I’ve given them away, steeped them in brandy, turned them into jelly, baked them and stewed them. This year’s quince harvest has been a bumper one and it seemed a shame to waste it. They perfumed the kitchen for weeks… Read More ›
Fruit picking
All-in-One Blackberry Cake
Every year I’m surprised when blackberries are ripe in August. Blackberries should be an autumn fruit, designed for jam making and comforting crumbles. And yet this year I was picking them in burning sunshine, wondering how soon I could get… Read More ›
The ‘Perfect’ Blueberry Crème Brûlée Cheesecake
‘Perfection’ is a word you hear a lot these days, and particularly in reference to baking. On the baking shows that are currently so popular the judges constantly remind us that they are looking for perfection, and, just in case… Read More ›
Blackberry and Pear Loaf
It’s been a great year for blackberries and in fact all sorts of fruit in the hedgerows. I even realised that several of the crab apple trees nearby I have had my eye on were in fact pear trees, so I… Read More ›
From the Hedgerows: Damson Crumble
If you find a wild plum tree, make sure you take full advantage of its delicious fruit. I found a yellow plum tree a few years ago near my brother’s old house and made pots and pots of jam and put… Read More ›
Blackberry, Coconut and Lime Loaf
A couple of weeks ago we did one of our regular local walks and as usual it didn’t disappoint: there is always something interesting to see. On that occasion it was teeny tiny frogs smaller than the fingernail on my little finger… Read More ›
Blackcurrant Jam and growing your own fruit
Last weekend I went to stay at my parents’ for a couple of nights while they were away. They have a relatively small garden but it is full of beautiful flowers, fruit and vegetables: they spend hours on it and… Read More ›
It’s all about that Quince: Jelly, Paste and Brandy
If you are lucky enough to have a quince tree in your garden (or know someone who does) it is worth making the effort to use them. And it is quite an effort as they are difficult to peel and… Read More ›
Quince and Ginger Cake
When I moved into my new house I was really pleased to have a “mature” garden, full of interesting plants, bushes and even a pear tree. It has a real cottage garden look to it. It was actually a little… Read More ›
Wild Plum Jam – from the hedgerows
I absolutely love the turn of the season when the hedgerows start to go wild and there is fruit everywhere. Not just blackberries but sloes, elderberries, hawthorn, rosehips and crab apples, amongst other things. I spend a lot of my… Read More ›
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