The Shopshire Prune - A Damson

Just got back from the Ludlow Food Festival where I went to a taste workshop on Damsons - specifically the Shropshire Prune. I have planted one of these trees in the kitchen garden and was very keen to find out how to make the most of it. We sat down to a plate of lemon scones with damson jam, pork pie with Damson Chutney, Damson Cheese, Damson Icecream (dipped in chocolate) all washed down with Damson Gin. Well food for thought as they say. This variety is not the largest of the Damsons and more egg shaped than some but supposed to be superior in flavour.

I got home to find my Damson tree laden with beautifully ripe fruit - Damsons can be lip puckeringly sharp but this year they are lovely and sweet. Here is my first picking. The fruit has a lovely blueish bloom on the skins. I'm going to make some jam and puree the rest for the freeze. The next bowl full are destined for a bottle of gin.

The Shropshire Prune has been adopted into the Slow Food Ark visit the blog here for more information and recipes. I'm definitely going to try the ice cream. 

Word of warning, it is best to make sure you remove all the stones when using them in cooking. You can otherwise spend happy hours playing Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor with all the stones and new teeth are expensive!

Collecting my first Honey bee Swarm

Heavens, I have spent this evening collecting my first ever bee swarm from a neighbour's front garden. Be careful what you wish for as I had just been saying last week that I wanted a swarm this year - however I rather hoped someone else might have collected it for me and delivered it to my door!

I got home about 6pm to find an excited message about the bees and went to investigate to find them in shrub about four feet off the ground. I dashed home to improvise a swarm collecting kit.  I chose my smartest cardboard box (thank you Emma Bridgewater) and a white sheet,  loaded my bee things into a wheelbarrow and suited up (bee stings hurt).

Needless to say that the edifying sight of me in my bee suit waving a smoker around drew a crowd of interested onlookers so I had to pretend I knew what I was doing. Sarah gamely put on my spare jacket and helped me cut away the branches the bees were hanging from so I could put them in the cardboard box. I then inverted this over the white sheet and propped up a corner so the bees could get in and then gently smoked the bees remaining in the shrub.  So far so good. The idea is that if the queen is in the cardboard box, the flying bees will be attracted to her and should all make their way in as dusk falls.  I then dashed home to get a spare hive ready for its new occupants.

When I returned at 7.30 pm, the bees had obviously read the same text book as me and were all in the box. I  wrapped the sheet over the top of the box and loaded into the wheelbarrow and took them home (followed by the interested audience). I then had to get them into the hive. This was achieved by tipping the box over the hive and shaking them in. The bees at the entrance to the hive then fanned pheremones to encourage stragglers to make their way inside. Some made their way back into the cardboard box probably attracted by the lingering scent of the queen.  I shook these onto the white sheet which I had put over a board sloping up to the hive entrance and encouraged them up with the smoker.

Well fingers crossed the queen is in there.  I will feed them sugar syrup tomorrow and hopefully they will stay.

Rhubarb, Rhubarb

Picked the first of the Rhubarb this week. The Timperley Early is living up to its name and is coming on despite a couple of heavy frosts. I zapped some in the microwave on medium with a tablespoon of soft brown sugar for five minutes and it came out perfect. I also made some St Clements ice cream to go with it. Very easy in a machine and surprisingly used half tin ambrosia custard, pot of good orange curd and a splash of double cream. I added juice of a lemon and some grated zest. Served with lemon shortbread and made a very yummy pud.

I also have some later varieties such as Victoria to follow on and am hoping to make some rhubarb and ginger jam - which is delicious. I also like to make a rhubarb and orange custart tart which can be very posh with a caramelised sugar topping. Crumble, traybake - ginger or orange sponge with some ground almonds and chopped rhubarb, if ginger ad some chopped preserved ginger too.

Bargains on the Web

Oh dear more bargain hunting online. Has everyone discovered Groupon and Secret Sales. Worth having a look. I have just bought a voucher from Groupon for a canvas print 2x3 ft for just £29 - bargain. Well we shall have to see what it looks like first I suppose. I have uploaded this pic of frosted sage to give it a whirl. This will look fab in my new kitchen which has walls in F&B Studio Green - think British Racing Green.  Mum and I also recently tried the O Spa in Bond Street with a bargain £30 treatment which gave you 75 minutes of pampering - which we followed with the set lunch at Galvin at Windows (top of the Hilton Park Lane) it was a fab day.

I have also joined up with SecretSales, worth a look. Bought a few things in a Garden Trading sale including a lovely wooden herb stand with galvanised pots.

