I found this quote the other day and was amused by it greatly. DH's Blackberry became like the '3rd woman' in our relationship at times and now we find ourselves hating the Apple brand yet owning more blinking Apple products than Granny Smith has apples.... So, it was while sat in the study, once again, getting frustrated with iTunes (seriously am I getting old or is it just not user friendly for the non geek?) that I thought sod it, life's too short so I headed off to check the apples and toss the windfalls to the chicks. Then DD and I took a trug and picked some blackberries. It set me thinking (I know - must have been the sushi I had for lunch) that I must share my favourite apple and blackberry pie recipe as we are at that time of year. Now don't get me wrong, I love a bit of Ramsey and Blanc (it's the bad boy and French, older men...all the time) but when it comes to baking you can stick Mary Berry in your 'Great British Nod Off' kitchen and lock her in as we all know Delia rules! 'Where arrrrree ya?' (non footballing fraternity can YouTube 'Delia Norwich Rant' for amusement here.
It's Friday, it's the weekend, the weather is going to be, umm. ok (possibly.) It's the last weekend before the great return to school. The kids are fed up, bored and let's face it, most of us parents are now skint with shares in Clarks and Teflon coated clothing having risen significantly. So. Don't give in to the 'just-give-them-the-iPad', get out in the hedgerows. Yes. Really! Now I know DH planted me my own thornless blackberries after one year too many of complaints of prickles in my paws and stains on the french manicure BUT I have picked wild blackberries every year since I've been here. It's worth it and I can say, honestly, they are definitely sweeter than any other year I've known. They freeze and are gloriously free. If you're really lucky and on the ball you'll find some damsons (damson gin) and sloes (gin again) to make. Look it up first though so you don't go picking deadly nightshade! :-) You see how helpful I can be?
So the recipe is on this link http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/galleries/blackberry-fare/apple-and-blackberry-pie.html Stuff the making pastry bit - that's why god invented Jus-Rol. It couldn't be easier. I mean, come on, how long do you think I can spend in the kitchen? I'm the woman who buys cookery books whose spine has colours that match and tone the kitchen. Mind you, I can buff my bling a bit too and tell you I make jams - Delia again. Can't share her recipe as it's in my vintage 'How To Cook' book of hers and doesn't seem to be online but if any lovely readers have found a good online recipe pop the link in comments.
Enjoy - the weekends here! Oh 4 more 'top' tips:
1. Pick blackberries from the waist up (if you have male dogs you'll know this)
2. Smaller blackberries are excellent in a Pimms
3. Lemon juice is great for getting the stains off your hands - and save the manicure for afterwards.
4. It's quality time with little ones. No TV's, PC's, phones or otherwise. Be the adult. Start the conversation and just 'talk.' Not even Blackberry or Apple can charge you for that!
Mx
Scouse in the South
Friday, 30 August 2013
Tuesday, 27 August 2013
Pasta, Prosecco and Pollo...
...6 of them to be precise.
We returned home from an idyllic break in the Italian Lake District to find Floss successfully hatched 6 out 7 eggs! Hers and ours first experience! See pic on blog site. So far she is proving to be a great Mum, enthusiastically encouraging her youths to dig the lawn to shreds in the eternal hunt for ants and suchlike. DH has done a sterling job converting the old duck house into a brooding house now so Floss has been upgraded from hanging basket in a bakers tray to 2 roomed mansion with ramp and therefore 'garden view.' They are terribly cute and real time wasters but I'm acutely aware I have a 50-60% chance of cockerel in each one. Time will tell - I'm no expert so reading up on Wiki about vent sexing and suchlike was lost on me and quite frankly left me a little squeamish at the thought of getting up close and personal with a chickens anus - really, it's not what Mother Nature intended is it?
In all other matters smallholding it's pretty low key at the minute. We've had some deluges which I hope will help the fields turn the corner - need it to be the case as it'll be hay storing time very soon, a depressing thought as it means tans, Tiffanys and F-types fade away in my minds and paleness, jumpers and 'why didn't we get a woodburner fitted?' thoughts return, yet again. Still, it does at least mean these mites will do one for a bit. We took a bank holiday walk over to the pub in Barcombe and it was noticable how our farmer friends fields have survived a summer of camping, cows and sheep much better than ours have. Ok, so his fields literally are the Barcombe flood plains for most of winter BUT, he has luxurious green - yes green, grass. It leaves me with an uneasy mind about it all especially with our currently unpredictable seasons but we'll see.
