I guess the weather may put people off a staycation next year. I am quite happy with the weather this year, plenty of rain for the garden and enough sun to ripen the tomatoes. Not great for sitting around outside though!
GLUT OF TOMATOES
I am getting about 500g per day, so pizza and then dried tomatoes. HF-W recipe 1kg toms, 1tsp salt,1tsp sugar, 50ml white wine vinegar, 100-150ml olive oil. Halve, sprinkle salt and sugar, slow bake for 10-12 hours, then bottle. 2 or 3 small jam jars worth.
Then to make some pasta and then some tomato sauce. And a recipe yiayia
MINT SYRUP plus biscuits
One for next year when the leaves are young and most pungent. 50g mint leaves, pummel with one lemon juice, then add 250ml sugar and 1 level tsp salt, pummel some more and leave overnight. Pour 600ml of boiling water over and leave for another 12 hours. Strain through muslin and simmer for a few minutes – then seal in jars. And biscuits
PEPPERMINT EXTRACT
Just found this recipe
Traditional Method:
- Rinse mint leaves and add them to a canning jar. You may need to pack them in with a spoon to get everything to fit.m
- Pour vodka over the leaves. Put a lid on the jar and shake a few times.
- Store in a cool dark place, shaking once a day for the first few weeks. After that, shake it whenever you think of it.
- The mint extract will be ready when the liquid smells strongly of peppermint and not alcohol.
TIDY IS A FOUR LETTER WORD
I admit that tidy is not a word that I have ever been accused of, but I am proud of this. The green wheelie bins will be out tomorrow, taking away the bits that might make our gardens untidy. The stinging nettles and ragwort are purged from the pristine environment that society has come to expect.
TOMATO RECIPES
I am getting a kg a day so some recipes tomato salsa, tomato soup, tomato and basil pasta, pan con tomate, roasted tomato orzo, tomato chutney, roasted cherry tomatoes.
ALARMISM
The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is accused of alarmism. I should hope that alarm is what it has generated. The latest heat re old is a report of 48.8C from Italy. Fires in California, Algeria, Greece maybe partially due to poor management over the last 100 years (possibly a result of population growth in these areas), but they. have been exacerbated by the record high temperatures.
Another, contradictory comment is one about the increase in eco-refugees. Millions of people have been displaced due to climate change, and this is likely to increase exponentially over the next decades regardless of COP26. Sea level rising is a process that takes years to initiate and years to reverse (if possible?). The warming of the oceans has taken place and water will this expand. This combined with the melting of ice on Antarcticas and Greenland will raise sea level over the next century. Pacific Islands and parts of the Maldives amongst others will be gradually swamped. Plans are already being made for a new Thames Barrier, managed retreat is a reality of coastline management in many parts of the UK (and the Netherlands). Signs of stress are appearing in coral reefs which at present protect coastlines from erosion by storms.
And the decline in insects in Europe is marked. I am not sure if this is related to climate change but something is affecting the ecosystem. My garden should be a butterfly paradise with lots of different insect friendly plants in flower. Apart from a few bees, small white butterflies and occasional visits from other species it is fairly lifeless. My trip down the motorway did not result in an insect graveyard on the front as it would have done 30 years ago.
WEATHER
BOOKS
Obviously I would like to plug my (our) books but occasionally I come across books which ‘I love’ for their format and lucidness. ‘The Story of Food‘ is a book I wish I could have contributed to!. Jekka’s complete Herb Book is well organised and informative. Butterflies and Moths – David Carter again lovely layout. I like most Jamie Oliver Cook Books, and Felicity Cloake for her simplicity. More to follow – although I do like romcom novels with happy endings!