day 6

An autumn tradition is pear and ginger cake when my pears ripen. When you make a cake only once a year, there's little room for experimentation. However, I have decided that this cake would be improved by adding fresh ginger to it to make it more gingery. I've already doubled the ginger spice but it still does not meet my need for a real ginger hit. Next year? Or should I break the rules and make it again? A month in lockdown, all rules are up for breaking.
PS. it's an Annabelle Langbein recipe - Sticky date cake which just happens to have pears and ginger in it.

christmas cake - √

The Christmas cake is made. I bake it in a wooden box which cooks it perfectly with no burnt edges. It has been 'fed' with brandy top and bottom, wrapped and put away. I will feed it once more at the beginning of December then again when I ice it. Feels good to be organised and I know it will taste all the better for it.

when life gives you lemons

When life gives you lemons...make lemon curd.
I love lemons. Lots of people had a bumper crop last year (2013). Thank you Olive and Mum - I made a double batch of lemon curd for Christmas.

iggy

It's been so busy, this blog has been totally neglected for over a month. Now I'm in catch up mode.

I told my heavily pregnant daughter for two weeks that she would 'pop soon'. And on the 12 October she finally did, giving birth to a very healthy 10lb boy named Iggy. It's a very cute name and you do get used to it. However if my father was alive, he would be calling him George or Tom or something very plain. I have two great nephews, Dante and Phoenix whom Dad nicknamed Bill and Fred.
Iggy Daniel Morris, after his crazy Uncle Daniel!
No I didn't knit him anything or make him any quilts but I'm sure his time will come for his own quilt. However I did buy him a cute stripy cardy from my favourite shop for people who don't knit!  -  Purple Patch.

One week old.

One day old.

One month old.

smashing raspberries

Did you know that, according to Google (how would we live without Google?), there are approximately 720,000 seeds in 18 kilograms of raspberries? And I removed every one of those seeds by hand. I never thought I would ever say that I have had my fill of raspberries. Raspberry coulis - tick.

parsley, sage, rosemary and ...

oregano, coriander, mint, basil, spearmint, vietnamese mint. I love being able to pick fresh herbs whenever the fancy takes me. They are the most satisfying thing to grow.

crisis

A sight that has never been of concern before but now it signals a crisis!
My Marmite jar is empty:-(

lemon tart

I had an urge to make lemon tart, having never made one before. I do love lemon.

mother's day

A mother's day tradition in the making. After 10 years of research I finally made genuine mille feuilles to celebrate mothers day. Magnifique!