Apples and Pears

We have been blessed this week with a rather wonderful crate brimming with apples and pears from mum-in-law's garden. Its been a bumper crop for both this year and I've been busy devising more and more schemes to make the most of them, having distributed the bounty as far and wide as possible amongst friends and neighbours. One of the things I love about this time of year and its abundance is the passing on of tips and recipes for storing, freezing, preserving and baking of produce.. I am learning so much. We eat a lot of porridge in the winter, so I have stewed and frozen plenty of fruit to put on top. We only have a small freezer, though .. already made a huge batch of chutney, so looking up new recipes. Please share yours if you know some good ones?

Have found this book from the Soil Association invaluable this year as it has good illustrations of the different varieties of fruit and vegetables and tells which are best for which sorts of thing. Also, as well as full-blown recipes, it has lots of quick and easy ideas for enjoying produce simply (which is ideal when you have a glut and aren't able to spend too many hours in the kitchen!), such as yesterday's upside down cake (recipe to follow)

Pear and Ginger Upside Down Cake

Thickly butter an 8'' sandwich tin and sprinkle liberally with light soft brown sugar.
Lay peeled, cored pear halves attractively on top (I did slices).
Beat 4oz each softened butter, light soft brown sugar, wholemeal SR flour with 2 tspns ground ginger, 1tsp baking powder and 2 eggs.
Spread over the pears.
Bake at 190degreesC(375degreesF/Gas 5) for 20 minutes until just firm.
Turn out.

Vine

We inherited this beautiful vine which grows over our flat-roofed extension (housing our lounge). Its such a lovely thing because it gives shade in the hot part of the year (we are south-facing) but dies back in the winter to let maximum light into the house. We had plumptious dark purple grapes this year, because or inspite of the vigorous haircut we gave it, we're not sure. It is so rampant that it is almost scary .. it has a certain triffid-like quality! But I like it best just about now when it is crimson and every leaf is completely different in pattern and colour.

Sea Finds

Beachcoming on Monday .. a wonderful new way to get a bit of fresh air, tramping along the beach in Brightlingsea where I live. First day wearing anorak and wellies rather than vest and sandals! I love the sound and the smell and feel of the wind and the waves obliterating everything else and transporting you away from your thoughts and troubles to a different place with a wonderful soothing tidal rhythm. And then there's the treasures! I'm officially out collecting sea glass to make pendants (see my craft blog) but the thing that intrigues me most is the sea pottery. Pieces of discarded man-made pot which the forces of nature have broken and tumbled and smoothed to create new treasures. And while my nose is firmly pointed at the floor I'm starting to notice all the little seaside creatures and goings on which are all new to me.

Scarlet and Seedheads

Beautiful afternoon and a chance to soak up the October-ness in the garden.. I love all the scarlet tinges, up the fences and in the leaf litter, a nice foil for the various seedheads.

Fennel seedpods decorated with a bit of spiderwebbiness.

Pretty rosehips.. I love the bright colour.

Sunlight in the creeper which I let grow over the shed roof. Do you remember my Queen of the May from the Tottenham roof garden? Here she is in her new home.

Moon

Just the view from my bedroom window yesterday evening. Love to watch the moon. Suddenly all the little things are just that, little. And I'm back in the bigger picture. As I watch I think all the people who went before me looked up at the moon, and all the people who come after me will do just the same. And its a nice feeling.

Blackberries

What a wonderful morning! We went blackberrying in the sunshine yesterday and came home stained but happy.

Combined with some aged eating apples in a crumble, and have three bags stashed away in the freezer for future puddings and smoothies.

Also made a blackberry oxymel - this is a new thing for me, its from the 'A Year with James Wong' book. Have put the blackberries in a jam jar and covered with cider vinegar and in ten days' time I have to strain it and then it should keep in the fridge. Plan is to dilute it in hot water with honey for a vitamin C drink for the little'un in cold and flu season (and me too, come to that!).

Tree Tribute

Conker

It may be 28 degrees C, but it is also trying to be autumn! I thought you might like to see the little'uns collection of treasures from our recent outing to the nearby Beth Chatto Gardens which has a wonderful woodland area. We collected some beautiful leaves, some acorns (which didn't make it home - expect they'll turn up in the glove compartment or my glasses case or somewhere untoward!) and this fantastic feather, which we think might have belonged to an owl? The conker is from Brightlingsea, the first one of the season. I've always loved picking up conkers, so I was pleased to discover in one of the James Wong books that you can actually use them for healing, rather than just knocking the seven bells out of other conkers with them (must be a boy thing!). If I had, or knew anyone with, varicose veins I would definitely be making them this.