My current favourite mugs are the creamware mugs from Big Tomato Company. I designed some mugs with them for Leeds Castle and recently ordered a personalised valentines mug for him in doors. If you scroll down to the bottom of their homepage they have and factory outlet section and I have treated myself to a large teapot with "more tea vicar" emblazoned on it - perfect.
Happy hunting.

Fab Bread & Butter Pudding

Made this at the weekend as had a surplus of eggs from the chooks (good girls are still laying well). Also had a loaf of fruit soda bread. So I made sandwiches with the fruit soda with softened butter and good marmalade and sliced them to fit an ovenproof dish. You can sprinkle with some booze if you like - cointreau works with this one. Make a custard with five eggs (three whole plus 2 yolks) which you need to whisk with 5oz caster sugar until light coloured. Heat half pint full milk with half pint cream flavoured with the grated rind of two clementines.

When scalded (v.v. hot when the skin starts to form) pour onto the eggs whilst whisking (I used a billy blender). Then pour over the bread slices and leave to soak. For best results bake in a bain marie in a oven at 180 c for approx 40 minutes until cooked through and golden brown. Serve warm.  I don't usually bother with making the custard properly first, but it really makes a difference with the texture being more creme brulee than quiche.

Hare Mosaic

I have been trying to finish my latest mosaic - Moon Gazing Hare - but I have been struggling with the background. I have now made a start and now have the colours sorted, hopefully shouldn't be too much longer. The background is hopefully resembling a night sky with the moon shining down.

 

New Beekeeping Course

I am just about the start a nine week introduction course to beekeeping. I am hoping now I have been keeping bees for a year, I will be able to get more out the course than before. I will keep you posted with the topics covered but hopefully it will mean that this Spring I will be better prepared to cope with my growing colony (fingers crossed they get through the winter first).

Istanbul Weekend

I was lucky enough to spend the weekend in Istanbul to celebrate my birthday (if it is worth celebrating these days). We had a wonderful few days although sightseeing in 90 degrees of humid heat is a bit challenging to say the least. Will add more tomorrow but saw some fabulous mosaics and the Aya Sophia church. Highlights included sitting in the main square after midnight watching a fushion of traditional eastern and western music complete with a whirling dirvish.

Quick & Easy Jam (promise)

I never seem to have much luck with jam made the traditional way on the stove with a preserving pan, it always seems to end in tears and a blackened pot. I went on a foraging course at Ballymaloe with Darina Allen and she explained that making just one or two jars was much easier than trying to fill your pantry with rows of preserves for a long winter ahead. You can also take advantage of reduced fruit at the supermarket and just use a couple of punnets.

So for foolproof strawberry jam I use 800 g (two punnets) or strawberries which had been sitting in the fridge for too long and looked a bit manky and 800 g of jam sugar (with pectin). I use a large stoneware pudding basin which is microwave safe, you need plenty of room as the jam rises when it boils more than you would think.  So slice up the strawberries and cook on high for 7 minutes then mash up with a potato masher. Stir in the sugar until it disolves and then cook on high for 15 minutes. You can add a very small amount of butter with the sugar if you like to prevent the scum forming.  Then remove and pot.  The mixture needs to boil for at least 4 minutes to activate the pectin but these timings seem to work well - don't be tempted to peak or you will interrupt the boiling.  Also boiling sugar is VERY HOT. Make sure your bowl is big enough to avoid your microwave turning into a sticky mess as you don't want this boiling over.

I've now got 3 jars of strawberry and 8 of blackcurrant as well as some redcurrant jelly from a few potterings around the kitchen. I used Delia's recipe for redcurrant jelly which just involves the above recipe but you strain it all through a nylon sieve before potting up. If you are very patient and don't rub the fruit through the sieve the jelly is clearer but it does seem a waste not to extract every last drop.

For the blackcurrants I use half jam sugar and half plain granulated. Now roll on the plums and blackberries which are looking wonderful this year despite the wasps and hornets.

Dodo's are not Extinct

Hooray I've finally finished my Dodo mosaic. You know how it is, a couple of days of intensive mosaicing and then several months of deliberation on how the tackle the background. So when people say how long did that take you, the truthful answer is nearly a year although all in all about four days work. Very pleased with him and good to find a use for the terracotta feather tiles I made some years ago. I have just spent a couple of days down with Oliver Budd making a mad hare, here's hoping it doesn't take another year to finish!

