TARRAGON & THYME

Busy days again in the Pattypan household.  The Cherry tree in the garden is laden with cherry blossom again which speaks of a possible heavy crop of cherries. That is if I get to them before the Pigeons do.  So I need to start shifting things out of the freezer to make space and as I have a load of cherries yet to use up it looks as though I could well be scrabbling around for interesting uses for them.  I could well end up using some in jam, and wines as well as puddings, but there is an ulterior reason as I also need to get the freezer defrosted and cleaned out ready for filling up again.  The never ending seasonal chores and their familiarity in carrying them out add to a sense of fragile security  to the storecupboard with at least a promise of  meals to come.  Needless to say nothing will go to waste.    The wild plums that we gathered so many of last year also have a lot of blossom and I want to make use of anything that comes my way w...

Its been cold here again today miserable and grey what a contrast to the weather we had over the weekend  and the past few days which were hot and sunny.  I have had the heating on for a short while this evening as it has been cold or at least I have been cold.   Even Missy and Squeak have been cuddled up on the settee together behind me on the settee.  Its on days like this that I really do miss the glow and heat of a proper log fire they are always so cheery and warming. I have done a little handiwork this evening, nothing much but I had two very pretty scrunchies for my hair where the elastic had gone in them, so I have replaced the elastic in both and restitched back together again.  They were just in need of a little time and attention and now I have two more useable scrunchies to pop in my hair. Waste not want not. Normally on a Wednesday evening I am out and about but tonight I have been at home.  As a result I also saw for the first time the Super...

I am keen on those items that are literally "something for nothing" and help pad out our individual cooking repertoire and this recipe is making use of something that tends to be around for quite a bit of the year, but which really is best made using the sweet young baby leaves. Ingredients: 8oz Dandelion leaves 1 tablespoon Dandelion petals 2 Dandelion flowers whole for decoration 4oz streaky bacon 2 slices bread 1 clove garlic 1oz butter sea salt and black pepper 3 tablespoons of Olive Oil 1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar Method Wash and dry the dandelion leaves (choose young leaves rather than older ones as they are sweeter. Tear the leaves into pieces and pile them into a salad bowl then add the Dandelion flower petals. Cut the bacon into strips and fry in a frying pan. Cut the crusts off the bread and cut each slice into cubes. Peel and crush the garlic. Heat the butter in the bacon fat and fry the bread with the crushed garlic until golden brown. Lift the cube...

Its been a busy bitty day today and I don't feel as though I have achieved very much at all. although I have been on the go most of the day. I have managed to do a little bit of washing, all the washing and drying up from last night's tea, cooked a lovely Sunday dinner Roast Rib of beef with roast potatoes and parsnips, leeks, broccoli,carrots and gravy all very nice and full of flavour.  Still have a lot of meat left to eat, but it was gorgeous. Either a cottage pie and beef sarnies from the left overs haven't quite made my mind up yet what to do.  Just after I put in the roasties   And Roasties more or less done ready for serving up.  Have also washed my hair and let it dry naturally - its very rare I use a hairdryer as I have psoriasis on my scalp and I have found letting it dry naturally stops the dreaded flakes.  I have also fed the cats, and then went out for the evening with my friend Eve who goes swimming every week to a local leisure centre and th...

 Here in blighty now's the time to take advantage of the humble Dandelion; I have noticed masses of them today all their heads opened to full advantage basking in the sunshine.  Time to make some Dandelion wine as per the recipe link below http://tarragonnthyme.blogspot.com/2009/04/dandelion-wine-recipe-to-make-on-st.html I intend to make some of this at least a couple of gallon this year,but I have also seen another recipe, a Pam Corbin's recipe, that was featured on one of the River Cottage programmes that I intend to have a go at this Dandelion jelly Marmalade recipe.  Never tried it before but it looks lovely and is something out of minimal ingredients i.e peels of fruit that normally get flung away and a wild plant that tends to overrun its residence once its settled.  Just the sugar and the heat to pay for. Ingredients: 500g Apple cores and peel or chopped windfall apples 500g citrus fruit peel (unwaxed lemon orange or grapefruit) roughly chopped 100g...

Well what a wonderful day weatherwise today has been its been warm - too warm with bright sunshine and its been great.  I didn't rise very early as I was late to bed last evening and really enjoyed the sprawl all on my todd what a luxury.  Sheer Bliss! When I did eventually get up OH and I paid a visit to the butchers.  We bought 1 1/2lbs stewing steak, 2 garlic and herb chicken breasts, a gammon knuckle, a large one (large one for ham sarnies during the week) 1lb smoked dry cure bacon, 1lb boar sausage, 2 racks of ribs, and a Rib of Beef for dinner tomorrow. Eve my friend then came around 2.00 p.m. and took me off to Hobbycraft to have a look round.  They had lots of lovely things in there and I could quite easily have spent a fortune.  However had to be content with 2 x 100g balls of double knitting two different shades of blue wool for my "Rainbow Blanket" costing £3 for the two - economy class, but ideal for this blanket which started out life being create...

Birch Sap Wine Dried Peach and Apricot Prune Dessert Wine Dandelion Wine Rhubarb Wine Gorse Brown Ale Mead Buttercup Honeysuckle Mayflower (Hawthorn) Dried Elderberry and Rosehip Syrup Wine Sparkling Elderflower Lager