May 2011 ~ Indoor Gardening

Flowering Cactus

Flowers all out at the same time
We have had this cactus for years but usually only get one flower at a time

May 2011 ~ Bombus Hypnorum

Bombus Hypnorum

Bee, licking the inside of tulip petals; you can see his red 'tongue'
This bee was busy on this flower for well over 10 minutes

Bombus Hypnorum, bee, on Ceanothus

This year instead of Blue-tits we have bees in the nesting box
We have researched them and found they are a fairly recent arrival to our shores

Bombus Hypnorum is a tree bee which presumably explains why they like the position of this box which is fixed at first floor level


These two passed each near the box

March 2011 ~ The Growing Year Starts Again

March 2011

It is a year since I started this blog and I am quite pleased with the way it has worked out.
Recently there has been a gap as we were away through the whole of February so I pretty much missed the crocuses and snowdrops.

I was delighted though to get home and see the Daphne looking so amazing.

Daphne ~ Best Flowering Ever
This plant was covered and flattened by 8" of snow twice last year and I would not have been surprised if I had 'lost' it but here it is flowering better than ever and smelling so sweetly.

Last September I planted dozens of new daffodils and so I am waiting to see what has survived and flowers and see if I can recognise any of them with their different varieties.

In the meantime here is the Forsythia in all its glory

Forsythia

Winter 2010/2011 Signs of Life

December 2010 ~ Winter Snow

Snow Cover

Medlar Preserving ~ Spicy Medlar & Apple Chutney

Medlar in November
(and the chutney)

The tree before a frost

Two days later after a frost

The ripe but un-bletted fruit

Spicy Medlar and Apple Chutney

(Thanks to Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
with slight variations)

Ingredients

• 3-4 tbsp sunflower oil
• 4 tbsp mustard seeds
• 2 tbsp crushed black peppercorns
• 1 tbsp fenugreek seeds
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp turmeric
• 5-7cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 6 fresh red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
• 2kg Bramley apples, cored and chopped
• 500g dark Muscovado sugar
• 500ml cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp salt
• The left over pulp from the medlar jelly, or about 700g pears, peeled, cored and chopped

Put a rubbish film on and sit a willing husband down with the pulp to push through the colander to get rid of any lumps, pips or hard skins ;-)

Measure the mustard seeds

Grind the black pepper and measure the spices

Chop the de-seeded chillies and grate the ginger

Warm the sunflower oil

1. Warm the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over a medium heat and add the spices, stirring well and frying until the mustard seeds just begin to pop. This will only take a minute or so – be careful not to scorch the spices. Add the ginger and chillies, stir well, and fry gently for few minutes.

Add the cider vinegar

2. Tip the chopped apples into a large preserving pan and pour over the spices.

3. Add the sugar, vinegar and salt, along with the left over pulp from the medlar jelly, or the pears if you are using them instead.

4. Stir over a low heat until the sugar dissolves, then simmer for about 2 hours until thickened, stirring occasionally and adding a little water if you think it’s beginning to look too thick.


5. Bottle in warm, sterilised jars, filling the jars really full as the mixture will shrink slightly as it cools. Seal with vinegar-proof lids.

It's nice to have saved some jars that match

A very satisfactory weekend's work

Medlar Preserving ~ Medlar Jelly

Medlar In November
(and the jelly)

Before a frost

Two days later after a frost

The ripe but un-bletted fruit

Medlar Jelly Recipe

(With thanks to Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall)

Medlars picked and bletted in the freezer as we don't get enough frost at this time of the year in Hampshire and we want the jelly and chutney as Christmas presents

Quartered and de-pipped medlars
The de-pipping at this stage makes the chutney making stage very much easier

1. Quarter the medlars. Peel and chop the apples and tip the fruit into a preserving pan, or any heavy-bottomed, deep, wide pan, with just enough water to cover.
Or better still ask your husband to do it ;-)

2. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30-45 minutes, until the medlars are soft and pulpy.

Gently add the medlar and apple mixture ~ do not rush this or the straining bag might fall into the bowl!

3. Strain through a jelly bag on a stand set over a large bowl. Don't be tempted to poke, squeeze or force the pulp through the bag or you'll get a cloudy jelly, just leave it to drip over the bowl for several hours or overnight.

The resulting pulp should be saved for various chutney recipes

4. Measure the juice, pour into a clean preserving pan and bring to boiling point before adding the sugar (for every 1l of juice, add 650g of sugar). Stir, in one direction only to reduce foam, until sugar is totally dissolved then boil rapidly for 8 minutes or until the setting point is reached. If you have a preserving thermometer, it should read 104.5°C; if you don’t have a thermometer, drop a little jelly onto a saucer which you have chilled in the fridge. Let the jelly cool for a minute then push it gently with your finger. If it crinkles, it has reached its setting point. Remove from the heat and skim off any scum using a slotted spoon.

Liquid being heated gentlyas sugar dissolves

Liquid at a rolling boil ~ 100 degrees very quickly but I am looking for 104.5 or setting point if cooler

102 Degrees, not 104.5, but setting

Jelly at setting point despite not quite getting to temperature

A good amount of jelly from one tree

All jarred up and cooling

Deep rose red jelly

All lined up ~ Ready for the Christmas Day Venison and many roast lamb dinners and cold meat suppers