tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88766415392675196432024-03-07T03:34:05.992+00:00Maryom's Home Pagemaryomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265044617480788043noreply@blogger.comBlogger309125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876641539267519643.post-16212825062380525032023-07-10T10:42:00.006+01:002023-07-10T10:43:08.157+01:00Chive Vinegar <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt5LUO7DJAoWyK6QSXuGWeEgwIgCVF0xUlZK_HnbCZH_hREbMxeq6bmti0CBeiRNPBQ0xTCqBQaxHmC9wfuhuS-FTtDsd-a5avEpGOdTQo6g-SXBCgefZaf7FGmGCqx2X8knDw-KqYtIiLgXYYWx4xdkdK1nrkz9lIqzv-mKGqZ83N4-fpAawXyaW3e7A/s2904/IMG_7062.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2904" data-original-width="1496" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt5LUO7DJAoWyK6QSXuGWeEgwIgCVF0xUlZK_HnbCZH_hREbMxeq6bmti0CBeiRNPBQ0xTCqBQaxHmC9wfuhuS-FTtDsd-a5avEpGOdTQo6g-SXBCgefZaf7FGmGCqx2X8knDw-KqYtIiLgXYYWx4xdkdK1nrkz9lIqzv-mKGqZ83N4-fpAawXyaW3e7A/s320/IMG_7062.JPEG" width="165" /></a>Here's another of those simple but wonderful ideas I've found on the web - chive vinegar. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi24DAxp7bmWbaJ9iw8Znk0upBcQ4QlrvHJ0f2fEyKSC5DPNMDTQjjkmGcqr4RjBA0y8tm1cJu_tnCPDoFNJWBOeIHxTwDvly4m1maIgwbbH329ZuW6x3IyePcYH4c5_necU7yA2Xo7AX2LJhFMKbcbdT-S82BfnLgirC0wdemNbaCqSTlEL3oq8sXOXAA/s4032/IMG_7010.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi24DAxp7bmWbaJ9iw8Znk0upBcQ4QlrvHJ0f2fEyKSC5DPNMDTQjjkmGcqr4RjBA0y8tm1cJu_tnCPDoFNJWBOeIHxTwDvly4m1maIgwbbH329ZuW6x3IyePcYH4c5_necU7yA2Xo7AX2LJhFMKbcbdT-S82BfnLgirC0wdemNbaCqSTlEL3oq8sXOXAA/s320/IMG_7010.JPEG" width="240" /></a>Simple, because all you do is fill a jar with chive flowers, cover with a clear vinegar (I used distilled, but cider or wine vinegar would work, and possibly taste less sharp), and leave for a week or so. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVylqRanTUVuFPOeHKIpfysMn2ovmLciAWbyngo7UsNACfvhNJSlk4JYISjlwe5TOxxbHb8ypljgBfkZU4mRJqtfJPjzs-xeTGODkKth0RWBkDU1Me564TxUGi-wDc3-Cu2nKQrSrmMukB9xqOuIYC8lW7YytMRfsfR9C-vejqlxybwFi8uY1MrLilPlY/s3979/IMG_7063.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3979" data-original-width="2637" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVylqRanTUVuFPOeHKIpfysMn2ovmLciAWbyngo7UsNACfvhNJSlk4JYISjlwe5TOxxbHb8ypljgBfkZU4mRJqtfJPjzs-xeTGODkKth0RWBkDU1Me564TxUGi-wDc3-Cu2nKQrSrmMukB9xqOuIYC8lW7YytMRfsfR9C-vejqlxybwFi8uY1MrLilPlY/s320/IMG_7063.JPEG" width="212" /></a></div>By then the vinegar will have absorbed the oniony flavour of the chives, but more importantly it will have taken on their colour. All that needs to be done, is strain and bottle it. So simple. Doesn't it look wonderful? I'm still struggling to come up with a use for it - I could add it to salad dressing but the impact of the colour would be lost. I feel it's best served in a decorative vinegar bottle (my mother had several 'cut' glass ones as part of fancy cruet sets) but I've yet to find the occasion. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><br /> <p></p>maryomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265044617480788043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876641539267519643.post-87051782620533357382023-06-24T16:52:00.001+01:002023-06-24T16:52:07.054+01:00Syrups<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-cObBMzHJRGA9WWqdYRRF7N0DFrZ2u8BwJIeOqA7QALO1_brD8Ym7v3urmCeRes4zi8LJzOXcMyABqiIGKJbutQdeKB5JCAjJ98Bvxx0yTalmYChiLVCYnTS00jlNK-5GBQSR4bnukVVhanpLidixjakKvDV81BhrDzFqb3X_UDmwAnGiECgqf-4s30/s4032/IMG_6593.JPEG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-cObBMzHJRGA9WWqdYRRF7N0DFrZ2u8BwJIeOqA7QALO1_brD8Ym7v3urmCeRes4zi8LJzOXcMyABqiIGKJbutQdeKB5JCAjJ98Bvxx0yTalmYChiLVCYnTS00jlNK-5GBQSR4bnukVVhanpLidixjakKvDV81BhrDzFqb3X_UDmwAnGiECgqf-4s30/s320/IMG_6593.JPEG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I've been experimenting with something new in the kitchen - syrups flavoured with flowers and herbs.</div><div style="text-align: center;">The idea came from seeing posts about the idea on social media, and a scrap of paper on which I'd written down the recipe for lilac syrup. </div><div style="text-align: center;"> I fully expected to end up with burnt brown stickiness in a ruined saucepan but syrup making turns out to be surprisingly simple. Add sugar to water and heat to dissolve it. (Don't leave the pan on the heat and walk away from it though, because who knows what could happen then)</div><div style="text-align: center;">Then add the petals or leaves (the amount varies according to which plant you chose to use but recipes for all sorts of syrups are readily available on the web). Let it stand a while, strain and bottle. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Oh, and then test it. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2R2o7RC1WU_u2-x6AR8bgnc7dJy1xeyTdjEgYFU__icY7usJte3RclWyvpwcOH1jpka-fhSqRg42hzElFbnPoop_hWx9LhC9AKPzX8FiAJUYzLizcsqUBsHUsE7OefVXdfCKMAkxmkveP95IILEj9lCWRk-DHccNRFZA_g3lVm__U0xSdSg8zadl9L_I/s4032/IMG_6599.JPEG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2R2o7RC1WU_u2-x6AR8bgnc7dJy1xeyTdjEgYFU__icY7usJte3RclWyvpwcOH1jpka-fhSqRg42hzElFbnPoop_hWx9LhC9AKPzX8FiAJUYzLizcsqUBsHUsE7OefVXdfCKMAkxmkveP95IILEj9lCWRk-DHccNRFZA_g3lVm__U0xSdSg8zadl9L_I/s320/IMG_6599.JPEG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> Lilac, at the top, looks lovely even while preparing it. Lemon balm, below, looks less attractive.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Both give an unusual flavour to drinks whether added to lemonade or gin.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSCM0t_yxlsHgn63vfErJq-iCKFazddEv9GT1oH5SmVxU3ADCyLmpd-w_t2yAcscDu45bRRQhWe1xVWdnRn6s9nMc2Y3p6rtgoTPHPKGjwoe4udTAb9EjbijJYIbpipiM-UiDIx-RKwueJjOnfV0uQEmtMArXfiOxJGJNiX2YyyHTEArwYPQ0Se2nA1S0/s3024/2AA956CE-4866-4E07-B9A0-D753331B0D99.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="3024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSCM0t_yxlsHgn63vfErJq-iCKFazddEv9GT1oH5SmVxU3ADCyLmpd-w_t2yAcscDu45bRRQhWe1xVWdnRn6s9nMc2Y3p6rtgoTPHPKGjwoe4udTAb9EjbijJYIbpipiM-UiDIx-RKwueJjOnfV0uQEmtMArXfiOxJGJNiX2YyyHTEArwYPQ0Se2nA1S0/s320/2AA956CE-4866-4E07-B9A0-D753331B0D99.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">I'm now wondering what else I could find in the garden to try this with - lavender, roses, maybe sage or rosemary for a more savoury taste.</p><p><br /></p>maryomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265044617480788043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876641539267519643.post-50558355068877495292023-02-20T19:49:00.002+00:002023-02-20T19:50:04.518+00:00Colourful Stripes and Clearing the Stash <div class="separator"><br /></div><div class="separator"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Last year I really embraced stripes in my knitting. They're colourful and bright, and, most importantly from my point of view, they help use up the odds and ends of leftover yarns acquired over the years.</div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS34hApUtgCu_lNhMgFUkhjkKtf_AaIpFUeeyJMD98kCHYE6mCL9auq3_fvWH97qOldUqVrQflCLbD3TRWEFwPzrdQhkxbg1AHnRBWLvkrxAGzchlwQUH0wUnOgpRqGpc3UAdoJ7Hlzvee_PtOgtFc6ClA54XvAKJ6XvmHFssTHDZ9QYsQ8BFSfay3/s3264/IMG_3869.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS34hApUtgCu_lNhMgFUkhjkKtf_AaIpFUeeyJMD98kCHYE6mCL9auq3_fvWH97qOldUqVrQflCLbD3TRWEFwPzrdQhkxbg1AHnRBWLvkrxAGzchlwQUH0wUnOgpRqGpc3UAdoJ7Hlzvee_PtOgtFc6ClA54XvAKJ6XvmHFssTHDZ9QYsQ8BFSfay3/s320/IMG_3869.JPG" width="240" /></a></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This first one (above), a wool cardigan, is a bit of a cheat as I bought some balls of the brown yarn to pull the other colours together and to be sure I had enough for the button edging, but I think it's worked really well, and helped use up a variety of yarns.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH_ho7XXsrKnVVJ4M2Of12-OoDzfyFU6vI8uEiXx862rWi7vJPpRqG3Rt_ajQd7hiKfuBSaqPj_BKhjCArFgr-zXre4RSwkjG_LfCVh7CIgd0jp0E2cJRc05MiOI8PwvR2u3SdiXqLuOdMtOu5ao5pteXMm3TE04igGyj5AodsFGARRgw7Kh6lWMuI/s3264/IMG_5058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH_ho7XXsrKnVVJ4M2Of12-OoDzfyFU6vI8uEiXx862rWi7vJPpRqG3Rt_ajQd7hiKfuBSaqPj_BKhjCArFgr-zXre4RSwkjG_LfCVh7CIgd0jp0E2cJRc05MiOI8PwvR2u3SdiXqLuOdMtOu5ao5pteXMm3TE04igGyj5AodsFGARRgw7Kh6lWMuI/s320/IMG_5058.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Next was a cotton v-neck jumper. I'm not actually a great fan of cotton yarn - garments tend to be heavy and take forever to dry - but I've still accumulated a store of it which needed using up. There were a lot of odd balls which accounts for the random narrower stripes and the weird colour change from blues/greens to red/orange but I think overall it's worked, and is baggy enough to wear over a warm dress.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYkXaeWlD0TSxXhFY7FRpIVVFVWKrQ6sxEUTc9jDFWbSKngHchmdsIj0asVLZZ82AFX4K_Gt-QchaOjoN25i_VDZtbQoyabBgcwCXtnMEPRg2Zpu-7NYxFAm_31YiXAdF9TEK_fX8WNOVE2VOF5PlGmCJsZaFMWZca4AMLk611LTAJQJ_cVjPMSuus/s2363/IMG_5060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1926" data-original-width="2363" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYkXaeWlD0TSxXhFY7FRpIVVFVWKrQ6sxEUTc9jDFWbSKngHchmdsIj0asVLZZ82AFX4K_Gt-QchaOjoN25i_VDZtbQoyabBgcwCXtnMEPRg2Zpu-7NYxFAm_31YiXAdF9TEK_fX8WNOVE2VOF5PlGmCJsZaFMWZca4AMLk611LTAJQJ_cVjPMSuus/s320/IMG_5060.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Last, and in a way the least, was a really random project using up all sorts of colours to make this short-sleeved jumper. I'd hoped to be able to alternate large and narrower stripes, but as I progressed it became obvious that in some of the yarns I just didn't have enough. Also, I didn't really want to have a white stripe as it feels too startling at the side of the more muted colours. As a garment though it's growing on me - and at least no one knows that it wasn't intended to look this way. <div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzLWKdNiUUtR5anEr6d-e878oPkSdTJsLSZWYe1H3uzBiX6kEHr17bzofdffV7OtyZFnSaeSDtHdAnI6eF0N_7eMoMPO0idnb67onPewJ_akP8_sZ8rvn4IFsAVMdQnKnyUJACQysaOWA4dsC_kWE7_MNpmBlwevo0VYUWEVSrHm8t8ygQaB9LyDaf/s3264/IMG_5606.