It was getting tough in 2006 and the workhouse still threatens us in 2011

HariboJunkie

ChocClare I have poached pears and preserved them in sugared vinegar with cinnamon and star anise. They went really well with baked gammon. :drool:

Or there is this recipe which I have only done with apples.

jediteacher

Just watching the news with the father of one of the young men murdered in Birmingham last night - tears running down my face. The young men were protecting their area from these yobs. It is just soo sad and the other two were brothers. I cannot imagine how their poor families are feeling. I suppose in some ways it was inevitable that someone would be killed due to the huge level of vilence and wanton destruction of these feral yobs.

We really as a country need to stop this very namby pamby approach to crime and this youth gang culture that we have. Power needs to be handed back to people in authority - police, teachers.

I know that working as a teacher these last 15 years I have seen a huge increase in the 'power' of children. The worst thing is that parents will take the word of their child over yours. I have been confronted by violent parents yelling and waving their fists at me as I've had to discipline their child despite the fact that their child was fighting, swearing, bullying. Children yell out at you that they will 'sue you' if you discipline them. It is disgusting. People may not agree but I strongly feel that children have far too much power now and a strong culture towards gangs. I also blame very poor parenting!

Rant over.


On a more OS note I had a no spend day yesterday and hope to have another today. In a little while I am going to pick up my M*rrisons vouchers.:j

Sorted out the toy drawers in the living room but still have a long way to go. Stuck on the sofa at the moment as my little boy is asleep in my arms - not something I encourage but he's really suffering today with his reflux.

Our raspberries came in early this year so we have none left. I did however get most of them before the birds. I made some lovely raspberry cheesecakes, sponges, scones and muffins.

boultdj

mambury wrote: »

I also have my own mature elder tree so I am waiting for the berries to ripen there, anyone got any good recipes for elderberries??

What kind of recipe do you want? I'v got wine,jam,jelly,syrup and vinegar for elderberry.

grandmasam

Greent.. thanks for the info re gloucester,I am in germany for 2 more weeks and worried as I live in the area that was targetted. Horrifying whats happening at home.
Have been foraging here whilst ds3 and family over there, made blackberry jam, and done some sloe gin for them for christmas.Have picked 3kgs of rhubarb from the garden and frozen it, now going to look up a beetroot relish recipe to make that as well.

caz

catznine

Feeling better now but was very low this morning! Probably an after reaction to all the stress and worry! Also the sad news, those poor men in Birmingham and their families! Just walked down the garden with the sun shining, birds singing and picked a goodly amount of runner beans which I will slice. blanch and freeze away. Lifted my spirits immediately (after a little tear or two:o) Just made a jelly up from the app food order which we will have with other stuff from them (evap milk and fruit salad) for real comfort food!

Just feeling in control of our lives, well the food side for now anyway, helps counteract the despondency!

Off to process some of the fruit and veg from the fortnightly organic box delivery, I hate to waste any of it these days! A couple of the kiwis will get chopped and added to the fruit cocktail, carrots grated for a salad or cake, courgettes sliced, sauted in olive oil and garlic and heated through with some chopped tomatoes and herbs (we will have that tonight with some leftover chicken!)

(((hugs))) to anyone else feeling sad and down!

Catz x

crumblepie

I have ruined the batch of jam I was making. I thought it was ready and put it into jars but it was still runny. So put it back into the saucepan and reboiled. I [STRIKE]may[/STRIKE] have had a minor overboiling accident as it's now very dark gloop....:o

Still put into back into the jars though. It will either be very sweet, dark jam that's edible or sweet, dark sugary gloop that's not. It's currently staring at me from the kitchen in a very dark and threatening way.

mardatha

Tell it firmly to behave itself and settle down or you'll put it into ice creams and crumbles !

boultdj

Elderberry Chutney

1 lb elderberries, cleaned and all storks removed
1 lb apple [after peeling and coring] chopped
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 pint of vinegar
1 teaspoon of pickling spice
1 lb onions [grated or finly chopped]
12 oz sugar
1 teaspoon of ground ginger
2-4 oz dreid fruit [optional]

1. put the onion in a pan with 1/8 pint of vinegar and simmer till nearly soft.
2. add the apple, dried fruit,salt,ground ginger, spices[tied in a muslin bag] and just enough vinegar to stop the mixture from burning.
3. cook gently till fruit is soft, stiring from time to time.
4. add sugar and remaining vinegar,stir thoroughly.
5. boil steadily till chutney is thick.
6. remove pickling spice.
7. pour into hot jars.



As you can see it's an old recipe, nowaday's you can use ready spiced vinegar, and sorry I'm no good at finding the metric size's.

SDG31000

ChocClare wrote: »

I take back everything I said about wanting to hear about people's goodies. You've made me STARVING now!!!! Mmmmm.... cake....

Sorry ChocClare, if I had cake to send then I would.
Cardamon Loaf Cake recipe is in one of the Hummingbird Bakery books. It's basically a 4 egg sponge recipe with one egg replaced with 2 tbsp of sour cream and the ground up seeds from 10 cardamon pods. It does keep well and the flavour develops as you leave it.
Choc cookie recipe is HFW's. http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/chefs/hugh-fearnley-whittingstall/chocolate-chip-cookies-recipe
They are sinful when still warm and gooey.
I use a basic lemon drizzle cake recipe, but put half the cake mix in the tin then add spoonfuls of lemon curd, top with the remaining cake mix and then bake as normal.
I want cake NOW too

Lavandula

ceridwen wrote: »

Maybe next year - if you feel the stuff will be stolen anyway before you can get at it - then is there something "natural" you could spray the bushes with that wouldnt damage the bushes but WOULD make anyone picking from them just for that one year get...errr...rather ill? Hopefully that would solve the problem and they would be put off coming stealing again in future years and you could resume "business as normal" and pick them yourselves?

Surely you are not serious? You could get into some serious trouble. What if the berries were eaten by innocent passers by and also what about the birds and other wildlife that eat the berries (mice etc)?