Fallen figs
I found a fig tree that is accessible! Walking along Pembroke road eyes on the pavement and there were figs all over the ground. I look up and there is a squat half bare fig tree! The leaves have nearly all dropped off and a few figs still clinging on to the tree for dear life…. They’re mine!
Next job is trying to grow from seed, which will take a bit of research but I will get there. I watched Grand Designs on C4 last night and they had built a beautiful Eco house and also added an orchard and vegetable patch- my dream! They also got paid by the council as their house produced so much solar power they were putting energy into the grid! Amazing! …. One day, one day!
Xxx
I’m poor, homemade christmas it is!
My first christmas back to work, so sending my child to nursery and paying for bills make it a homemade christmas! I love christmas! I really want to make it feel festive and homely in the flat so I am going to go all out for christmas this year….. but december is approaching! eek! First things first…. Christmas decor! I have experimented with salt dough already for me chat decor at my wedding and it works a treat, so now I am going to make tree decor and candle holders out of it(this first post is about what I am planning, then a future post will be results). Another thing I really want for my son is an advent calendar and stocking, I am going to buy some felt this week and going to make myself, my fiancé and my son stockings and then finally a Xmas tree advent calendar with pockets so I can put something in each day. My son is only 18 months and probably doesn’t understand Xmas, but start them early hey?! We are also as a family only giving each other 1 present each(or a few little presents for my son) as we know he will get spoilt rotten by the extended family that I don’t want him to expect huge amounts every year. Christmas candle holders are important as they can add festive ambience in a room. Two ideas for this- 1. Jam jars decorated with glitter/paper snowflakes. 2. Using salt dough to make taper candle holder bases (cutting them thickly out of christmas cookie cutters)
A few really good websites I have found to make your own ornaments and christmas……
HP have created a printable christmas! I love the ornamental bird. Remember you could use any paper you want just use it as a template.
http://www.hp.com/hho/hp_create/themes_holidays_christmas.html
How to make a stunning Christmas paper snowflake.
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-3D-Paper-Snowflake
The other part of a poor christmas is the presents. I have been making chutneys and jams for my wedding favours so I have LOADS of it! So I am making christmas hampers for everyone(immediate family will receive requested homemade presents). The list will include….
1. Jam or Chutney
2. Sloe gin
3. Christmas biscuits
4. Mini Christmas cake
5. Bath Bombs
That’s it so far. I am still trying to think about a few more things as I need more generic things people would like (for my fiancé’s family etc). I will be updating this further over the next few weeks, with photos! let me know if anyone has any good ideas i can add!
xxx
Crab apples
I found a crab apple tree! Super happy! It is in someone’s front garden but it’s mostly hanging over the pavement so I took a few. I have already taken the seeds out and left them on the side to dry them out and then they go into the fridge for their winter.
There are pumpkin seeds and apple seeds already in the fridge, which is where they’ll stay for 2 months – Complete experiment but worth a try. I am going to record everything I do to see if it works, if it doesn’t I’ll try again!
Sloe Chutney
My parents have a house in France which they are renovating and behind huge amounts of brambles and weeds they found an apple orchard and Sloe trees. I am currently learning as much as possible about these so I can grow and look after them myself one day. I hope to go out there next summer for as long as possible so I can harvest the fruit and possibly plant more fruit trees I have grown from seed. This is why I want to start now as I have heard it can take up to 2 year for a seed to germinate…. Patients is not my most redeeming feature!
So for now my mum and dad brought loads of sloes back from France, when I mean loads I mean 5 shopping bags full and apparently this wasn’t half of them! The last time I went to france was when my son was 3 months, so didn’t get to do much exploring, now he’s 18 months he would happily explore by himself and I can keep an eye on him from a distance. So I am hoping to go there next year to figure out the different trees and fruit they have there. But I made a Sloe Chutney with the fruit brought back to go towards my wedding favours and I managed to make 8 jars of it with second-hand jam and sauce jars I had collected, which I thought was impressive as Jam doesn’t seem to stretch very far. The recipe is listed below, but i left out the chilli powder as I am not a chilli fan. The jar will be opened in December as it needs 3 months maturing, so perfect timing.
Enjoy!
xxx
Sloe Chutney
1 lb Sloes
2 tart apples, peeled, cored and chopped
2 medium sized onions, sliced
1lb raisins
1 teaspoon of hot chilli powder
2 inch piece of fresh root ginger, grated
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
12 cloves
juice and grated rind of 2 oranges
1lb of soft brown sugar
1 pint of organic white wine vinegar
Put the ingredients in a large cooking pot and stir, using a wooden spoon. Bring to the boil and stir occasionally. Reduce the heat so the mixture simmers, stir occasionally, for 3 hours or until it is thick. Ladel into clean, warm jars. Cover, label and leave in a cool place for a couple of months.
Berry Obsessed!
Ok so in my new job we sell quite a few creative books that I flick through even now and again off shift and found one I love! It’s called ‘The Thrifty Forager’ and its made me start looking for loads of fruit and trees etc. Its pretty overwhelming when you first start as you don’t have a clue how to identify different trees and shrubs – there are so many! So I have decided to keep it simple….. Berries are everywhere at the moment and I am very interested in seeing which ones are edible (and nice) and which ones are toxic. I have found a website that shows you the basics of what berry is what but more research needs to be done before I start making toxic jams and pies…. wouldn’t be a great start hey?