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzLWKdNiUUtR5anEr6d-e878oPkSdTJsLSZWYe1H3uzBiX6kEHr17bzofdffV7OtyZFnSaeSDtHdAnI6eF0N_7eMoMPO0idnb67onPewJ_akP8_sZ8rvn4IFsAVMdQnKnyUJACQysaOWA4dsC_kWE7_MNpmBlwevo0VYUWEVSrHm8t8ygQaB9LyDaf/s320/IMG_5606.JPG" width="240" /></a><br /> Something that really puzzles me though is - if I've knitted up all these oddments of yarn, why doesn't there appear to be more space in the storage drawers? In the hope of one day making some space, I've started my next project - a long cardigan, and yes, it's striped!<p></p></div>maryomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265044617480788043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876641539267519643.post-32215573957838513132022-11-23T11:04:00.001+00:002022-11-23T11:04:35.351+00:00Using up leftovers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhelhRWHhrgak5DgNz8UoPL7U3I5ivS0v9Q-0zZQnUqwYqDBqI2zZJKo2hiAZ0zGB-NAkKameoQmJaBgr37xcd8iyuEu7aUY2YxKNR4tUBrkkHqj0DMmlBcps6DTXRi9bumWiJiz0Hk98vE3O9eZzetC4ToBnZaUWH7kTGXsP_q4tAi6-_7FLKQExpY/s3264/IMG_4329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhelhRWHhrgak5DgNz8UoPL7U3I5ivS0v9Q-0zZQnUqwYqDBqI2zZJKo2hiAZ0zGB-NAkKameoQmJaBgr37xcd8iyuEu7aUY2YxKNR4tUBrkkHqj0DMmlBcps6DTXRi9bumWiJiz0Hk98vE3O9eZzetC4ToBnZaUWH7kTGXsP_q4tAi6-_7FLKQExpY/s320/IMG_4329.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>I always believe in using up any surplus - whether it's wool, fabric or food - so when I stumbled on two clever ideas for using up kitchen waste I had to try them; after all, what is there to lose?<div>The first was for cider vinegar. This basically involves putting apple peel and cores in a jar with a little sugar and covering with water, and leaving to stand for a few days. After this, it's strained and bottled (a washed out fancy lemonade bottle) and stands again to turn to vinegar. It's easy and the only cost is a tablespoon or two of sugar; my main difficulty was finding peel and cores that were good enough to use as the early apples were damaged. I filled a jam jar though, let it stand, bottled it, let it stand again . </div><div>After a week I checked how things were going. Nice and fizzy, and smelling more like cider than vinegar. The instructions said to leave for another week and let the sour vinegary taste develop... </div><div>At this point I decided to change the whole experiment into one of making cider. In short, I drank it. And very nice it was too; somewhere close to the sweet fruit ciders I buy, and definitely something I though I'd try again.</div><div>Second time, I somehow forgot to drink it, and when I opened the bottle it had certainly turned to cider vinegar. There are a multitude of ways I could have used it but I added it to an apple/chilli pickle I was making.<br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdErJXlVJcTDFuKF2krdwa0XzTPVsJXK8iXWM51rj8cfWv5s-xsy55rGPmcZOwTz5EynL0twWYoKJzal-0fzQCc4uCd7_NmUEsq86RO33fS6AO6W08a65OXqVPxM8N9hm73v6WCTyVwJkitjXioopGrRx5MQUkl4nIJIZSz-NfnSULKXNaO5c5P3Ub/s3264/IMG_4282.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdErJXlVJcTDFuKF2krdwa0XzTPVsJXK8iXWM51rj8cfWv5s-xsy55rGPmcZOwTz5EynL0twWYoKJzal-0fzQCc4uCd7_NmUEsq86RO33fS6AO6W08a65OXqVPxM8N9hm73v6WCTyVwJkitjXioopGrRx5MQUkl4nIJIZSz-NfnSULKXNaO5c5P3Ub/s320/IMG_4282.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj26v-ucdR_BGZsVyoVrmNE1WqBSOburyxzhgmOOra7tZFcsWBQbkbBSOQ-ZoRQ6gbBparHvR1RuVzY5V2vlFuDcJQGHwJiPU23KK-UrmTON9LceyEfPdShMH104jnDanvhX3ZeF4iqodgPVxmetcgb04u5V0wzJ-WuEALuRVTQgdrgoNdxlUhmXDgF/s3264/IMG_4329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br /> A less successful experiment was the one trying to make beer from stale bread. Having seen Louisa Ziane from Toast Ales talking at <a href="https://maryomsthoughts.blogspot.com/2022/07/timber-2022.html" target="_blank">Timber Festival </a>about how Toast uses unwanted bread in their manufacturing process, I'd become intrigued with the idea of making something from nothing, or, at least, from scraps I was planning to feed to the birds. I'd found a very basic recipe on the web, which involved stale crusts, water and a little sugar - so nothing much to lose. After its initial few days with the bread steeping in a jar, it smelt fine, and it seemed quite believable that I'd end up with beer. I strained it, sat it in a clean jar on th kitchen windowsill and for a day or so it bubbled, but then the weather turned and cooled considerably, and the beer-making process stopped. Maybe I should have moved it to the airing cupboard to keep warm but I was worried about it bubbling over (I've had accidents with home made wine before!). I'm sure it's something I'll try again - maybe with some failed sourdough bread - but this first attempt wasn't a success.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7X0Fl_X2mRgliR3MHOOrB4wDrxuWKESYFlNPirHY8-hYnm2M1orx_jyt5mTJMt0EoAO4sV9RJUt7HdI8DJrQCA0Wt2leiogty6cZqQNkzOV3Me7XSWRZgTiBDBsGIjO640GrUA1yFrnEmfh3qi7xk8OlRolqDM3X3Kmu51vtXTvlyPJL8li0GrWzb/s3264/IMG_4281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7X0Fl_X2mRgliR3MHOOrB4wDrxuWKESYFlNPirHY8-hYnm2M1orx_jyt5mTJMt0EoAO4sV9RJUt7HdI8DJrQCA0Wt2leiogty6cZqQNkzOV3Me7XSWRZgTiBDBsGIjO640GrUA1yFrnEmfh3qi7xk8OlRolqDM3X3Kmu51vtXTvlyPJL8li0GrWzb/s320/IMG_4281.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><p></p></div>maryomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265044617480788043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876641539267519643.post-78134773513554103922022-11-16T10:37:00.001+00:002022-11-16T10:37:55.696+00:00Pirate Jumper <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMDm23cvC_vqahIcr8uYM0TRlD5mgG-Ar4J0GBngMr5SmsRz0dKaO0jvS9xKqeF_h01tmw5S0H9TzVvHPYDrP7pEnA67i2Xh3EYdRSKiGIqM-eby3fb-LuhI9XJbWz1ZQkMfB9c7HbeS-12i7twZwX_9sW2bkuwooAXhKCSu1oltwJ8XkNSnQob61p/s3264/IMG_1544.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMDm23cvC_vqahIcr8uYM0TRlD5mgG-Ar4J0GBngMr5SmsRz0dKaO0jvS9xKqeF_h01tmw5S0H9TzVvHPYDrP7pEnA67i2Xh3EYdRSKiGIqM-eby3fb-LuhI9XJbWz1ZQkMfB9c7HbeS-12i7twZwX_9sW2bkuwooAXhKCSu1oltwJ8XkNSnQob61p/w300-h400/IMG_1544.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> I've got into the habit of knitting something special for my grandson at Christmas. Once I made a <a href="https://maryomshomepage.blogspot.com/2021/01/helmet-and-jumper-for-very-small-knight.html" target="_blank">'knight's jumper'</a> to go with a knitted helmet; last year (because I'm slow with posting about things) I made a pirate jumper.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I've a couple of patterns with sailing ships designs but I decided they were too complicated and would require a lot of attention to charts, so I settled for a simpler flag with skull and crossed bones, and striped sleeves for a pirate-y look. </div><p></p>maryomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265044617480788043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876641539267519643.post-30191516463627580202022-11-09T15:10:00.002+00:002022-11-09T15:13:06.456+00:00Painted silk scarf<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2lW8sRmW0Xe99wfWj3dR_UEPNqtWATq8XkJYg7Figqb2BifZl-X8F9RbeDhENN1MG3wKWtAHUVKqyz3Z1WKVCo5XRzPsXtCM-XpAdOEBPb8P2BZv6g_mK1EdK8uGL5HkoP5u6jZnNf-A/s2048/IMG_9687.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2lW8sRmW0Xe99wfWj3dR_UEPNqtWATq8XkJYg7Figqb2BifZl-X8F9RbeDhENN1MG3wKWtAHUVKqyz3Z1WKVCo5XRzPsXtCM-XpAdOEBPb8P2BZv6g_mK1EdK8uGL5HkoP5u6jZnNf-A/w400-h300/IMG_9687.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A couple of Christmasses or birthdays (it's been a long while since I started this post) my eldest daughter gave me a silk-painting scarf kit. Both tie-dying and batik are things I've experimented with before , but I've never used silk as the fabric, so it felt a little daunting. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfCv0qUsleerykZmv04VAk48bFU7ct3Juoy-Y-fP4KY8q5vfOdk7KvR8kZC_6V9W-q42EDYP3Dk8CLPD5EnCvRd2EHf1DpcYAejVMwW-u3ZcusrRoEwBy3CmweYzP959SNmsmy-dYCRvk/s2048/IMG_9684.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfCv0qUsleerykZmv04VAk48bFU7ct3Juoy-Y-fP4KY8q5vfOdk7KvR8kZC_6V9W-q42EDYP3Dk8CLPD5EnCvRd2EHf1DpcYAejVMwW-u3ZcusrRoEwBy3CmweYzP959SNmsmy-dYCRvk/s320/IMG_9684.JPG" /></a>It came with all the paints needed and a ready-hemmed piece of material to become the scarf - but without any spare scraps to experiment on, so I was a bit nervous about starting. Get things wrong, and the whole project would be spoiled.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG8RsRPjPv3k8l8P1huQSYtehCtFAzq_ZmeyqSz0_gC5weBapSOkICqQP0UMCxkQisVqYuZFHYTK-exiLX9YysKmESK2l51676jADDFamyXaio8wQDyAMFH9iYxvT37BbFpR8mqJ32taU/s2048/IMG_9685.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG8RsRPjPv3k8l8P1huQSYtehCtFAzq_ZmeyqSz0_gC5weBapSOkICqQP0UMCxkQisVqYuZFHYTK-exiLX9YysKmESK2l51676jADDFamyXaio8wQDyAMFH9iYxvT37BbFpR8mqJ32taU/s320/IMG_9685.JPG" /></a></div>I decided it was an activity most suited to outdoors - that way splashes of paint didn't matter - so I waited till summer arrived, then set up my work station on the patio, using elastic bands to control where the paint would go. The technique is partly tie-dying, part painting as the material isn't immersed in dye.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It didn't turn out exactly as I expected - far more white patches than expected - so I might go back and repaint some sections but it's lovely as is.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUorUGCQ0lwX_ulkpl_XjMURv-YRLBc9x9ZS81hVrMUP3QOQEebkamTbT0i6HFPdIMSUN0djb0xJ0fV-r7o7QMfepULtkv9KRXCKM4T2ap27I-K1WF0-eswvG2pluHEoABDAZtOELJ6EQ/s2048/IMG_9686.