorting out in readiness for when my wine is ready.

There is always something on the go here.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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