TARRAGON & THYME

Perhaps an odd choice for a dehydrating project but a practical one nonetheless.  There is no preparation required as that has already been done.  All you need to do is just pop the frozen veg into your chosen dehydrator arranging on trays or sheets (whatever your dehydrator has).  Set the temperature to 125 degrees F and dehydrate.  Leave for approximately 6 hours and then start checking to make sure that the veg is dry. If some has already dried out take that out and put it to one side to let the rest of the veggies have a chance to dry properly. It may take a couple of more hours to complete but needs to be dry as any damp will spoil the product and you will end up having to bin the lot which is not what we are after. Why, bother?  This combination makes a quick addition to soups and stews for next to nothing that is literally on tap, which leads to quickly prepared meals in a slow cooker or multi-pot all of which helps in the long run. Especially whe...

It has been a bright chilly day here today and this evening when OH gets home from work we have to pay a trip to the supermarket to get the bits and bobs for his Curry Goat. The shopping list is written out now I just have to remember not to forget it. The maceration will start this evening and I will be erring on the side of caution with the chilli.  I like a bit of flavour with  my food but unfortunately my system just does not tolerate chilli very well at all. Once everything is to hand will start the process of turning the Goat into something special more so for OH than for me.  I like to try stuff but if I am not keen then I don't go back there but am willing to give things a go. It is OH's significant birthday this Saturday so whether we will go out for a meal or whether we have the Goat then I am not sure at this moment.  Depends very much on what he wants to do.  He does not normally like a lot of fuss. Last night I found a set of decorations ...

A package of frozen Goat meat has found its way home here to Pattypan's Kitchen.  A present from a work colleague of my OH.  He had tried some that his colleague had taken into work and has been saying how lovely it was and that he really enjoyed it.  I am reserving judgment at the moment.  There is a good reason for this in that I am not too good with too much chilli.  As it has now arrived had better do something with it although I am reserving judgment. I have found a recipe (indeed this work colleague recommended this one to OH) which is here Curry Goat - Levi Roots Recipe The meat is currently defrosting and tomorrow I will start the process of marinating the meat for 24 hours. As I have never had or made this before do any of you have any tips on how to get the best of it. Kind regards. Pattypan x Update: The lad who obtained the goat meat for us told us marinade it first and then after cooking the goat meat to pop it int...

This is not an advertisement for the following company, but a pure endorsement from my own perspective, privately and independently without receiving any remuneration.  This company are quite purely the best as far as I am concerned and I thought I would share them with you.  Everything I have ever had from them has been delivered well packaged and in excellent condition. The company I am speaking of is a well-established family business called C Wynne Jones who are based in Wales. C Wynne Jones They do not just sell jars and bottles, they also sell Beekeeping equipment, Aromatherapy supplies, preserving equipment. beer and wine bottles with appropriate closures etc.   I have been using them on and off for the past 6 years or more.  I do not purchase every year - it depends whether I need any more bottles.   Here is the link to the bottles that I use.   250ml Hex Sauce Bottles x 60 You get 60 bottles in a batch and the current ...

As many of you regular readers may know by now, I regularly make my own Mincemeat.  I prefer a traditional fermenting recipe for this initially provided to me by my friend Bovey Belle.  However I do make other recipes as well.  For Christmas 2019 I did not manage to get all that I had planned on doing done although I had all the ingredients to hand.  I have therefore decided to get ahead and get this made in readiness for Christmas 2020 in order that the mincemeat can mature and be as juicy as it can be.  It can also be incorporated into a Christmas hamper present for a friend or family member. However I do not just use Mincemeat at Christmas I use it throughout the year. I have a couple of jars to hand of the old stock (over a year old) so I am not completely out but I need new stock and I am just about to make another stash of this so that I have plenty to use through the year.  The main recipe I use is the fermented Country Mincemeat recipe but ...

For a long time I have not been able to indulge my love of coffee due to it triggering IBS.  However for the last three weeks I have been able to enjoy my coffee without any side effects.  I am not saying that if I drank more than a cup of coffee that I would not be side effect free.  Since trialling the Lyon Coffee bags No 2, I have more or less been able to enjoy a cup of coffee a day and for me that has been bliss. As I had run out of my Coffee bags I asked OH to run me down to Waitrose which is where I purchased my first box from.  My Co-Op do not at the moment sell these. OH has subsequently taken me down there and I not only picked up my Coffee bags, but also some other goodies as well.  Well I think they are goodies and I see the potential. I also managed to get an offer on some of the long thin red chillies 2 x bags for £1.  I bought 4 x of the bags of chillies and intend to make some Chilli jam with them.  This is something that we bo...

I was first introduced to this recipe by my friend Jennie (also known as Bovey Belle) who has her own blogspot at Codlins&Cream2. I believe the recipe came from "Farmhouse Fare"ISBN 0- 600 33509 7 and the recipe submitted from a Miss Elsie G Cook of Oxfordshire. Its the best Mincemeat Recipe I have ever made. I had made Delia's before this, which wasn't too bad but this is moist and flavoursome and in my opinion far superior a proper moist mincemeat and it doesn't have suet.  Has lots of other goodies but no suet. "For mincemeat I choose a large brown crock and into it I put sweet dessert apples, windfalls or faulty - chopped up with spices and usually Demerara sugar; but this year it has had to be honey. I add to it more apples, currants, sultanas or raisins or any nice things available including finely chopped orange and lemon peel and the kernels of stone fruits I have saved. A little later on a few quinces improve it, also a little home made ...