TARRAGON & THYME

In amongst all of the excitement of the past few weeks I had purchased a new hand operated Kilner butter churn which I bought via Ebay - brand new and delivered to Argos in Peterborough. Another one of those gadgets that I have had my eye on for quite some time.  I had originally thought to buy a well loved one but thought this one eminently practical on the hygiene front.  I quite frequently come upon cream that has been reduced and I thought it might be a good way to produce some exotic butters which can be stored in the freezer for the winter months without paying through the nose for it and to add a bit more variety to the palate during the winter months. Its that time of year where my mind turns to goodies I can put up in the Pantry, Cupboard, freezer. I have Rosemary, Sage, Parsley, Thyme, Chives and mint growing in the herb border and I also have some chillis, Bay and Lemon Verbena.So I have all the items there now I just have to get playing. I have a ...

I am sorry I have been missing for a little while; I haven't been well myself having had another seizure and I missed my Mum's 80th birthday celebrations to boot as a result - not a Happy bunny for missing the celebrations but also - the driving is out - I think it is going to be a non starter.  Its 14 months since my last attack!  Think it was temperature related again - I have a wonky thermometer!  I have also had my mother seriously ill in Hospital.  As with my Dad I went up to  the Hospital every evening and spent a good couple of hours with her each night, as did my baby bruv.   (It was much easier when the Hospital was at the end of the street as I just used to walk up.  The new Hospital I can walk to but it is further and takes a while to walk; but after a busy day at work it was easier to go by taxi.  I was quite often allowed to stay longer than visiting hours and it was often gone 10pm when I got in to get ready for work and then ba...

Am likely to be missing for a little while - due to family illness.  Will get back as soon as I can. Pattypan x

OH is at a works social this evening which has given me some personal free time just to be.  Its been my first week back at work and although a shock to the system on Monday I have slowly picked up momentum and speed as the week has gone on but I am grateful it is the weekend. I have had scampi and chips with Tartare sauce for tea and I have enjoyed every moment although the amount of scampi you get in the bags these days is getting less and less, but still tasty all the same. I went to the market at dinner time for a bit of a mooch around the plant stall and came back with four hanging strawberry planters that had been reduced down to £5 for two plants so since getting home I have been putting them in situ and watering up some of my other plants.  It has been threatening rain this evening but so far has not happened although we had a lot of rain mid afternoon but it soon dried up. I had ordered a little while ago some lavender plants but these have been delayed a...

Yesterday I paid a visit to Lakeland to follow up to see exactly which Ball jars they had in stock and planning which jars would be suitable for me to use for different projects i.e. the tiny ones for making home made cheeses (the fruit cheese) or membrillo, jam or equally for bottlin g blueberries and cranberries where only small amounts of fruit are needed.   I had become very excited about the Ball bottling jars and wondered whether or not this was a precursor of things to come and when I found the Ball Blue preserving book produced specifically for this country and had a look at the recipes I was filled with hope and got very excited about being able to produce such goodies in my own kitchen.  Recipes like bottled, crab, clams,chicken and beef.  Logic dictated to me that surely they were now going to stock Pressure Preservers or Pressure Canners otherwise the recipes in the book would be of no assistance to me at all.   However it is a beautiful book and only £5...

I thought about crafting last week but in the end did not get round to it.  There is always something to do craftwise but this week just was not the week for it more's the pity.  I hate wasting time or not doing anything but this week I have had to listen to my body.  I am a workaholic and don't know when to quit at the best of times so I think this latest episode  was a warning (we call it switching off in my family as basically my electrical system goes into overdrive and then fuses out.  Just before I go out I get what is called the aura which to me smells of burning cordite/rice cakes). I was diagnosed  with epilepsy at about 7.  The little girl who lived next door had whooping cough.  It was the one illnesses my mother was terrified we would get and we were marched off to the GP for the set of injections polio, diptheria and whooping cough I think were the illnesses covered as soon as she was diagnosed. We had not had them when we were y...

Mum gave me a load of these that she used to use when I was a child.  At the time that she gave them to me though you could not get the seals, although I have latterly used the Liefheit seals which fit these jars beautifully.  The rings are the original ones and I have decided that I am going to have the rings refurbished so that I can reuse the jars for bottling fruit.  They are a good size.  The other reason for considering this is that on my travels I have come across some Kilner Dual purpose jars for sale and I much prefer the size of these jars for storing fruit in.  They are more family sized.  So I am hoping this Saturday coming if they are still there manage to buy the jars -  there are six of them and I think they are about 3 to 4 pint sized.  I will post this post if and when I obtain them.  Even if I do not manage to get this lot I shall keep my eyes peeled as now I know the rings can be refurbished and the Liefheit sea...