betterlatethannever

The smell of honey

We have two swarm of bees living in our bedroom wall, or at least I think there are two.  One arrived seven years ago and the second two years later.  I am convinced the yellow stain on the wall is honey and that the cavities are running with it and stuffed with honeycomb, enough to keep legions of bees alive in the coldest, longest winter.  Sometimes I think I can smell it. 

Three Good Reasons

Three good reasons for living in this part of the world.  

The big skies

the wide open views 

and the sunsets.

Red or Rose´?

The first of the vines were planted in the walled garden here in Somerby in 2006.  Our neighbour Bill returned in a state of excitement after a trip to the Rhine.  He dearly wanted to plant some vines as he felt that the topography of Somerby very similar to that of the area he had just visited.  The first of the 150 German hybrids where planted in the walled garden. Today there are 14,000 vines in Somerby. Last weekend Shaun planted 170 more along the wall of the garden. He hopes that the warmth generated there will produce a good environment for the red variety, Regent.  Fingers crossed.

Good old roasted vegetables - for warmth

What to eat on overcast late spring days to warm the cockels? I'm roasting vegetables, also a way to clean out everything in the vegetable drawer. Chop your vegetables to the size you like and add garlic and herbs to taste.  Roll them all around with oil. Add a bit of balsamic vinegar for sweetness, if you like. Season with salt and pepper and roast. I cover with foil for the first half hour so as not to burn. Remove it and let the vegetables get gooey and sweet.

roasted vegetables

2 red onions, quartered

2 peppers - red, green or yellow, quartered

2 leeks, cut into batons

2 aubergine, chunks

4 parsnips, in batons, rounds, or chunks

1 sweet potato, chunks

1 knob of garlic, cut in half

basil and thyme

olive oil

pepper and salt

Cut vegetables into similar sizes, I keep them quite large,

following the example of the quartered onions. 

Put them all together in a large baking tray and roll about in 

oil, at least a couple of really good gulgs.

Season with salt, pepper, herbs and bake in a moderate

oven for approximately an hour.  Depends if you like them

al dente or really gooey.

 

 

Learning to Love

The table that needs sanding and painting,

the concrete post in the wrong place,

the nest in my potting shed,

the wheel-less barrow,

the fountain the pigs twisted out of shape,

the warped stable door that won't close properly,

the temporary barricade,

the saplings in the crew yard that are becoming trees,

the container for nettles,

the unhung door, 

the rusty trough,

the worrying lintel,

the Fliteless mower,

the structural problems,

the gap between the roof and the wall,

the rubble,

the embedded plough, and 

the washing up.

A Little Bit Cheesy - revisited

I don't know where I found this recipe, but it's a great way to use left over nuggets of cheese, just use what's going. It is very easy and perfect to have with a drink on a warm, late spring evening or, as the case may be at the moment, snuggled beside a roaring fire.  

CHEESE BISCUITS

125g butter, chilled and cubed

70g cheddar, grated

50g parmesan, grated

150g flour, plain

a pinch or two of cayenne

 

Put all ingredients in the food processor with ¼ tsp salt. 

Use the pulse action until ingredients are combined. 

Remove the dough and form it into a ball, then divide in half.

Roll and shape each ball into a log, 23cm x 3 cm wide.

Roll in baking paper and chill for an hour.

The dough can be frozen at this point.

 

Preheat the oven to 180 centigrade.

Cut each log into 5mm slices.  Put on a baking tray lined

with baking paper and bake for 12 – 15 minutes, or until

pale gold in colour. I sprinkle with a little extra grated cheese

before baking. Cool on a wire rack.

 

Store in an airtight container.

 

 

 

 

The Fruit of the Tree - Chelsea 2013

An unexpected and impromtu visit to the 100th Chelsea Flower Show was a delightful way to begin the week, thanks to the gift of a ticket from a dear friend.  There was so much to see and so much to inspire. This exhibition in the Great Pavilion is particularly wonderful. East Malling Research is 100 years old this year too and there can be few if any apples, pears, strawberries, or indeed any fruit consumed anywhere in the world today, that have not been influenced in some way by research conducted at East Malling.  This apple tree has been uprooted to reveal all. 

What an Apple Tree

We have three, one hundred year old bramleys in the walled garden, left over from the days when produce from this garden would have fed everyone in the community from the big house to the farm workers.  The blossom this year is prolific and a fantastic thing to behold.

The Darling Buds of May

Beautiful, beautiful Bluebell Wood is irridesent in all it's glory. The long, long winter has benefited the bulbs this season, in the garden and the woods. I make sure my walk takes me there at least a couple of times a day.  It is bliss, pure delight to behold.

Rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb

Twisting the first fresh, pink stalks of rhurbarb is definitely a spring thing.  Poach it gently to an irridesent, soft pinkness or bake it a la Nigel Slater. Delicious.

roast rhubarb with cassis and ginger

 Nigel Slater

750g rhubarb

3 tablespoons sugar

150mls water

a small wineglass of cassis

a thumb of ginger

Set the oven at 200C.  Trim the rhubarb, discarding the leaves.

Cut into short lengths.  Put these batons into a shallow baking dish and

add the sugar, water and cassis.  Peel the ginger, slicing it thinly and tuck

it into the liquid.  Bake for 40 minutes or so, until tender.  Serve with

juices and whatever else takes or fancy. I mixed equal quantities of

mascarpone and crème fraiche with icing sugar to taste.

Serves 4 generously