Preparedness for when

Caterina

GQ:

Chard in soup, chard sauteed in oil with chopped onion and pieces of tomato, chard in garlic and chilli, fried in olive oil, steamed and dressed with olive oil and lemon juice, used to stuff omelettes, savoury pancakes (with a sprinkle of grated cheese and some grated nutmeg), in vegetable lasagne, in stir fry....I could go on, it is a good thing, chard! Is it the one with the large white stems? It is called Bieta o Coste in Italy, you could try to flog it to Italian restaurant, or send me a few Kg as mine did not do too well this year please! I love the stuff!

Catznine to get homemade yogurt thick like the Greek one you need to strain it in a muslin, I do it sometimes and it is delicious. If you want the richness too you can add a shot of cream to it after straining.

I have a really serious case of radishes, help!

grandma247

Gq could you dry some of the chard? I was thinking maybe it could be threaded by the stems and hung upside down like they do with chillies and herbs. I seem to remember you have paid for heating in the winter, could you utilize that heat to dry them quicker.

Catznine you can make your yoghurt thicker by placing a small piece of cloth such as muslin in a sieve and pouring the yoghurt into it and leaving it to drip. Don't throw the liquid away if you make bread, you can use it to replace some of the liquid in the recipe.

[Deleted User]

GQ - Try an italian (preferably family owned, not a chain) or a greek ,think spanakopita etc. BORN BLONDE - A medieval round pavillion sounds just heavenly hope you and the sloes are feeling much better this evening!!! Cheers Lyn x.

ALIBOBSY

ginnyknit wrote: »

Ali where do you get the aloe vera from, I would love some for OH's sores - due to his meds and lousy immune system. I was going to buy a plant the other day but they were a fiver for about 3 shoots

We bought Vaseline aloe fresh moisturising body gel. It is sold more as a skin cooling/moisturising treatment in Tesco, but its just a gel full of aloe vera (aloe is one of the highest ingredients). We used it when DD2 split hot soup on her hand and when OH burn his arm on the iron and its was great. Wasn't that cheap, but comes in a 200ml bottle and seems cheaper than specific "burns" creams.

We also always have sudocreme in as it seems to be brilliant for a number of skin problems not just nappie rash and a big tub lasts for ages.

But definately plenty of cold water for a good while to really cool the tissues down and then the gel.

Ali x

GreyQueen

grandma247 wrote: »

Gq could you dry some of the chard? I was thinking maybe it could be threaded by the stems and hung upside down like they do with chillies and herbs. I seem to remember you have paid for heating in the winter, could you utilize that heat to dry them quicker.

There's a thought! I pay a flat rate for my heating and hot water (£40 a month) as a rent charge, the same winter and summer. But what would I use dried chard in? I'm a so-so cook so apologies if this is glaringly-obvious to everyone else on the planet.:o

Caterina, yes, most of it is the stuff with the white stems and if I were nearer London I'd get some to you but I'm a fair way away and it wilts quickly. I'll seach the interweb for family-Italian restaurants, the only ones I know we have here are the usual chain pizza suspects. But there may be some lurking as I don't eat out (can't afford it) so wouldn't necessarily be aware unless I passed them on the street.

Can't claim any credit for the rampant chardlings other than to note that the ground they're in was well-manured last Nov-Dec and they seem to like it.

D&DD

ooh Caterina radishes that sounds painful! Speaking of which Grandma can I ask what you do with your leaves once dried? Do you use in soups and stuff?? Very handy tip thanks mine usually just go in the compost..

Just watching the pictures on skynews of York RAS it looks so bad there

I love kale chips but daren't smile after eating them :rotfl::o

I need to pick and process the last of the apples today for the storecupboard..reading some of the gardeners comments on here and the grapevine etc seems like the little patio type trees have had a better year than normal size trees.

We have had around 28 apples off one family tree which is greensleeves on one branch and erm a red one on the other.
Our red devil has produced about 17 too so really pleased considering they are only miniarettes!

The guardian has said wonky veg is back :T:T due to the poor harvest crops are down by around 25% will see if I can find a link to the story that was on just now..

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/sep/27/ugly-fruit-vegetables-supermarkets-harvest?INTCMP=SRCH

greenbee

GQ - would your magic green grocer take the chard?

GreyQueen

greenbee wrote: »

GQ - would your magic green grocer take the chard?

I never thought of that! I may just have to ask next time I'm down there!

Hey, has anyone else noticed that thingy on the sidebar of the main MSE site about Royal Mail is now going to roll out the "leaving your items with a neighbour even if you haven't agreed this beforehand" scheme nationwide? As in signed-for things as well as things not fitting thru the letterbox? If you don't active opt out, they'll assume you're OK with this.

Well, hully-gee, Mildred, but some of us don't have the Waltons living next door. I'm horrified that some of my immediate neighbours might end up with my stuff, heaven knows what that bunch of crims would do with it. I've just registered to opt out and they send you a sticker to put on/ near your letter box to make it clear that you're NOT having this.

And what is the mortal point of the sender paying extra for a signed service to prove that YOU got their item if any Tom, !!!!!! or Harriet can sign for it?

Ye gods and little fishes, I thank my lucky stars the day I found MSE (2 years ago this month) or I'd be clueless about half of what's going on in the world around me.

valk_scot

I accidentally let some rocket run to seed on the allotment a few years ago. I've never had to sow rocket since, put it that way. For heavens sake don't let your chard seed again, GQ! It's already achieved weed status. It's one thing to try to use up as much of your crop as possible but it sounds like you've got so much it should now be regarded as a compost ingredient.

Anyone read Home Farmer magazine? It's primarily aimed at smallholders and self sufficiency peeps but it's full of useful info that would be great for preppers. There's an article this month on making cider for example but as well as the usual one there's a Quick Cider recipe which appears to make fizzy mildly alcoholic apple juice in two or three weeks. I was thinking of giving it a go with some of my better windfalls.

You can find Home Farmer in Tesco and other mainstream news stands, it's not difficult to get.

ALIBOBSY

GreyQueen wrote: »

There's a thought! I pay a flat rate for my heating and hot water (£40 a month) as a rent charge, the same winter and summer. But what would I use dried chard in? I'm a so-so cook so apologies if this is glaringly-obvious to everyone else on the planet.:o

Caterina, yes, most of it is the stuff with the white stems and if I were nearer London I'd get some to you but I'm a fair way away and it wilts quickly. I'll seach the interweb for family-Italian restaurants, the only ones I know we have here are the usual chain pizza suspects. But there may be some lurking as I don't eat out (can't afford it) so wouldn't necessarily be aware unless I passed them on the street.

Can't claim any credit for the rampant chardlings other than to note that the ground they're in was well-manured last Nov-Dec and they seem to like it.

GQ chard is pretty indestructable and happily survives winter/frosts/snow. Mine even survived that -15 degrees period last year. So its a great addition to meagre winter stocks. I treat it as 3 different veg. When small it can be a salad leaf or be wilted slightly like spianch. When bigger cut out the rib type stem and cut up and cook like celery and use the leaf like a thicker spinach or a cabbage. I find its earthy flavour gives a lovely background hum in all sorts of stews and sauces. Its fab in spag bol. I grow several different varieties and we love it. Just pull it in spring before it actually produces seeds.

BTW do you know anyone with chickens? Ours love it lol.

Ali x