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUorUGCQ0lwX_ulkpl_XjMURv-YRLBc9x9ZS81hVrMUP3QOQEebkamTbT0i6HFPdIMSUN0djb0xJ0fV-r7o7QMfepULtkv9KRXCKM4T2ap27I-K1WF0-eswvG2pluHEoABDAZtOELJ6EQ/w400-h300/IMG_9686.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p>maryomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265044617480788043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876641539267519643.post-32801982173134171722022-11-06T18:36:00.003+00:002022-11-06T18:36:50.221+00:00Catching Up<p> I recently noticed that, although I've been busily making and baking over the past year or more, I've completely failed to keep this blog up to date. The <a href="https://maryomshomepage.blogspot.com/2021/08/stripes-again.html" target="_blank">last published post</a> (there are a couple sitting in draft) was in August 21, and I've not sure that that jumper wasn't finished months before then!</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPFNIpqrcd3SO0iGmEtd0XrLpe4CTeMq17X2q0f0l40MF8flO3w47erPqeT_3jA5kSeVexCFxjbZSXzohHNgPheLPR1wnQ9pmStMx6DNMIxGfy6Rmt7aWoOWztwqvmEzX3om3L_ZWvBY8PCQqEmHTr7ryurqYTBnfTKpYax1SYg_YEvISQagbEIRZr/s3264/IMG_3869.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPFNIpqrcd3SO0iGmEtd0XrLpe4CTeMq17X2q0f0l40MF8flO3w47erPqeT_3jA5kSeVexCFxjbZSXzohHNgPheLPR1wnQ9pmStMx6DNMIxGfy6Rmt7aWoOWztwqvmEzX3om3L_ZWvBY8PCQqEmHTr7ryurqYTBnfTKpYax1SYg_YEvISQagbEIRZr/s320/IMG_3869.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />Since then there've been more stripey cardigans and jumpers, <p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO2mlVtPed318FDFjQMHkrnllXchQxkX5I8lTpqoXkarvDfC1CsmR8qPpyLntgP00WkvP1bG1_mJ9FAlh9mFZptK6FeNgqh6WD8Xl_2kXXEEpVxUAZDqdZXPCJB62qVvnQ_dfX6HGA3BeN-65IpwpYtUPUFvxbPn_IhdQ8SZDs5WDAjRCXaUBNyQ3E/s3264/IMG_4220.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO2mlVtPed318FDFjQMHkrnllXchQxkX5I8lTpqoXkarvDfC1CsmR8qPpyLntgP00WkvP1bG1_mJ9FAlh9mFZptK6FeNgqh6WD8Xl_2kXXEEpVxUAZDqdZXPCJB62qVvnQ_dfX6HGA3BeN-65IpwpYtUPUFvxbPn_IhdQ8SZDs5WDAjRCXaUBNyQ3E/s320/IMG_4220.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p>a month of vegan food for Veganuary, a hand dyed silk scarf, a felted picture, some joining in with an online art group, </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy7QtMQjyuy0ySl2ukjE-9dRqg8jh9rTCHBwSrCFZ2WMVhovMISYyeXPj7BDO672c30TWzEd8qiBn1ZzxdJQ-uRRKjMjInJvrrtGnDfdvYo7c7G5dDx0MmcL_mCI361f7vNP-qBDDNGBa-1wpussY0rwpuTs4VcGWoyg4VkhyNefLUaEX9gmhIz7P9/s3264/IMG_4329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy7QtMQjyuy0ySl2ukjE-9dRqg8jh9rTCHBwSrCFZ2WMVhovMISYyeXPj7BDO672c30TWzEd8qiBn1ZzxdJQ-uRRKjMjInJvrrtGnDfdvYo7c7G5dDx0MmcL_mCI361f7vNP-qBDDNGBa-1wpussY0rwpuTs4VcGWoyg4VkhyNefLUaEX9gmhIz7P9/w150-h200/IMG_4329.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>and some bizarre experiments like making cider vinegar from apple peel and cores (a success), and making beer from stale bread (not).<p></p><p>It's definitely time for some catching up posts. Hopefully coming this way soon.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>maryomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265044617480788043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876641539267519643.post-30288378397006796262021-08-02T16:40:00.003+01:002021-08-02T16:40:40.741+01:00Stripes again<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Iyp3DsMQAhZDdedZDSbNVN_J7qNAAlAsdqDiku3Y28cxrusL9aYQmgHD5EnoQwIREyXezeUdmQ2xbKg712fH7-1x9TtI0L0wrAkGmnm50HPvajzgizizdWDalu7QJ4d4eIUJqUR3GnY/s2048/IMG_9623.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Iyp3DsMQAhZDdedZDSbNVN_J7qNAAlAsdqDiku3Y28cxrusL9aYQmgHD5EnoQwIREyXezeUdmQ2xbKg712fH7-1x9TtI0L0wrAkGmnm50HPvajzgizizdWDalu7QJ4d4eIUJqUR3GnY/s320/IMG_9623.JPG" /></a></div>I'm determined to work my way through the stash of accumulated oddments of yarn, so that's going to mean a lot of stripes - and also a lot of garments based on this pattern which has become one of my favourites. I like woolen short-sleeved jumpers for winter as a warm extra layer over long-sleeved t-shirts; they keep my body core warm, while not having bulky sleeves to get in the way. Also, they don't take much yarn. For this I had 2 and a bit balls of maroon, slightly less of the grey, and a single ball of the lilac, plus really short oddments for the two narrow stripes. <div>From the armholes up I knitted all pieces together - not quite in the round but as one super-wide piece. This helped keep track of how much of each colour yarn was left - and as you can see, there wasn't enough to make the lilac band as deep as the others. Let's pretend that was a deliberate design feature :)</div><div>Anyway, it worked, it fits, it works colour-wise with a lot of my other clothes, so all i need is cooler weather to be able to wear it.<br /><div><br /></div><div><br /> <p></p></div></div>maryomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265044617480788043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876641539267519643.post-45296956911037052982021-03-25T16:01:00.004+00:002021-06-18T16:00:26.627+01:00Experiments with Sourdough <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One of the things I've started during this last lockdown since Christmas is the nurturing of a sourdough culture. I wasn't actually expecting great things of it, but it turned out to be easier than I expected to transform flour-and-water paste into something tasty. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDLm9Ma2SOS4uk9PIrSTmfeINLUKX06TkNrRCjsgPzkZiXqQCXeNYZRGrp8-BSy6uvpVJldvlRCKa4dQVL0L0bjbjFW_Ouza6wzBRsW_n9BeO8aMravCuEkUzbr8pHs7LJRC1C_QCya1g/s2048/IMG_8310.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDLm9Ma2SOS4uk9PIrSTmfeINLUKX06TkNrRCjsgPzkZiXqQCXeNYZRGrp8-BSy6uvpVJldvlRCKa4dQVL0L0bjbjFW_Ouza6wzBRsW_n9BeO8aMravCuEkUzbr8pHs7LJRC1C_QCya1g/s320/IMG_8310.JPG" width="320" /></a>At first I was playing around with the daily discard - making pancakes with the batter, thickening it with flour to make cinnamon rolls, and tarts topped with sticky rhubarb or Mediterranean veg (an experiment to use up a frozen pack I received as a substitute for peppers, which turned out very tasty)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNar47Ru_VQb8ZM92km36uVw3qDMX4c9ZPrlnIwgOg8ykQLYBCqCXL9sPwDBoGDUbB7LDL0E_j_9hiUgFkdlzi_rkHLmfgpCM738by3UKlZba_czwM2aGEVCdPts7-nfBMLZ5FbuwCxMY/s2048/IMG_8335.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNar47Ru_VQb8ZM92km36uVw3qDMX4c9ZPrlnIwgOg8ykQLYBCqCXL9sPwDBoGDUbB7LDL0E_j_9hiUgFkdlzi_rkHLmfgpCM738by3UKlZba_czwM2aGEVCdPts7-nfBMLZ5FbuwCxMY/s320/IMG_8335.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>After a week or so the sourdough was bubbling, and ready to make my first loaf of bread. It didn't look brilliant, but tasted good - which is the most important bit.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'd heard that it was possible to keep the mother culture almost indefinitely in the fridge, so I tried by putting half in a jar and leaving it there, but after a couple of weeks I seemed to be just left with sludge. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFUjKjjnmY59kYRNb8sqBaUBe9UJBC4MtQH4WCXavS3mTPvaxy9MEbmLNKcJaT5jsJ3hRA-KKEke2eI7PWnRWbJLWgn6O4FtItKgmrAXnNpU1AsVp2A33ddPpomTN3uHTZ5dsH346_fsQ/s2048/IMG_8408.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFUjKjjnmY59kYRNb8sqBaUBe9UJBC4MtQH4WCXavS3mTPvaxy9MEbmLNKcJaT5jsJ3hRA-KKEke2eI7PWnRWbJLWgn6O4FtItKgmrAXnNpU1AsVp2A33ddPpomTN3uHTZ5dsH346_fsQ/s320/IMG_8408.JPG" width="320" /></a>The other half, in the warmth of the airing cupboard, has gone from strength to strength.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP-rp3xlt7Hxc5j-iYJ53W1cz1FB8wVpJmOvJcdBbugmxZf_R7zeqOaaaGGFav_6AP1wrEhgTNP4C8TKO5TuFFvqkr7wIMG-VqvD7Vd-wzZFR-TGGvDtV-LXEpanavbE0d-3U7v8d72M4/s2048/IMG_8328.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP-rp3xlt7Hxc5j-iYJ53W1cz1FB8wVpJmOvJcdBbugmxZf_R7zeqOaaaGGFav_6AP1wrEhgTNP4C8TKO5TuFFvqkr7wIMG-VqvD7Vd-wzZFR-TGGvDtV-LXEpanavbE0d-3U7v8d72M4/s320/IMG_8328.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> I've managed to bake a couple of respectable-looking loaves with it, cobs and mini-baguettes, and some strange half bread/half cake concoctions like this apple sandwich, but my favourite uses are for pittas and pizza, made with discard and strong flour.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAvBMLqmrJSSKeox87L78B-Wbg63qf0fH98Xxfn_qtfoe5m2wAF_4o8LCOxFEYb__CNMjJBvEM5wtjop66c6T5Txw5G3u-dEd4DpTi-_l1H7tbZVHlY5-KNDI4m6_YHsviQloMC8nCEoM/s2048/IMG_8318.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAvBMLqmrJSSKeox87L78B-Wbg63qf0fH98Xxfn_qtfoe5m2wAF_4o8LCOxFEYb__CNMjJBvEM5wtjop66c6T5Txw5G3u-dEd4DpTi-_l1H7tbZVHlY5-KNDI4m6_YHsviQloMC8nCEoM/s320/IMG_8318.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I now make these regularly, and I'm constantly amazed at how flour-and-water paste turns into anything so tasty.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPGFvXX_WQamBBu93YOHhw3NNWkW4K8Lom_ZqpIuFo_GENGtgRcnjLP7SWtAlVGfAUOkc7k-ddrTxA5fXThjGxTL0Bx8_srcG5623D_BZPqKbD6NgJ8f0EKGaJ6MFraEJt5DDXlAry5zA/s2048/IMG_8414.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPGFvXX_WQamBBu93YOHhw3NNWkW4K8Lom_ZqpIuFo_GENGtgRcnjLP7SWtAlVGfAUOkc7k-ddrTxA5fXThjGxTL0Bx8_srcG5623D_BZPqKbD6NgJ8f0EKGaJ6MFraEJt5DDXlAry5zA/w400-h300/IMG_8414.