He is quite large being 3 ft x 2 ft ish in size and I have used a mixture of Vitmos, Smalti and handmade tiles. He is sitting on a board of MDF and I'm having a wide black frame made for him. I was hoping he would look like an illustration from a book.

I will post a picture of the hare in progress, I've just worked out how to do some leaves I was dithering over so onwards and upwards.

Leeds Castle Homes & Gardens Fair

Sorry for radio silence, I have been busy getting ready for the Homes & Gardens fair at Leeds Castle this weekend and have been making candles and planting up tureens etc in readiness. The weather looks great and there will be loads of stall holders and plant nurseries there as well as yours truly.

We also have another project on the go in the kitchen garden, making some raised beds with crates used to import oranges from Uruguay. I thought I was buying old orchard crates but never mind. Will post some pics over the weekend.

Belmont Park - Kitchen Garden

day was the morning after the night before and have survived the Garden Soc. supper last night. Despite the grotty weather I met up with some friends at Belmont House & Gardens near Faversham today for their spring fair. They have the most amazing walled kitchen garden which was completely renovated a few years ago and gives me lots of inspiration. The gardens have far reaching views across the Kent countryside and you can see nothing but trees and fields which is quite something. I'm very jealous of the greenhouses which are huge. I bet they don't have a bindweed infestation either.

Kitchen Garden

Greenhouse Staging

       

Trained Vine in the Greenhouse                    Apple: Lord Lambourne

Garden Society Supper - Anyone for Fish Pie

Its the village garden society supper tomorrow night and I've been spending the day cooking up a storm. Fish pie for 20 anyone? I have also made chocolate mousse for 15 which I have put marinated strawberries in (used Pimms if you must know). My fish pie receipe is quite famous (modest moi?) so here it is.

Fish Pie
I wont give you amounts. I've just made one for 20 people but add and subtract depending on the size of your dish and hungry mouths to feed.

2.5kgs mixed fish - I used sea trout, cod, smoke haddock (undyed) and prawns. poach in full fat milk seasoned with a bouquet garni and some dill stalks. Strain the milk keeping for the sauce. For the sauce I melted 4oz butter and added flour to make a roux then made a thick sauce with the poaching milk. season to taste, add chopped dill, cream fraiche (I used 1pt) and mix with the fish. Half fill an oven proof dish. I use one of those lovely large IKEA metal roasting tins with handles. Make the topping with mashed potatoes mixed with leeks sweated in yet more butter. finish with a grating of parmesan. Phew, mashing 5kgs of potatoes take quite some doing.

Chocolate Mousse
Whats not to like. I put some diced strawberries in the base of terracotta pots (collected from the yummy raspberry creme brulees in Tescos) and added pimms and a little sugar. The chocolate (Menier 70% cheapest on offer I could find) all 600 grammes was melted in the microwave and 12 egg yolks wisked in (thanks to the girls). I then whisked in 1 pint of double cream and folded in the beaten egg whites before pouring over the strawberries using a jam funnel for neatness. Topped off with a whole strawberry

Few days away

Sorry for the radio silence, grabbed a few days away in Malta visiting family. Amazing how soothing it is to spend the evening sitting on a terrace over looking the Grand Harbour, getting aquainted with the local wines. Stayed at the Westin Dragonara in St Julians and yes it was warm enough to sit by the pool with a pina colada.

We finally managed to visit the Hypogeum which is the only prehistoric underground temple in the world, and a UNESCO world heritage site similar in age to Stonehenge! Came home to find winter had returned although the garden is in full Spring mode, the orchard is in blossom, I just hope it warms up a little so the bees can take advantage of it.

First Asparagus

Yummy look what I've just picked for supper. I only have about six plants which have been in for a couple of years now and the warm weather this week has really brought it on. Cheated and bought some hollandaise.

bon apetit

Busy Bees - On The Importance of Bee Suits

Plucked up courage and opened the beehive last night. I needed to add some more storage space before the blossom appears in the orchard and the honey flow starts in earnest. I have invested in a full bee suit this year having tried the slightly more glamorous jeans and jacket approach which led to multiple stings in sensitive places. I also made sure I was wearing a thick layer underneath! The smoker has new fuel this year as the dried grass and cardboard approach wasn't working well and you do tend to panic if you are surrounded by angry bees and the smoker has gone out whilst being stung.

The girls have glued the hive together with propolis and it took some prising to get the lid off. Propolis is derived from plant resins and sets hard, the bees use it like a glue to plug any gaps in their hive - its very effective. I had a quick look in the hive and all seems well with lots of bees and stores. The storage I have added is called a "super" - a shallow box full of frames of foundation wax from which I hope to harvest honey this year. 

