Apples still to be decided!
DOMESTICS
Very humid still. I just broke up the Aloe Vera and it is now in 9 pots – and I gave one to Kaush. The green wheeli is full but tomatoes are slow – but quite a few chillies of different sizes and clours and shapes. I just looked up pruning apple trees and think I need to prune mine tomorrow – lots of shoots going up – wheelie bin will be emptied tomorrow so I get cracking in a cooler environment than today!
Spicy chick peas is on the menu with a salad.; and then a bean stew of sorts.
DIET
So an attempt at public outcry regarding diets and the prevalence of Ultra Processed Food. However the odds are stacked in favour of the processing corporations who dictate to the farmers the prices paid. if processed food was charged VAT then the price difference of fresh produce would be more affordable. This would also encourage more locally grown produce. Jamie Oliver is correct in his campaign for free healthy school meals – as creatures of habit our children would grow up with a taste for healthy food. Farmers would benefit and I am sure local stores in poorer areas would also adapt quickly, Perhaps even the regrowth of street markets in newly establish car free zones!
All this will be a red rag to the right wing who oppose any redress in the balance between free enterprise and the individual. They even railed against the sugar tax.
Sunday cooking!
Ladolemono dressing made for salad. Lemon drizzle cake made, baguettes ok but not great!, black beans with chilli, flageolet beans with herbs, lamb marinated – I will douse in gram flour before frying. I might do some hard boiled eggs too – tarragon and a little fennel, with ladolemono? Then a greek lentil salad. Toms with basil and Olive oil. Washing done too but not putting it out yet as there are some showers around! What is worse than it raining cats and dogs? Hailing taxis!!! Made me laugh! Why should you never be hungry on the beach? The sand which is all about! easiest spelling? ICY – just say it out loud!
FOCCACIA
My own take on it. Home grown tomates, garlic, herbs, cooked and left overnight and then squashed! Poolis made and then 6hours later add flough to make a dough, flatten out and in fridge for the night. Next morning oven on at 200C and put finger marks into dough, sprinkle with rosemary and salt crystals. Add tomato mash and bake for 20 minutes. Voila!
Greenhouse
Tomato weight so far = 1.7kg and 2 little chillies. Lots of basil – so looking for recipes – passata seems favorite at the moment.
JAM
Excited by my latest recipe! Nectarine Jam. I got a box of nectarines from https://www.crowdfarming.com/en/private-zone/my-order/info/64a18f483bb70ac228d0e0ab?app=false
So i decided to make some jam –
10 nectrines pitted and sliced, juice of 2 lemons and 1kg jam sugar – result the “nectar of the gods”. Ps. I added a little sprig of oragnge mint!
Tomatoes are ripening and I am weighing the produce (sad I know) but now upto 1090g and largere tomatoes are yet to ripen!
JAM
I have just made some nectarine jam – at foirst it did not set properly but hopefully another blast on the heat will do the trick. It tastes rather wonderful! I. might make some lemon thin biscuits, or scones to have it on later. I will also make some more baguettes – I will just spray a little water as the last ones were tasting a bit waterery. I have just ordered olive oil from CrowdFarming – I love the fact they pront a label with JamJam on ot for the tins and whilst just over £10 ltr is expensive it seems ok for organic and kniwing all the dosh goes straight to the farmer – in this case Finca Bardomus, Fernando Agramunt. I guess I need to make some more strawberry jam – the last lot was rubbish, did not set and I used it to flavour home made yoghurt and oat cookies. I have noticed the abscence of insects whilst making jam – which is good but a little concerning.
I have also just received a box of lemons from Carmen Valasco at El Carrascal with a winter varieties called fino and primofiori. Organic which means the zest can be used. More baking stimulated, and also aioli on salads.
Neighbour cutting grass I am hemmed in but across the road 3 neighbours have let trhe vetch flower and two have let ragwort and chicory flower, it would be so nice to see wildlife return to the sterile lawns – although I accept that some birds such as green woodpeckers and corvids like the lawns! Like everything a mix and diversity is good.
Tomatoes are coming on 670g so far but this should escalate next week as the plum tomatoes and striped ones and normal ones ripen. I think/hope 10kg should be possible this year. Most mints are doing great – basil seems to be bolting a bit (hopefully as I use more with the tomatoes, it will bush out a bit). Mints are blooming and I will dry some more to make herbal teas. Flame lily continues to astound. Lime and lemon by front door looking good. New apricot tree seems to be getting established ok and the grape vine that I thought I had killed by lack of care seems to have new leaves and forgiven me after Martin moved it to make it easier to water.
NECTARINE RECIPES
COUNTRY PRESERVING
Things to make this month.
Apricot jam: Apricot chutney: Strawberry Jam: Tomato Preserve: Tomato Sauce: Spiced Cherry Tomatoes: Hungarian Pickled Peppers: Minted Apple Jelly: Piccalilli: Blueberry Jam: Raspberry Jam (frozen fruit?): Dried Herbs: Dark Spicy Mustard: Chilli Oil: Biltong. Looks like I will be busy!
Starting today with dried herbs.