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p><br /></p><h3 class="_6lAjh" style="-webkit-box-align: center; align-items: center; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #262626; display: inline-flex; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="Igw0E IwRSH eGOV_ _4EzTm ItkAi" style="-webkit-box-align: stretch; -webkit-box-direction: normal; -webkit-box-flex: 0; -webkit-box-orient: vertical; -webkit-box-pack: start; align-items: stretch; border: 0px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex: 0 0 auto; font: inherit; margin: 0px 4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; place-content: stretch flex-start; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Jv7Aj mArmR MqpiF" style="border: 0px; display: inline; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div></h3>maryomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265044617480788043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876641539267519643.post-58346213001271227622021-03-05T16:36:00.000+00:002021-03-05T16:36:52.497+00:00Hunter's Chicken from Pinch of Nom<p> Among the frozen ready-meals from my usual supermarket I have a favourite - Hunter's Chicken. It's spicy without being over-powering, and feels like something I could eat forever, but there's a stigma to eating ready meals everyday, and, let's face it, there's not much filling up my time these days, so I want to make some effort and find a home-made version.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyhrwKgnSwxx2YVd9Mcx6FGfAOTM36nAuT9bEabjeFHhgRvPdXx8aCY2VbXg1y-Z5Z327r7xDsYQL0exQC1EasEHmkis0oFt_LUOYbbINlKkVj3GpZuNv7o3qBjLZ9Ntk5cH8IRkfmKMM/s2048/IMG_8467.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyhrwKgnSwxx2YVd9Mcx6FGfAOTM36nAuT9bEabjeFHhgRvPdXx8aCY2VbXg1y-Z5Z327r7xDsYQL0exQC1EasEHmkis0oFt_LUOYbbINlKkVj3GpZuNv7o3qBjLZ9Ntk5cH8IRkfmKMM/s320/IMG_8467.JPG" /></a></div>The recipes I've found among my books and magazine clippings vary widely - Nigella's Pollo Alla Cacciatore is lovely but nothing like my shop-bought Hunter's Chicken - so I'm going to work my way through them, find a recipe that's close, and if necessary from there I'll tweak the ingredients - a little more of this, less of that - till it's just the way I like it. <p></p><p>I'm starting with the version from Pinch of Nom by Kate Allinson and Kay Featherstone<span style="color: #3848ab; font-family: nunito sans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><b>. </b></span></span>Now essentially this is a book of weight-watching recipes, but use your regular full-fat cheese instead of the low-fat option, and add an extra dollop of potatoes plus cauliflower and french beans if you're not bothered about losing weight. I did :)</p><p>What I'd actually hoped for was a recipe that took things back to basics - tomatoes, peppers, onions, sugar etc - but as I've found before the Pinch of Nom recipes tend to call for 'prepared' ingredients, in this case BBQ seasoning and hot sauce, which all too easily vary between manufacturer, so I'm not sure I actually got the flavour they were aiming for<br />. Also, there's a LONG list of ingredients - balsamic vinegar, white wine vinegar, Worcester sauce, mustard powder, etc etc. Not a lot of each is needed and it's fine if you've got them in the cupboard but to buy them specially would make this far more expensive than my beloved ready meal. Get through that fussy list if ingredients, and the recipe is clear to follow. </p><p>The final stages of cooking suddenly required a lot of plates and pans but I don't have a dishwasher and I hate the proliferation of extra pots just for the sake of styling and presentation, so I skipped a lot of fussing about at the end, just added the cheese to the casserole dish and melted it there. It probably could have benefited from an extra minute or two under the grill but the potatoes and veg were ready, so I served it as it was.</p><p>It wasn't quite what my taste buds wanted though; a little too acidic (perhaps all those various vinegars), and the base flavour of tomato was too overwhelming. It's definitely on the lines of what I'm trying to reproduce so I have a good workable starting point from which I'll tweak the ingredients.</p><p><br /></p>maryomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265044617480788043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876641539267519643.post-65334326139009191792021-02-28T15:48:00.005+00:002021-02-28T15:48:53.877+00:00First knitting project of the year<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6gn9sWl3gqEDa-PW2eujEI0orYlyVRUvJ5OW7CbTYfY1wKihCK9Hl-yi3ujstMki9XUmcUyo2Y95EZKtZFzkZxIXmG8MQmKbBBvr5OZrUVvQQ3F_hhzfw6AYuZ8PpaTMua2cZq_86Ems/s2048/IMG_8396.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6gn9sWl3gqEDa-PW2eujEI0orYlyVRUvJ5OW7CbTYfY1wKihCK9Hl-yi3ujstMki9XUmcUyo2Y95EZKtZFzkZxIXmG8MQmKbBBvr5OZrUVvQQ3F_hhzfw6AYuZ8PpaTMua2cZq_86Ems/s320/IMG_8396.JPG" /></a>For Christmas my youngest daughter bought me (among other things) a couple of hanks of wool from The Camel's Yarn, based in Camelford, Cornwall.</span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It's a wonderfully soft, double knit yarn, in a colourway seasonally titled 'Partridge in a Pear Tree'. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">My immediate thought with comparatively small amounts of yarn is to knit a scarf and/or a hat, but this time I felt I had enough to knit a pair of gloves as well. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivMEOYMpS7Zz6Fnu6RTitpEq43hnhZ-lncI2MRa-F6nw9GBDo6MHjR0UkBEYT_6GELt2CW1gDwuMw4da40ug50NVrNGJMtvBq5maMxme7NHPdxdLUbmDeR24cHs8sfpnInB18kU5GhGrk/s2048/IMG_8177.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivMEOYMpS7Zz6Fnu6RTitpEq43hnhZ-lncI2MRa-F6nw9GBDo6MHjR0UkBEYT_6GELt2CW1gDwuMw4da40ug50NVrNGJMtvBq5maMxme7NHPdxdLUbmDeR24cHs8sfpnInB18kU5GhGrk/s320/IMG_8177.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Having decide what, then it's on to thinking about patterns. I toyed with this lacy idea, sort of vaguely representing the 'tree' of its name, but decided gloves with holes in them probably weren't very practical.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6CttTc0vxTvXto8FpYxYWKTeLHxj8tHiFelNBJZLt5e4ww_M1q7IDdwy1JFr0Xz9GX-e4FEzWGGjME1VZnJO-ZWNuJx4GeyKRV_STOgDqOB5c-7yI_AjIsgb20rO_7yoSJsYvj5U3Mts/s2048/IMG_8184.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6CttTc0vxTvXto8FpYxYWKTeLHxj8tHiFelNBJZLt5e4ww_M1q7IDdwy1JFr0Xz9GX-e4FEzWGGjME1VZnJO-ZWNuJx4GeyKRV_STOgDqOB5c-7yI_AjIsgb20rO_7yoSJsYvj5U3Mts/s320/IMG_8184.JPG" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">Flicking through a book of patterns I spotted this cabled heart design, and thought it would go perfectly, representing I suppose the 'true love' who gave the partridge, pear tree, and everything else.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><br />Not being quite sure of how far the yarn would go, I started with the gloves, then hat, and was delighted to find I had enough left for a scarf; it's thin and quite short (not one to wrap round one's neck several times) but with all three it feels like a complete set.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnwped0xxkGII3hQhOtdWT8aFFqWPXBxyxpEwUKmlyk07hA79NAYw3kUlrnC-c2BxxOIEtqdmLIZgEexv4OKRxcdgIJDKtqyAaiiox1gEHlIGAorU8lhHITqQc9Hc7-2-W2uk5YMufwLE/s2048/IMG_8206.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnwped0xxkGII3hQhOtdWT8aFFqWPXBxyxpEwUKmlyk07hA79NAYw3kUlrnC-c2BxxOIEtqdmLIZgEexv4OKRxcdgIJDKtqyAaiiox1gEHlIGAorU8lhHITqQc9Hc7-2-W2uk5YMufwLE/s320/IMG_8206.JPG" /></a></div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHNmNC1b1S1BaGlmMiFPujZNtUbugLNvZKm7fsXIajElG0cxpRW37kyAPZUKb_Ck1H9T5nsbLSad_B0uqUNtrKKVYafiVFa_tm8vMhjZBxjMHJc6_dj607AT_qvKgSDDw5vbeRXT80qKY/s1280/IMG_8352.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHNmNC1b1S1BaGlmMiFPujZNtUbugLNvZKm7fsXIajElG0cxpRW37kyAPZUKb_Ck1H9T5nsbLSad_B0uqUNtrKKVYafiVFa_tm8vMhjZBxjMHJc6_dj607AT_qvKgSDDw5vbeRXT80qKY/s320/IMG_8352.JPG" /></a><br /> <p></p>maryomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265044617480788043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876641539267519643.post-77111906288917940362021-01-07T12:02:00.000+00:002021-01-07T12:02:23.474+00:00Helmet and jumper for a very small knight<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvAJxmQMuaGZdvJ12w4GDcyMquD4l3B-UKOxMrN3pJ_ESCJDUDZ9SsYYM6pl1bIoAP5TzScjACbUXzHaQ6rh2DkXHeNNVeyY3Q_NI9ptxcjCKGXOIP95w4erTxM8OU5Jfv1rh69xLGef8/s2048/IMG_8054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1776" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvAJxmQMuaGZdvJ12w4GDcyMquD4l3B-UKOxMrN3pJ_ESCJDUDZ9SsYYM6pl1bIoAP5TzScjACbUXzHaQ6rh2DkXHeNNVeyY3Q_NI9ptxcjCKGXOIP95w4erTxM8OU5Jfv1rh69xLGef8/s320/IMG_8054.JPG" /></a></div>Before Christmas my eldest daughter spotted a knitted version of a knight's helmet, and asked if I could knit one for her 3 year old. A quick search of the web found lots of free patterns out there, and I picked <a href="http://sewingawaymytime.blogspot.com/2014/11/easy-knight-helmet.html" target="_blank">this one</a> from Sewing Away My Time blog. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHVOs240rdM652e1szzFE7QGvYoCmuw8fGJcrH_oRdMxjD1lCJis-d2JYh4AH8UqRJIY0stnddplnSmwjZtdUZGeV7Opdrq_khdMMAlsbIpVhGNdrDdMQ4jNfOL7Z4GYxwKRrfdTrMtTU/s2048/IMG_8053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1572" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHVOs240rdM652e1szzFE7QGvYoCmuw8fGJcrH_oRdMxjD1lCJis-d2JYh4AH8UqRJIY0stnddplnSmwjZtdUZGeV7Opdrq_khdMMAlsbIpVhGNdrDdMQ4jNfOL7Z4GYxwKRrfdTrMtTU/s320/IMG_8053.JPG" /></a>As I had more grey yarn, I decided to make a knight's jumper to wear with it - a simple raglan design in DK with a shield design on the front. It looks crumpled as it's not washed or pressed at this point as I was slightly hurried getting things finished before Christmas (as always) but for once it's about the right size. Now all that's need is a knitted sword ...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p>maryomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265044617480788043noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876641539267519643.post-82419130790822599972020-10-11T01:15:00.000+01:002020-10-11T01:16:03.800+01:00Kale<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcSiYhpnXPUW4DsFbKsPegDSp3BhOiX1NI79J8ssBaaf7F26jkoDpNqATHRQPInWmhjTwID4Vin50c3jBQOWzB7mTjrRKYrJuPsnRALs7VyjVm9SbB3Psow01QqGCjnSdm0lurraXcDi4/s2048/IMG_7080.