Wednesday 17 August 2011

Plum Crazy...

I have a little Victoria plum tree in my garden.... and it is loaded to breaking point with beautiful plums.... I found a Delia Smith recipe for Victoria plum ketchup and decided that I would start making some after the plasterers had finished..


I easily picked this basket load in the drizzly rain on Monday afternoon


and there are a fair few left to ripen ...


plus the chickens are helping to clear up the fallen ones ... ;D


The plasterers are finishing up, they arrived at 8:30 and its was almost 2 when they finished... its looking fantastic so all I need to do is wait a few days for it to dry out


I have chosen a colour


Make do and mend.... however I do like the enamel green... but the blue will be fresh and light in a teeny tiny dark bathroom...


as the plasterers were packing up I started getting ready to pickle some pullet eggs from the farm shop... and I also popped a half dozen of my eggs in so that the jars contain small and large eggs...


Its odd, but I have never pickled eggs although its really not that tricky...


I do love the old fashioned kilner jars... I bought these last year... but I never got around to using them...


I bought a new preserving pan... a friend of my mums lent me her pan but as its aluminum it won't work on my induction hob... so I bought this one from Lakeland... plus a couple of spoons with hooks on the handles... on checking the recipe I realised I was short of onions so I hopped in the car and headed to the nearest food shop... oh I wish the summer sun would return... but we did have some glorious weather in the spring so I suppose beggars cant be choosers...


Once I got back I started to chop plums, onions and weigh raisins... and I managed to tie my first ever spice bag... lol... any sensible girl would have realized that this was probably not the time to start preserving but I was so excited I didn't notice the time...


TO top it all off I misread the recipe and added to many ingredients and it took me hours to reduce the mixture to a ketchup consistency...



but you do learn best from your mistakes so although I was up till 4am bottling plum ketchup I will now read the recipe very carefully in the future... and do my preserving in the mornings! ;D


I do hope its going to taste okay.... I still have wholegrain beer mustard and Autumn chutney to make...

I am however enjoying making use of the fruits and vegetables that are growing in my garden this year... and I completely thank my hens for making me more connected with my garden... as I tend to their needs I notice the garden and all its bounty...

Well I had better get on... lots to do and I'd better make a start...

xx Alex



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

7 comments:

carole johnston said...

It all looks wonderful, I made those eggs once but forgot about it, thanks for reminding us...looking forward to seeing the paint work finished.

Rose H (UK) said...

I love pickled eggs! Never thought to make my own - DOH!
Your plum ketchup looks good enough to eat ;o)
Glad the bathrooms comming on, looking forward to seeing the end product.
Best wishes
RoseH

Jo said...

Oh my God Alex this is fantastic. Sounds like your having loads of fun. You really do belong on a farm.
I went outside the other day to find a little field mouse in the garden bet you can picture my face hee hee.
Jo x

Taz said...

Wish I lived close enough to get a Xmas hamper :D

Sue at Dollytub Cottage said...

Plum Ketchup.......sounds yummy! I've posted on your facebook wall - you have won the Cath Kidston Giveaway. Congratulations! SueXXX

C said...

wow 4 am that sure was a busy day :) looks yummy x x

Mandy said...

Oooo lovely I pickle eggs always tastier doing it yourself and I make a xmas chutney but never tried much more must tho cos the smell of cinnamon and oranges & cloves etc wafting thro the hose was amazing xx