The sheep are suffering the flies and I'm in 2 minds whether to fly strike prevent again or take a chance...it's pretty expensive to do as a smallholder but greater expense to be caught. I guess prevention is always better than cure so that might have to be my weekend job. As will prove, this will mean it will rain at the weekend as I need dry weather to do it! The flying ants had their annual display last week too - just on the day I'd hired the 'Rug Doctor' to clean the carpets. 3 hours busting a gut and chipping a nail cleaning them, 5 hours of dealing with 2 sulking labs who were banished to the garden then 6 hours of having wet carpets as despite the heat and humidity of the day, around a million flying ants descended on the patio. Grrrr! Maybe I need a pet aardvark?
If anyone hasn't done so I'd recommend you have a crack at www.bigbutterflycount.org Wherever you live, it's easy to do and absolutely invaluable to the future. In the 5/6 years I've lived here the change in butterfly populations has fluctuated and been dramatic from the invasion of Painted Ladys 2 years ago to the dirth of all creatures fluttery last summer. This year has been fairly average with the noticable absences and rare sightings of the once common Marbled White, the Comma and few Admirals and Peacocks. No Painted Lady's this year spotted here.
Ok, heading off now - investing in a weatherproof feeder for the Chickens and a chick feeder too - wow, such heady spontaneous purchases eh?! Still, playing out in the City tomorrow night seeing a show so last swansong of the tan perhaps. Better get the peeptoe Choos out then hadn't I?
Mx
Weather: Sunny, 23 degrees, very nice indeed. Downs beautiful as always - missing the snow capped Alps however!
We returned home from an idyllic break in the Italian Lake District to find Floss successfully hatched 6 out 7 eggs! Hers and ours first experience! See pic on blog site. So far she is proving to be a great Mum, enthusiastically encouraging her youths to dig the lawn to shreds in the eternal hunt for ants and suchlike. DH has done a sterling job converting the old duck house into a brooding house now so Floss has been upgraded from hanging basket in a bakers tray to 2 roomed mansion with ramp and therefore 'garden view.' They are terribly cute and real time wasters but I'm acutely aware I have a 50-60% chance of cockerel in each one. Time will tell - I'm no expert so reading up on Wiki about vent sexing and suchlike was lost on me and quite frankly left me a little squeamish at the thought of getting up close and personal with a chickens anus - really, it's not what Mother Nature intended is it?
In all other matters smallholding it's pretty low key at the minute. We've had some deluges which I hope will help the fields turn the corner - need it to be the case as it'll be hay storing time very soon, a depressing thought as it means tans, Tiffanys and F-types fade away in my minds and paleness, jumpers and 'why didn't we get a woodburner fitted?' thoughts return, yet again. Still, it does at least mean these mites will do one for a bit. We took a bank holiday walk over to the pub in Barcombe and it was noticable how our farmer friends fields have survived a summer of camping, cows and sheep much better than ours have. Ok, so his fields literally are the Barcombe flood plains for most of winter BUT, he has luxurious green - yes green, grass. It leaves me with an uneasy mind about it all especially with our currently unpredictable seasons but we'll see.
The sheep are suffering the flies and I'm in 2 minds whether to fly strike prevent again or take a chance...it's pretty expensive to do as a smallholder but greater expense to be caught. I guess prevention is always better than cure so that might have to be my weekend job. As will prove, this will mean it will rain at the weekend as I need dry weather to do it! The flying ants had their annual display last week too - just on the day I'd hired the 'Rug Doctor' to clean the carpets. 3 hours busting a gut and chipping a nail cleaning them, 5 hours of dealing with 2 sulking labs who were banished to the garden then 6 hours of having wet carpets as despite the heat and humidity of the day, around a million flying ants descended on the patio. Grrrr! Maybe I need a pet aardvark?
If anyone hasn't done so I'd recommend you have a crack at www.bigbutterflycount.org Wherever you live, it's easy to do and absolutely invaluable to the future. In the 5/6 years I've lived here the change in butterfly populations has fluctuated and been dramatic from the invasion of Painted Ladys 2 years ago to the dirth of all creatures fluttery last summer. This year has been fairly average with the noticable absences and rare sightings of the once common Marbled White, the Comma and few Admirals and Peacocks. No Painted Lady's this year spotted here.
Ok, heading off now - investing in a weatherproof feeder for the Chickens and a chick feeder too - wow, such heady spontaneous purchases eh?! Still, playing out in the City tomorrow night seeing a show so last swansong of the tan perhaps. Better get the peeptoe Choos out then hadn't I?
Mx
Weather: Sunny, 23 degrees, very nice indeed. Downs beautiful as always - missing the snow capped Alps however!
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