The other thing I am doing is keeping an eye out for 2 tree species that are easy to identify. They won’t necessarily be in season but the first is a fig tree and the leaf is very distinctive that I could keep it in my records for next summer. The second is quince. I have already mentioned in my previous post that I am dying to find a true Quince tree as it is so hard to find. Quince are just about to go out of season so now is the time to hunt for it as the main thing I would love is seeds, in The Thrifty Forager book it promotes collecting seed from your findings if you can as it is keeping the cycle going and in 10 years time you will have your own fruit tree.
On the way home tonight I found some Rosehip(Rosa) hanging out of someones garden onto the pavement. My first berry! Rosehip is quite easy to find although you won’t always find large quantities in one place in the city. So its down to some research on storing and freezing it until I use it. Some experienced foragers may laugh at me by getting excited by Rosehip, but I am new to this and learning. I think I also found Bilberries on Kellaway Avenue. For these 2 I am going to attempt to also take clippings, which I am sure will fail this time of year but worth a go. Most of my clippings have done well but they haven’t experienced a winter yet- yet to buy a green house!
So to finish up…. Tonight will be a night of research on these 2 berries I have found and also learning how to identify the others before I kill someone with guess work! Let me know if you have some advice.
x
I need quince in my life!
I’m on the hunt for true quince! I have found 2 shrubs that are just decorative, so a bit useless. It was once very common but now no one really knows about it! I had only heard of it the other day and I’m 27! My fiancée’s aunty told me about them as she has a Japanese on in the garden. The fruit is rock hard. If anyone knows where I can find one, in Bristol, I would be truly grateful.
I have seen that 2 brothers charge money in Bristol to show people great foraging places. Crazy! It doesn’t take much to do this yourselves! If you live in the Bristol area then keep an eye on here and I will update over the next year about where and when you can get some foraging treats!
I’m exploring the downs tomorrow and recording leaves to identify trees. Then I can plan for next year, but I wish I did this last year so I could make more jams for free for my wedding favours! Live and learn x
Apple with a hint of Rose petal jam
Well today I made ‘Apple with a hint of Rose petal Jam’. Smelt amazing!!! I wanted to make Rose petal jam but picked some roses but didn’t get enough so decided to add some apples to bulk it up…. The sweetness from the apples mixed with the perfume from the roses were a perfect duo. I kind of made it up as I went along, but I think it worked? Here’s the recipe….
Apple with a hint of Rose petal jam.
2 cooking apples
500ml rose petals
1/2 lemon
250g Tate and lyle preserving sugar
250ml water
Ok boil the apples, petals and water together until the apple becomes soft, then add the half lemon as is.
Leave to bubble slightly for another 10 mins. Take the lemon out and pour in the sugar when the apple looks like purée.
Get your sterilised jars ready.
Turn the heat up high so the it boils and creates a bubbling foam on top for about 15 mins(stir every 5 to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom). Skim off the White foam.
Turn the temperature down to test the jam.
Take a small bit of jam out and put it on a cold plate. Once cool put your finger through the jam and if it leaves a line in the middle then it’s ready to pour into the jars. If it looks to runny still, turn up the heat!
Once setting temperature is reached pour straight into the sterilised jars right to the top and screw the lids on immediately.
Allow to cool and store!(or eat!)
This recipe only makes about 2 medium jars so double it if u want! But enjoy! 
Update….
Ok this an update from earlier. They cooked well, a little bumpy(might need to prick with a fork before cooking) but I think that adds to the homemade feel. I have painted them a cream colour as that’s all I had available but might raid my mums art room for more. I will play around with designs and post them up!
I should be cleaning the bathroom…
Ok so I should be scrubbing the bathroom but making stuff is much more fun!
I had a brainwave this morning about decorations at my wedding for the back of the chairs or to hang in the trees. When I was in nursery + primary school we used to make Xmas decorations every year using homemade baking ingredients. So quick google I find the ingredients…..
BAKED DOUGH ORNAMENTS
2c Flour
1c Salt
1c Water
Preheat oven to 150
Mix all ingredients until well blended. Roll dough out on waxed paper and cut into desired shapes. Make a hole at the top of each ornament using a straw, pencil, toothpick or similar object. Bake for 2-3-hours in 150 degree oven.
TIPS AND TRICKS
TURNING ornaments over during the drying process will prevent edges from curling.
USE a clear varnish or spray on gloss to preserve ornaments. Simply dip them into varnish or paint on with craft paintbrush when finished decorating. Allow to dry thoroughly before hanging.
This is just an experiment. Waiting for them to cook at the moment, but might go find some decent sized cookie cutters later. Will decorate the test ones tomorrow and post for all to see!
Let me know if you have any tips!?<br
Next patchwork…
This is my next piece of patchwork. I’m going to attempt a quilt if I have enough fabric. My mum dropped off loads of scraps of fabric that she found when she was clearing her house out. At the moment I am doing the boring bit of cutting as many squares out as possible…. Yawn! It will be worth it, I’m sure!
