HER KITCHEN

 

October 2006

 

To quote the poet John Keats now is the time “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness”. There has been the most amazing crop of apples and pears this year. Even the forest crab apple trees have been laden. My husband and I went to an area called “The Compound” where there are several crab apple trees, my husband recalled, that before the war this wood was lived in by diddicoys, it  made you think how tough they must have been to live out all the year round. We gathered large bag of fallen crab apples (we managed to beat the forest ponies to it as they love to eat them) It makes wonderful jelly, and such a beautiful colour!

 

 

Crab Apple Jelly

 

Wash the fruit and cut in half, place in a preserving pan, allow approx. a pint of water to a pound of fruit. Simmer gently until soft. Strain the juice through a jelly bag, do not squeeze the bag or the jelly will be cloudy. To each pint of liquid add a pound of castor sugar. Bring to the boil, until the setting point is reached, 102 C. or test on a cold plate by running your finger over a dollop of jelly; if it crinkles it will set. Remove any scum with a spoon. Pour into small jars heated in a low oven. Then cover immediately.

 

This is lovely with cold meat, or you can add a spoonful to flavour gravy.

 

 

A Day Out At Exbury!

 

On September 16th my husband I went to Exbury Gardens for a conducted tour with the head gardener, followed by a New Forest Breakfast. It was most enjoyable, to be with someone so knowledgeable about his subject, there were so many varieties of trees to look at, we were impressed with their condition as it has been such a dry summer, but we were told that Exbury has its own irrigation system with their own Bore Hole. Here  are a few of the pictures I took.

 

 

The Herbaceous Border

 

 

Exbury House.

 

 

 

 

The Hickory Tree.