TARRAGON & THYME

In the greater scheme of things.  To start with I managed to oversleep.  I am normally up around 6:30ish but this morning that was not to be.  I slept right through until 8:22am - I have to be at work for 9:15am.  One little pooch was happily snuggled up with mum and did not stir. Big gulp much rushing about and I managed to get out the house for 8:55am.  The taxi was early as well but managed to make it safe and sound. Lunchtime I met a friend for a hot chocolate and a bit of cake.  Whilst talking to her I managed to knock my hot chocolate all over the floor - big mop up session. Oh and I broke my heel on my shoe; not good when you are about a quarter of a mile from the office and have no other pair with you. I think it has just been one of those days. Trouble is it sends me off half-cocked for the rest of the day. If I had a brain I would be dangerous. Catch you later on. Pattypan xx

I recently bid for soime jars on ebay which arrived well packed in a little wooden tray.  The jars are for storing my herbs in.  It was a shame to not use it and when I turned it over it had in a previous life been used to package some wine in.  I got to thinking as to what i could use it for.  It suddenly struck me that it would be an ideal container in which to store some of my bought flavoured vinegars and hold them altogether and also be able to put them from shelf to table like that which has made me doubly pleased.  Here they are. Another batch of things all sorted and ready for the pantry. Some of t he herbs I have dried have been processed. I mean rubbed between the hands with the sage and the thymes an rosemary stripped off of their stems and the stems in my case discarded this time round.  However if I had a fire they would be on that.   I have lemon thyme which will be used as part of a glaze on carrots, ordinary thyme which ...

Its been one of those weeks that I am not sad to see the back of with one thing or the other and sister-in-law's funeral.   I have also finished the course of vitamin D from the Doctors and have gone on to the over the counter version from Boots.  With the weather as it is I have also been a bit stiff and at times uncomfortable as a result.  But we will get there eventually.  As a result this morning I completely crashed and it was about 11:00am before I eventually got up.  Talk about Lazarus raising the dead.  As a result of the extra lay in I have been a bit off centre today and playing catch up.  About 2:00pm I set too and cooked some fresh corn on the cob that I had bought last week from Johnsons the Butchers.  I used my Asparagus cooking pot with basket to cook them (we had a decent sized one each) cooked very simply in water and a little butter and then dribbled with butter on serving.  It was nice and simple, tasty and filled ...

BB I am very sorry about this I noticed you had popped a message up and unfortunately I got trigger happy before I could read the message.  Many apologies. Pattypan x

I notice from the stats that I have some new followers - sorry cannot tell who you are but you are very welcome in any event. There are lots of posts going back many years - I have yet to catalogue things a little better than they are at the moment but if you type in a word like Christmas on the search facility it should bring up all the posts I have dealt with in relation to that.  I pre-warn you there are lot.  Or an ingredient name like parsnips, piccalilli etc. Anyway there is lots to read and I hope you enjoy my varied ramblings/rumblings and I hope I inspire you to have a bash at doing things yourself.  Never time to be bored here. Catch you soon and I love comments. Take care and catch you soon. Pattypan x

I have over the course of quite a few years managed to accumulate a whole host of decorating items for cakes and cookies alike with different icing sets and equipment, different baking trays, cookie cutters, cookie sheets all of which needs to be kept together really but in effect is dotted around the house. So whenever I want to use them I have to do a bit of digging around.  Most of them are in a crate which is down at the unit at the moment but I do have quite a few downstairs (I think).  I really am going to have to do a locate and search prior to Christmas as some of the bits I want to use. Today however these two managed to fall into my basket (oh dear how did that happen)! I was not really looking for making cookies but I thought that these cutters would be very useful for making some clay decorations which in turn can be painted and then glossed up.  But then I thought that they would indeed look fantastic made into cookies. So ideas again, as usua...

Whilst storm Brian is making a nuisance of itself outside (the wind has been getting gutsier and gutsier as the day has progressed) and is increasing in howling level. The temperature outside has really dropped and I have just put the heating on for a short while just to warm things up a little.  However after my trip to the Hairdressers this morning I have been out to the Co-Op and bought some items for use during the week. I have come back with two packs of bacon, two packs of chipolata sausages, two packs of chicken thighs, a block of cheese, two packs of stewing meat, a pack of mince, a loaf of bread,  The bacon was £4 for two packs - there is a lot you can do with that, make a Quiche, make an egg and bacon flan, add to Brussel Sprouts, cooked breakfast, bacon sarnie. The chipolata sausages were £5 for two packs.  Will be used in pigs in blankets, toad in the hole, sausage sarnies, with roast chicken and roast pork, tomatoes and sausages grilled and then ...