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcSiYhpnXPUW4DsFbKsPegDSp3BhOiX1NI79J8ssBaaf7F26jkoDpNqATHRQPInWmhjTwID4Vin50c3jBQOWzB7mTjrRKYrJuPsnRALs7VyjVm9SbB3Psow01QqGCjnSdm0lurraXcDi4/s320/IMG_7080.JPG" width="320" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div>When you have a vegetable patch in the garden or an allotment you're going, from time to time, get a surplus of something or other. Hopefully it's something that can be frozen or pickled or turned into jam, but occasionally it isn't - or, as is the case at the moment due to tomatoes and runner beans, there just isn't space in the freezer. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgREk6lnxbeDPUb-V7QmGHXKlLmM50EmYwuX_BSxQ-C01oGth8-ZHO1qy1mzU-akuAL0kuVqsxDgeMxsfx-ZjalXWDOeg5YbHZFepC0IWOg0mknwosrOXALVQl848KMfZmzwq3aY7eFfow/s2048/IMG_7145.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgREk6lnxbeDPUb-V7QmGHXKlLmM50EmYwuX_BSxQ-C01oGth8-ZHO1qy1mzU-akuAL0kuVqsxDgeMxsfx-ZjalXWDOeg5YbHZFepC0IWOg0mknwosrOXALVQl848KMfZmzwq3aY7eFfow/w150-h200/IMG_7145.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><br /></div><div>So, I'm working my way through a seemingly never-ending supply of kale. I'm not fond of it just boiled, as you might cook cabbage or broccoli, which leads to some interesting experiments.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyjifEDAEF59GGwuRyKb4_-4XHMuEZWPONj3lg8ColAyidLaLIFivD6WNMsYvIt4MjTqsXxa29t72AdquKakJjNjsCMmjktSF0KarP4EFRl_T4Duvi8GPTspu-Iq_rrWEkJQmMEq_hNd0/s2048/IMG_7134.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyjifEDAEF59GGwuRyKb4_-4XHMuEZWPONj3lg8ColAyidLaLIFivD6WNMsYvIt4MjTqsXxa29t72AdquKakJjNjsCMmjktSF0KarP4EFRl_T4Duvi8GPTspu-Iq_rrWEkJQmMEq_hNd0/w200-h150/IMG_7134.JPG" width="200" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4_tlTnZP1wU-H6eUFPRe3uhQF3Rjrn40diZDq7EgY49fNqJGyQRxfopdY2Uuo0jtEbKxuex7IcfK0hccl_1Lv6r3xoNVeZcXwjYKRQKOw2dskUS8T0OcPIlXN0zgetDPLpNlgHS4HqgI/s2048/IMG_7077.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4_tlTnZP1wU-H6eUFPRe3uhQF3Rjrn40diZDq7EgY49fNqJGyQRxfopdY2Uuo0jtEbKxuex7IcfK0hccl_1Lv6r3xoNVeZcXwjYKRQKOw2dskUS8T0OcPIlXN0zgetDPLpNlgHS4HqgI/w150-h200/IMG_7077.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><br /></div><div>I like to add it, much the way I would spinach, to dishes with strong flavour, such as stir fries, chillies, curry, goulash, tomato dishes for pasta, with bacon chops in an apple juice sauce, and both in and shredded on top of enchiladas. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXAOXMONv1lZBPZGVXEfZldySVyb8-tXejNPrlD6DOBoh5RD8tc87OdtyrUqzTHLRyIjz02avrtUTJxF5rdXtTpY2lKFhDrQ7n_W8aNWnEyyXULFelhrIkP-nvvdQW2TpllHAjtUnbk-M/s2048/IMG_7279.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXAOXMONv1lZBPZGVXEfZldySVyb8-tXejNPrlD6DOBoh5RD8tc87OdtyrUqzTHLRyIjz02avrtUTJxF5rdXtTpY2lKFhDrQ7n_W8aNWnEyyXULFelhrIkP-nvvdQW2TpllHAjtUnbk-M/w200-h150/IMG_7279.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My favourite way though is none of these but roasted - with oil and spices - to make Chinese 'crispy seaweed'.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7cXEmIVvKCbiJGXiHX-JINQgAbNohDJevEumZPuhMjCAsZpLflzKIj8QvbRMt2VqH0_II9OFVqum3tk51diA0c1ZpemTximykFjsi_mZwvQdcF4Zb7wIXgSE5losQQqELyDB5_etKmn0/s2048/IMG_7082.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7cXEmIVvKCbiJGXiHX-JINQgAbNohDJevEumZPuhMjCAsZpLflzKIj8QvbRMt2VqH0_II9OFVqum3tk51diA0c1ZpemTximykFjsi_mZwvQdcF4Zb7wIXgSE5losQQqELyDB5_etKmn0/s320/IMG_7082.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p>maryomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265044617480788043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876641539267519643.post-35707692184419796272020-06-25T21:51:00.001+01:002020-06-25T21:51:17.063+01:00Rainbow wool project <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO4lkD9goF3Kipd9-pUzQKvHZWvTLokVn66CzIjyeIFzF0Lb0LW25A-MBCQLdQSqZmowFs_s4vJPYvgBX1ik98YYXmcoeftz5gljw-tKfNKnAHq84XuWIFJWa5P10MOU2JRy0sC1GLMwM/s3264/IMG_4913.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO4lkD9goF3Kipd9-pUzQKvHZWvTLokVn66CzIjyeIFzF0Lb0LW25A-MBCQLdQSqZmowFs_s4vJPYvgBX1ik98YYXmcoeftz5gljw-tKfNKnAHq84XuWIFJWa5P10MOU2JRy0sC1GLMwM/s320/IMG_4913.JPG" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
Just before Christmas my youngest daughter went to Riga for a weekend, and brought back this wonderful rainbow yarn for me. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div>
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br />
<div>
I struggled a bit to decide how to use it - there wasn't much, and I wanted something which would show off the marvelous colours, while avoiding the obvious thought of stripes.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Ed7hM61bZl6j3BaMEMwsVbt-WqSdqkFU9BkOMv-Y6JCBbTN7En8sfMStExnR0YJmCtiOt0JLdPzgwHIWClJCoVRYs2cU5wPmRSE1Hm7pXw6s1wIHxpYHSEWqYkL89WjfAG968QTG0j4/s1600/IMG_5826.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1022" data-original-width="767" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Ed7hM61bZl6j3BaMEMwsVbt-WqSdqkFU9BkOMv-Y6JCBbTN7En8sfMStExnR0YJmCtiOt0JLdPzgwHIWClJCoVRYs2cU5wPmRSE1Hm7pXw6s1wIHxpYHSEWqYkL89WjfAG968QTG0j4/s320/IMG_5826.JPG" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
This is what I decided on - stripes with stitch interest. It shows the colours off to perfection, and worked brilliantly as a scarf. As a hat, though it looked strange, like a baby's bonnet or something a flower fairy might wear so I decided to rip that back and start again.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrgPvNJLQPiDy-oEHBm8xNbm-JbA_ghTj9LZOmA1EXHiEfpR73DMiekru3k-TJJzrSyQEDT0fOeM0gpU_sZLLDPqG0tjOfFvqMQkC4H9fJgWcAMDi1XeUAjTwHa8W7N3pIaw3whz6btzk/s3264/IMG_5828.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrgPvNJLQPiDy-oEHBm8xNbm-JbA_ghTj9LZOmA1EXHiEfpR73DMiekru3k-TJJzrSyQEDT0fOeM0gpU_sZLLDPqG0tjOfFvqMQkC4H9fJgWcAMDi1XeUAjTwHa8W7N3pIaw3whz6btzk/s320/IMG_5828.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCHToIcreyw7pIbaRzQClfHZCO_dA7zHwkohrAf-hUnaU7Sa6AHSyOjSRZ5zKjBU11G7RErM_HoLQoIfEp57h_lZk1opzVbemVhQOe3mN7z-nW7Ai6wrVfZpY-Fwxd3rgWAlHOq-2XR6M/s1033/IMG_5894.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1033" data-original-width="797" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCHToIcreyw7pIbaRzQClfHZCO_dA7zHwkohrAf-hUnaU7Sa6AHSyOjSRZ5zKjBU11G7RErM_HoLQoIfEp57h_lZk1opzVbemVhQOe3mN7z-nW7Ai6wrVfZpY-Fwxd3rgWAlHOq-2XR6M/s320/IMG_5894.JPG" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
This time I went for a simpler plain stitch with just an odd row of reverse stocking stitch at intervals to echo the similar lines in the scarf.<br />
<div>
</div>
<div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
maryomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265044617480788043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876641539267519643.post-88655570451047298412020-05-16T16:22:00.001+01:002020-05-16T16:22:25.202+01:00I DID get it finished!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8b2O82wj3KDwYhKmBtyx4RHLSDkuYTPd8UH7fPCneNBUJK3BOXbsG88eTowi9-Acuq5wboByCsQG4nEN9JqOrBUcUYuMtLkX4ehjYEuU9zhdZnBCYleKjm8ACO73tcmaRypzIGAZ35o/s1600/IMG_5898.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8b2O82wj3KDwYhKmBtyx4RHLSDkuYTPd8UH7fPCneNBUJK3BOXbsG88eTowi9-Acuq5wboByCsQG4nEN9JqOrBUcUYuMtLkX4ehjYEuU9zhdZnBCYleKjm8ACO73tcmaRypzIGAZ35o/s320/IMG_5898.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
In January '19 I bought some wool in a sale, intending to crack on and make something, but I never really got started. Then in autumn I found it out but couldn't remember what I'd intended to knit.<br />
A lot of hunting among patterns and making alterations to this and that followed, and eventually by the end of February '20 I'd finished!<br />
<br />
The full photo isn't very clear but what I wanted was a hip length cardigan, wide at the bottom, fitted at the top. It pulls in at the waist with a repeat of the fancy hem rib, and my only regret is forgetting to add pockets.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiYf0GPAGysPQ0mmQ1s9HXrJiiYYhlAxWRLT12HgQKtDOrTjBlXDrYc1kO98VRKdqKF-UH56-iGLp0jNO1XA6ScdB0M98Dk7cLO7FV8b_Fh_-PPSGZEwIw03P6eQt9vFl8fnzxXmERa68/s1600/IMG_5899.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiYf0GPAGysPQ0mmQ1s9HXrJiiYYhlAxWRLT12HgQKtDOrTjBlXDrYc1kO98VRKdqKF-UH56-iGLp0jNO1XA6ScdB0M98Dk7cLO7FV8b_Fh_-PPSGZEwIw03P6eQt9vFl8fnzxXmERa68/s320/IMG_5899.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
It's probably not the longest it's taken between buying yarn and completing a garment because sometimes I just buy on impulse and hoard the wool, but it has taken a while.<br />
<br />maryomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265044617480788043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876641539267519643.post-20907165672807511172019-10-28T09:42:00.002+00:002019-10-28T09:42:53.135+00:00Decisions, decisions<div style="text-align: center;">
<span id="goog_1377066448"></span><span id="goog_1377066449"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwl1rngbRRBpmyq0Ss3na_nRGAViS717NMhSuNe8-ELPDQfl2LSs39GT-tbOal3caxyMp4q8FvPiM1kqzu-pnqXO8dYdg3g8j0M1_lsqBNuhapimrbQFXiOP4seNN-ZCRMd4PwDF23EJc/s1600/IMG_8948.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwl1rngbRRBpmyq0Ss3na_nRGAViS717NMhSuNe8-ELPDQfl2LSs39GT-tbOal3caxyMp4q8FvPiM1kqzu-pnqXO8dYdg3g8j0M1_lsqBNuhapimrbQFXiOP4seNN-ZCRMd4PwDF23EJc/s320/IMG_8948.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Back in the January sales I bought some wool. I had a definite plan of what I’d make but life got in the way and I never started it. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Fm64GZmnNd8G7vyFWm5eJyCpqofMXN0yW0L_tELjyr76MjdRJCjCJhGgaMPEnP4GW_LISgNj3_RdBH9edbgEogZqc1FtY6EFGYB4aDrtHdMUOidPWo9DZ_w2FohrNe32jezDCJKGwPQ/s1600/72891075_2830082317001830_2717961725608460288_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Fm64GZmnNd8G7vyFWm5eJyCpqofMXN0yW0L_tELjyr76MjdRJCjCJhGgaMPEnP4GW_LISgNj3_RdBH9edbgEogZqc1FtY6EFGYB4aDrtHdMUOidPWo9DZ_w2FohrNe32jezDCJKGwPQ/s320/72891075_2830082317001830_2717961725608460288_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Now I can’t remember what I was going to knit, so I’ve spent most of the weekend with my head in pattern books but still haven't made a decision!</span></div>
