TARRAGON & THYME

Its been a lovely bright and breezy day here in Peterborough and a busy one to boot.  First port of call was the butchers.  We use Willowbrook Farm at Helpston for the best part as they support the rarer breeds and the meat although not cheap is so full proper meat full of flavour.  They have "specials" on a regular basis and we went for one of their offers today.   For those of you interested they have a web site http://www.willowbrookfarmshop.co.uk/ This is the pack we have gone for this time round. The Willow Brook Farm Eat For A Week  -    Premium Pack 1.5lb Mince Beef 1lb Pork Sausage 1lb Diced Beef 4 x Rib Eye/Rump Steak (they are larger than the palm of my hand and the best steak for eating - forget fillet these are wonderful) 1 x 2lb joint of Beef/Lamb/Pork (we chose lamb) 4 x Chicken Portions 1 x Home-made Meat Pie - steak and onion (standard size but we paid extra for the larger one) 8 Rashers of Back Bacon (their bacon e...

Rosemary Bushes Lavender Bushes 2 Standard Rosemary plants 2 Standard Lavender Bushes 2 Standard Margeurites Yellow Raspberry Canes Autumn Bliss Rasberry Canes Blackcurrants Whitecurrants Redcurrants Gooseberries Blackberries Blueberries Plum tree Pear tree Apple trees Peach tree Apricot tree Quince Lemon Verbena Angelica David Austen Roses - climbers and bushes Lily of the Valley Honeysuckle Jasmine Wisteria Grape Vines red and white Virginia Creeper Lillies Japonica bushes

The sap is rising I always feel it this time of year, I want to get out and about doing things, being places and meeting up with friends.  There is no longer any time constraints on my time of an evening, I often work later at this time of year because it is oh so much lighter whereas in the winter months I tend to hibernate, still doing stuff but staying closeted in the house in the warm.  If I had a fire it would be next to the fire, listening to the hissing and crackling as the fire finds its way through the wood or fir cones. I love a proper fire. There's nothing nicer at this time of year than to get your hands stuck into the black soil, getting it all stuck under your nails in the name of growing food for the table.  It helps me reconnect, makes me realise what I am missing on a day to day basis (am stuck in an office most days) but certainly helps me realise what season it is and grounds and calms me, soothes the inner me and helps provide bits and bobs to supplem...

This is just by way of an aide memoire as a record of the seeds I have sown so far this year. and plants planted.  I also thought it could play double duty as when I come to replace the seeds I will have a ready made list of the ones I have used.  Sheer laziness on my part really, but it all goes towards the collective record at the end of the day and the plotting planning and organisation. I like growing things from seed - probably it is the nurture factor that flows strong in me, but I like my little seedlings to get as much care as I can lavish on them.  I am the same with people too. It hasn't been helped by the fact that I have been to a garden centre today and seen all sorts of lovely plants and bits and bobs, which unfortunately my pocket will not run too at present.  But one day. I am particularly fond of lavender, but in the garden centre they were selling round planters with lavender in for £20.  Think will look for some seed and see if I can get som...

Well its been a lovely day today; I didn't get up very early being extremely stiff after having to lie very still during the MRI scan it was very nice to sprawl.   During the day we have done some more work to the computer/craft room having taken a full set of full size filing cabinets upstairs in which to store some of my bits and bobs as well as general household filing. After that I have done some more work on the border in the garden then had to rest up again as my back was playing up.  So I came in for a while and got lost in the magic of the film Mary Poppins.  The first and only time I had seen it was as a small child.  Its nice to lose oneself in fantasy now and then. It helps the everyday more bearable. I then watered up the plants and borders and then came in and put tea on. We had Roast Lamb studded with garlic and fresh Rosemary - it was absolutely delcious, and is extremely easy to achieve.  See full recipe for further details. But h...

This is a very tasty way of cooking a joint of lamb, it gives the meat a whole new depth of flavour and is one of my favourite ways of cooking lamb as I love garlic and rosemary. It sounds complicated - it isn't.   You basically take your joint of lamb (for studding with the garlic and Rosemary I tend to use a leg of lamb).  You take a couple of cloves of garlic, peel them and if the clove is a thick in depth cut into a couple or three slices and then slice in half again.    Using a sharp knife stick this firmly into the thick of the meat  following the grain/length of the meat and then wriggle it about until the cut is deep enough for the garlic stick/wedge to be inserted into the meat so it sits flush with the surface of the meat - continue through the joint like this. [see photo]    3.   Pick fresh Rosemary if you can and put a couple of leaves of Rosemary into the slit           w...

I am hanging my nose over one of these: http://vintage-home.co.uk/shop/Fabulous_Original_1940s_Tala_Food_Cabinet_%28hw585%29.htm What is it you say - an old fashioned meat safe -  (a more upmarket one than my nan had hers was wood this ones made of metalwhere) literally your meat used to be stored  in a meat safe like this but more normally a wooden version in a cold larder.  They didn't have deep freezes in those days.  Block ice used to be delivered once a week - no mod cons like we have today.  But meat safes served their purpose.  I remember my Aunty using one on a regular basis as did my grandmother.  The fine mesh on the front was to keep away flies.  In fact my Nan still had her red and white meat safe in the pantry when she passed. Remember in those days there was no central heating and what heating most houses was, was either provided by a large range cooker if you were lucky enough or a coal fire. I quite fancy one to use as a sto...