Not a productive week so far

 This week has been low key in that I have not got much done.  Lots of pottering as per usual but nothing substantial as yet.

Some provisions have been gathered for a spot of preserving.  Cucumbers, Strawberries, Raspberries that were on offer.  Bread and Butter Cucumbers are on the cards and Strawberry and Raspberry jam.  

Strawberries and Raspberries have gone into the freezer. They were reduced and I am not wasting them. I managed to get from Morrisons (our new store around the corner is a Morrisons Daily).  The Strawberries are on offer 3x 500g punnets for £5.  I also managed to get a reduced 500g punnet for £1.25.  Therefore the Strawberries cost me £6.25 for 2kilos.  I do not think that is a bad price.  I also found Raspberries reduced 150g punnets for £1.25.  I bought 7 punnets for £1.25 each for just over 1 kilo of Raspberries.  Actual cost £8.25 a little more expensive and not as much in weight.  Raspberry jam is dear to buy and from this batch should give me four to five jars of Raspberry jam.  Am well chuffed with this and shall be going back to get more Strawberries at 3 x 500g punnets for £5 as I want to make some Strawberry pie filling, not just for pie but to use for other desserts such as a topping for cheesecake, adding to a Knickerbocker Glory, using in Turnovers oh and for putting in Swiss Rolls.  Am also going to do apple and maybe some other flavours as well.  Will probably be over the weekend I will get to the jamming.  I still have some things to do before I can start them but I have every intention of doing so.  I am eager to get quite a bit of stuff squirrelled away where I can. 

The Strawberries

The Raspberries

I would just mention that with Strawberry and Raspberry jams I crush the fruit to break it up a bit more so that you get a bit of Raspberry or Strawberry dispersed through the jam evenly.  That is my choice.

Now I have a nice little stash of fruit in the freezers including Gooseberries, Cranberries, Blackberries, Strawberries, Raspberries and more Raspberries, and mixed berries for Jumbleberry jam hopefully over this weekend I will get an opportunity to actually make some jam.  My jars arrived yesterday and I am very pleased with them.
 

The Cucumbers will be brined tomorrow and left in the fridge overnight to drain the fluid out of them with the brine.  They will then be washed well and vinegar and spices added to the jars and they will then be left to cure for about a month.

I also have Lemons and Oranges to process.

On the house front:

So next week I will do a reshuffle and hopefully be able to complete what I had wanted to do this week.  I have just written this week off as a break week really.  As I have said will try again next week.  It has really been too hot for me.

G has mentioned that it is his intention that we start the Tip Runs tomorrow and as I am reliant on him in this respect (i e the medics have told me no driving and no prospect of ever driving) hopefully will be able to get cracking on that tomorrow.  I think it depends on whether a little Jack Russell is out for the count first thing when we get up so that we can slip out and get on without her being aware.

I suppose really everything that I am doing here at present is an effort to get things straight just on the off-chance that we are presented with opportunities in the future and are not caught on the hop and not able to take advantage.  The dream for me has always been to move down to Cornwall into the countryside with a little bit of land to grow stuff on.  It is a big dream, but sometimes dreams do come through.  For me it is the land that is important, houses can be adapted or turned into what you want.  I have to have something to aim for to keep me going and dreaming big helps me along.  You have to be positive as you can be down about so many things.  I try to be present for at least part of the day even though things are quiet and I always look for the silver lining in everything.  

New Book

In February this year, I ordered a brand new book from Amazon by Holly Capelle entitled Preserving the Seasons.  It has taken a while to be published I believe the publishing date was changed a couple of times.  Holly Capelle is a mother of five who has a unique take on her preserving and her cooking for her family as she uses all sorts of edible flowers as well as using more commonly used preservation methods.  On a quick run through there are ideas and recipes for Freeze Drying as well.  Holly Capelle also posts on Instagram under Big Family Living link here:

Big Family Living Holly Capelle

And a presence on Facebook:

Big Family Living

I was planning on looking through this book this evening,  however I ended up processing the berries and have not had chance to have a proper look through.  The photographs are lovely though and it is visually appealing.  I will write my thoughts down once I have had a good look.  My first impression is that it is a different take on preserving and using items that many of us are not familiar with.  I am always eager to learn about different ingredients and their uses in everyday cooking and preserving.

Well tomorrow is another day and I will go looking for more Strawberries as I want to make a couple of batches of Strawberry pie filling at least.

Have a lovely evening folks.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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