<br />
<br />maryomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265044617480788043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876641539267519643.post-34716357960633039892019-10-11T19:51:00.002+01:002019-10-11T19:51:28.445+01:00Raspberry Vodka<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiqbHO6DSMzkUfD51nrthOLDblYV5WcLnxXYnZMbaGxN_eL24u4_PXZRhfEX_N61DQMUtOSiQuoQucMg15gYtx2qL2Mnccbpazw9lrDYKfBPRlQqJeHBbxWsnMbN1wog1Q-TRzmnUu7uY/s1600/IMG_3965.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="997" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiqbHO6DSMzkUfD51nrthOLDblYV5WcLnxXYnZMbaGxN_eL24u4_PXZRhfEX_N61DQMUtOSiQuoQucMg15gYtx2qL2Mnccbpazw9lrDYKfBPRlQqJeHBbxWsnMbN1wog1Q-TRzmnUu7uY/s320/IMG_3965.JPG" width="199" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://maryomshomepage.blogspot.com/2019/09/when-life-gives-you-raspberries.html" target="_blank">After a fortnight</a> of soaking raspberries and sugar in vodka, it's time for straining and decanting back into the original bottle.<br />
<br />
There was just a little too much to fit, so I had to sample some - and very nice it was. The colour's gorgeous too. It's definitely more of a success than my rhubarb gin which smells strangely of olive oil.<br />
<br />
I just wish I'd thought to steam off the original labels!maryomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265044617480788043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876641539267519643.post-85063508873697244112019-09-22T13:06:00.001+01:002019-09-22T13:06:48.126+01:00When life gives you raspberries ...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirxs741V092fzcwbZKmOOAPob2LQVH0p5C8X1ooAV-YDqZy96e6FpK2UtOAeZn1mk9miFtm9LZpHZJp5F7jkzy5TqkOUaKkmOJGozJVBSCmfdy_Z_2wOJXViX4fjgrWEBjUTQ7OXvim3I/s1600/IMG_3534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirxs741V092fzcwbZKmOOAPob2LQVH0p5C8X1ooAV-YDqZy96e6FpK2UtOAeZn1mk9miFtm9LZpHZJp5F7jkzy5TqkOUaKkmOJGozJVBSCmfdy_Z_2wOJXViX4fjgrWEBjUTQ7OXvim3I/s320/IMG_3534.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
They say 'when life gives you lemons, make gin and tonic'. Well, life (or the allotment) is right now giving me raspberries - far too many of them.<br />
<br />
Some have gone into the freezer to turn into jam at a later date but this autumn's crop has been so bounteous that I'd thought I'd experiment with some of it.<br />
<br />
<br />
So, raspberry vodka.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQypjY3ozcSms5R3_1m03tBPKv-zipvaN1mKMGICEe_lLKydZgQIMIJKpVfQT8vnTGa1dhdONMLYDuDUxkSHSz2nmXcqf_qmbrf9XTPsYF4CJX3Z4dS2l6i_62Jfhq2QDPnDBtkA24MJ4/s1600/IMG_3535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQypjY3ozcSms5R3_1m03tBPKv-zipvaN1mKMGICEe_lLKydZgQIMIJKpVfQT8vnTGa1dhdONMLYDuDUxkSHSz2nmXcqf_qmbrf9XTPsYF4CJX3Z4dS2l6i_62Jfhq2QDPnDBtkA24MJ4/s320/IMG_3535.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
4 ounces raspberries, the same of sugar and not quite the whole of a 35cl bottle of vodka - letting it sit, shake frequently, and wait for two weeks.<br />
I've made blackberry vodka before, which was lovely, and rhubarb gin which was less so and needed interesting mixers. Hopefully this will fall into the 'lovely' category.<br />
Fingers crossed for two weeks<br />
<br />maryomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265044617480788043noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876641539267519643.post-82797213406992717102019-09-18T20:51:00.000+01:002019-09-18T20:51:30.087+01:00Clearing the freezer and coping with gluts<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJDuwkOmQMdWmmbRR5Eum6lAEfsnNNHbi9bE71d1Qr14m8wMje5Qy_1FXzpD3OWI9sMp_jHeq6e6oyGMbawhmcKCWeR_p-KypZEPhekaqJ9mnLEIZIPrTpiI6Qcv0r_gbE1XhMqOde1SI/s1600/IMG_2633.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJDuwkOmQMdWmmbRR5Eum6lAEfsnNNHbi9bE71d1Qr14m8wMje5Qy_1FXzpD3OWI9sMp_jHeq6e6oyGMbawhmcKCWeR_p-KypZEPhekaqJ9mnLEIZIPrTpiI6Qcv0r_gbE1XhMqOde1SI/s200/IMG_2633.JPG" width="150" /></a>My huge chest freezer has reached crisis point. The ice has built up and up, and unless the baskets are replaced in <i>exactly </i>the correct position the lid won't close. Like much of my house it's due for a declutter.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfAaJEi3X-edYqmM9Lv_XvrgVM_Qaw5UmR7p7qpr-vK0AeksfykY2uy5YPYWYbJ0_Wh02hUWVbjrbq-fqqUus0HKENR-CHUpiiIAoKu5FqnkcSkcuS7sxDncgrpiIDBbMdYzfoC2RY87Q/s1600/IMG_2606.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfAaJEi3X-edYqmM9Lv_XvrgVM_Qaw5UmR7p7qpr-vK0AeksfykY2uy5YPYWYbJ0_Wh02hUWVbjrbq-fqqUus0HKENR-CHUpiiIAoKu5FqnkcSkcuS7sxDncgrpiIDBbMdYzfoC2RY87Q/s200/IMG_2606.JPG" width="150" /></a>There are two main problems - all the allotment surplus that I freeze before it goes 'off' (and then forget about), and half-used bags of shop-bought things lurking right at the bottom.<br />
<br />
So ... I decided that last month, I would make a real effort to buy no more frozen food. We'd eat the broad beans that have been sitting in there for years. Finish up the fish in sauce that we aren't really fond of. Put together all the half-used packs of bacon, prawns, and peas - and discover there actually IS enough for a meal.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMku_wKcn21wQT30Cqr_gfk4FvhHz-DM5efnU87pEZ7ssBp8F7yqy5nDPjNxCVhhhyytY_9f9nXOxHKQJvF0up4g3CCxC28txCKACy2ETZPIrLwlb3s8Mts_WwiT6ionk0jg7UZ1ZVrHs/s1600/IMG_E2698.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1563" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMku_wKcn21wQT30Cqr_gfk4FvhHz-DM5efnU87pEZ7ssBp8F7yqy5nDPjNxCVhhhyytY_9f9nXOxHKQJvF0up4g3CCxC28txCKACy2ETZPIrLwlb3s8Mts_WwiT6ionk0jg7UZ1ZVrHs/s200/IMG_E2698.JPG" width="195" /></a><br />
I took out tomatoes and made passata, gooseberries for chutney, plums for jam, lemons to add to marrow and rhubarb marmalade.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWwsHJPAvSmR9xjYfa8l7_gEKHbVubmYRkR8ipn2O2fcGbD6b8vNeysC1trbEHsK_HIOX6Nfw1gFaMKQXRJ46NEAINqUBBMFBiA6y2E122fWimLDOrCkTvOR1xiA4yox4q2r8RNDX1GFE/s1600/IMG_3304.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWwsHJPAvSmR9xjYfa8l7_gEKHbVubmYRkR8ipn2O2fcGbD6b8vNeysC1trbEHsK_HIOX6Nfw1gFaMKQXRJ46NEAINqUBBMFBiA6y2E122fWimLDOrCkTvOR1xiA4yox4q2r8RNDX1GFE/s200/IMG_3304.JPG" width="200" /></a>Things were going well but then, just as the freezer looked clear enough to defrost, the allotment went into 'glut' mode. A few days of rain, followed by a few days holiday, meant it wasn't checked for a while, and the courgettes had grown into marrows. The greenhouse tomatoes started to ripen; the outdoor ones developed blight and had to be cleared.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL3-KyVuHg-VOj-D3dnrcwxwD89VmoFoOXMJkxX2E2rBqEBMRazlVnWgCAVE4t_0ntwp6BRUvjxgnd1NvOktlYedmBLgyo9b6DWZPl6kSra-9XEKhdU_w7TsrNNJbck1hW9esQODwK1-M/s1600/IMG_3223.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL3-KyVuHg-VOj-D3dnrcwxwD89VmoFoOXMJkxX2E2rBqEBMRazlVnWgCAVE4t_0ntwp6BRUvjxgnd1NvOktlYedmBLgyo9b6DWZPl6kSra-9XEKhdU_w7TsrNNJbck1hW9esQODwK1-M/s200/IMG_3223.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiZCt0go2Yi589cxwGThSfdfvgg5t5It6UHqZOLGG1VJ_IDw5xqSNnevgBxOGazYurHY_VfN5fWrHBGm-pQFWoxyWOhiqQ8mxDCFxrRyN07U-s_k7rx25qbiF_RSdGTkpiQEowcmgqjVU/s1600/IMG_3297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiZCt0go2Yi589cxwGThSfdfvgg5t5It6UHqZOLGG1VJ_IDw5xqSNnevgBxOGazYurHY_VfN5fWrHBGm-pQFWoxyWOhiqQ8mxDCFxrRyN07U-s_k7rx25qbiF_RSdGTkpiQEowcmgqjVU/s200/IMG_3297.JPG" width="150" /></a>Blackberries and autumn raspberries were ready to pick; as were the runner and French beans. Rhubarb decided to grow again, and apples started to fall from the trees. It's time to lift onions and potatoes, and possibly think about early pumpkins.<br />
<br />
If only allotment produce would come along at a reasonable rate, as and when needed!<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhogCDlMrK43rw0DWJTlcyjqpkI0191ELPhMuRG2LCg-d0YKtD2ezWFm5RT0LtA0gm5a3iWM-BFz0vR4kEvDMW5g4JPZePnKhNabG7qo7hMpUjGkAuWNE6dfIOzbxtd9B6PYOTof513kHE/s1600/IMG_3209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhogCDlMrK43rw0DWJTlcyjqpkI0191ELPhMuRG2LCg-d0YKtD2ezWFm5RT0LtA0gm5a3iWM-BFz0vR4kEvDMW5g4JPZePnKhNabG7qo7hMpUjGkAuWNE6dfIOzbxtd9B6PYOTof513kHE/s200/IMG_3209.JPG" width="150" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy_j1IHO8cerkeNEn8dL10GpfLlqmPSjm-3qBlJFpM_CTg8qDuxF55si2lnUadD8Z70tHpZ3cBr1kRVWJTPLii2GAfV5guQzoIlOY4u2DEaf6yR56qIvKmd3RkArQVvltD_DUlKmElPMM/s1600/IMG_3216.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy_j1IHO8cerkeNEn8dL10GpfLlqmPSjm-3qBlJFpM_CTg8qDuxF55si2lnUadD8Z70tHpZ3cBr1kRVWJTPLii2GAfV5guQzoIlOY4u2DEaf6yR56qIvKmd3RkArQVvltD_DUlKmElPMM/s200/IMG_3216.JPG" width="150" /></a>It's been time for a lot of inventive recipes - fruit with every breakfast, lazy trifle made from cold custard, blackberries, and yogurt, and cranachan made with yogurt (not cream).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDvMigppWQi5uweX_E5J8aSup_svEBA3F4-LQuG0R_TwpcDn1jv18N25xlgeX-AvsVWHWO5OuLApAcyQyfI3jp86-KffnCbytuuVWHRoWNUrgTNZGBfdn_usfN1fZW8yFfztf4LWHAx20/s1600/IMG_2638.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDvMigppWQi5uweX_E5J8aSup_svEBA3F4-LQuG0R_TwpcDn1jv18N25xlgeX-AvsVWHWO5OuLApAcyQyfI3jp86-KffnCbytuuVWHRoWNUrgTNZGBfdn_usfN1fZW8yFfztf4LWHAx20/s200/IMG_2638.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMpSIWEwQm_EAIK3SPWPUIJYd5xJur72JV0iEJ2JT6JpxmpblhwN8KAsT78p0hosMEGuW8AEfX3CQEt-6cO8DVc18b9rJLzfarWySmTYhyphenhyphen9O4tscuegqAPNn9BkUNWEoj3HwqOnM6wPiU/s1600/IMG_2595.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMpSIWEwQm_EAIK3SPWPUIJYd5xJur72JV0iEJ2JT6JpxmpblhwN8KAsT78p0hosMEGuW8AEfX3CQEt-6cO8DVc18b9rJLzfarWySmTYhyphenhyphen9O4tscuegqAPNn9BkUNWEoj3HwqOnM6wPiU/s200/IMG_2595.JPG" width="150" /></a>And with this huge pile of marrows/courgettes to use more invention was called for. Marrow seems like an odd ingredient for jam but actually works well. Combined with an equal weight of rhubarb, and lots of frozen lemon skins it makes a tasty preserve somewhere between a marmalade and a jam.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZuQSI0gwCDPMHr8bkR3pYM3zN-0IrQoxRfzKw-2h-EPM0XzdgPvP-9gv-MQmZf7LdjZXqdbmJDIs5vOd_UTqU2GWJs_FpCOnYm7Ivr0qIss8Ew4dRKjY15F0vrw21GlQdYGDdVgYkc-Y/s1600/IMG_2602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZuQSI0gwCDPMHr8bkR3pYM3zN-0IrQoxRfzKw-2h-EPM0XzdgPvP-9gv-MQmZf7LdjZXqdbmJDIs5vOd_UTqU2GWJs_FpCOnYm7Ivr0qIss8Ew4dRKjY15F0vrw21GlQdYGDdVgYkc-Y/s200/IMG_2602.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
