It is tough NOW. So how are we coping

mardatha

good on you VH, your mum must've been very brave to move so far from home, I dont think I could ...

jamanda

For the record, I made pea pod wine along with lots of other sorts.

My pea pod wine was awful. Our friends call us the "Goodes" but even we couldn't drink it. Although the blackcurrent was so strong I put the hydrometer in and it just dropped down and smashed (the more alcohol in the wine the lower it floats).

You can actually make your own wine from lots of free stuff, only costing a bag of sugar for a demijohn full, and most are acceptable, some are good, odd ones are excellent - but the peapod - yeuck...

maryb

Sylvan

to make the toffee sauce you need to melt the butter in a fairly sturdy saucepan then add the sugar and stir over a medium to high heat until it goes caramelly. Be a bit careful - it can spit . Sometimes it separates and won't come together properly, you get a lump of toffee with an oily pool of melted butter. If that happens just add a teaspoonful or so of cream and stir like mad.

Primrose

I've just been experimenting with growing salad leaves indoors. At this time of year it has been a complete waste of time as a few shoots have come up so spindly through lack of light that it wasn't worth wasting the seed. However, mustard and cress, and other sprouting seeds in a big jar jar fare much better, so if you want a little greenery in winter from a kitchen window sill, these are worth trying.

champys

jamanda wrote: »

For the record, I made pea pod wine along with lots of other sorts.

You can actually make your own wine from lots of free stuff, only costing a bag of sugar for a demijohn full, and most are acceptable, some are good, odd ones are excellent - but the peapod - yeuck...

jamanda - this is probably material for a different thread or a pm, but do you have a simple recipe to make apple wine (you seem to have lots of experience!). DH has steam-extracted and temporarily bottled a lot of apple juice for the purpose, he has the demijohn and some other kit I think, but now nothing happens 'because he hasn't got a recipe'. If you could help I would be most grateful!

jamanda

champys wrote: »

jamanda - this is probably material for a different thread or a pm, but do you have a simple recipe to make apple wine (you seem to have lots of experience!). DH has steam-extracted and temporarily bottled a lot of apple juice for the purpose, he has the demijohn and some other kit I think, but now nothing happens 'because he hasn't got a recipe'. If you could help I would be most grateful!

Sorry, I haven't. I stopped making it because I got a bit carried away and ended up with 84 demijohns full. All free stuff (from hedgerows or garden), but the amount of work, time and storage was getting ridiculous. I gave all my stuff away apart from a few demijohns too. I used to start with the dandelions, then on to the hawthorn blossom, then elderberry blossom, etc. etc. as the season wore on.

I've just tried to do you a recipe from memory, but senility set in and I can't remember how much water you need, but I seem to think there is a wine section on Allotments4All in the recipe bit if you google it.

Be careful - it is very strong. A friend had two glasses one evening and apparently had to crawl the last quarter of a mile home. For ever after that would only drink coffee!!

Good luck with it. If you find a recipe and need any help, feel free to find me - I just can't remember the flipping quantities for you.

J

jamanda

Forgot to say - never steam extracted anything (don't know what that is) - just cleaned stuff and chopped it up and chucked it in.

j

Just checked - Google Allotmens 4 All - go to Forums and there are wine recipes under "Drink". They are a helpful lot too.

champys

jamanda wrote: »

I seem to think there is a wine section on Allotments4All in the recipe bit if you google it.

Be careful - it is very strong. A friend had two glasses one evening and apparently had to crawl the last quarter of a mile home. For ever after that would only drink coffee!!

Good luck with it. If you find a recipe and need any help, feel free to find me - I just can't remember the flipping quantities for you.

J

Thank you - I'll have a look there!

rosieben

There are some wine recipes here and another tea wine recipe here

I used to make a lot of wine, I remember that tea wine was a spectacular success, coltsfoot wine was like champagne (not sure if you can do this now as all wild flowers are protected?) and I used to love parsnip wine (teetotal now so wont be making any more though!)

I had lots of recipes at one time, if I can find any I'll post them.

champys

rosieben wrote: »

There are some wine recipes here and another tea wine recipe here

I used to make a lot of wine, I remember that tea wine was a spectacular success, coltsfoot wine was like champagne (not sure if you can do this now as all wild flowers are protected?) and I used to love parsnip wine (teetotal now so wont be making any more though!)

I had lots of recipes at one time, if I can find any I'll post them.

Thanks rosieben, lots of interesting stuff there!