ELDERFLOWER CORDIAL

I’ve been making some early Elderflower cordial - normally it’s not ready until June, but this year it will all be over long before then.  The blossom needs to be picked just as the flowers are fully open and full of pollen, as it’s the pollen that makes the Elderflower flavour.  Most parts of the Elderflower are poisonous even the flowers and berries - unless they’re cooked. To make the cordial I used  25 Elderflower heads, 1 litre of water, 1 kg sugar, 1 pack of citric acid and 1 sliced lemon.  Mix the sugar with the water in a large pan, bring to the boil, then add the other ingredients (don’t wash the flowerheads or you’ll wash the pollen out - just pick out the wildlife).  Leave it to infuse for 24 hours then strain through muslin/clean tea towel.  There are lots of recipes around.  If you like it more syrupy you can double the sugar, but I find one pack enough to make a refreshing drink and some delicious recipes like the jelly below:

                             

OVER EGGED

We’re feeling a little over-egged at the moment - the hens are all into over-lay and the only eggs my children are eating at the moment are of the chocolate variety.  It’s so frustrating that anything in abundance is so often rejected - hold onto that thought if you are sowing courgette plants this year ...

IN THE PINK

A flock of flamingoes hasn’t just visited us; the photo was taken at London Zoo.  I should dearly love some flamingos - we do have a pond after all, but I’m not sure what they eat - I think it’s shrimps, and we only have tadpoles and dragonfly larvae.  We might have to stick with moorhens for now.

Almost as lovely as a flamingo are these ‘China Pink’ tulips - a lily flowered type that’s fairly reliable.  It’s very annoying when tulip flowers don’t come back the following year; the bulbs often  split and decrease in size rather than bulk up and spread about like bulbs ought to.  The more exotic the tulip, the less likely it is to show it’s face again.  Conversely, the closer it is to the species, the more reliable it is.  ‘China Pink’ reappears about half of the time, which isn’t too bad.

Tulips like free draining soil and absolutely detest sitting in the wet.  They are from a drier climate than ours - indigenous in countries like Turkey and  Iran - they spend most of their time waiting under the ground for the brief spring rains.  I know how they feel.
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FROM TINY SEEDS

I think I feel about sowing seeds how some people feel about Christmas shopping.  A panic comes over me - starting slowly in late February, but reaching it’s peak any day now.  I rush about rashly tipping whole packets of seeds into pots and trays on a daily basis, piling them up in the greenhouse until I can barely squeeze myself in to water them.  Rationally, this evening from the safety of my computer, I say to you - do not do this - seeds of most things keep for ages, and how many brussels sprouts/lupins/whatever do you need, or, more importantly, have time to pot on and nurture to maturity?  Following the logic of this, in my case the answer’s probably 3, but as with any obsession, it’s hard to know when to stop.

I think I’ve just never got over the pure magic of germination - that something so minute and seemingly lifeless can be induced to turn into a plant without much help from me is a complete miracle.  The children are momentarily excited by the sowing of seeds too, but a week goes by more slowly for them, and unlike me, they take the wonders of nature in their stride.  But just like me, have to tip the whole packet out all at once, and that can get very expensive.  If you can be organised enough to collect seed at the end of the season and then find somewhere dry to store it over winter you will get double the satisfaction - and plants for free.

WATERY SUNSETS

One of the good things about wet weather is the watery sky that’s left once the rain has passed over.  It  makes for beautiful sunsets with wispy ‘Heaven’s Gate’ clouds.

OF MICE AND MOLES

We’re being attacked on all sides by pesky little creatures at the moment.  The moles have now dug so many tunnels I’m worried that the house might start sinking - and we have had an invasion of mice.  They are sweet little fieldmice and Alice is very fond of them, so we have to put down humane traps (except when she’s not looking).  They go back to the fields in spring (stopping at my greenhouse on the way to eat all the early peas), but until then we’re at war.

Not much is happening in the veg patch, but I’m still able to harvest a few hardy crops.  there are plenty of leeks, lots of kale, a few miserable sprouts (no-one wants to eat those now) and lots of oriental mustard, which is much hardier than it looks.  Growth slows almost to a standstill at this time of the year, but as the light levels increase, if we get even a few days of warmer weather, it will start up again.

FATTENING APPLES

If you’re harvesting apples (or even if you buy them) try this yummy, but  very fattening, way to use them.  Peel, core and slice one and saute gently in a little butter.  Meanwhile unwrap a small camembert (those that come in the little wooden containers are good), heat the oven (med setting), place the cheese back in the box and arrange the apple slices on top and bake for 15 - 20 minutes until the cheese is lovely and molten.  Serve it as a sharing kind of starter, or snack with some crusty bread.  As I mentioned, it’s very fattening, so please don’t do what I did and eat the whole thing yourself...