In more traditional ways of using it we've had it roasted in lemon, added to curry, pasta sauce, omelettes, goulash, and, last and definitely worst, stuffed. I still want to try a battered, fried recipe I was given, and the courgettes keep cropping so I may get the chance.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ_5NlaOBsgkmKMHDgbJ4ej6WsZEamBDhXJwfFXFy-QDECMzR24ws3CQit8zTt4eJveoRRxB2OUexmNVScW7H7mW388-081DCi9bhCcAxZUJGzjum1q8Kwkb_Ew3heNIFUkdA7BJAXa2Q/s1600/IMG_2637.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ_5NlaOBsgkmKMHDgbJ4ej6WsZEamBDhXJwfFXFy-QDECMzR24ws3CQit8zTt4eJveoRRxB2OUexmNVScW7H7mW388-081DCi9bhCcAxZUJGzjum1q8Kwkb_Ew3heNIFUkdA7BJAXa2Q/s200/IMG_2637.JPG" width="150" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDT9Zm-QZUW5bj9tE9O-f7ueWCjgVyGf9DI5hpMpUsvUhH1Srof0OoJE4jLIpvS6o3sPFg5ZVNr4fIlHCtdy70V2IPLBmXi2YRRvAx8zcrLSn-0kMQdiSlalVyIdEUnWS-e4VhvqgZHu4/s1600/IMG_2603.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDT9Zm-QZUW5bj9tE9O-f7ueWCjgVyGf9DI5hpMpUsvUhH1Srof0OoJE4jLIpvS6o3sPFg5ZVNr4fIlHCtdy70V2IPLBmXi2YRRvAx8zcrLSn-0kMQdiSlalVyIdEUnWS-e4VhvqgZHu4/s200/IMG_2603.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9cnvOmImOsW3P0WmYUJ8kwS-IC59dtNI1a-WyCOiTzgf0bWG3sOpgNYgAlRRwDgu_yFaUQBcVTnSFHYhEq9yKsNtnyftwIFsH6gIAzu3xGxNd2Ba7tILSasJ_178ZgED2xd00q5z1VRw/s1600/IMG_2598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9cnvOmImOsW3P0WmYUJ8kwS-IC59dtNI1a-WyCOiTzgf0bWG3sOpgNYgAlRRwDgu_yFaUQBcVTnSFHYhEq9yKsNtnyftwIFsH6gIAzu3xGxNd2Ba7tILSasJ_178ZgED2xd00q5z1VRw/s200/IMG_2598.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmbbkLDZkkjldNnXo0ddiX86HYcu50oZhBEVbzz3Ec2U-WEwsbBygAAYHLHZzERPCQIql-STKbeKSeDz0SWhKX8mBuS0UC4F1k0Gc1Ky-XuTERL8JVVG5j_ctVGj0E0xmQuRx01RamG3Y/s1600/IMG_2596.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmbbkLDZkkjldNnXo0ddiX86HYcu50oZhBEVbzz3Ec2U-WEwsbBygAAYHLHZzERPCQIql-STKbeKSeDz0SWhKX8mBuS0UC4F1k0Gc1Ky-XuTERL8JVVG5j_ctVGj0E0xmQuRx01RamG3Y/s200/IMG_2596.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl8ZtmDorsMEEsFdGBI0rsj9IC-T2v1gQAlaDN3ub3AAYTy1_nyQm0ipwP1mBvHp70sBFb6gRBiUkvxkOuPdqoMQiLQ8rWl-IVS9OLbhZ1i8h0r4f7K8v9WeLnJQqNqF6Ee278xRTXyh8/s1600/IMG_2631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl8ZtmDorsMEEsFdGBI0rsj9IC-T2v1gQAlaDN3ub3AAYTy1_nyQm0ipwP1mBvHp70sBFb6gRBiUkvxkOuPdqoMQiLQ8rWl-IVS9OLbhZ1i8h0r4f7K8v9WeLnJQqNqF6Ee278xRTXyh8/s200/IMG_2631.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtJ24CoyP0F1YGdGPU-QG6jt5joJ-TcEr1YnyffcrpPCkPyQVm63FfaUJNebhJgrs7uQvVGxaflUxeV-ospl0I3p_Iy0F6aaWfw1QZqeuIbjiY6dL4BdgaE1bGkfLq_m9EDcWARXU3adk/s1600/IMG_2636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtJ24CoyP0F1YGdGPU-QG6jt5joJ-TcEr1YnyffcrpPCkPyQVm63FfaUJNebhJgrs7uQvVGxaflUxeV-ospl0I3p_Iy0F6aaWfw1QZqeuIbjiY6dL4BdgaE1bGkfLq_m9EDcWARXU3adk/s200/IMG_2636.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Beans, tomatoes (even the green ones) and surplus fruit have ended up in the freezer - it's completely full again but at least it's with this year's fruit and veg. Onions are hanging from the garage ceiling; potatoes are in bags in the cupboard under the stairs. People keep talking about stocking up for Brexit - I don't need to :)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />maryomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265044617480788043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876641539267519643.post-41416675639926176132019-04-08T15:24:00.000+01:002019-04-08T15:24:49.246+01:00Baby-sized cardigans, and clearing my yarn stash<div style="text-align: center;">
I decided at almost the last minute to knit my <br />
grandson a jacket for Christmas - a sort of baseball jacket. It took me a little over a week, and helped use up some bits of yarn I had stashed away, but was FAR too big!<br />
It will probably still fit him next Christmas.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBzdhVqyD_i-S4I3Knrgf-WwHrJWMCd0SpQdJxlrY85iat7Z11HfK64jc9qcv4F1wTdLPeiv61kbDwWnSWGoLMsRBJrABT9iF1u22FCJMAq4NX-EAbR6lRnS7CoFj-jS1J34ts-j4fxFM/s1600/IMG_E8918.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1291" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBzdhVqyD_i-S4I3Knrgf-WwHrJWMCd0SpQdJxlrY85iat7Z11HfK64jc9qcv4F1wTdLPeiv61kbDwWnSWGoLMsRBJrABT9iF1u22FCJMAq4NX-EAbR6lRnS7CoFj-jS1J34ts-j4fxFM/s320/IMG_E8918.JPG" width="258" /></a></div>
<br />
I was so taken with this way of using up my oddments of yarn, though, that sometime in January, filled with new year's resolutions to clear out my yarn stash, I thought I'd make another - similar but different, and smaller this time. I'd have plenty of time to make it before moving on to my newly-purchased wool intended for myself.<br />
Or so I thought.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTpMPej-FWFGw2RaBJL9K9DAcsDsjtw2sL2LbMaXh3VZP5Un6AFEWx12G36UqVwpNqk5CSK7TMOmAvyPTv3xt364yc4wW61FPdR4KSQ31RwpiFGsB6zAAtGbTohL_Z-Ncnj6z8AuWd4o/s1600/IMG_E9762.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1530" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTpMPej-FWFGw2RaBJL9K9DAcsDsjtw2sL2LbMaXh3VZP5Un6AFEWx12G36UqVwpNqk5CSK7TMOmAvyPTv3xt364yc4wW61FPdR4KSQ31RwpiFGsB6zAAtGbTohL_Z-Ncnj6z8AuWd4o/s320/IMG_E9762.JPG" width="306" /></a></div>
<br />
There must have been a huge amount of wishful thinking going on there, because with one thing and another I didn't complete the project till March!<br />
Originally I'd intended to make the sleeves in blue, but there wasn't enough of that yarn.<br />
I think the tan colour works well though, and the various coloured stripes will match with a variety of brown and blue jogging bottoms and denim baby jeans.<br />
<br />
On now to my own cardigan before summer arrives ...</div>
maryomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265044617480788043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876641539267519643.post-36527802255119322332019-03-27T01:08:00.000+00:002019-03-27T01:08:05.747+00:00Cushion covers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPprWpLHLEt30Pa8vCVmexKFqA0tKU455NAcu_JN1Arfo1q_b1mflevwzri0D9NBY4Swy38FbmY8YzNi_95GTwcTAilEWY25il0kZWSaAHJdDYFSP9OBvpw7NR_SbQmpj1tT9KIRWtIdY/s1600/IMG_9210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPprWpLHLEt30Pa8vCVmexKFqA0tKU455NAcu_JN1Arfo1q_b1mflevwzri0D9NBY4Swy38FbmY8YzNi_95GTwcTAilEWY25il0kZWSaAHJdDYFSP9OBvpw7NR_SbQmpj1tT9KIRWtIdY/s200/IMG_9210.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
I've become dreadfully lax about finishing projects. I bought these cushions years ago, intending then to double as pillows for overnight guests.<br />
Well, they've seen a lot of use as pillows but it's taken a massive clear-out of the spare room to actually get covers made and them eventually taking their place on the sofa!<br />
The material was originally surplus cut from a pair of far too long IKEA curtains, and like the cushions has been sitting waiting to be used for years!maryomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265044617480788043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876641539267519643.post-42054378816763778382019-01-31T01:00:00.000+00:002019-01-31T01:00:10.470+00:00Bringing summer back to the kitchen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW3NyRD8RG4WNCABWAs2B1nAJ6fczEkQSOq9FZ4DCzTSHJCRPe30NBQPUeDz4SDNdOM0tS-4U6K4o6IVJPFq6AoqN6c5MYGBVU4Hqb-6LRhbxjjHahVs8AMLyNb4PkcQBUXN2AZ7v-j1Y/s1600/49241553_2324234930919907_6122749263706324992_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW3NyRD8RG4WNCABWAs2B1nAJ6fczEkQSOq9FZ4DCzTSHJCRPe30NBQPUeDz4SDNdOM0tS-4U6K4o6IVJPFq6AoqN6c5MYGBVU4Hqb-6LRhbxjjHahVs8AMLyNb4PkcQBUXN2AZ7v-j1Y/s320/49241553_2324234930919907_6122749263706324992_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
It's January so you can't expect the weather to be warm and sunny, but I always find it a good time, especially on a miserable rainy day, to raid the freezer and bring back the scents of summer to the kitchen.<br />
<br />
First, my lazy version of passata. Frozen tomatoes are much easier to peel than fresh - drop them in boiling water and the skin falls off - then I just simmer them for a while till they're cooked and the consistency looks right. At this point, a more enthusiastic person might sieve the pips out. I don't mind them in soup or pasta sauces, so I don't bother with the fuss. I just pour the gloop into jars and boil to seal. The last bit always used to worry me - boiling a glass jar seems such a wrong thing to do - but, so far, I haven't had any accidents.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAozYTIHZfKkBPhgS-J6lIq6XsgjoqVcAXVFICyFpAMzQ2uBSY_kcy6jcrlyCmTB8IwxilpoVREuobjsQBzV_dqdRtdL_iW2PcmxxWkBjuYH1bbC_ME8n1pcrblquFFfXeBjuQWGp9wnk/s1600/IMG_9367.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAozYTIHZfKkBPhgS-J6lIq6XsgjoqVcAXVFICyFpAMzQ2uBSY_kcy6jcrlyCmTB8IwxilpoVREuobjsQBzV_dqdRtdL_iW2PcmxxWkBjuYH1bbC_ME8n1pcrblquFFfXeBjuQWGp9wnk/s320/IMG_9367.JPG" width="320" /></a>Then, a few days later, spurred on by the sight of stored apples rotting in their boxes, I decided to make jam. It's probably possible to use just apples but that doesn't seem a very exciting spread for toast or whatever, so I'd normally add some blackberries out of the freezer - this time, for a bit of variety, I used raspberries. I use roughly 2lbs apples to 1lb of other fruit, which I find works well. The jam tastes of the berries, but doesn't contain anything like the amount of seeds as jam made solely from them. It's more culinary laziness really.<br />
