Gardening Organically and Cooking

Beautiful day here in S. E. England, so I took advantage of it. I sowed winter lettuce in a trough in the greenhouse, and also sowed land cress, mizuna and rocket in trays. I use home made compost and add liquid manure to it i.e. chicken manure steeped in water. A couple of days ago I boiled rosehips and cooking apples until they were soft. I then left the mixture to strain through a jelly bag. I didn't have time to make the jelly so I put the liquid in the fridge. Today, I m...ade the jelly. Phew, it's always difficult to judge when the fruit has set. I also made macaroni cheese and cooked potato, carrots and runner beans from the garden for lunch. For desert I had stewed Bramley Apples - the apples from the garden. Then, with a little time left over I made scones to have with butter and homemade jam before I give my daughter a hand with her children this evening. All in all a very satisfying morning.

Writing Target, Cooking, Cook in a Stately Home

This morning I met my writing target earlier than usual. After breakfast I nipped out to get some milk and take some money out of the bank.

After I came home I made 4lbs of redcurrant jelly. (I didn't have time to make it before I went on holiday at the end of July, so I boiled the redcurrants with the correct amount of water, strained it through muslin and put the liquid in the freezer.) Next I made a blackberry and apple pie, after which I made more mango ice-cream - the g...randchildren will really love me this year as its their favourite homemade ice cream. I then made my lunch, a vegetable pie, sweetcorn, potatoes, gravy and home grown runner beans. By the time the kitchen was clean and tidy I needed to put my feet up after I ate.

How did a cook in a stately home cope? Meals for the upper class and dinner parties etc., as well as meals for the servants. No electric gadgets such as food mixers and blenders, no fridges, freezers and dishwashers. Ranges fuelled by wood or coal etc. etc. How on earth did the cook keep going even if she had kitchen staff?

Writing Targets. Weather Forecast, Cooking, Plum Cordial and More

The weather forecast predicts rain so I shall cook after I finish this morning's writing targets. To start with I'm going to make plum cordial. I shall simmer the bullace, small wild plums with water until they are soft, then strain them through muslin overnight. Tomorrow, I shall bring the liquid to the boil add sugar, stir the cordial until the sugar has dissolved and then bottle it in sterilised bottles. I am also going to make several strawberry ice cream and at least two batches of mango ice cream which I shall freeze. (My ice cream maker is an excellent investment.) Finally I shall make a vegetarian large three bean bake with black eye-beans, cannelloni beans and freshly picked runner beans. I shall add deep fried cubes of paneer, an Indian cheese, which will soak up the flavours of the tomato and spices.