Tulip Festival - Leeds Castle

Had great fun yesterday arranging Tulips at the castle. Here is the arrangement I put together in the Queen's Gallery - In my defence I would say that tulips continue growing after they have been picked and yesterday this looked completely different! Over 10,000 tulip bulbs have been planted and you can find further details here.  Many of the tulips have been grown in the gardens here and its been nail biting waiting for them to flower given the extremes of weather this year.

My favourite tulips are the Darwin Hybrids as they are almost unbelievably huge and this arrangement in the castle library features Pink Impression which is an enormous flower and I will have to order some bulbs for my garden. The bulbs were supplied by deJager bulbs.

Colourful Containers & Chooks

Ranunculus and Aubretia

I went plant hunting at my local Homebase and found some purple Aubretia and dark pink Ranunculus (both reduced). I have used them to replace the dead french lavender in a couple of containers. One by the gate to the Kitchen Garden is a lovely dark blue pot, and the colour combination is very rich. The second is the focal point at the end of the path sitting in front of a black elderflower (black beauty).  Last year this was planted with purple penstemmon and trailing geraniums, the penstemmon has not survived the winter either (fortunately the cuttings have). Also found in Homebase were some cottage garden perennials for the bee border and some bargain strips of veg plants (globe artichokes, mini sweetcorn, peas and leeks.

Spice the poorly hen has recovered from her eye injury, though sadly has lost the use of the damaged eye. She has decided that my job is to provide her with lots of lovely slugs and snails and now follows me around the garden hoping for a handout. She comes and hides behind my legs in the hen run as a couple of the other girls are picking on her (hopefully this will sort itself out as she becomes more confident).

Today in the Kitchen Garden

Oh dear, the North wind doth blow, and blow. Its cold still despite some lovely sunny days, the wind is whipping across the Downs and keeping us chilly. Things are stirring in the kitchen garden, although slowly and evey day something new is appearing. Looks like there might have been some losses, the myrtle bush is looking very dead, although I haven't given up hope as it is always slow to come into leaf. I have also lost several potted french lavenders and the Rosemary bushes have taken a beating and are not covered in masses of flowers this year. No signs of life from the Olive trees either but the small cutting in the greenhouse is beginning grow away.

Positive notes are the greens under the cold frame are looking very well, here is an updated photo. The Hispi cabbage are beginning to form hearts and the radishes are well on their way. I have just pricked out another tray of cabbages in the greenhouse to provide a succession.

I also have seedling little gem lettuces waiting to be planted out, won't be too soon as they are attracting greenfly in the greenhouse.

Lady birds have been appearing with the sunny days and I have transferred a few into the greenhouse salads! The grapevine which I put in the greenhouse last year is now coming into leaf and is covered in flower buds. Last year when I planted it, this vine was just 12 inches high, I am training it across the greenhouse roof to provide summer shading and hopefully, some grapes. 

I have bought the strawberry tower into the greenhouse and its starting to grow away. It has a mix of varieties including Florence, Hapil and Cambridge Favourite. I am planning on digging up the strawberry beds in the fruit cage and making a strawberry table instead using the folding staging and a couple of grow bags. Last year the strawberries growing in containers produced much better fruit and it would help my back to raise them off the ground. I could put brassicas in the strawberry beds for the autumn and they would be kept free from the dreaded cabbage white butterflies which can sniff out the cabbage family wherever I hide them!

Broadbeans are starting to develop flower buds and the crimson flowered broad beans have just starting appearing in the greenhouse. I think its still to cold to start off the tender summer veg such as courgettes and squashes but I have started tomatoes to give them a long growing season and some have started germinating.

Flower Arrangements in Vintage Containers

I often use antique china for table decorations in the house. My latest find has been a vintage bentwood sieve which would have been used originally in the kitchen for flour. I have waxed the wood and lined it with plastic then filled it with potting compost. So far I have planted it with narcissus and hazel twigs and plugged the gaps with moss I dug out of the meadow. These were followed with coloured primroses. I have now acquired a few in different sizes and am planning to fill them with roses and marguerite daisies in the summer - when it finally arrives. 

I have a collection of tureens which I have acquired over the years since student days trawling junk shops in Southampton. It doesn't matter if they are in vintage - ie damaged - condition as long as they don't leak! Here, I have used a pretty turquoise and white footed tureen which has certainly seen better days being stuck together with glue in several places. However, planted up with pink daisies it looks lovely. Put some gravel in the base of the container to help drainage and don't overwater.