<br />
<br />
We still have quite a few home-grown apples remaining, so I need to find some way of using them - not cakes or puddings but maybe in casseroles with pork or sausages.maryomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265044617480788043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876641539267519643.post-77795581955337895402018-08-02T20:18:00.001+01:002018-08-02T20:21:56.606+01:00When life gives you courgettes ... make marmalade<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2JHkDYEZzPw9Msf0VGF2b4P4tiQ67kc68t7LbZMM0lel58QRXjg38ynp9OEJf0oN3qmuSD2UPgiBBDWLo9TbR0xkjdwLYVYvb-qJs6lI27B0BZie7x2-fMdIG8ByOZDXGSz_eJokBIEg/s1600/IMG_7341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2JHkDYEZzPw9Msf0VGF2b4P4tiQ67kc68t7LbZMM0lel58QRXjg38ynp9OEJf0oN3qmuSD2UPgiBBDWLo9TbR0xkjdwLYVYvb-qJs6lI27B0BZie7x2-fMdIG8ByOZDXGSz_eJokBIEg/s320/IMG_7341.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">If there's one surplus from the allotment that I hate, it's courgettes. There's only so many of them that you can eat (and to be honest I having been cooking much with the heat), and they don't freeze well.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The only options left are chutney and marmalade</span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> - and we eat more marmalade.</span><br />
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6GvQcvAel8S2vCpDyphcLtK1_5YvAsgiUnNBh7G9Mz37NG34iFpvJ-QGIxuRAbMaJdlEdNb2GojVj6Cl26ZVBLG36mpSNz-mA4UhgRP9E3OANLzyDSl8Z_HFxXDK68AmNMXJtmincPVw/s1600/38183382_2072265726116830_392541499545354240_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6GvQcvAel8S2vCpDyphcLtK1_5YvAsgiUnNBh7G9Mz37NG34iFpvJ-QGIxuRAbMaJdlEdNb2GojVj6Cl26ZVBLG36mpSNz-mA4UhgRP9E3OANLzyDSl8Z_HFxXDK68AmNMXJtmincPVw/s320/38183382_2072265726116830_392541499545354240_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">It's weird, but simple, and does actually taste like marmalade once cooked. Basically, peel and chop the courgettes, getting rid of any seeds. Weigh them and put them in a jam pan with their weight in sugar, and leave overnight.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"> For each pound of courgettes, add a lemon or two (I save squeezed out ones in the freezer) and a handful of frozen leftover orange rind. I boil these separately to soften, then cut up finely and add to the courgettes.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBu8Vr1xIdkunZach_UMxRapUm2HdDEg38DNpjeSYCz3ytHy6aZHPdxzGZXxCHBXpkGJEmPbam3zUEmJOjMY8BeklcBj9_oEKlcevbqiqhGUh2sJ1fC_2IB5o6XbhE5Re7ow3nRIIxkWk/s1600/38212404_2073783195965083_1185886276251811840_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="610" data-original-width="960" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBu8Vr1xIdkunZach_UMxRapUm2HdDEg38DNpjeSYCz3ytHy6aZHPdxzGZXxCHBXpkGJEmPbam3zUEmJOjMY8BeklcBj9_oEKlcevbqiqhGUh2sJ1fC_2IB5o6XbhE5Re7ow3nRIIxkWk/s320/38212404_2073783195965083_1185886276251811840_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">Next day it all just needs boiling up - gently at first to be sure the courgettes are soft (sometimes I mash them to avoid lumps) then quickly to set.</span></span><br />
<div style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
maryomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265044617480788043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876641539267519643.post-43508299611088919392018-01-06T10:56:00.000+00:002018-01-06T10:56:06.014+00:00Baby shawl<div style="text-align: center;">
For the first time in ages, I've picked up my knitting needles!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1-ZkCS0whZmE_TOSZcoHXFWdBquEO0zAjrFYuOxhEyE8sRF8Ekh2CYLZmFSls1XONeuwQpgPc5NVwvxqEs6xxn4eHI8wdhvbFd8qb0fclNrHEJv1DINNvhFJmsvup-xxT4uFQEV7yBvY/s1600/23622225_1770783632931709_5840305672504936957_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1-ZkCS0whZmE_TOSZcoHXFWdBquEO0zAjrFYuOxhEyE8sRF8Ekh2CYLZmFSls1XONeuwQpgPc5NVwvxqEs6xxn4eHI8wdhvbFd8qb0fclNrHEJv1DINNvhFJmsvup-xxT4uFQEV7yBvY/s320/23622225_1770783632931709_5840305672504936957_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="text-align: start;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-align: start;">With my first grandson expected just after Christmas, I got out the ancient battered, family shawl pattern and got busy - this was round about the middle of November.</span><br />
<span style="text-align: start;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-align: start;">Then, I discovered it might all take longer than I thought! At 255 stitches the rows seem appallingly long, and take forever to knit, so there's no chance of doing a few in odd moments during the day.</span><br />
<span style="text-align: start;">So, I've found a Netflix boxset - or three - and settled down to many. many evenings of knitting.</span><br />
<span style="text-align: start;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuIDDHu1oi2yLZ6bxBkns2J-4yGf1FQQxGh_a8nZgv5Kp2eiF0W6ghygvt3DaWgoTxxgBKNUYWnsCuQTHOnxbOGghr_6Y8ON_fXVXvbICxaWt3IdT9qIDVQqpU04VwUoarIcrTwJUivEs/s1600/26167937_1819573404719398_3556933828006356307_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuIDDHu1oi2yLZ6bxBkns2J-4yGf1FQQxGh_a8nZgv5Kp2eiF0W6ghygvt3DaWgoTxxgBKNUYWnsCuQTHOnxbOGghr_6Y8ON_fXVXvbICxaWt3IdT9qIDVQqpU04VwUoarIcrTwJUivEs/s320/26167937_1819573404719398_3556933828006356307_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
At last, I have the main body of the shawl finished. Only the edging to go ...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />maryomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265044617480788043noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876641539267519643.post-23327972251356435452017-10-24T11:43:00.001+01:002017-10-24T11:43:38.979+01:00Passata and Pickles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWMuNlhWiakvYHoQisRLExNVnuI_3aXtpv6OxbZGWEx-nUGOZKHotzRNFWGpFkZoUgvEn6KB4IRGhmbdBiI4ZD009X_HhgNwag4_TOfBXHiqIuZW5m3L8TF-biXqYYEZKMWgiHxC63vr0/s1600/21768127_1716013991742007_2032162064625078564_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWMuNlhWiakvYHoQisRLExNVnuI_3aXtpv6OxbZGWEx-nUGOZKHotzRNFWGpFkZoUgvEn6KB4IRGhmbdBiI4ZD009X_HhgNwag4_TOfBXHiqIuZW5m3L8TF-biXqYYEZKMWgiHxC63vr0/s200/21768127_1716013991742007_2032162064625078564_n.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<br />
I seem to be in non-stop preserving mode at the moment. If there's a fruit or vegetable that can be stored by turning into jam, chutney, pickles or whatever, I'm doing it.<br />
I've already pickled our home grown onions, turned cucumbers into bread and butter pickle, made <a href="https://maryomshomepage.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/preserving-time-again.html" target="_blank">chutney with pumpkins and jam with apples and blackberries</a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilt8gndGgfQAkWEr2NwFSaCtT9otZTpRjlRZoz-90qvq-mKer17KlmmYbmQz4LlGHZdKEGlra_FVXOtPjfgZo5ThWzSekrpBEXwGVImOtvBiLhXS75dmtDT_l98IoxYXYNK7pXjpA-AOw/s1600/22687755_1741267179216688_3838618903616005844_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilt8gndGgfQAkWEr2NwFSaCtT9otZTpRjlRZoz-90qvq-mKer17KlmmYbmQz4LlGHZdKEGlra_FVXOtPjfgZo5ThWzSekrpBEXwGVImOtvBiLhXS75dmtDT_l98IoxYXYNK7pXjpA-AOw/s200/22687755_1741267179216688_3838618903616005844_n.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
This weekend I've turned my eye to the stock-pile of frozen tomatoes, and cleared some space in the freezer by making passata. Mine's a rather lazy version,with no sieving required! I pour boiling water over the still-frozen tomatoes so I can easily slip the skins off, then boil them for half an hour or so till the fruit 'collapses' - and that's basically it. Once the jars are sealed, I've found this to keep almost indefinitely, but over winter, I'll use it in soups, added to pasta sauces, or poured over enchilladas.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWDPAR_TKnj00F_z9jCvrD-0fI_x3YMroTVg8tVgmGxQzxZX2h2gDcdofmI5C0z4Q0jwp3lVOlCIyadXigFNMVav3eBpS3SxlnMjT0dJSk7bAk2wk0XQ__wQ6raRLNhz9OymMTncgePf0/s1600/22007437_1716013945075345_3527331867010947577_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWDPAR_TKnj00F_z9jCvrD-0fI_x3YMroTVg8tVgmGxQzxZX2h2gDcdofmI5C0z4Q0jwp3lVOlCIyadXigFNMVav3eBpS3SxlnMjT0dJSk7bAk2wk0XQ__wQ6raRLNhz9OymMTncgePf0/s200/22007437_1716013945075345_3527331867010947577_n.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
<br />
Next I decided to tackle the courgette glut that's filling my fridge vegetable compartment. It's possible to freeze them but they always seem so limp and damp afterwards, no matter how they're cooked, but a couple of years ago I tried using them instead of cucumber in <a href="https://maryomshomepage.blogspot.co.uk/2016/09/bread-and-butter-pickle.html" target="_blank">bread and butter pickles</a>, and the experiment paid off. I think they might actually keep longer, which is good as I already have two jars of cucumber pickle to eat!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJh1J6zX9BPyJS6t3EmEVuh1-vTegnRceWACaavQhIrAjI4EcsCXcLeuxns01zKilzMdPysjnIpVTTkQjoI_ZlqJfYbDaClIIRM5orUNiHRuetMPuaOUMc5aK9QDLBppqvxDygDuxqQI/s1600/22519375_1736383663038373_1220572522589183417_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJh1J6zX9BPyJS6t3EmEVuh1-vTegnRceWACaavQhIrAjI4EcsCXcLeuxns01zKilzMdPysjnIpVTTkQjoI_ZlqJfYbDaClIIRM5orUNiHRuetMPuaOUMc5aK9QDLBppqvxDygDuxqQI/s200/22519375_1736383663038373_1220572522589183417_n.jpg" width="150" /></a>So, an hour or so salting, some hot vinegar poured over, and that's another batch of preserving done ...<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />maryomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265044617480788043noreply@blogger.com0