TARRAGON & THYME

Sorry I have been absent for a little while due to being busy elsewhere and not at home and also partially because of losing my uncle.  We had the funeral service on Thursday which went off reasonably well but was still sad all the same. IT turns out that he suffered from COPD which my grandmother also had and it turns out that four of the lads also have it. The only good thing about a funeral is that you get to spend quality family time with those that you do not see very often.  We are fed up with meeting under such circumstances and aim to go out and make some living memories as a family which will be great.  my younger cousin Mandy is in charge. Anyway back to living issues now. My uncle was not one to be maudlin and was one for living his life despite any issues that might well throw up.  I have several things to make today - its going to be a kitchen doing day where I get serious with the preserving - there will be other thing...

Well a bag of shallots and a bag of small pickling onions have found their way home with me today.  I have ordered another two nets of both and may still buy more.  We eat a lot of cheese and the pickled shallots or onions go well with them and sometimes I give them out as part of a Christmas gift as well. I have also asked again about Damsons at the veg shop and she is going to ask her Dad if he will keep an eye out for some for me.  I don't hold out much hope but you never know. I also need to get one kg of nice long thin chillis for drying and also for making chilli jam which is another favourite condiment.  Perks up a sandwich very nicely. I have the ingredients for more piccalilli and I shall get those on the go for tomorrow.  I have bought four new white bowls in which to pop the ingredients for brining. With a covering of cling film in a nice cold place they should brine very nicely.  I still have loads to do on the pickling and preservi...

Apologies for being away - I still owe some posts and will get those sorted as soon as I can.  However I am still not out of the woodwork as on Thursday night a dearly loved Uncle passed over which was unexpected but I will be back up to full strength as soon as I can. Since I have had problems with my back and my feet I have found it very difficult to carry things at all and as a result have ended up coming back home two or three times to unload and then go back to carry on.  Too much wasted effort there especially when I do not really want to be out for any length of time I just want to get my shopping done.  OH rarely takes me supermarket shopping so this added more stress to the already stressful situation as it often means I have to struggle with bulky items. Well today problem has been sold.  Let me introduce you to Betsy my new best shopping trolley.  Deep shame here I am only 57 and to my mind am still only a youngster...

I feel a little more in control of things than I have done for absolutely ages.  How long it will last for I have no idea but at least it is with me for the present.  With this operation in the offing I am concerned that Christmas will not happen this year.  So I am therefore focusing on Christmas at the moment as I do not want to be caught on the hop as they say. I so apologise if this is too soon - it is really but I need to be ready so that I can take time to heal after my op without stressing about getting things done.  That way I will heal quicker and better.  I am aiming for calm and stress free if at all possible. All I know a present is that the op on my bunion joint will possibly be within the next three months. its not a major op as ops go but it is going to incapacite me to some extent in the long run.  At least six weeks before the operation I will have to come of meds and I believe a month before that I have to have bloo...

I am gradually one by one adding to my store of old large vintage sweet jars i.e. black lidded ones and the blue lidded Cadburys Roses jars which are gradually being filled with all my base ingredients like, porridge oats, home made muesli and granola, vanilla sugar.  So far I have managed to collect 16 such jars but I need quite a few more yet.  To start with I was just collecting the blue lidded ones but I have also started collecting the black lidded ones as well.  There are a lot of uses for said jars [As with most things here  I have to play shuffle to accommodate them.  The plan is that once I have replaced the fridge in the pantry with a new one in the dining room, put up two sheds down the bottom of the garden and transferred the chest freezer and the upright one which are currently in the dining room into the shed  and bought another upright larder style fridge for my experiments on the meat front].  Is to then have shelving bui...

This recipe is for Joan at the veg shop and is from Darina Allen of Ballymaloe fame's book called Forgotten Skills. It is a traditional recipe which means it makes lots of jars approximately 12 1lb pots. APPLE AND TOMATO CHUTNEY 3.6 kg/8lb Ripe tomatoes peeled and chopped 450g/1lb Onions peeled and chopped 450g/1lb Eating apples peeled and chopped 1.3kg/3lb Sugar 850ml/1 ½ pints White malt vinegar 2 tablespoons Salt 2 teaspoons Ground ginger 3 teaspoons Ground black pepper 3 teaspoons Allspice 4 Garlic cloves crushed 1 level teaspoon Cayenne pepper 350g/12oz Sultanas METHOD; Prepare all the ingredients and put into a large wide stainless steel saucepan. Bring to the boil.  Simmer steadily uncovered for about 1 hour until reduced by one third and slightly thick.  ...

This is a bit long winded for which I apologise and there is another part to come but really you need to read the long winded version first and then I will give you an idiots guide right at the end. BOTTLING A little information to read for background information An Explanation An English term for preserving usually fruits in a syrup or tomatoes in brine where the fruits are placed into bottle and then a syrup added usually the neck of the bottle.   It’s a traditional way of putting up food in the pantry in times of plenty for use during the winter months.   The fruit is heated in special jars and bottles to sterilise it by killing off any nasty spoilage micro-organisms present in the fruit which in turn forms an airtight seal whilst the jars are hot.   It also stops any other nasties getting into the processed bottles.   It is important that the process is followed correctly – it might seem a bit faddy to start with but with time and practice you will be...